Abstract for presentation at 11th International Congress of Human Genetics

Consanguinity, Life-styles and Longevity among Kurichians: a tribal population of Kerala, India

  • Dr Parvathi Kumara Reddy Thavanati, Instituto de Genetica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico
  • Dr Kodanda Reddy Kanala, Department of Anthropology, School of Biological & Earth Sciences, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati., India
  • Dr Aurora Escoto de Dios, Institute of Molecular Biology, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara., Mexico
  • Dr Papa Rao Alahari, Department of Anthropology, School of Biological & Earth Sciences, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati., India

    • Purpose:The present study is aimed to evaluate the causes of longevity in a Kurichian tribal population of Kerala, India who are enjoying healthy long life, even though they are strictly endogamous and relatively free from age associated chronic problems.
    Methods: Information on 300 families for Demography and 310 intravenous blood samples (10 ml) of healthy unrelated individuals for the biochemical analysis (lipid peroxidation, free radicals, antioxidatns and DNA damage) were collected from the Kurichian tribe of Waynad district, Kerala, India through personal interview method.
    Results: The mean pregnancies (gravida), parity, living children, pre & postnatal mortality, total mortality are more in consanguineous couples with higher percentage of consanguineous marriages. All the mortality rates are found to be higher among the non-consanguineous when the effects of ancestral consanguinity (consanguinity of present couple, wife´s parents and husband´s parents) is taken into consideration. The anova results express that all the biochemical variables (lipid peroxides, free radical concentration, and DNA damage) show a significant association with age in both males and females. Serum cholesterol and old age groups were significant predictors of serum antioxidant vitamins and lipid peroxides. Significant variation is found among the inbred and the non-inbred of both males and females of different age groups with less DNA damage and lipid peroxidation among the inbred.
    Conclusions: Prolonged practice of inbreeding had already reduced the burden of deleterious genes, leading to an increase in the fitness of an individual. Higher levels of antioxidant vitamins, lower levels of lipid peroxides in Kurichias compared to other populations suggest that antioxidants or increased intake of foods rich in antioxidants may restrict the progressive degenerative diseases in homozygotes (a protective mechanism) including the life-styles which play a key role in their health and longevity.

    Conference Organiser - ICMS Pty Ltd