Immunity and ageing in man

Abstract

Immunosenescence resulting in decreased ability to control infectious disease contributes to morbidity and mortality not only in the very elderly, but in all likelihood already from middle age. Studying immunity in humans is therefore essential for developing treatments to restore dysregulated immune responses and assure healthy longevity. The past year has seen many significant advances in our knowledge of age-associated alterations to immunity in elderly people, only some of which can be briefly reviewed here.