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Despite recent progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating aging and lifespan, and the pathways involved being conserved in different species, a full understanding of the aging process has not been reached. In particular, increasing evidence suggests an active role for the nervous system in lifespan regulation, with sensory neurons, as well as serotonin and GABA signaling, having been shown to regulate lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). However, the contribution of additional neural factors, and a broad understanding of the role of the nervous system in regulating aging remains to be established. Here, we examine the impact of the dopamine system in regulating aging in C. elegans.

We report that mutations of DOP-4, a dopamine D1-like receptor (D1R), and DOP-2, a dopamine D2-like receptor (D2R) oppositely affected lifespan, fast body movement span …