Autophagy has long been presumed to decline with age, underpinning its designation as a hallmark of ageing. However, emerging evidence challenges this notion, showing tissue-specific variability and, in some cases, age-related increases in autophagic activity. Understanding these dynamics is vital for targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Acknowledgements
J.M.C. is supported by an EMCR Fellowship from The Hospital Research Foundation Group (2022-CF-EMCR -007).
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T.J.S. is listed as an inventor on a patent and patent applications related to content discussed in this manuscript (UK GB2603664B; USA US20220276262A1; Australia AU2020337182A1). The other authors declare no competing interests.
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Nature Cell Biology thanks Viktor Korolchuk, Terje Johansen, and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
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Singh, S., Carosi, J.M., Dang, L. et al. Autophagy does not always decline with ageing. Nat Cell Biol 27, 712–715 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01654-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01654-5
