A modification of the relative risk model with heterogeneity component for detecting genes contributing to longevity.

Genes associated with longevity can be identified on the basis of information on genotype frequencies for different age groups. This information is usually collected in population studies on aging. Significant age trends of genotype frequencies can indicate gene-longevity associations. Specific demographic data included in the model allows us to estimate the hazard and survival functions for different genotype groups. A new method based on the relative risk model makes it possible to dispense with some superfluous assumptions of this model and additionally to study the cohort effect and the effect of antagonistic pleiotropy.