Senescent Penna Model

Reaching senescence onset does not necessarily cause immediate death in the senescent Penna model. Higher p is interpreted as exercise or better telomere maintenance because it means longer survival after senescence begins. The senescent Penna model lets each individual acquire one disease-like senescence event. After senescence begins, individuals survive each time step with probability p. The first 1 in an individual's bit string determines the age at which senescence begins. Remaining individuals are forced to die after the maximum number of post-senescence replication cycles is reached.