Mayo Clinic researchers have found that drugs targeting “zombie” cells in otherwise healthy older women may benefit health.

Zombie cells, also known as senescent cells, are cells that malfunction due to age. They are called zombie cells because they have slipped into a dormant stage: They’re not dead, but not really alive, either. What’s more, they can’t divide or reproduce like normal cells. Instead, these cells drive inflammation and tissue dysfunction linked to aging and chronic diseases, including Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and certain cancers.