Aging

Question 1

What’s sarcopenia

Answer 1

the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength as a result of ageing.

Question 2

What happens to lungs when you age

Answer 2

Increased residual volume
Reduction in forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume…

due to

Loss of elastic recoil
Dilatation of alveoli
Loss of supporting structures for peripheral airways

Question 3

What are cellular characteristics of agin

Answer 3

Stem cell exhaustion
Mitochondrial dysfunction = falling energy output
Increased oxidative stress
Changed cellular communication
Deregulation of nutrient sensing eg. detection of glucose and appropriate use

Question 4

Molecular characteristics of aging?

Answer 4

Genomic instability (DNA damage)
Telomere attrition
Epigenetic changes
Changes to gene expression 
Loss of protein homeostasis

Question 5

What’s cellular senescence

Answer 5

Limit to passage number (age/divisions for somatic cells)

Question 6

What’s telomere shortening?

Answer 6

Caps on the end of chromosomes
Short = shorter cell lifespan
Long = higher cancer risk

Seem to be quite an inherited characteristic

Question 7

How do senescent cells differ from permanent cells (eg quiescent or terminally differentiated)

Answer 7

Absence of proliferation markers
Senescence associated beta galactosidase activity
Expression of tumour suppressors and cell cycle inhibitors
Secretion of range of signalling molecules

Question 8

Molecular aspects of senescence

Answer 8

Epigenetic DNA modifications eg DNA methylation and histone modifications

These may underlie changes in gene expression which co tribute to cell-cell variation and noise w/ age

Modified by genotype

Question 9

What can change gene expression as part of the course of aging

Answer 9

Epigenetic DNA modifications eg DNA methylation and histone modifications

These may underlie changes in gene expression which co tribute to cell-cell variation and noise w/ age

Modified by genotype

Question 10

How heritable is lifespan thought to be

Answer 10

16%

Question 11

How heritable are age related diseases thought to be?

Answer 11

80%

Question 12

What is lifespan

Answer 12

Birth to death

Question 13

What is health span

Answer 13

Birth to end of “disability free” life expectancy (typically 1 or 2 decades shorter than lifespan)

Question 14

What is aging

Answer 14

Near universal, intrinsic, progressive and&raquo_space;deleterious&laquo_space;process.

Normally characterised by measurable reduction in reproductive capability, functional decline (physical and cognitive) and inc. mortality with age

Question 15

Is aging genetic

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

What’s morbidity

Answer 16

the condition of suffering from a disease or medical condition.

Question 17

What is mortality

Answer 17

the state of being subject to death/death on large scale

Question 18

What is fluid intelligence

Answer 18

Fluid intelligence involves being able to think and reason abstractly and solve problems. This ability is considered independent of learning, experience, and education.

Question 19

What is Crystallised intelligence

Answer 19

Crystallised intelligence is based upon facts and rooted in experiences. As we age and accumulate new knowledge and understanding, crystallized intelligence becomes stronger.