Dementia and Aging Flashcards
What is maximum life for a human?
120 years.
What is current life expectancy for a M and F?
77.4 (72.1) and 82.2 (78.2)
Who lives longer - white or hispanic females?
Hispanic females!
What are the four theories of aging?
- Cellular Theories
- DNA mutation theories
- Inherited factors
- Stress related theories
Cellular aging theory describes lifespan as genetically predetermined. How does it rationalize this conclusion?
Postulates that fibroblasts only have a certain # of mitotic cycles before they die. Shorter lifespan = faster divisions.
In the DNA mutation theory, what 2 things happen that result in breakdown?
- DNA ends protected by telomeres which break down over time, leading to destruction of code.
- Errors accumulate that have occurred in RNA transcription over time.
What system is most often implicated in the inheritance theory of aging?
Cardiovascular system.
The oxidative stress theory is caused by a increased number of free radical as oxygen is converted to water. What cell do these free radicals typically damage?
Mitochondrial cells, specifically their membrane leading to dysfunction.
Free radical accumulate over time
Name 2 diseases that are implicated in the oxidative stress theory of aging.
- PD
- breakdown of dopamine to free radicals - Familial ALS
- super oxide mutase deficient, many O2 radicals
Alzheimer’s is the ___ leading cause of death. For people > 65, it’s the ___ leading cause of death.
7th, 5th
What is the main problem with determining what normal aging of the brain looks like?
Generational changes in body side - older people were smaller
-also undiagnosed disease related to brain atrophy
What is ideal brain volume loss from 40-80?
1-2% per decade
Which loses brain volume faster, the cortex or hippocampus?
Hippocampus, around 5% per decade
With neurons and aging, is it a loss in the number of neurons or loss in function of neurons that is most impactful?
Neuronal function.
All of the following neurotransmitters decline except:
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
- GABA
- Norepinephrine
- Norepinephrine
Decline accelerated in basal ganglia.
What happens to axonal cell bodies and dendrites with age?
Cell body shrinks, fewer dendritic branches and spines.
Less collaterals, too.