Introduction to ageing Flashcards
What is ageing?
The progressive, generalised impairment of function resulting in a loss of adaptive response to disease
What causes human ageing?
- Random molecular damage during cell replications
- Progressive vulnerability to a growing range of health-related upsets affecting neurological control mechanisms
What are some factors that increase levels of molecular damage in ageing?
Lifestyle stress
Inactivity
Poor diet
Inflammation
What are some ageing hypotheses?
- DNA damage - Effects cell renewal and stem cells prevent cell repair
- Free radicals - Mitochondria produce free radical s which produce oxidative stress which accumulates with age
- Telomeres - Tips of chromosomes shorten with cell division over time which leads to cell senescence
- Cross-link - Tendons, skin and blood vessels lose elasticity
What is the disposable soma hypothesis of ageing?
After reproduction, there is little evolutionary value in repairing and maintaining that body and so eventually cannot repair damage as quickly as it accumulates, leading to cell death, multi-system failures
What is sarcopenia?
An age related loss of muscle mass, strength and muscle quality
What can sarcopenia cause?
A decline in physical function, therefore causing frailty and an increased fall risk
How is sarcopenia diagnosed?
Presence of low muscle quality or quantity
How is severe sarcopenia defined?
Low muscle strength, low muscle quantity/quality and low physical performance
What is shown?
Young, healthy thigh muscle
What is shown?
Sarcopenic thigh muscle
What causes sarcopenia?
Saropenia is caused by a reduction in number of motor units and muscle fibres, as well as an increase in muscle fibre atrophy
This, alongside factors such as nutrition, hormones, metabolic factors, immunological factors and the RAAS, lead to a decrease in muscle mass and muscle strength
What are some management options for sarcopenia?
Resistance training
Medication
Nutrition
What are some medications that may show benefits in sarcopenia?
ACEi, growth hormone, vitamin D and amino acid supplementation
What is frailty?
The loss of homeostasis and resilience
What occurs as a result of frailty?
Increased vulnerability to decompensation after a stressor and increases risk of falls, delirium, disability and death
This means that after a stressor event, there may not be a return to previous level of function
What are some factors that can lead to frailty?
- Genetic factors
- Environmental factors
- Cumulative molecular and cellular damage
- Reduced physiological reserves in all systems
- Low physical activity
- Poor nutrition
What clinical scoring system is used for frailty?
Rockwood clinical frailty scale
How common is multi-morbidity in adults?
Most people with a chronic condition are multi-morbid, with >50% of older adults having ≥3 chronic conditions
Are frail and multi-morbid the same?
Multi-morbidity is not the same as frailty, as multi-morbid patients may still be very robust
What are blue zones?
Areas in the world where there is a much higher than average life-expectancy and health, with the highest levels of people reaching 100
What modifiable factors contribute to health and disease in ageing?
Environment
Lifestyle
What are the 4 main lessons from blue zones?
Move naturally
Outlook
Connect
Eat wisely
What are some predictive factors of longevity?
- Not smoking
- Being part of a social network
- Physical activity
- Good health habits
What are some conditions that physical activity protects against in old age?
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Some cancers
- Mild depression
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
What is ageism?
An unacceptable behaviour that occurs as a result of the belief that older people are of less value than younger people
What is elder abuse?
a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occuring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person
