Lecture 29: Ageing Flashcards
Biology of ageing?
Survival - risk of dying doubbles every 8 years
Mortality substitution - infection and then CVD and soon it will be Cancer
Animals in the wild do not age - reproduction important
Genetic factors eplain 25% of longevity
Does sex shorten life?
Redproductive processes shorten longevity
Postmenopausal survival - evolutionary success, reproductive mess + nutrition and wisdom
Equalise longevity between sexes
Disposable soma theory? nutritions role?
Protective mechanisms fail over time. The repair mechanism is costly and not always idential loosing small things along the way.
Low weight, Vitamin E, C and curcumin possiblt prevents DNA damage but the human orgamism is very complex to does not really do much.
We are evolutionary designed to be able to store over maintence and repair. Not made for a sedentary life
Changes with age?
Psychological
- Verbal vs performance skills
- attention to competing stimulus
- processing skills slow
- working memory imparied
Physiological
- muscle weakness, stiffness
- CO decreased
- Lung volume decreased
- Renal function imparied
- skin stretches
Diseases more common in older age?
Psychological
- Cognitive decline and dementia
Physiological
- Fraility
- congestive heart failure
- COPD
- Renal failure
Increased risk from
- medications (interactions)
- Minor ilness (eg. the flu)
- immobility - 15% muscle strength / day
What does it mean if you live longer?
Then you’ll live longer ;)
