Physiology of ageing

Question 1

what is ageing

Answer 1

decrease in functional capacity, molecular organ level
genetic factors
environmental factors

ageing and wear and tear&raquo_space; disease/ disablement

Question 2

what are the changes in muscle physiology when ageing?

Answer 2

Loss of lean body mass

Infiltration of fat and connective tissue

Altered muscle metabolism

Insulin resistance

Reduced levels of key regulatory hormones

Impaired oxidative defence

Question 3

Sarcopenia

Answer 3

loss of muscle mass (and strength)

reduced cross-sextional and functionality

disuse atrophy

Question 4

CV changes when ageing

Answer 4

• Gradual thickening of the tunica intima and tunica media of large and medium-sized arteries
• Calcification
  gradual loss of elasticity and stiffening of the arteries - often reflected by increased blood pressure
• Atherosclerosis
  Reduced elasticity and increased resistance to blood flow of aged and occluded arteries
  heart’s ventricles have to pump with greater force
• Hypertrophied
  Changes in the heart’s conductive system
• Filling of the ventricles also slows with age
  decrease in the maximal heart rate achievable during exercise

Question 5

CV changes cont.

Answer 5

• decrease cardiac output w age

decrease max SV mainly due to increased peripheral resistance

Question 6

pulmonary changes

Answer 6

• ^^ in rib calculation
• age-related reduction i respmuscle strength

freq with which cilia beat decreases w age - infections

sensory rceptor less sensetive

Question 7

pulmonary changes

Answer 7

loss of elasticity of lung tissue and chest wall

vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec

^ residual volume

maximal min ventilation

reduced dleivery of oxygen to the blood and dec in oxygen saturation

Question 8

immunosensecene

Answer 8

• deterioration of immune function seen in elderly

^^ susceptibility to ; infec, cancer, autoimmune idsease

Question 9

innate immune response

Answer 9

skin is thinner, drier

neutrophils; reduced phagocytosis and respond less to chemotaxis

macrophages: phagocytic capacity reduced

natural killer cells: althought number increase cytotoxic abikities decrease

Question 10

adaptive immune response

Answer 10

T cells mature into immunocompetent lymhocytes in the thymus gland

(shrinks w age, fewer matured T cells0
more autoantibodies
declind in T cell receptors

Bone marrow produces fewer mature b cells