The ageing process

Question 1

give the 3 features of human ageing?

Answer 1

random molecular damage during cell replication

inactivity, poor diet, inflammation and inc damage

Reduction in body’s adaptive reserve capacity

Question 2

what 7 factors contribute to ageing?

Answer 2

Mutations in chromosomes
Mutations in mitochondria
intracellular and extracellular aggregates
Cellular loss
Cell senescence (useless/harmfull cells)
Extracellular protein crosslinks

Question 3

what leads to cell senescence?

-what prevents this?

Answer 3

telomeres consist of multiple repeats of a single motif (TTAGGG) which forms a DNA loop
this loop varies in length and progressively shortens with cell replication and eventually becomes too short for cells to replicate
called: HAYFLICK LIMIT
but is not actually a limiting factor in practice

-telomerase (extends the shortened telomeres in some cells that divide many times)

Question 4

what causes damage to macromolecules?

Answer 4

ionising radiation
reactive oxygen species
Extrinsic toxins

Question 5

what 4 responses can occur in response to cell damage?

Answer 5

repair
Apoptosis
Senescence
Malignant transformation

Question 6

definition of frailty?

-effect of insult (illness) in frailty?

Answer 6

loss of homeostasis and resilience
inc vulnerability to decompensation after stressor event
inc risk falls, delirium ect.

-larger deterioration and will not return to prev function

Question 7

How can frailty be measured?

Answer 7

Rockwood score (deficit accumulation)
Phenotypic (Fried score, 3+  then frail)