The ageing process Flashcards by Harry Douthwaite

What is life span

The potential maximum to which a species can live

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WHat is life expectancy

Average number of years a person may live from a given age

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What is healthy life expectanct

The average number of years a person may live in good health from a given age

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What is aging?

No set definition, but usually follows lines of age-related change being: Deleterious, progressive, intrinsic, universal

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How do smoking and sun exposue effect the skin

Ages it

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What happens to height and fat as the body ages

Loss of height, loss of fat free and lean body mass, gain and redistribution of adipose tissue

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How can skin change as it ages?

Wrinkes, blotchiness, thinning epidermis, slowing of keratinocyte generation, loss of elasticity in dermis, lumps and bumps, dry

Pathological: Ulcers,skin cancer

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What is solar elastosis?

UV radiation breaks down elastic tissue in the skin

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What are solar letigines

Dark brown spots appearing with age

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What are melama?

Dark patches of skin usually on face related to fmale hormones

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What are actinic keratoses

A kind of rough scaly area on skin

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How does UVB cause solar aging

can cause DNA mutation directly by creating compounds that affecting pyrimdine bases.

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How does UVA cause solar aging

penetrate into dermis and damage leads to smaller dermis and damage to blood vessels. Damage DNA directly through production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)

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How do both forms of UV cause solar ageing

Inflammation and production of cytokines, attracting neutrophils, leading to free radical generation

Can cause Vit A deficiency in skin

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What are langerhans/dendritic cells and how do they change frequency with age

On infection of an area of skin, the local Langerhans cells will take up and process microbial antigens to become fully-functional antigen-presenting cells.

Decrease with age

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What is basal cell carcinoma

Skin cancer common in Uk, but rarely metastasises. Related to sun damage

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What is Squamous cell carcinoma

occurs where there is squamous epithelium, such as cervix. On skin linked to sun exposure

How can damaged/aged skin be repaired

Retanoids can alter structure of skin, CO2 lasers resurface skin by causing collagen production

What is sarcopenia

The loss of skeletal muscle with age, via inactivity or loss of motor neuron innervation

What changes to the MSK system are seen with age

Sarcopenia, osteoporosis, cartilage changes

Why does mucle mass and strength decrease with age

Lack of activity, fat infiltrating muscle, inflammation, innervation

What are the cardiovascular changes of aging

Stiffening and widening of large arteries, reduced ability to contract/dilate large arteries, reduced responsiveness to exercise, postural hypertension, cardiomegely

What is cardiomegely

Abnormal enlargement of heart

What cardiac diseases are more likely with age

Arteriosclerosis, atherosclerosis, CHD

How does systolic BP change with age?

It increases

How does aging impact the respiratory system?

Intercostal/diaphragm muscles weaken, lungs become less elastic, reduced cilliary function, impaired ventilation

What respiratory pathologies are more common with age

Lung cancer, bronchitis

How does the GI tract change with age

Reduced absoption, mucus secretion, motility, and hepatocytes. CONSTIPATION Increased risk of gallstones, cancer, diverticulosis

What is diverticulosis

Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) develop in your digestive tract. When one or more of these pouches become inflamed or infected, the condition is called diverticulitis.

How does aging affect the genitourinary system?

GFR decreases, poor adaptability, reduced ability to postpone bladder voiding, cannot completely do so, prostatic hypertrophy

What genitourinary pathologies can arise with age

Urinary incontinence, prostate hyperplasia/cancer

What is presbyopia

long-sightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age.

What is presbyacusis

Presbyacusis is the progressive, sensorineural hearing loss that occurs with age. It is typically bilateral and symmetrical, and is very common after 55 years of age. It results from a gradual loss of cochlea hair cells and degeneration in the cochlea nerve.

What are the main theories for explaining the ageing process

Gene regulation, free radical theory, neuroendocrine, as well as cell reproduction limits, programmed cell death, reliability theory

What is a free radical?

Any independently ecisting molecular species that contains an unpaired electron. Many are unstable and highly reactive. They make DNA mutation more likely

What does ROS stand for?

Reactive oxygen species

How are ROS formed?

From cell reactions

How do ROS influence DNA?

They cause damage to nuclear DNA

What do SIRT1 and SIRT3 do?

When activated they deacetylate severa; proteins that promote resistance to oxidative stress (antioxidant response)

What does the gene theory of ageing propose?

With each cell division, telomeres shorten, and once telomeres reach a cartain length cells cease replicating. Telomerase can repair telomeres

Wjhat factors influence rate of telomere shortening?

Age, smoking, exercise, body weight, genetics (not sex) and stress

What does the homeostatic/neuroendocrine theory of aging propose?

Hypothalamus becomes lesss sensitive, loss of fine hormonal control, cortisol increases, has a role in fat production/storage, decreases bone formation