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Describe biological and psychological theories of aging
Chapter 1 concept of aging
Explain theories of ageing
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Human beings age and they have since the beginning of time, but it remains an unsolved mystery. This enigma has remained in the dark until the recent innovations technologies have shed some light on this elusive topic; cells are the key to figuring out why humans age. Aging seems to be a relatively simple process, but the more it is studied, it is evident that it is rather complex. There are a myriad of factors that contribute to aging, but none of them can single handedly answer the question of why humans age. This age long question is at the forefront of medical research. As a result, discoveries are frequently made, which contribute to the ever growing pool of knowledge. Perhaps in time, by researching this topic, the human lifespan will lengthen and the diseases that often plague the elderly can be prevented or subdued to a greater extent. Furthermore, human aging is proven to be closely linked with illnesses such as cancer, which is why so many world class scientists are pursuing this topic. Interestingly enough, there is no universal theory that is widely accepted by the scientific community; however, there are many theories that credibly explain the science behind aging. Aging is a subject that should be studied because it directly benefits many lives, and has tangible results.
As medical and scientific equipment begins to evolve, many interesting discoveries have been made over decades of meticulous research. These discoveries enable scientists to build on their knowledge and come up with the theories that they do. For example, the discovery of telomeres was a monumental step forward in this field. Telomeres are protective structures on the ends of DNA strands. These structures gradually shorten to a point where the...
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...y are meant to do so. Other theories such as the free radical theory have more scientific evidence. A molecule produced by the digestive system, specifically originating in the mitochondria [Nelson, Nathan C. Nelson Department of Physics, Ohio State University]. These rogue radical molecules can destroy healthy cells, which contributes to the death of the entire organism. There are some older theories that date further back, such as the “Error and Repairs Theory, [Dr. Leslie Orgel, Salk Institute], which theorizes that through the process of cell division, too many deoxyribonucleic acid errors are produced for the organism to continue carrying out all life processes.
Aging is a subject that is worth pursuing, especially as the baby boomers generation grows older. It is important that medical technology is able to keep up with the demands of the aging population.
“Are Telomeres the Key to Aging and Cancer?” Learn.Genetics.11 February 2014. University of Utah. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/chromosomes/Telomeres/
9. Travis, John. "End games: tips of chromosomes may contain secrets of cancer and aging." Science News 25 Nov. 1995: 362+. Science in Context. Web. 20 May 2014.
Humans undergo several stages during their lifetime including growth, development, reproduction and senescence. Senescence is defined as the deteriorative biological changes that organisms experience as they age eventually leading to death. These changes include low metabolism, a weak immune system, memory loss, poor vision and loss of hearing. Senescence begins in humans during their post-reproductive years. However, gerontology research has shown that individuals who reproduce late have longer life spans compared to individuals who reproduce early. Nonetheless, it does not indicate that senescence is inevitable. All organisms experience senescence, but at different rates and time. Many genetic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease are prevalent in older individuals and the symptoms being to appear in middle adulthood. The causes of genetic diseases and disabilities in older individuals are explained by three evolutionary theories: antagonistic pleiotropy theory, mutation accumulation theory and disposable soma theory. These theories suggest that favorable natural selection and heavy allocation of resources for somatic maintenance during the reproductive period decreases the chances of genetic diseases in younger individuals.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00424-009-0728-1 Tümpel, S., & Rudolph, K. (2012). The role of telomere shortening in somatic stem cells and tissue aging: lessons from telomerase model systems. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,1266(1), 28-39. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06547.x Yang, Q. (2009).
Common sense seems to dictate that we are all going to die one day. As we all get older we crave to keep our youth, and to stay young forever is the ultimate dream. The thought of a possible immortality is just an added benefit. Even though we have strived towards this goal for centuries, have we obtained advances in successfully staying young forever? In Bill Gifford’s book “Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (Or Die Trying)” he explores these ideas of life and aging further. In this novel, he goes on a journey to try and debunk the mysteries and questions behind the new science of aging. He gathers information from tests and scientists from around the country to discover what really works to prevent or delay aging and what is just a hopeful hoax. He helps us figure out why we age and why aging
Late Adulthood is the last stage of human lifespan development. Human beings are complex in many ways that it is essential that we human understand these crucial development stages in our life to better communicate and prepared for them. At this stage of development, organs in adults work differently or maybe slowly. For example, I observed that when someone is approaching my grandma from a far distance, it is hard for her to identify or sometimes seems blurry to see who the person is even if it is someone she knows, until the person move very close to her before she is able to identify the person; this is as a result to low vision related to aging.
My passion for Science started with chemistry. The elixir of life mentioned in the book “Crucibles: The story of chemistry” by Bernard Jaffe, made a profound impression on me. During my diploma in chemical engineering, I was introduced to physiology and biochemistry by reading books of my roommate. I realized the potential implications of these fields of study upon the riddle of the Elixir of Life,‘how to prevent aging and to extend lifespan.’
SÍTAR, M.E., YANAR, K., AYDIN, S. and ÇAKATAY, U., CURRENT ASPECTS OF AGEING THEORIES AND CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO MECHANISMS. .
Furthermore, there are four biological theories that provide intriguing explanations of why we as people age. The four biological theories are evolutionary, cellular clock, free-radical, and hormonal stress. Evolutionary theory of aging is the view that natural selection has not eliminated many harmful conditions and nonadaptive characteristics in older adults. Cellular block theory is Leonard Hayflick’s theory that cells can divide a maximum
Today, the world’s population is aging at a very fast pace and the United States is no exception to this demographic change. According to the U.S Census Bureau, senior citizens will account for 21% of the American population in 2050 (Older Americans, 2012). Although living longer lives may not seem like a negative sign, living longer does not necessarily mean living healthier. Older adults of today are in need of long-term health care services more than any generation before them (Older Americans, 2012). Because of the growing need for senior care, millions of families are facing critical decisions on how to provide care for their parents.
play a large part in our health and our developmental status. The role of age
Ageing is a natural occurrence, and practically an inevitable process in life. Even though, aging is a
Centenarian longevity is very much based on the internal physiological functioning and health input and output of these individuals. Physiological functioning including the immune system functioning has seen to be maintained and even increased for these longevous human beings. Neutrophilic functioning for fighting infection, and gluthathione and catalyst activity are also maintained through the century years. These results show high correlations between the levels of centenarians, and those of young adults. Genetic-wise, the longer the telomere, the longer the lifespan, due to cell division. Polymorphic genes regulate the immune system and other surrounding structures, maintaining its functions. Furthermore, health-conscious individuals are more likely to maintain a longer life, and reach the century age. This is due to maintenance of functioning by adapting healthy routines throughout their lifetime, even through old age. In conclusion, maintenance of the body and physiological aspects similar to young adults at old ages show a great increase in surviving and living beyond 100 years.
Discoveries in DNA, cell biology, evolution, and biotechnology have been among the major achievements in biology over the past 200 years, with accelerated discoveries and insight’s over the last 50 years. Consider the progress we have made in these areas of human knowledge. Present at least three of the discoveries you find to be the most important and describe their significance to society, health, and the culture of modern life. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a self-replicating molecule or material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent in chromosomes. It encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses.
The advantages of using technology in healthcare are far too many to enumerate. As we become more and more dependent on intelligent machines in the medical field, computation technology, specifically, will have a vital role to play in the coming years. They simplify the design process of medical equipment (like prosthetics, stents, pacemakers, etc.), help simulate the effects of a particular device or drug on the human body, consolidate & manage patient records in a central database, etc. Computers are also living up to the challenge of fulfilling out ever-increasing demands of precision and efficiency.