Exam 2 The Biology of Aging Primary Aging Unavoidable and inevitable Secondary Aging Experienced by most but not all people Function of disease disuse not exercising and abuse abusing alcohol deteriorates your body Biological Theory of Aging grow back Hayflick Limit Cells can only divide so many times and once the cells die they cannot o This is the most supported theory Cross linking Proteins produce molecules that make the body stiffer o This is not an adequate explanation Free radicals Unstoppable Molecules o This increases with age o Damages proteins fats and lipids o Contributes to diseases Telomeres End of chromosomes that shorten with age Significant to the aging process because it provides evidence of progeria We are working on developing a treatment to prevent shortening of telomeres Factors associated with longevity Heredity how long did your parents live Gender Differences Women tend to live longer than o Biological Factors Women have the XX chromosomes which help provide resistance to infections o Social Factors Health attitudes habits life style and occupations There are age related changes in smell and taste Both are weakened o Sense of smell is not as strong may not smell if something is burning or a gas leak o Sense of taste is weakened food does not taste as good This is most notably seen in older people who are less healthy Our sensitivity to pain changes with age in that we become less sensitive to pain with age however the pain older adults feel is real and should be treated We are more sensitive to fluctuations in temperature the older we get it becomes harder to maintain our body temperatures Vision problems develop later in life Glaucoma hardening of the eyeball and buildup of fluid in the eye o If untreated it can destroy vison o This does not happen to everyone it is an unexpected sensory loss Macular Degeneration Deterioration of the retina o This is the leading cause of blindness in adults o This very serious o You could have normal eye site all of your life and then quickly deteriorate and become blind Cataracts Cloudy opaque areas in the lens of the eye that can prevent light from passing through o Surgery can remove this problem but not all people can afford it o This is the most common vision impairment this happens to most people but Presbyopia Farsightedness you have to hold the paper out further to read it Causes problems adapting to the dark causes increased sensitivity to glare and diminishes depth perception o Makes you need a night light to go to the bathroom can cause trouble driving at not all night Men are most likely to have hearing loss problems Normal Age related changes in the Cardiovascular System Accumulation of fat deposits and stiffening of the heart muscle muscle becomes fat Decrease in ability to cope with physical exertion Moderate exercise can slow these changes Normal Age related changes in the Respiratory System Decrease in vital capacity the amount of air we can take into our lungs Decrease in ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide i e harder to catch your breath Rate of decline is slower when physically active It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between normal aging and effects of pollution Reproductive changes Women Menopause o Happens between ages 50 55 this is happening later in age than it used to probably due to healthier habits o Signals the end of childbearing o Symptoms hot flashes night sweats headaches and mood changes o Few women experience serious problems but everyone is affected in their own o When this was originally researched only a small cohort with similar problems way was interviewed Men Do NOT lose fathering capacity but do experience a decline in testosterone o There is a decline in the quantity of sperm o There are psychological changes in sexual performance Changes in sleep that occur later in life 40 of older people complain of sleep problems Increases likelihood of insomnia Takes longer to fall asleep Fewer hours of slow wave sleep deep restoration sleep Breathing disturbances are more common snoring and sleep apnea Life style changes that tend to improve sleep o Exercise o Spending more time in the sun o Reducing caffeine intake o Improving sleeping environment quiet darker room o Limit amount of time spent in bed to only being there to sleep Myth about sexual behavior Truth about sex in later life Age relate physiological changes detrimentally affect sexual function It may occur less often but it is still meaningful Old ideas from limited cross sectional studies only a few specific cohorts were studied in the past and because they were from the same time they almost all had the same opinions Factors related to sexual behavior in later life Older adults to not differ significantly in sexual activity compared to their younger selves if they wanted to have sex all the time growing up they probably will still want to when they get older but if sex wasn t something they felt the need to do all the time they will probably continue feeling that way as they get older o Rate of sexual behavior is stable when a partner is available o 75 year old men have a good chance of finding a partner because there are less healthy older men than women o In recent years rates of STDs have increased in middle aged and older adults Even those with chronic health conditions still have and enjoy sex Relationships are more important than sexual activities Preventing Chronic Disease Living with Chronic Conditions Disability Impairment in the ability to complete multiple daily tasks need for assistance with ADLs Activities of Daily Living Disabilities related to different factors Lifestyle exercise and smoking Age older age Gender more likely for women Socioeconomic Status SES more common for lower SES Race ethnicity more common for African Americans Comorbidity Coexistence of two or more chronic or psychiatric conditions ex heart disease and depression can be considered comorbid because people who have heart attacks may become more upset and depressed Symptoms of Cardiovascular disease that make it more difficult to diagnose in later life symptoms seen in older adults Development course of Chronic Disease Rare in early adulthood More likely in midlife Most common in later life Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease Poor diet Sedentary lifestyle Smoking Generalized sense of weakness Dizziness Confusion Shortness of breath Hypertension High blood pressure Hypotension Low blood pressure Stroke Portion of the