Neurologic disorders are a common cause of morbidity, mortality, institutionalization, and increased health care costs in the older adult population. Not only does advancing age increase the frequency and severity of neurologic disease, but it may also play an important…
Respiratory Function Tests The commonly used respiratory function tests are presented in this chapter. In addition, patterns of lung function abnormality seen in some of the common types of condition are also presented. Breathing parameters include the following: Forced expiratory…
Advanced age is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Why age increases the risk of cardiovascular disease is debatable. The increased risk might arise simply because there is more time to be exposed to risk factors…
Introduction Overview of Frailty Geriatricians have an affinity for frail older people, or should. The complex care of older adults who are frail is the very stuff of geriatric medicine. This chapter argues that the formal assessment of complexity can…
Demographic trends show that independently of geographic regions and socioeconomic background, the absolute and relative number of older persons is increasing worldwide. It has been estimated that the prevalence of persons aged 65 years and older worldwide will increase from…
Neuroendocrine aging is a multifactorial process that typically spans years and is characterized by sequential phase transitions. These transitions are progressive in nature and are typified by stages of system-level changes in function, followed by compensatory adaptations. Furthermore, phase transitions…
Introduction “Stress” is often identified as a factor in accelerated aging, an important factor in disorders such as cardiovascular disease and depression, and a contributor to other disorders. Being “stressed out” is a commonly used expression that generally refers to…
Environmental stressors and several genetic pathways play complex and crucial roles in the neurobiology and control of aging. This chapter will summarize current knowledge on these two specific research areas divided into two sections, one on free radical stressors and…
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare, uniformly fatal, segmental premature aging disease in which children exhibit phenotypes that may give us insights into the aging process at the cellular and organism levels. This chapter will compare HGPS to…
Introduction Aging changes are universal within a species and are intrinsic and progressive. They are universal; each true aging change should develop in all individuals in a species if they live long enough. Aging is intrinsic because these changes occur…