Aging and Human Longevity

ISBN-13: 9780817639648 / Angielski / Miękka / 1997 / 284 str.

Marie-Francoise Schultz-Aellen; Marie-Francoise Schulz-Aellen;Schulz-Aelle

Opis

The proportion of elderly people continues to increase in the western world-nearly a quarter of the population will be over 65 years by the year 2050. Since aging is accompanied by an increase in diseases and by a deterioration in well-being, finding solutions to these social, medical and psychological problems is necessarily a major goal for society. Scientists and medical practitioners are therefore faced with the urgent task of increasing basic knowledge of the biological processes that cause aging. More resources must be put into this research in order to achieve better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that underlie the differences in life span between species and to answer the difficult questions of why some individuals age more quickly than others, and why some develop liver problems, some have heart problems, and others brain problems. The results of such a wide program of research will provide important information about the causes of many life-threatening and/ or debilitating diseases of old age; it will help find ways to prevent some of the ailments that result from aging, and it may well lead to discoveries enabling the prolongation of human life.

Spis treści

I: The Mechanisms of Aging.- 1 Variability of life span between species.- Methods to quantify life span.- Life span of humans.- Life spans of invertebrates.- Life span of cells in culture.- Are some plants or animal species immortal?.- 2 Factors that influence human longevity.- Genetic influence on longevity.- Influence of personality, social class and social interactions.- The role of happiness and marriage.- Sexuality.- The role of stress.- Diseases of premature aging.- A note on diseases and longevity.- 3 Structural and physiological changes occurring with age.- Major functional systems.- Connective tissue.- Nervous system.- Endocrine system.- Biological clocks and circadian rhythmicity.- Immune system.- Aging of intracellular functions.- Homeostasis and multisystem regulation.- 4 Theories of aging.- Stochastic theories.- Programmed theories.- Overview of aging theories.- 5 Mechanisms of cellular aging.- Intrinsic mechanisms.- The influence of genes and chromosomes on health and longevity.- Human genetic diseases due to somatic mutations.- DNA methylation.- DNA and protein glycation.- Garbage molecules.- Extrinsic mechanisms.- Free radicals.- Effects of radiation.- 6 Apoptosis, disease, and senescence.- Conclusion of Part I.- II: The Prolongation of Life.- 1 Life extension.- Life extension in nonhuman species.- Food restriction in nonhuman species.- Life extension in humans.- Human studies on food restriction.- 2 The role of diet in longevity.- Recommendations.- Perspectives.- Vitamin supplements.- Mineral supplements.- Unsaturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.- 3 Antioxidants and the chemoprevention of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.- Vitamins, minerals, coenzyme Q10.- Aspirin.- 4 Life styles.- Social network.- Sexuality.- Physical exercise.- Smoking.- Alcohol consumption.- Controlling stress.- 5 Substitution of endogenous compounds and hormones.- Melatonin.- Thymus hormones.- Sex hormones.- Dihydroepiandrosterone.- Human growth hormone.- 6 Medications and alternative medicine.- Anti-aging medications.- Alternative medicine.- 7 Surgical strategies.- Plastic surgery.- Replacement of body parts.- 8 Perspectives in the detection and treatment of diseases.- Biotechnology contributions in medicine and gene therapy.- Contribution of genetic engineering techniques to medicine.- Application of gene therapy to neurological diseases.- New targets for drug therapy.- Conclusion.- Relevant books on aging.- References.