Ch 3: Physical Changes
4 ways the coloring of light-skinned people change as they get older
# of pigment-containing cells in outer layer decreases and those that remain have less pigment resulting in light skin; increase in age spots and moles; some blood vessels in skin become dilated and create small, irregular red lines; varicose veins appear especially in legs
between mid-50s and mid-70s, how much height do men and women lose on average?
1 inch; 2 inches
where certain proteins in human cells interact randomly and produce molecules that are linked in such a way as to make the body stiffer
cross-linking
what are the 3 major kinds of age-related structural changes that occur in the eye?
decrease in amount of light that passes through the eye; lens becomes more yellow; muscles around eyes stiffen
2 changes in body build that are especially visible as you age
decrease in height; fluctuations in weight
the muscles around the eyes stiffening causes what?
decrease in lens's ability to adjust and focus
3 general research-based approaches to the work aimed at slowing or reversing aging
delaying chronic illnesses of old age; slowing fundamental processes of aging so that the average life span is increases to over 110 years (from about 78 now); arresting or reversing aging
what is hair loss caused by?
destruction of germ centers that produce hair follicles
drugs like hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate that limit damage occurring in joints and are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis
disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
eventually, people with osteoporosis tend to develop what?
distinct curvature in their spines
stopping taking a drug after taking it for a long period of time
drug holiday
6 causes of wrinkles
exposure to ultraviolet rays from sun; smoking; diets poor in fresh fruits and vegetables; excessive alcohol; sweat; repetitive facial expressions
what are 2 problems with using cross-link to explain aging?
few scientific data demonstrate that cross-linking impedes metabolic processes or causes the formation of faulty molecules that would constitute a fundamental cause of aging
unstable molecules which are highly reactive chemicals produced randomly in normal metabolism and may cause problems to nearby molecules
free radicals
younger adults' voices tend to be _____, whereas older adults' voices tend to be
full and resonant; thinner or weaker
research has uncovered _____ basis for graying hair
genetic
the fact that older adults' skin is naturally thinner and drier causes what 3 things?
gives it leather texture; less effective at regulating temp; more susceptible to cuts, bruises and blisters
in what 2 ways does hair change as we age?
graying; loss of hair
what 4 parts of the body does osteoarthritis usually affect?
hands; spine; hips; knees
osteoarthritis is especially common in what type of people?
in people whose joints are subject to routine overuse and abuse
programmed cell death appears to be a function of what 3 factors/processes?
innate ability of cells to self-destruct; ability of dying cells to trigger key process in other cells; external environmental factors
how does exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun cause wrinkles?
it breaks down the skin's connective tissue
Why is weight bearing exercise important?
it builds up bone mass
how can changes in joints affect older people psychologically?
it can cause severe psychological stress and depression
how does smoking cause wrinkles?
it restricts blood flow to skin around lips
when does bone loss begin? accelerate? slow?
late 30s; 50s; by 70s
when does osteoarthritis usually become noticeable?
late middle age or early old age
8 risk factors of osteoporosis
low bone mass at skeletal maturity; deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D; estrogen depletion; lack of weigh-bearing exercise; smoking; high-protein diets; excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, and sodium; certain medications
what part of the body does loss of muscle strength affect the most as we age?
lower body
5 age-related changes in one's voice
lowering of pitch; increases breathlessness and trembling; slower and less precise pronunciation; decreased volume
according to cellular theories of aging, how do researchers believe exercise and life span are connected? what is not understood about this connection?
moderate levels of execise may maintain telomere length or at least slow the rate at which they shorten, which may help slow the aging process; the precise mechanisms for this process aren't understood
pigmented outgrowths
moles
the _____ cross-links there are, the _____ the body
more; stiffer
a decrease in the amount of light that passes through the eye results in what 2 things?
need for more illumination; decline in adaptation
How do the basic developmental forces interact in biological and physiological aging?
not only must you have a physical functioning check to establish whether you are healthy, but you must also have a checkup of psychological and sociocultural functioning. Then the results of these examinations must be placed in the context of the overall life span
3 ideas that cellular theories of aging are based on
number of times a cell can divide limits lifespan; cross-linking; free radicals
what are 2 findings of research on the relationships between body weight, health, and survival?
older adults who have normal body weight at age 65 have longer life expectancy and lower rates of disability; greater weight loss per decade from middle age to late life increases risk of mild cognitive impairment
a disease where the bones underneath joint cartilage become damage and is marked by gradual onset and progression of pain and disability, with minor signs of inflammation
osteoarthritis
what two types of arthritis can result due to deterioration of joint cartilage?
osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis
disease in which severe loss of bone mass creates bones that resemble laced honeycombs
osteoporosis
what is the leading cause of broken bones in older women?
osteoporosis
what is the 4 step process of wrinkling of the skin?
outer layer of skin becomes thinner through cell loss, causing skin to become more fragile; collagen fibers that make up connective tissue lose much of their flexibility, making skin less able to regain shape after a pinch; elastin fibers in middle layer of skin lose ability to keep skin stretched out, resulting in sagging; underlying layer of fat, which helps provide padding to smooth out contours, diminishes
what does the lens becoming more yellow cause?
poorer color discrimination in the green-blue-violet end of the spectrum
difficulty seeing close objects clearly
presbyopia
genetic programming theories of aging
programmed cell death
2 hypotheses of metabolic theories of aging
rate of creature's metabolism is related to how long it lives which is related to the idea that we only have so much energy to expend in a lifetime; significantly reducing # of calories eaten increases longevity but likely decreases quality of life bc of extremes to the restrictions
5 reasons changes to joints cause such profound psychological effects?
reduce independence; chronic pain; can't complete normal daily routines; can be very difficult to ignore or disguise; forced hospitalization or stays in rehabilitation facilities
what are 2 treatments that help patients avoid full joint replacement and are generally viewed as the method of last resort?
removing enough affected tissue to provide relief; transplanting cartilage into a damaged joint
research evidence clearly indicates that what type of exercise can rebuild muscle fitness and mass, and may help delay problems with mobility?
resistance-type exercise
a destructive form of arthritis that develops slowly and involves different joints and more swelling than its counterpart
rheumatoid arthritis
what causes osteoarthritis?
routine overuse and abuse of joints
frequent change from soft to loud volume
shimmer
the point at which your bones reach peak development
skeletal maturity
what 3 things can older adults do to counteract the problems that result from their skin becoming thinner and drier?
skin moisturizers; vitamin E; facial massages
what does bisphosphonates do?
slows bone breakdown process by helping to maintain bone density during menopause
telomarese is typically not present in what kinds of cells? what is the result of this?
somatic cells; with each replication the telomeres become shorter and eventually the chromosome becomes unstable and cannot replicate bc the telomeres become too short
an enzyme needed in DNA replication to fully reproduce the tips of chromosomes when cells divide
telomerase
tips of chromosomes that research suggests play a major role in aging by adjusting the cell's response to stress and growth stimulation based on cell divisions and DNA damage, and by typically shortening with each cell replication
telomeres
height remains fairly stable until _____, and has been shown to be a good indicator of _____
the 50s; overall health
what happens to aging bones?
the loss of bone mass inside the bone makes the bones more hollow
why are older people more likely to break their bones?
their hollow, porous bones are more likely to break than those of younger people
why do broken bones in older adults present more serious problems than in younger adults?
they are more likely to be clean fractures that are difficult to heal
2 reasons women have less bone mass than men
they don't don't consume enough dietary calcium to build strong bones when they are younger; decrease in estrogen following menopause greatly accelerates bone loss
once bone loss begins, women lose bone mass how much faster than men on average?
twice as fast
what are 9 treatments that research shows may help lower risk or progression of osteoporosis?
vitamin D and K; dietary calcium; bisphosphonates; supplemental magnesium; zinc; special forms of fluoride; estrogen replacement; regular weight-bearing exercise
what are 4 types of common antioxidants?
vitamins A, C, and E, and coenzyme Q
when is pain typically worse in those with osteoarthritis?
when the joint is used
why is osteoporosis more common in women than in men?
women have less bone mass in general
what 2 factors contribute to women losing bone mass faster than men?
women have less bone mass than men so they have less of an ability to withstand it before it causes problems; depletion of estrogen after menopause speeds up bone loss
drug that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and have been shown to stop rheumatoid arthritis's progression in some patients
TNF-alpha inhibitors
collagen makes up about _____ of the protein in the body
1/3
muscle tissue loss in terms of strength and endurance up to age 70 is not noticeable because it's no more than ____ for most people but by age 80 loss of strength is up to _____
20%; 40%
when does protective cartilage in joints begin to show signs of deterioration?
20s
when do changes in the structures of the eye begin?
40s
what's the longest amount of time you should take bispohsophnates before taking a drug holiday? why?
5 years; they can have serious side effects if used over a long period of time
although osteoporosis is most common in older adults, it can occur in people in their _____
50s
when do changes in the retina begin?
50s
what type of protein does cross-linking refer to?
collagen
cells grown in lab culture dishes undergo a fixed number of divisions before dying, with the number of possible divisions dropping depending on the age of the donor organism
Hayflick limit
a Chinese herb that shows promise in reducing wrinkles
Sanchi
most often, how does rheumatoid arthritis present itself?
a pattern of morning stiffness and aching develops in fingers, wrists, and ankles on both sides of body and joints appear swollen
what are 3 causes of height loss in later life?
compression of spine from loss of bone strength; changes in discs between vertebrae in the spine; changes in posture
ability to adjust to changes in illumination
adaptation
areas of dark pigmentation that look like freckles
age spots
substances that prevent oxygen from combining with susceptible molecules to form free radicals
antioxidants
a growing body of evidence shows that ingesting _____ postpones the appearance of _____; however there is no direct evidence of what?
antioxidants; age-related diseases; eating a diet high in antioxidants actually increases the life span
where do men generally gain weight during middle age? what about women?
around the belly; around the hips
total replacement of joints damaged by arthritis
arthroplasty
2 low-level therapy treatments for rheumatoid arthritis
aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
what percentage of human cancers are linked to the activation of telomerase?
at least 85%
what are 3 problems that older adults face when they lose muscle strength in their lower body?
balance problems; increase in falls; walking problems
What are 3 reasons for weight loss in late life?
body loses muscle and bone which weigh more than fat and lose some fat
what are 3 factors that result in a loss of bone mass?
body weight; genetics; lifestyle factors
opaque spots on the lens that limits the amount of light transmitted
cataracts
how do cancer researchers think that telomeres and cancer may be related in some cases?
cells proliferate so quickly because telomeres are not able to regulate cell growth and reproduction
what is the cause of graying hair?
cessation of pigment production in hair follicles
what are 3 causes of weight gain in middle age?
changes in body metabolism which tends to slow down; reduced levels of exercise; no adjustment to amount of calories eaten
major changes that occur to eyesight as we age are best understood by grouping them into what 2 classes?
changes in the structure of the eye; changes in the retina
what is one of the first noticeable signs of aging?
changes in vision
according to cellular theories of aging, how do researchers believe chronic stress and aging may be connected?
chronic stress may accelerate the changes that occur in telomeres and thereby shorten one's life span
