PHYSIOLOGY OF

AGEING

By Trupti Parikh

Moderated by Girish & Parul

 Definition of Ageing
Aging is a complex biological process in
which changes at molecular, cellular, and organ
levels result in a progressive, inevitable, and
inescapable decrease in the body's ability to
respond appropriately to internal and/or
external stressors.
AGEING


Multidimensional process of
Physical,Psychological & Social Change.

Continuous & cumulative-From conception to

death.

First 2 decades of life- phase of productive

ageing process.

Degenerative ageing process- 3rd decade

 ELDERLY POPULATION
High fertility + Low mortality during the
20th century has resulted in large and rapid
increases in elderly populations

Elderly accounts for 7.5 % of total Indian

population.(According to 2001 census)
Types of ageing
Chronological ageing

Biological ageing

Social ageing

Pathological
 Classification of aging

Young-old group : 65-74 yrs of age

Middle-old group: 75-84 yrs of age

Old-old group : Older than 85 yrs of age

THEORIES
OF
AGING
Why do we
age???
EVOLUTIONARY SENESCENCE
THEORY
Natural selection

Genes and mutations that have harmful effects

that appear only after reproduction is over.

Passed on to future generations.

 In 1952, Peter Medawar proposed that the
inability of natural selection to influence late-
life trait could mean that genes with
detrimental late-life effects could continue to
be passed from generation to generation.
(Mutation Accumulation Theory)
Antagonistic pleiotropy(George Williams)

Genes that increase the odds of successful

reproduction early in life may have deleterious
effects later in life.

Because the gene’s harmful effects do not

appear until after reproduction is over, they
cannot be eliminated through natural selection.
Example p53 gene that directs damaged cells
to stop reproducing or die.

It is likely that tinkering with genes to

improve late-life fitness could have a
detrimental effect on health at younger ages.
The theory predicts that delaying the age of
reproduction should delay aging, as it would
increase the power of natural selection later in
life.
 DISPOSABLE SOMA THEORY
Thomas Kirkwood(1970)

Organisms have to balance the demands of

maintaining their body, or soma, cells and
reproducing.

Overtime mutations and other cellular damage

accumulate in the soma because the body
cannot repair all of it.
Species, such as mice, invest more energy in
reproduction than in maintaining health
because an individual is unlikely to live long
anyway.

Humans can therefore allocate more resources

to repairing physical damage since they can
reproduce over a longer period of time
HOW DO WE
AGE???
 Theories of Ageing
 Biological theories:
 Genetic theory
 Non-genetic theory
 Psychosocial theories:
 Disengagement theory
 Activity theory
 Continuity theory
BIOLOGICAL
THEORIES
 GENETIC THEORIES
DNA & genetic theory

Cross-linking theory

Hayflick limit theory

 Non – genetic theories
Wear and tear theory
Altered protein theory
Mitochondrial decline theory
Free radical theory
Neuroendocrine theory
Waste accumulation theory
 GENETIC CONTROL THEORY
It focuses on the genetic programming
encoded within our DNA.

Unique genetic code

Predetermined tendency to certain types of

physical and mental functioning.

 Tell about how long we live.

Each of us has a biological clock ticking away
set to go off at a particular time.

The timing on this genetic clock is subject to

enormous variation
 CROSS-LINKING THEORY
 Glycosylation theory of aging.

Proteins,DNA, and other structural molecules

develop inappropriate attachments or
crosslinks to one another.

 Decrease the mobility or elasticity of proteins

and other molecules.
Normally broken down by proteases

Presence of cross-linkages inhibits the activity

of proteases.

These damaged and unneeded proteins,

therefore, stick around and can cause problems.
 HAYFLICK LIMIT THEORY
 Hayflick Leonard

Biological clock

 Human fibroblast cells have a limited life span.

 Divide approximately 50 times over a period

of years and then suddenly stopped.
Nutrition affect on the rate of cell division.

 Overfed cells made up to 50 divisions in a

year, while underfed cells took up to 3 times as
long as normal cells.
 WEAR & TEAR THEORY
Body and its cells are damaged by overuse and
abuse.

Factors affecting:
Toxins in diet & environment;
Excessive consumption of fat,sugar,
caffeine, alcohol and nicotine;
 By the ultraviolet rays of the sun and
By the many other physical and emotional
stresses to which we subject our bodies.

 NOT confined to organs, but also takes place

on the cellular level.
 ALTERED PROTEIN THEORY

Increase in no. of altered proteins with

increase in age.

Change in ability to remove old cells

 FREE RADICAL THEORY:
Free radicals are reactive molecules
containing one or more unpaired electrons.

Originates from Oxidative Phosphorylation

To attack other molecules indiscriminately and

cause fragmentation or cross-linking of
molecules.
Mitochondrial DNA> Nuclear DNA.

Production controlled by enzymes like

superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase &
glutathione peroxidase.
FREE RADICAL THEORY
 MITOCHONDRIAL THEORY

Mitochondria-lack most of the defenses

Electrons leaking from the ETC reduce

molecular oxygen to form O2- which can
cause the generation of other ROS.
 Damage to ETC components and mtDNA,
thus increasing further the production of ROS.

‘VICIOUS CYCLE’
 NEUROENDOCRINE HYPOTHESIS
Vladimir Dilman & Ward Dean

Hypothalamus

Cortisol & Estrogen

Later-life reduction of hormones,responsible

for aging.
 Waste accumulation theory
Cells produce more waste than they can
properly eliminate.

Waste Accumulation-interfere with normal

cell function-ultimately kills cell.

Lipofuscin- most commonly heart & nerves

PSYCHOSOCIA
L THEORIES
 DISENGAGEMENT THEORY
Mutual agreement between the older adult
and society to separate from each other

Beneficial to both

Very controversial theory

  ACTIVITY THEORY
People need to stay active if they are to age
successfully

Promotes life satisfaction and positive self

concept

Can be either physical or intellectual

 CONTINUITY THEORY
How a person has been throughout life so
he/she will be throughout the reminder of
his/her life

 As people age,they try to maintain or

continue pervious habits,
preferences,commitments, values and beliefs
SYSTEMATIC
CHANGES
WITH
AGING
VISUAL SYSTEM
Visual acuity may decline

Trouble adapting to dark or bright light

Reduced visual field

Miosis

Decreased tears
Hard to differentiate blue & green than yellow

& red
Yellowing & opacity of cornea

Increase in size & density of lens

Atrophy of ciliary muscles

Decrease in blood supply & neurons in retina

HEARING
Presbycusis

Decrease in sensitivity to high frequency tones

Impairment if speech discrimination especially

for the specific sounds of the alphabet

(s,sh,ch,f,g,t,z);
Pinna droops as we age

External auditory canal grows hair

Ear drum becomes thinner and flaccid

Decrease in blood supply to inner ear

Excess bone formation

Membranes becomes less flexible

Small bones become stiffer

Degeneration of vestibular system

Equilibrium and balance is compromised

 VESTIBULAR SYSTEM
Degeneration of vestibular system

 Presbyastasis
- Decline in hair cells of saccule, utricle
And semicircular canals

Equilibrium and balance is compromised

 TASTE & SMELL
Decline in the ability to taste especially after
the age of 80.

Sense of smell may diminish, especially after

age 70.
SKIN CHANGES
Loss of underlying connective tissue, fat and
oil glands → wrinkles, sagging skin,loss of
elasticity

 Thinner, paler, and translucent

Increased sensitivity to heat/cold, bruising,

and bedsores
“Age Spots" due to deposits of melanin
pigment
Ability to perspire is decreased
 HAIR & NAIL CHANGES
HAIR
Hair color is due to pigment ‘melanin’-
gradually decreases after age 30-40

Loses pigmentation → turns hair gray/white

Manifests earliest in scalp, followed by

facial/body hair
Occurs earlier in Caucasians compared to
Asians
Alopecia- baldness/ hair loss
Coarsening of hair common

Nails:
Become dull, brittle, ridged, thickened, grow
slower
 METABOLIC SYSTEM
After age of 25, approximately a 1%
decrease per year in their metabolic rate.

This overall slowing results in food being less

well absorbed and utilized.

decrease in the overall metabolism of drugs.

THANK