PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES WITH

AGING
 Senescence

 …all postmaturational changes and the

increasing vulnerability individuals face as a
result of these changes.

 The group of effects that lead to a decreasing

expectation of life with increasing age
Sencescence, cont’d

 Differs from other biological processes:

– Its characteristics are universal

– Changes come from within the individual

– Associated processes occur gradually

– Changes have a deleterious effect on the invidual

 Ultimately…You Die.
U.S. Death Rates:

 Leading cause among OA’s--heart disease

 Higher for older men than for older women

 Higher for African Americans than whites

Age-Related Physiological Changes

 …all people age, but not at the same rate

At age 75, the average person,
compared to age 30:

 92% of brain weight

 84% of basal metabolism
 70% kidney filtration rate
 43% of maximul breathing capacity

 We are not the people we once were!

 CHANGES IN THE SKIN

 “To most people, the condition of the skin, hair,

and connective tissue collectively represents
the ultimate indicator of age”. (Kart & Kinney,
p. 74)
SKIN: Wrinkling

 Muscles of the face are capable of tremendous

movement. “Smiles, laughter, frowns,
disappointment, ager, rage, and surprise are all
recorded. The hand of time captures these
expressions and outlines them on the
face….By the age of 40, most people bear the
typical lines of their expressions.” (Kart &
Kinney, p. 75)
SKIN--Wrinkling:

 Loss of subcutaneous fat

– > vulnerability to pressure sores

– less insulation of body to cold (also affected by

diminished blood flow to skin & extremities) & heat
SKIN & NAILS

 Atrophic changes in sweat glands

 Thickened fingernails & toenails
 Generalized loss of body hair and head hair
 Decrease in # of functioning pigment-producing
cells-->graying
– Some remaining pigment cells enlarge--> “age spots”
– Skin changes increase. vulnerability to
infections/disorders
 SKELETOMUSCULAR SYSTEM
CHANGES

 “Arthritis & allied bone and muscular conditions are

among the most common of all disorders afffecting
people 65 years of age and over.” (Kart & Kinney,
p. 76)

 Arthritis: A generic term that refers to an

inflammation or degenerative change in a joint
– Occurs world wide & is one of the oldest known diseases
ARTHRITIS

 Osteoarthritis
– Cause not known
– Also referred to as degenerative joint disease
– A gradual wearing away of joint cartilage that results
in the exposure of rough underlying bone ends
– Can do damage to internal ligaments
– Most commonly associated w/ weight bearing jnts
 Rheumatoid Arthritis
– A chronic, systemic, inflammatory disease of
connective tissue
– 2-3 times more common among women than men
– currently viewed as an autoimmune disease
– may occur at any age -- most common onset
between 20 & 50
Musculoskeltal, cont’d:

 Osteopenia --> Osteoporosis:

– Gradual loss of bone that reduces skeltal mass
without disrupting the proportions of minerals &
organic materials
– For many, it is asymptomatic
– Bones most critically involved: vertebra, wrist, hip
Musculoskeletal, cont’d:

 Sarcopenia:
– Loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging

– Cause not completely understood

– Preventable/reversible with regular physical activity

 GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM

 Atophy of secretion mechanisms

 Decreasing motility of the gut
 Loss of strength/tone of muscular tissue &
supporting structures
 Changes in neurosensory feedback
– Enzyme & hormone release
– Innervation of the tract
– Diminished response to pain & internal sensations
 The phenomenon of referral is common in the GI--
I.e. signs & symptoms often associated with one
part of the tract may actually be associated with
another part of the tract. “Discomfort perceived
as originating in the stomach may actually be
coming from the lower GI tract.” (p. 79)
 The GI symptoms often have their origins in
psychosocial factors
 CARDOPULMONARY SYSTEM

 In the absence of disease, the heart tends to

maintain its size
 Heart valves tend to increase in thickness with
age
 BP tends to go up with age
– Systolic stabilizes at about age 75
– Diastolic stabilizes at about 65 then may gradually
decline
 Atherosclerosis vs.
Arteriosclerosis

 Atherosclerosis
– Developed by an overwhelming # of people in
industrialized nations
– A narrowing of arterial passageways as a result of
the development of plaques on their interior walls
– Reduces the size of the passageway--even to the pt
of closing it off. A cause of ischemic heart tissue
(tissue deprived of adequate blood supply)
 Arteriosclerosis:
– A generic term referring to the loss of elasticity of
arterial walls
– Often referred to as “hardening of the arteries”
– Considered a general aging phenomenon
Respiratory Changes

 Airways & tissues become less elastic & more

rigid with age
 Osteoporosis may alter the size/shape of the
chest cavity
 Power of respiratory & abdominal muscles
becomes reduced--hinders diaphramatic
movement
 URINARY SYSTEM

 “The bladder of an elderly person has a

capacity of less than half (250ml) that of a
young adult (600 ml) and often contains as
much as 100 ml of residual urine”. (p. 81)

 Micturation reflex is delayed-- usually activated

when bladder is half full; in OAs, not until
bladder is nearly at capacity
GENITAL SYSTEM CHANGES

 “The genital system is characterized by a

number of age-related changes in physiology
and anatomy. On the whole, very few age-
specific disorders are associated with this body
system. With the exception of declining levels
of testosterone, most of the problems of
sexuality and aging are sociogenic or
psychogenic”. (p. 83)
Female genital tract

 External genitalia
– Folds become less pronounced
– Skin becomes thinner
– Vasculariy & elasticity decrease
– Becomes more susceptible to tissue trauma &
itching
– # of glands decreas, as does level of secretion
 Internatal reproductive organs
– Uterus decreases in size & becomes more fibrous
– Uterus has fewer endometrial glands
– Cervix reduced in size
– Uterine tubes become thinner
– Ovaries take on an irreguar shape
– Ovulation stops--menopause (50% between ages
45 and 50)
Male Genital System

 Continues to produce germ cells (sperm) and

sex hormones (testosterone) well into old age,
declining with advancing age
 Size & firmness of the testes decrease
 Reduced sperm production due to age-related
fibrosis which constricts the blood supply
 Fibrosis may also affect the penis since erection
is a purely vascular phenomenon
 …AND ON THAT HAPPY NOTE,
WE MOVE ON

 … What are the various theoretical

explanations for the CHANGES OF AGING?