Ageing Theories and Diseases
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Questions and Answers

What genetic factor is associated with longevity according to Centagenetix's research?

  • Telomerase gene activity
  • Superoxide dismutase gene mutations
  • Gene identified on chromosome 4 (correct)
  • Gene SIR2 found in nematode worms

Which company focuses on creating drugs that can mimic the activity of specific proteins related to longevity?

  • Eukarion
  • Geron Corporation
  • Centagenetix (correct)
  • Elixir

What outcome did genetically engineered mice produced by Eukarion experience?

  • Ability to survive without telomerase
  • Increased cellular activity promoting longevity
  • Extended lifespan due to enhanced antioxidant levels
  • Rapid death within a week without superoxide dismutase (correct)

What was the primary goal of the anti-glycation drugs being developed by Alteon?

<p>To reduce advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does telomerase activity relate to potential anti-ageing therapies being explored by Geron Corporation?

<p>It could protect telomeres and potentially extend lifespan (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary definition of ageing as indicated?

<p>A decrease in the ability to survive (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms is defined as the maximum age that can be attained by a species?

<p>Life span (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is NOT associated with the wear and tear theory of ageing?

<p>Cell division senescence (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following substances is classified as an extracellular antioxidant?

<p>Vitamin E (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does protein glycation affect proteins in the elderly?

<p>Increases cross-linking and alters recognition by receptors (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary consequence of the accumulation of abnormal proteins within cells during aging?

<p>Impaired cellular function (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What impact do antioxidants have on the effects of free radicals?

<p>They delay or inhibit the oxidation of oxidizable substrates (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about programmed aging is accurate?

<p>Cells possess a memory of their division count (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about lipofuscin is accurate?

<p>It accumulates in cells and is lipid-rich (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What decline is NOT associated with cellular aging?

<p>Cellular division rate (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to free radical damage and antioxidant defenses with age?

<p>Free radical damage increases while antioxidant defenses decrease (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does ageing affect the immune system?

<p>Decrease in antibody production (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following changes in the lungs is associated with aging?

<p>Reduced capacity for strenuous work (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of the decline in kidney function due to aging?

<p>Reduced renal filtration rate (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which alteration in the cardiovascular system is common with aging?

<p>Increased rigidity of blood vessels (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect does aging have on the liver's capacity for drug detoxification?

<p>Decline in some liver functions including drug detoxification (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes the impact of aging on muscles?

<p>Muscles experience atrophy and decreased capacity for work. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes progeria, and which of the following is a clinical presentation of this disorder?

<p>Delayed development of teeth and loss of subcutaneous fat. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a known effect of calorie restriction in mammals?

<p>It extends lifespan and delays age-related disease. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an accurate statement regarding the changes occurring in the brain due to aging?

<p>Nerve cell loss and increase in amyloid deposition occur. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of aging, what happens to one’s body composition?

<p>Muscle mass decreases while total body fat increases. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements is associated with the management of progeria?

<p>Education, psychological support, and symptom relief drugs. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a characteristic of the eye aging process?

<p>Heightened ability of lens to change shape. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant outcome of amyloid deposition increase in the aging brain?

<p>Compromised cognitive function and increased risk of dementia. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Life Expectancy

A measure of the average age at which individuals in a population die.

Lifespan

The maximum age attainable by a species.

Senescence

The natural process of decline in physiological function associated with aging.

Free Radicals

Atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons, highly reactive and short-lived.

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Glycation

The process of sugar molecules attaching to proteins, leading to changes in protein function and structure.

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Lipofuscin

A waste product that accumulates in cells during aging, giving cells a brownish-yellow color.

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Antioxidants

Substances that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

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Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)

An enzyme that helps protect cells from damage by the superoxide free radical.

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Gene Cloning

The process of copying a gene from one organism to another.

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Longevity Gene

A type of gene that is responsible for regulating the aging process in an organism.

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Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)

A substance that forms when glucose binds to proteins and can damage cells, contributing to aging.

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Telomere

The protective cap at the end of a chromosome that can shorten with age.

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What is lipofuscin?

Lipofuscin is a yellow-brown pigment that accumulates in cells over time. These pigments are not easily removed, and they tend to build up in long-living cells like those in the heart, brain, and muscles.

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What is the Error-Catastrophe Theory of aging?

The Error-Catastrophe Theory suggests that aging is caused by an accumulation of abnormal proteins, due to errors during transcription and translation.

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Define the Hayflick Limit in aging.

The Hayflick Limit refers to the maximum number of times a cell can divide before it stops dividing. This limit is not affected by environmental factors.

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What are telomeres and their role in aging?

Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. They shorten with each cell division. When they get too short, the cells stop dividing.

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What is telomerase and its role in aging?

Telomerase is an enzyme that can rebuild telomeres, which can extend the lifespan of cells by allowing them to divide longer.

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What are gene mutations and their influence on aging?

Mutations in DNA are errors in replication that can lead to altered cell function. These errors can accumulate over time and contribute to aging.

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What happens to mitochondria with aging?

Mitochondria are organelles that produce energy. Their function declines with age.

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What happens to the immune system with aging?

The immune system weakens with age, leading to decreased antibody production, declined T cell function, and increased autoimmune reactions.

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Muscle Atrophy in Aging

A condition where muscles lose mass and strength, leading to reduced capacity for work.

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Endocrine System Changes in Aging

A decline in the production and responsiveness of hormones, impacting various bodily functions.

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Brain Changes in Aging

The brain undergoes changes, including weight loss, neuronal loss, and accumulation of amyloid plaques and lipofuscin.

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Eye Changes in Aging

The lens of the eye loses its ability to change shape, leading to difficulty focusing on close objects.

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Body Composition Changes in Aging

The body loses muscle mass and gains fat, impacting physical performance and health.

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Progeria (Hutchinson-Gilford Syndrome)

A rare genetic disorder causing accelerated aging in children.

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Calorie Restriction

A dietary intervention that involves significantly reducing calorie intake, shown to extend lifespan and delay age-related diseases in various species.

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Anti-Aging Therapy

The goal of finding therapies to slow down or reverse the aging process.

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Study Notes

Ageing Theories and Disease

  • Ageing defined as a decreasing ability to survive.
  • Importance includes reduced work ability, increased disease susceptibility, and high healthcare demands.
  • Life expectancy is the average age at death, while lifespan is the maximum age attainable by a species.

Features of Ageing

  • Senescence: Changes associated with ageing that can cause or increase susceptibility to age-related diseases.
  • Age-related diseases linked to senescence changes.

Ageing Theories

  • Wear and Tear: A theory proposing that ageing is caused by accumulated damage from use over time.
  • Free Radicals: Highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons that damage DNA, proteins, and cells. Sources include phagocytic cells, radiation, smoking, and oxidation-reduction reactions. Antioxidants, like vitamin E and superoxide dismutase, are substances that delay oxidation to counter free radicals.
  • Glycation: A process where glucose attaches to proteins, causing cross-linking, altered enzyme activity, and other functional changes, particularly relevant in the elderly due to glucose intolerance and diabetes.
  • Waste Products: Accumulation of byproducts, like lipofuscin (a lipid-rich pigment giving cells a brownish yellow colour), which cannot be easily removed, potentially contributing to cell damage.
  • Error-Catastrophe Theory: Suggests that random errors in DNA transcription/translation lead to abnormal protein production, impairing cell function.

Genome-Based Ageing

  • Programmed Ageing: The idea that ageing is a predetermined process regulated by genes.
  • Hayflick Limit: A fixed limit on the number of cell divisions.
  • Telomeres: Protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each division, limiting further division, and telomerase counteracts this shortening.
  • Gene Mutations: DNA replication errors not repaired can cause cellular impairment and mutations. DNA repair systems decrease with age.

Cellular Ageing

  • Decline in mitochondrial activity, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA/RNA synthesis, nutrient uptake, and chromosomal repair; these all contribute to decline in cell function throughout the body.
  • Accumulation of waste products.
  • Change in organelle shapes.

Immune System Ageing

  • Reduced antibody production and T-cell function.
  • Thymus atrophy (shrinkage).
  • Increased autoimmune reactions.

Skin Ageing

  • Increased wrinkling.
  • Changes in pigmentation causing greying and hair loss.
  • Delayed wound healing.

Lung Ageing

  • Reduced lung size and elasticity.
  • Decreased gaseous exchange and capacity for strenuous work.

Cardiovascular System Ageing

  • Increased blood vessel rigidity and arterial calcification/hardening.
  • Increased blood pressure.
  • Accumulation of fibrous tissue in the heart.
  • Reduced cardiac output and blood supply to tissues.

Kidney Ageing

  • Decreased kidney weight/volume.
  • Loss and replacement of nephrons with scar tissue.
  • Reduced renal filtration rate and waste elimination.

Liver Ageing

  • Reduced liver size and hepatocyte function (e.g., drug detoxification).

Muscle Ageing

  • Muscle atrophy.
  • Reduced work capacity.

Endocrine System Ageing

  • Decreased hormone production and receptor function.

Brain Ageing

  • Loss of weight and nerve cells.
  • Increased amyloid deposition and lipofuscin accumulation.

Eye Ageing

  • Reduced lens flexibility and potential lens protein cross-linking.

Body Composition Ageing

  • Loss of muscle mass.
  • Increase in body fat.

Progeria

  • Accelerated ageing disorder affecting children.
  • Rare with a severe decrease in life expectancy.

Calorie Restriction

  • A potential method for slowing ageing.
  • Research suggests it may extend lifespan and delay age-related diseases in numerous species.

Anti-Ageing Therapy

  • Research efforts focused on identifying and targeting genes/processes associated with longevity and slowing ageing.
  • Companies pursuing include Centagenetix, Elixir, Eukarion, Alteon, and Geron Corporation.

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Ageing: Theories and Disease PDF

Description

Explore the fundamental theories of ageing, including wear and tear, free radicals, and glycation. Understand how these theories relate to age-related diseases and the implications for health care demands. This quiz delves into the biological mechanisms and concepts that define the ageing process.

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