What aging process ? Do you want to know about normal aging and successful aging ?

 What is Aging ?

Aging is a universal truth of mankind nobody can prevent it. People also don’t know what’s the cause behind this continuous process of becoming older, why it is obvious and how to skip this. Human being always have a question in their mind that how they can prevent it and how it possible to stay young for  a long period of time ?

Aging is the process of progressive physiological change and decrease function of cell in the body, becoming older that is genetically determined and environmentally modulated. It is the process of gradual and spontaneous change of the living creature resulting in maturation through childhood, teenage and young adulthood and then decline through middle and late age.

It’s the results of ongoing time in human creature which happened through different stages.

In medical science aging is considered in different types based on their health condition. They are normal aging and successful aging.

Normal Aging: Normal aging refers to the common complex of disease impairments that characterizes many of the elderly. Normal aging is the aging which occur without disease that is there are a number of physiological changes that do not involve a disease or pathological process and through there may be bodily changes in the person. The person enjoys normal mental function and sound healtg and is able to live independently with a good quality of life.

Successful aging: Successful aging refers to a process by which deleterious effects are minimized preserving function until senescence make continued life impossible.

Anatomical or Physiological change of aging:

Central Nervous system.

Neural loss : It means process of degeneration of neuron including function and death of neuron. It results Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington's disease at older age.

Cochlear degeneration : Its a age realated hearing problem as a result of degeneration of the cochlea or associated structures of the inner ear.

Increase lens rigidity : It is the stiffness of the lens nucleus as a result of increased age. It happened in lens core and increase in membrane rigidity.

Len’s opacification : It’s a major and rear complication of intraocular lens as a resulting of age or may be due to ocular surgery.

Anterior horn cell loss :  The anterior horn cells is situated in the gray matter of the spinal cord. Loss of anterior horn cell results in loss of covering or myelinated axons in the anterior roots and motor nerves. It  results denervation of muscle fiber and undergo muscular atrophy.

Slowed reaction time : It is the decrease in action time including physical activity due to neuromascular degeneration. Sometimes its act as a resuls of long time drinking or alcoholism.

·         Respiratory System

Reduced lung elasticity and alveolar support

Increased chest wall rigidity

Increase v/q mismatch

Reduced immune function

Reduce cough and cilliary action

#Associated disease

Dyspnea

Pneumonia

COPD

Asthma

Residual volume

Pulmonary embolism

·         Cardiovascular system

Reduce maximum heart rate

Dilatation of aorta

Reduce elasticity of capacitance vessels

Reduce number of pacing myocytes in SA node

·         Renal function

Loss of nephrons

Reduced GFR

Decrease tubular function

·         Integumentary system

Decrease vitamin D production due to decrease moisture

Thinning of dermis and epidermis due to dryness of skin

Dermal blood flow due to wrinkle of skin

Elasticity due to hypothermia

Mitotic activity due to alteration of sensory perception

Thinning of subcutaneous fatty layer

·         Endocrine System

Reduced tissue sensitivity to insulin

Deterioration in pancreatic B-cell function

Decrease GH, TH, Cortisol ACTH secretion

·         Bones

Reduce bone mineral density

·         Musculo skeletal system

Decrease muscle strength

Decrease muscle mass

Decrease muscle power

Bone Density

Changes in superficial layer of articular cartilage.

#Associated disease

Osteoporosis

Osteoarthritis

Osteopenia

Sarcro penia

Rheumatoid arthritis

Gout

Osteoarthritis