The ageing process

Question 1

What is the UK’s average life expectancy rising by every decade

Answer 1

2 years

Question 2

What does geriatric mean

Answer 2

Medicine of ‘Old age’

Question 3

What is gerontology

Answer 3

The study of the social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and biological aspects of ageing.

Question 4

What is clinical gerontology

Answer 4

Diagnose and treat conditions common in older, frail people.

Question 5

What is senescence

Answer 5

The process of deterioration with age.

Question 6

What is the Hayflick limit

Answer 6

Number of times a normal human cell population with divide before cell division stops.

This is linking to cancer as it stops cell division.

Question 7

How and where in the layers of skin does the integumentary system age?

Answer 7

In the dermis.

Collagen fibres stiffen, separate and become disorganised, elastic fibres will lose elasticity causing wrinkling and sagging.

Question 8

What cells cause the skins immune system to decrease

Answer 8

Langerhan cells decreases and macrophages are less efficient.

Question 9

What causes grey hair

Answer 9

Decrease in functioning melanocytes cause this and uneven skin tone.

Question 10

What is osteoporosis

Answer 10

80% sufferers are female.
It happens when more calcium is broken down than replaced.
This causes bone weakness and less bone density.

Question 11

What is kyphosis

Answer 11

An exaggerated forward rounding of the back. More common in older woman

Question 12

What is osteoarthritis

Answer 12

Degenerative joint disease
Friction at joints causes pain, swelling and stiffness.

Question 13

What is sarcopenia

Answer 13

Sarcopenia is the age-related progressive loss of muscle mass and strength

Question 14

At what age does gradual progressive loss of bone mass happen?

Answer 14

After age 30

Question 15

What happens to the adrenal glands in the ageing process?

Answer 15

Produce less cortisol
Produce less aldsterone - causes urine frequency, and less vasoconstriction

Question 16

What happens to the pituitary gland as we get older

Answer 16

Decreased production of the human growth hormone.
Increases muscle atrophy.

Question 17

What happens to the pancreas as we get older

Answer 17

Less insulin is produced
More insulin resistance
Sugar levels increases faster with food and return to normal slower. Causing hypoglycaemia.

Question 18

What do osteoblasts do

Answer 18

Build up bone

Question 19

What do osteoclasts do

Answer 19

Chew up bone

Question 20

Do osteoclasts get more active or less active as we age?

Answer 20

More active, they chew up bone to release calcium into the blood.

Question 21

What is the connection with the parathyroid glands and calcium

Answer 21

The parathyroid glands have specialised cells which detect levels of calcium.
When calcium levels are low the release a hormone into the body that targets various tissues.

Question 22

In the presence of the parathyroid hormone, do osteoblasts become more or less active?

Answer 22

Less active

Question 23

What are the effects of ageing on the nervous system?

Answer 23

Brain mass declines
Information processed more poorly
Decreased voluntary motor movements and reflexes.

Question 24

What neurotransmitters are decreased in ageing?

Answer 24

Noradrenaline
Glutamate
Serotonin
Dopamine

Question 25

What is the substantial nigra and what does it produce

Answer 25

It is part of the brain that produces dopamine.

Question 26

What are some respiratory system changes that occur in the ageing process?

Answer 26

Tidal volume falls.
Chest wall and lungs lose elastic recoil.
Loss of muscle strength in chest wall and diaphragm inhibit breathing deficiency.

Question 27

What causes more pathogens to enter the lungs in the ageing process?

Answer 27

Reduced cilia and nerves that trigger coughing become less sensitive

Question 28

What are the vascular changes that occur in the ageing process?

Answer 28

Loss of elasticity
Walls become thicker and sticker leading to more resistance, resulting in HTN.
Hypertrophy
Lower HR and postural HTN.

Question 29

What is atherosclerosis in the ageing process

Answer 29

Causes narrowing and stiffening of the arteries as they as less flexible.

Question 30

What is angiogenesis

Answer 30

The production of new blood cells reduces.

Question 31

What is left ventricle hypertrophy

Answer 31

If the heart has to work too hard to pump, the muscles of the walls of the left ventricle thicken.

This is called hypertrophy.

This makes it harder for the rest of the heart to pump blood efficiently, resulting to lack of oxygen to heart muscle.

Causes arrhythmia.

Question 32

What are the changes that happen to the digestive system during the ageing process?

Answer 32

Reduction in taste and smell
Gum recession
Decreased saliva production
Decreased strength of oesophageal contraction leads to dysphagia.

Question 33

What causes diverticulitis in the ageing process

Answer 33

Stomach loses elasticity and empties more.
Stomach lining thins.
Causes inflammation of diverticula.
Causing diverticulitis.

Question 34

What changes happen to the renal system in the ageing process

Answer 34

Reduction in number on nephrons
Reduction in glomerular filtration rate
Reduced nephron sensitivity causes less reabsorption of water.
Causes more urine.

Question 35

What causes the likelyhood of UTI’s in females in the ageing process

Answer 35

The shortening of the urethra increases the risk of a UTI.

Question 36

What happens to the male reproductive system in the ageing process

Answer 36

Gradual loss of fertility
Increased risk of prostate cancer
Reduced testosterone cause shrinkage of penis
Erectile dysfunction

Question 37

What happens to the female reproductive system in the ageing process

Answer 37

Oestrogen production declines triggering menopause.
Loss of fertility.
Decreased muscular tone in pelvic muscles can cause vaginal and/or uterine prolapse.