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Gerontology > Theories > Flashcards

Theories Flashcards

1
Q

What two main categories will be presented in biological/physiological theories ?

A

program theories and error theories.

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2
Q

Psychosocial theories will be discussed in two main categories

A

full-life theories and mature-life theories.

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3
Q

What is Aging?

A

The gradual and spontaneous changes that occur in maturation from infant to young adult.

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4
Q

What is senescence?

A

The process by which a cell looses its ability to divide, grow, and function. This loss of function ultimately ends in death.

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5
Q

Some Factors Influencing Your Life Expectancy

A

Heredity
Disease Processes
Medical Treatment
Lifestyle Choices
Nutrition

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6
Q

What are programmed theories?

A

Aging has a biological timetable or internal biological clock.

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7
Q

What are error theories?

A

Aging is a result of internal or external assaults that damage cells or organs so they can no longer function properly.

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8
Q

What are examples of programmed theories?

A

Programmed Senescence Theory
Endocrine Theory
Immunology Theory

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9
Q

What are some examples of error theories?

A

Wear and Tear Theory
Rate-of-Living Theory
Cross-linking Theory
Free Radical Theory
Error CatastropheTheory
Somatic Mutation Theory

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10
Q

What are Hayflick’s limits?

A

Fibroblasts removed from umbilical cord & cultured
Fibroblasts divide and repeated until ~ 50 divisions
Will not divide past this point

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11
Q

What is the Programmed Senescence Theory

A

The result of sequential switching “off” or “on” of specific genes.
Example – “Hayflick’s Limits”

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12
Q

What is telomeric theory?

A

This is an extension of the “Hayflick Limit.”

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13
Q

What are telomeres?

A

are specialized DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes.

They shorten with each cell division.
When the telomeres become too short, the cell enters the senescence stage.

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14
Q

What does telomerase do?

A

it is an enzyme that fills the gap by attaching bases to the end of the chromosomes.

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15
Q

Why does a cell need sufficient telomerase?

A

they keep the telomeres long enough to prevent any important information from being lost as they go through each replication.

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16
Q

Do telomerase levels decrease?

A

Yes, with time they do.
With decreasing telomerase levels, the telomeres become shorter and shorter.

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17
Q

Shortened telomeres are found in:

A

Atherosclerosis
Heart disease
Hepatitis
Cirrhosis

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18
Q

What is the relationship between telomerase and cancer?

A

Telomerase prevents the telomere from shortening.
This allows the cancer cells to reproduce, resulting in tumor growth.

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19
Q

What is the endocrine theory?

A

Biological clocks act through hormones to control the pace of aging.

Hormones effects growth, metabolism, temperature, inflammation and stress.

20
Q

What is an example of the endocrine theory

A

Examples- Menopause
Decreased level of estrogen & progesterone
Hot flashes, insomnia

21
Q

What is the immunologic theory?

A

A programmed decline in the immune system leads to an increased vulnerability to disease, aging and death

22
Q

What is an example of the immunologic theory?

A

Example: Decreased T cells (helper cells) in adults
Increased diseases in older adults
Increased autoimmune diseases in adults

23
Q

How many error theories are there?

A

6

24
Q

Name the 6 error theories?

A

Wear and Tear Theory Error
Free Radical Theory
Rate-of-Living Theory Catastrophe Theory
Cross-linking Theory Somatic Mutation Theory

25
Q

What is the Wear and Tear Theory?

A

Years of damage to cells, tissues and organs eventually wears them out, killing both them and the body

26
Q

What is an example of the wear and tear theory?

A

Example- Wearing out of the skeletal system such as in osteoarthritis
Wear and tear can be viewed as a result of aging and not the cause of it.

27
Q

What is the rate of living theory?

A

The greater an organism’s basal metabolic rate, the shorter the life span.
Free radicals or other metabolic by-products play a role in senesce.

28
Q

Example of rate of living theory

A

Animals with the most rapid metabolisms tend to have the shortest lifespans, i.e, birds have a shorter lifespan than humans.

Studies examining the relationship between metabolic rates and longevity have produced inconsistent results, limiting the usefulness of this theory.

29
Q

Is this theory useful?

A

Studies examining the relationship between metabolic rates and longevity have produced inconsistent results, limiting the usefulness of this theory.

30
Q

Explain the cross-linking theory?

A

The accumulation of cross-linked proteins damages cells and tissue, slowing down bodily processes.

31
Q

Example of cross-linking theory

A

Non-enzymatic glycosylation reactions occur when glucose molecules attach to proteins causing a chain of chemical reactions resulting in a structural change to the proteins.
Loss of flexibility of connective tissue
Microvascular changes in arteries

32
Q

Explain the free radical theory?

A

During aging, damage produced by free radicals cause cells and organs to stop functioning.

33
Q

What is a free radical?

A

A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired, highly reactive electron.

34
Q

What is an example of a free radical?

A

One type of very reactive free radical is the oxygen free radical, which may be produced during metabolism or as a result of environmental pollution.

35
Q

Where are oxygen free radicals found?

A

Oxygen free radicals are formed in your cells, naturally, during the oxidation of food to water and carbon dioxide.

36
Q

How do free radicals contribute to againg?

A

The free radical “grabs” a electron from any molecule it its vicinity.

It does this because electrons like to exist in pairs.

When it “grabs” an electron from another molecule, it damages the other molecule.

37
Q

Some molecules that free radicals can damage are?

A

Fats
Proteins
DNA (Nucleus and Mitochondria)

38
Q

If membrane fats are attacked, then you get the breakdown of the

A

Cell membrane

39
Q

If membrane fats are attacked, then you get the breakdown of the cell membrane. If it is a red blood cell membrane, you get

A

Hemolysis

40
Q

If proteins are attacked, you get the breakdown of proteins, which may result in

A

the loss of biological function and the accumulation of “catastrophic” compounds.

41
Q

If DNA is attacked, you will get

A

a mutation that may cause aging or cancer.

42
Q

Free radicals do not go unchecked. The body has a multi-layed defense system that reacts and detoxifies the damaging radicals.
Defenses include:

A

Natural antioxidants in the body, such as bilirubin.
Enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, & glutathione peroxidase.
Dietary antioxidants such as beta carotene, and the vitamins C and E.

43
Q

Not all free radicals cause damage.
You use free radicals as part of your immunological response system.

A

Macrophages engulf bacteria
Free radical reactions produced inside the macrophage oxidize and kill bacteria.

44
Q

What is the catastrophe theory?

A

Any damage to the enzyme systems that synthesize proteins in the body results in faulty protein synthesis.
The faulty proteins continue to accumulate in the cell until they reach a level that damages the cells, tissues, and organ
When enough damage accumulates, this may result in cell malfunctioning ( aging) leading to death.

45
Q

What is the somatic mutation?

A

Genetic mutations occur and accumulate with age in the somatic cell causing the cell to:
Deteriorate
Malfunction

46
Q

Accumulation of somatic mutations result in :

A

Damage to the DNA
The theory states that aging is an imbalance between DNA’s ability to repair itself and accumulating DNA damage.

When the damage exceeds the repair, the cell malfunctions and this can lead to senesence.

Gerontology (3 decks)

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