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Introduction to Biological Aging Theory
Why do we age? The answer to this question is critical to our ability to prevent and treat highly age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease that now cause the majority of deaths in the developed world. For centuries aging has been considered an unalterable and therefore untreatable condition. We can find treatments for individual diseases but not for aging. Consequently, the effectiveness of medical treatment declines with age. New thinking backed by recent discoveries increasingly suggests that aging is itself a treatable condition and that treatments that delay aging can be found to treat or delay occurrence of age-related diseases. Anti-aging medicine is therefore possible. In addition, in order to understand (and find treatments for) age-related diseases we need to understand the biological mechanisms that cause the drastic increase in incidence with age. Different theories suggest very different disease mechanisms. This book provides an overview of biological aging theories including history, current status, major scientific controversies, current medical research, and implications for the future of medicine. Major topics human mortality as a function of age, aging mechanisms and processes, the programmed vs. non-programmed aging controversy, empirical evidence on aging, and the feasibility of anti-aging and regenerative medicine. Research and practice of anti-aging medicine is also discussed, Evolution theory is essential to aging theories. Theorists have been struggling for 160 years to explain how observed aging, deterioration, and consequent death fit with Darwin’s survival-of-the-fittest concept. This book explains how continuing genetics discoveries have produced changes in the way we think about evolution that in turn lead to new thinking about the evolutionary nature of aging. Education This book uses terminology like phenotype, diploid, introns, genome, and prokaryote, and is suitable for those having an introductory level (e.g. AP HS) understanding of biology and medicine. Second Edition Revision 2 - Jan 2020 - Illustrated, 45 pages.
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 20, 2012
This book has some very interesting information about aging including:
- There is no scientific agreement about the nature of aging.
- Different theories suggest different basic causes for age-related diseases such as cancer. Therefore, which theory is right could have a profound effect on medicine.
- Many people think aging results from fundamental and unalterable causes. However, there is increasing evidence that this is not the case and most gerontologists no longer believe it. We should be able to find or produce pharmaceutical agents that slow aging. Some behavior changes such as eat less and exercise more definitely appear to slow aging.
- In effect, the search for the "fountain of youth" is back on!
- Evolution theory is very central to aging theory. Aging theory is a major practical application of evolution theory.
As of 3/20/2012 this book was free on Amazon Kindle. The author has another book on the same subject "Aging by Design" that is somewhat more interesting and provides better descriptions (including pictures) of the major theorists.
- There is no scientific agreement about the nature of aging.
- Different theories suggest different basic causes for age-related diseases such as cancer. Therefore, which theory is right could have a profound effect on medicine.
- Many people think aging results from fundamental and unalterable causes. However, there is increasing evidence that this is not the case and most gerontologists no longer believe it. We should be able to find or produce pharmaceutical agents that slow aging. Some behavior changes such as eat less and exercise more definitely appear to slow aging.
- In effect, the search for the "fountain of youth" is back on!
- Evolution theory is very central to aging theory. Aging theory is a major practical application of evolution theory.
As of 3/20/2012 this book was free on Amazon Kindle. The author has another book on the same subject "Aging by Design" that is somewhat more interesting and provides better descriptions (including pictures) of the major theorists.
March 14, 2015
The book was quite short (but it is an introduction to the topic), giving an overview on some of the theories and research relating to how and why species age and others do not, and how it may or may not link into evolution theory. The main aspect of the book is that the idea of aging is a non-fixed process and has other factors associated with it.
The book was interesting and informative but some of the pieces of research mentioned could have been described in more detail. I also could not find a glossary. I like to continually refer back to more specialist terms in order to clarify my knowledge.
Overall a good introduction to the topic and includes further reading if you are interested in exploring the topic further.
The book was interesting and informative but some of the pieces of research mentioned could have been described in more detail. I also could not find a glossary. I like to continually refer back to more specialist terms in order to clarify my knowledge.
Overall a good introduction to the topic and includes further reading if you are interested in exploring the topic further.
March 11, 2016
Difficult
The first chapters talk about programmable and non-programmable evolution and aging which were not explained in a clear manner. Then somehow we had three theories of aging and evolution . Finally we return to the original two theories. I never was able to get an under standing of what the theories were. Without a clear understanding of the authors presented theories I got nothing from reading this book.
The first chapters talk about programmable and non-programmable evolution and aging which were not explained in a clear manner. Then somehow we had three theories of aging and evolution . Finally we return to the original two theories. I never was able to get an under standing of what the theories were. Without a clear understanding of the authors presented theories I got nothing from reading this book.
June 19, 2011
I don't feel like I've come away from this book really having learned anything. It presented different theories on aging, but didn't really reach any conclusions, which may result from current scientific knowledge, but hasn't really added to what I know about aging.
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June 8, 2014short , easy at the beginning but difficult end
September 22, 2016
the first 70% of the book is mostly Darwinism and Darwin's theory of evolution. the last 30% was interesting. mostly highbrow and over my head. but interesting none the less. very short read.
October 20, 2017
Interesting topic
This piece seems to represent a fairly concise summary of the biological aging field. There is a fairly obvious slant in it, but that is present in many works, scientific or otherwise, and so is fairly acceptable.
This piece seems to represent a fairly concise summary of the biological aging field. There is a fairly obvious slant in it, but that is present in many works, scientific or otherwise, and so is fairly acceptable.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews