Gerontology

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIII

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2. Molecular Aspects of Aging

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. DNA — Information and Aging: The Balance Between Alteration and Repair

      • Z. A. Medvedev

      Pages 3-29

   3. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation of Collagen as a Model of Posttranslational Aging

      • G. Hofecker, S. Veletzky, H. Niedermüller, M. Skalicky

      Pages 30-40

   4. Age-Dependent Changes in Structure, Properties, and Biosynthesis of Collagen

      • J. Rauterberg

      Pages 41-51

3. Cellular Aspects of Aging

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 53-53

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   2. Advances in Cytogerontology

      • L. Hayflick

      Pages 55-66

   3. Red Blood Cell Membrane — Composition and Aging

      • T. Brosche

      Pages 67-80

   4. Age-Dependent Phagocytosis by Short-Term Cultured Kupffer Cells

      • T. Vomel

      Pages 81-89

4. Aging at the Organ Level

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 91-91

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   2. Changes of Myocardial Structure with Aging

      • H. Frenzel, R. Zweihoff, B. Schwartzkopff, K.-F. Bürrig

      Pages 93-106

   3. Regulation of Force of Contraction in the Aged and Diseased Myocardium

      • M. Böhm, E. Erdmann

      Pages 107-120

   4. Drug Treatment of Hypertensive Geriatric Patients

      • R. D. Kennedy

      Pages 121-131

   5. β-Blockade in the Elderly

      • F. W. Lohmann

      Pages 132-138

   6. The Aging Human Cerebral Cortex: Morphometry of Areal Differences and Their Functional Meaning

      • H. Haug

      Pages 139-158

   7. The Amyloidosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

      • M. Kidd, M. Landon

      Pages 159-174

   8. Amyloid Deposits Derived from Various Proteins — A Hallmark of Old Age

      • R. P. Linke

      Pages 175-192

5. Metabolism and Nutrition in the Elderly

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 193-193

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   2. Changes in Structure and Metabolism of Proteoglycans in Aging

      • H. Greiling, R. N. Schöngen, K. Kleesiek, H. W. Stuhlsatz

      Pages 195-202

   3. The Effect of Dietary Restriction on Life Span

      • C. H. Barrows

      Pages 203-212

At the beginning of the century the average life span in developed societies was less than 50 years. It is now more than 70 years and will continue to increase in the near future. Aging is a challenge to science and society. There are several theories of aging. The programmed aging hypothesis suggests that aging cannot be altered by any external influence, that aging is programmed from the beginning of life until the end of senescence. Another theory is based on genetic instability, with repair processes correcting errors in the cells that cause aging. Aging processes manifest themselves at the molecular and cellular level, in different organs, and in the whole organism. Most older persons acquire multiple diseases, primarily chronic ones. The multimorbidity of the elderly raises many questions as to nutrition, metabolism, immunity, drug therapy, and rehabilitation. Nutrition may be able to intervene in the aging process. Aging is associated with dec­ lining immunity and reduced resistance to many diseases, and it is pos­ sible that nutritional changes in old age contribute to the declining immunity in the elderly. The elderly take 40% of the prescription drugs in Germany and adverse drug reactions are more frequent in geriatric patients. There are not only problems in drug therapy for elderly pa­ tients, but also in their rehabilitation. The aim of rehabilitation is the restoration of geriatric patients to their former functional and environ­ mental status.

• Alzheimer
• Geriatrie
• Gerontologie
• Innere Medizin
• aging
• geriatrics
• gerontology
• nutrition
• pharmacology
• prevention
• rehabilitation

• Lehrstuhl für Innere Medizin — Gerontologie, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nürnberg, Germany

  Dieter Platt

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