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Life Expectancy, Aging, & Centenarian Research

Life Expectancy, Aging, & Centenarian Research. Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D. How has the life span changed?. 20 th Century = 65 years old. Definition of Life span = upper boundary of life, the maximum number of years an individual can live. What is the maximum theoretically?.

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Life Expectancy, Aging, & Centenarian Research

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  1. Life Expectancy, Aging, & Centenarian Research Carolyn R. Fallahi, Ph. D.

  2. How has the life span changed? • 20th Century = 65 years old. • Definition of Life span = upper boundary of life, the maximum number of years an individual can live. • What is the maximum theoretically?

  3. Average Life Expectancy • Males • Females • What influences when we will die? • Sex differences associated with longevity.

  4. What are the predictors of psychological longevity? • Louis Terman 1921 – termite study • Freidman et al (1995) – analysis of the “termites” • Looked at: • Effects of personality • Stressful life events • Health-related behaviors

  5. Divided stress • Parental divorce in childhood • Marital instability in adulthood • Both were found to be good predictors of the age of death. • More explanation

  6. Centenarians • 1980 = 15,000 • 2000 = 77,000 • 2050 = 834,000 • Why? • Segerber (1982) study looking at 1,200 centenarians

  7. Duke Longitudinal Study • Palmore (1982) • Longitudinal study over a 25 year period • 270 volunteers • Physical, marital, social, laboratory tasks • Best predictors of longetivity?

  8. The Nun Study • David Snowdon • 678 nuns from a convent in Minnesota • Tests included cognitive & physical functioning & they will donate their brains upon death. • What did they find?

  9. Theories of Aging • Cellular Clock Theory: Leonard Hayflick (1977) theory. • A microbiological theory of aging • Cells can divide a maximum number of times • Dividing ability decreases with age • Upper limit? • New research since Hayflick’s theory • Tips of the chromosomes - telomeres • Telomerase

  10. Free Radical Theory • Also a microbiological theory of aging • Cells metabolize energy. • Cells generate waste that includes unstable oxygen molecules = free radicals. • Free radicals = damage within the cell structure.

  11. Mitochondrial Theory • Mitochondria = tiny cellular bodies that supply energy for functioning, growth, and repair. • Why does mitochondria decay? • Oxidative damage • Loss of micronutrients supplied by the cell • Free radicals • Evidence for this theory?

  12. Hormonal Stress Theory • Aging at the hormonal level = lower resistance & increased disease • Evidence: HPA or hypothalamic-pituitary – adrenal axis plays a role in aging. • What happens to the HPA as we age?

  13. Which one is correct? • We really don’t know. • Maybe all of them are involved.

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