The latest edition of Robert Arking's seminal text on the biology of aging takes on an extended title, since the field of gerontology has advanced to a point at which it is possible to separate the topic into two implicit subsets, longevity and aging. This multi-faceted description of the biology of aging guides the reader through increasingly interesting answers to seven fundamental questions: What is aging? Why do we age? What mechanisms support extended longevity? What determines the onset of senescence? What is the mechanistic basis of senescence? Why do humans live so long? And lastly, what pro-longevity societal interventions are needed? Inevitably, humans will age but there is no reason why we must suffer from age-related diseases. Aging and longevity are dependent on both genes and social environment. Our biology does not forbid the modulation of aging. What we really want to know is not so much about the biology of aging - which is basically a degenerative process - but rather about biological processes underlying the long term maintenance of our health. New chapters incorporate the latest developments in the field of gerontology. Research done since the previous edition was published has given us insight into how we may stay healthier longer.

Auteur

Robert Arking is Professor of Biological Sciences at Wayne State University. His research delves into the mechanisms underlying both senescence and extended longevity in Drosophila. He has published widely on these topics, and is a Fellow of both the Gerontology Society of America and the American Aging Association. He was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Salzburg, Austria; and was twice invited to serve as an "Expert Visiting Professor" at Pusan University in South Korea.

Contenu

Part I: What is Aging? Chapter 1. Perspectives on Aging. Chapter 2. Measuring Age-related Changes in Populations Chapter 3. Measuring Age-related Changes in Individuals Part 2: Why Do We Age? Chapter 4 Evolutionary & Comparative Aspects of Longevity and Senescence Part 3: What Mechanisms Modulate Our Longevity? Chapter 5 Interventions That Modify Longevity Chapter 6 Genetic and Social Aspects Affecting Human Longevity Chapter 7 Genetic Determinants of Longevity in Animal and Human Models Part 4: What Mechanisms Modulate Our Aging and Senescence? Chapter 8 What Mechanisms Underlie the Transition from Health to Senescence Chapter 9 Human Senescent Phenotypes Chapter 10 Stochastic Mechanisms of Senescence Chapter 11 Systemic Mechanisms of Senescence Chapter 12 Senescence as a Breakdown of Intracellular Regulatory Processes. Chapter 13 Senescence as a Breakdown of Intercellular Regulatory Processes Part 5: An Integrated View of Longevity and Aging Mechanisms Chapter 14 Biological Theories of Senescence and the Evolution of Extended Longevity Chapter 15 Aging -related Research and It's Impact on Society. References Index