Main description:

Aging is one of the most universal and inevitable social and sci entific challenges confronting man. The lives of all multicellular organisms begin with conception, extend through phases of development, maturity, senescence and finally end in death. Man is no exception, but has the unique feature of a complex brain. It plays an integra tive role in adaptation to the physical and social environments through reflexes, conditioning and more complex forms of learning. The brain is a repository for both inherited and acquired information. With the development of speech and the formation of symbolic language, the human brain has made it possible to transmit information cultur ally (horizontal) to other members of society, in addition to genetic (vertical) transmission to progeny. This horizontal transmission, which has reached its highest form in man, is a powerful extension of genetic transmission. The brain may provide man all that is of im portance in life. It has played a key role in the evolution of life by maintaining and extending the life span. Many mental or intellectual capacities of man reach a peak in early adulthood, remain relatively constant throughout maturity and then appear to decline during senescence. Behaviorally, there appears to be a decrease in sensory, learning and motor functions with aging in all mammalian species. As integrated adaptive control systems, the brain and neuroendocrines have been closely associated with the homeostatic adaptation to environmental challenges throughout .the life span.

Contents:

I. Definitions, theories, methods, molecular, cellular, organ and species difference in aging.- 1. Principles of mammalian aging.- 2. Role of the nervous system in aging; correlations among life span, brain-body weight and metabolism.- 3. Relation of development and aging; pre- and postnatal differentiation of the brain as related to aging.- II. Psychophysiological changes in aging.- 4. The nervous system, behavior and aging; an interdisciplinary life-span approach.- 5. Sensory processes in man during maturity and senescence.- 6. Changes in learning and memory during aging.- 7. Two efferent systems; potential for later-life changes.- III. Neurophysiological changes in the nervous system in aging.- 8. Life span changes in the electrical activity of the human brain as reflected in the cerebral evoked response.- 9. Changes in neuromuscular relationships in aging.- 10. Changes in limbic, neuroendocrine and autonomic systems, adaptation, homeostasis during aging.- 11. Autoimmunity and aging of the nervous system.- IV. Neurochemical changes in the nervous system in aging.- 12. Neurochemical changes in composition, metabolism and neurotransmitters in the human brain with age.- 13. Age changes in the human for some enzymes associated with metabolism of catecholamines, GABA and acetylcholine.- 14. Age-related changes in nucleic acids and protein synthesis.- 15. Neurochemistry of the developing and aging mammalian brain.- 16. Changes in brain lipids in aging.- 17. Age pigment: a biochemical indicator of intracellular aging.- V. Morphological changes in the nervous system in aging.- 18. Gross morphometric analyses and quantitative histology of the aging brain.- 19. Changes in microanatomy, neurocytology and fine structure with aging.- 20. Lipofuscin; intra- and extraneuronal accumulation and regional distribution.- 21. Changes in the neuronal microenvironment associated with aging.- VI. Environmental modifiability or plasticity of the brain and neuroendocrines from maturity to senescence.- 22. Effects of alcohol on aging in the nervous system.- 23. Ionizing irradiation and aging.- VII. Neuropathology and aging.- 24. Aging changes in relation to diseases of the nervous system.- VIII. Neurobiology and aging in nonhuman primates.- 25. Neurobiology and aging in nonhuman primates.- IX. Index.