Aging, Frailty and Complexity

Abstract

The big problems in aging research are of increasing complexity due to multicausality of chronic diseases and the numerous interactions between the multiple mechanisms of aging. The frailty concept is a first simple step forward as an integrative concept that sums up the deficits over multiple domains. However, for further understanding of the empirical data on this multicausality and interactions in aging, we need more sophisticated tools developed in complexity science. Group model building, computational modeling and network analyses are examples of tools that can push the frontier of gerontologic and geriatric research into a new era of putting the pieces together discovered in the detailed omics studies.