Assessment of Biological Age Using a Profile of Physical Parameters

Borkan, Gary A.; Norris, Arthur H.

doi:10.1093/geronj/35.2.177

Cited by 222 publications

(101 citation statements)

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“…It is important to determine the extent to which these declines are coordinated and the mechanisms that regulate this coordination. Studies of humans indicate that an individual can display some traits that are more aged and some traits that are less aged than the norm for individuals of that chronological age, raising the possibility that the rate of aging of different tissues is not highly coordinated (35). We used longitudinal studies that involved serial measurements of five traits in each individual to investigate the relationships among age-related changes that occur at different times.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurements of age-related changes of physiological processes that predict lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Huang

Xiong²,

Kornfeld³

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

490

547

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Aging is characterized by progressive, degenerative changes in many tissues. To elucidate the relationships among degenerative changes in Caenorhabditis elegans, we developed methods to measure age-related changes quantitatively and analyzed correlations among these changes by using a longitudinal study. The age-related declines of pharyngeal pumping and body movement were positively correlated with each other and lifespan. These findings suggest that the declines of pharyngeal pumping and body movement cause a decline in survival probability or that a shared regulatory system mediates the declines in pharyngeal pumping, body movement, and survival probability. Furthermore, measurements of these processes can be used to predict lifespan and detect premature aging. The declines of physiological processes were measured in daf-2, age-1, daf-16, eat-2, and clk-1 mutants that have altered lifespans. Each mutant strain displayed changes in one or more age-related declines, but the correlations among age-related changes were similar to WT. These measurements were used to generate a system of four stages that describes the aging process and is useful for the analysis of genetic and environmental effects on aging.T he identification and measurement of age-related changes, or markers of aging, is a major element of aging research. It is necessary because an understanding of the aging process requires a description of the specific changes that occur. Furthermore, many of the hypotheses about the cause of aging are based on the identification of an age-related change. Because age-related changes are widespread, it is particularly important to determine the relationships among these changes and identify age-related changes that affect lifespan. Three main experimental approaches can be used to investigate these relationships. Longitudinal studies that include serial measurements of the same individual can identify correlations among age-related changes that are measured at different times in the lifespan (1, 2). Cross-sectional studies that include one evaluation of each individual can identify correlations among age-related changes that are measured at the same time in the lifespan. Both longitudinal and cross-sectional data can be used to analyze correlations by comparing two or more populations of animals that have different aging properties as a result of genetic or environmental factors (3, 4). Longitudinal studies provide the most information about the relationships among changes that occur at different times in the lifespan, but longitudinal studies have not been performed frequently because they require substantial time and effort. Here we used longitudinal studies to analyze the relationships among age-related declines of physiological processes and lifespan of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.C. elegans is an important model organism for aging research, because it has a short lifespan, and many mutations have been identified that extend the adult lifespan (reviewed by Kenyon in ref. 5). The most extensively char...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurements of age-related changes of physiological processes that predict lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Huang

Xiong²,

Kornfeld³

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

490

547

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…With aging, a discernable decline occurs in most bodily systems, including metabolic, cognitive, reproductive, and endocrine. The aging phenotype may be best represented by the construction of an index derived from several biological parameters of an organism (biomarkers), encompassing functional parameters that predictably change with age (Dean and Morgan 1988;Johnson 2006) and are closely related to the maintenance of life, and are recognized as risk factors for age-related degeneration and diseases (Borkan and Norris 1986). The ability to predict life span is a traditional but imperfect criterion used to validate these biomarkers of aging; a more important requirement for a good biomarker is its ability to discriminate between adverse aging-related events, such as frailty (Mitnitski et al 2002), immobility (Simonsick et al 2001), and propensity to fall (Lord et al 1994).…”

Section: Biomarkers Of Agingmentioning

confidence: 99%

How pleiotropic genetics of the musculoskeletal system can inform genomics and phenomics of aging

Karasik

2010

AGE

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Genetic study can provide insight into the biologic mechanisms underlying inter-individual differences in susceptibility to (or resistance to) organisms' aging. Recent advances in molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology provide the necessary tools to perform a study of the genetic sources of biological aging. However, to be successful, the genetic study of a complex condition requires a heritable phenotype to be developed and validated. Genome-wide association studies offer an unbiased approach to identify new candidate genes for human diseases. It is hypothesized that convergent results from multiple aging-related traits will point out the genes responsible for the general aging of the organism. This perspective focuses on the musculoskeletal aging as an example of an approach to identify a downstream common pathway that summarizes aging processes. Since the musculoskeletal traits are linked to the state of many vital functions, disability, and ultimately survival rates, we postulate that there is significance in studying musculoskeletal aging. Construction of an integrated phenotype of aging can be achieved based on shared genetics among multiple musculoskeletal biomarkers. Valid biomarkers from other systems of the organism should be similarly explored. The new composite aging score needs to be validated by determining whether it predicts all-cause mortality, incidences of major chronic diseases, and disability late in life. Comprehensive databases on biomarkers of musculoskeletal aging in multiple large cohort studies, along with information on various health outcomes, are needed to validate the proposed measure of biological aging.

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“…The theoretically best partner for a woman is middle-aged, which is why male faces signaling this age are the most attractive to women. At the same time, BORKAN and NORRIS [1980] reported that young-looking old men are healthier and have a lower biological age than their peers. Therefore, youthful appearance in old men is a honest cue of their biological quality.…”

Section: Determinants Of Attractivenessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facial attractiveness: General patterns of facial preferences

Kościński

2007

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This review covers universal patterns in facial preferences. Facial attractiveness has fascinated thinkers since antiquity, but has been the subject of intense scientific study for only the last quarter of a century. Many facial features contribute to facial attractiveness: Averageness and symmetry are preferred by males and females, probably because they signal genetic quality and developmental stability. Men prefer highly feminized female faces because they reflect high estrogen levels and low testosterone levels. This indicates that the woman is reproductively healthy. Women, on the other hand, prefer a moderate level of male facial masculinity, since facial masculinity that is too pronounced signals high level of testosterone and, thereby, a poorly developed pro-family personality. In women, facial hair is detrimental to facial attractiveness. In men, the effect is not consistent. Faces with a clear complexion are attractive to both men and women. Men prefer light and smooth skin in women. Positive facial expressions also enhance facial attractiveness. Many factors, in particular skin condition and facial proportions, affect perceived age, which is an important component of facial attractiveness. Men in particular strongly prefer youthful-looking female faces. Facial preferences enable an individual to recognize reproductively fit mates. Therefore, facial preferences are adaptive, although non-adaptive mechanisms related to general brain function also play a role. KEY WORDS: physical attractiveness, facial esthetics, human face, beauty Everything is in the face CiceroFacial attractiveness is something that is intuitively perceived rather than measurable with instruments. Until recently, facial attractiveness was more a subject of interest for artists and philosophers than for scientists. However, physical attractiveness has proven to have such serious interpersonal and social consequences that science cannot exclude it from its realm of study. Moreover, scientific research on physical attractiveness is justified because it is connected to the

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Assessment of Biological Age Using a Profile of Physical Parameters

Cited by 222 publications

References 0 publications

Measurements of age-related changes of physiological processes that predict lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Measurements of age-related changes of physiological processes that predict lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

How pleiotropic genetics of the musculoskeletal system can inform genomics and phenomics of aging

Facial attractiveness: General patterns of facial preferences

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