Biological Perspective On Aging Terms Chapter 6

Front 1

Active Life Expectancy

Back 1

Measure of the number of years a person can expect to live without a disability.

Front 2

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Back 2

Measure of need for help with basic functions such as eating, bathing, dressing, getting to and from the bathroom, getting in and out of bed, and walking.

Front 3

Angina

Back 3

Chest pain that may precede a heart attack.

Front 4

Arthritis

Back 4

A chronic disease that causes joint inflammation and its consequences of pain, swelling, and deformity.

Front 5

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Back 5

Common type of skin cancer; easily cured.

Front 6

Cataract

Back 6

A condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, and light cannot penetrate.

Front 7

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Back 7

The brain & spinal cord.

Front 8

Cerebellum

Back 8

A brain structure involved in body movements and, to some degree, balance; located at the back and base of the brain; essential in the fine-tuning of voluntary and involuntary muscular movements.

Front 9

Climacteric

Back 9

The syndrome of physical and psychological changes that occur in midlife.

Front 10

Congestive Heart Failure

Back 10

A condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs.

Front 11

Coronary Bypass Surgery

Back 11

A procedure to reduce blockage of the blood vessels supplying the heart.

Front 12

Cross-Linkage Theory

Back 12

A theory of biological aging; states that the accumulation of cross-linked collagen is responsible for many changes associated with aging such as the loss of elasticity of the skin, hardening of the arteries of the circulatory system, and stiffness of joints throughout the body.

Front 13

Erectile Dysfunction

Back 13

The inability to maintain an erection sufficient for penetration or sexual intercourse.

Front 14

Free Radical Theory

Back 14

A theory of biological aging; the view that free radicals contribute to the aging process by forming ag pigment and by producing cross-links.

Front 15

Genetic Control Theory

Back 15

A theory of biological aging; the view that the life span is programmed into the genes.

Front 16

Glaucoma

Back 16

A serious condition that can lead to blindness; occurs when fluid cannot leave the anterior cavity of the eye through the normal channels; pressure builds up within the eye, gradually destroying vision.

Front 17

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Back 17

A treatment to eliminate the physical symptoms of menopause and to provide protection against heart disease and osteoporosis.

Front 18

Hypertension

Back 18

High blood pressure

Front 19

Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease

Back 19

Hypertension leading to a heart attack.

Front 20

Immune Function Theory

Back 20

A biological theory of aging; based on two discoveries: 1. Protective immune reactions decline with age, with the body becoming less capable of producing sufficient quantities and kinds of antibodies, 2. the aging immune system mistakenly produces antibodies against normal body proteins, leading to a loss of self-recognition; as the immune system becomes less efficient, normal aging occurs.

Front 21

Lentigo

Back 21

The discoloration or spotting that commonly appears on the face, back of hands, and forearms of people 50 or older.

Front 22

Malignant Melanoma

Back 22

Dangerous skin cancer, which can metastasize and send cancerous cells to other parts of the body.

Front 23

Menopause

Back 23

The permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle.

Front 24

Motor Nerves

Back 24

They carry outgoing information from the central nervous system to muscles and glands throughout the body.

Front 25

Neurons

Back 25

Brains cells that carry information throughout the body in the form of electrical signals.

Front 26

Osteoporosis

Back 26

Disease that causes the outside wall of the bone to become thinner and the inner part of the bone to become spongy; in the later stages, symptoms include a loss of height, back pain, and a curving of the upper back or spine, sometimes called a dowager's hump where spinal bones weaken and slowly collapse under the weight of the upper bones.

Front 27

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Back 27

All parts of the nervous system except the brain and the spinal cord; includes the spinal nerves that arise from the spinal cord.

Front 28

Postfall Syndrome

Back 28

The fear of falling in the elderly who have had a prior fall.

Front 29

Presbycusis

Back 29

Normal loss of hearing with age.

Front 30

Presbyopia

Back 30

An inability of the eye to focus on near objects.

Front 31

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Back 31

Inflammation of the synovial membranes, which line the joint capsule and the cartilage that covers the bones.

Front 32

Senescence

Back 32

The study of the biological processes that cause mental and physical decline in old age.

Front 33

Senile Purpura

Back 33

Purple bruises; sites where fragile blood vessels have ruptured.

Front 34

Sensory Nerves

Back 34

Peripheral nerves that carry incoming messages from the environment to the central nervous system.

Front 35

Somatic Mutation Theory

Back 35

A biological theory of aging that genetic damage causes aging of cells and tissues.

Front 36

Wear & Tear Theory

Back 36

A theory of biological aging; views the body as similar to a machine like an old car or truck, that simply wears out.