Article 1 FSN 315 2020 – 8.5 points A synopsis on aging – Theories, mechanisms and future prospects Pinto da Costa et al., 2016 1. According to the article there are over 300 theories on aging (1/2 point) 2. What are programmed theories of aging? Give an example: (1 point) Programmed aging theories suggest that there is an evolutionary benefit from the deliberate deuteriation with age because of a limited life span. An example of a program aging theory is that aging is affected by the endocrine system, and lower levels of growth factor hormone in the blood are associated with longer lifespans. 3. what do the damage theories of aging suggest? (1/2 point) Damage theories suggest that aging occurs in the absence of selection maintenance. 4. What is the oxidative damage theory of aging and what do you think of the evidence for it? (1 point) Oxidative damage theory is the suggestion that partially reduced intermediates of oxygen that can be radical or non-radical molecules are generated during metabolism through several interrelated reactions. I think the evidence for this is very new and there are not studies done on species with more similar physiological mechanisms. 5. What type of DNA is most susceptible to oxidative damage and why? (1/2 point) Since mitochondria are the major producer of ROS in mammalian cells, mitochondrial DNA is therefore particularly susceptible to oxidative damage 6. Which organs are most susceptible to oxidative damage? (1/2 point) The most vulnerable organs in these organisms are the heart, brain, and the skeletal muscle. This is because these are energy-rich tissues and, in the case of the brain, susceptibility to ROSinduced damaged may stem from the abundance of redox-active compounds 7. Are all ROS bad? Explain. (1 point) ROS, including in mitochondria, are not necessarily detrimental and, in fact, some healthbenefits, including a positive role in lifespan under stress conditions, have been reported. Low levels of these may induce an adaptive response that ultimately leads to the general improvement of systemic defense mechanisms. 8. Which disease processes are associated with Reactive Nitrogen species? (1/2 point) Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), such as nitric oxide – has been suggested to also contribute to age-related diseases, namely, hepatic steatosis and apoptosis, it has also been associated to impairments in sleep homeostasis, psychological disorders, and dementia 9. Which disease processes are associated with Advanced Glycation End products? (1/2 point) AGEs have received increasing attention because these have been associated with specific chronic diseases, namely, diabetes, cardiovascular pathologies, and cognitive impairment. 10. What percent of variation in adult life span may be attributed to genetic variation? Does this surprise you/worry you/ encourage you? What do you think? (1 point) Approximately 25–32% of the overall variation in adult lifespan may be attributed to genetic variation, making it a particularly important feature for survival at advanced age. This does not really surprise me because so many other heath conditions that are associated with a shorter life span, such as obesity, are heritable. I would expect there to be more influence on life span from the environment and lifestyle choices after you are born. 11. The article suggests some methods being investigated to prolong healthy years. List them and highlight/put an asterisk by those which are/could be nutrition related (exclude therapies to come): (1 point) Caloric restriction* Stem Cell Therapies Breaking AGE’s Hormonal Therapies Antioxidants* Telomere-based therapies 12. Which of the “Therapies to come” most interests you? (1/2 point) The most interesting “therapies to come” to me was the use of antioxidants to reduce the effects of ROS.
