GRN 523
BIOLOGY OF HUMAN AGING
Fall 2009
Timothy A. Ballard, Ph. D.
Department of Biology and Marine Biology
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Dobo 109
910-962-7263
http://people.uncw.edu/ballardt
COURSE EVALUATION: 4 regular examinations 20%
1 final comprehensive examination 20%
GRADING SCALE: A 100 - 90
B 89 - 80
C 79 - 70
F <70
HOW YOUR FINAL GRADE IS DETERMINED: After all of the points have been tallied at the end of the semester, I will take the top score in the class and round it to 100. All other students will receive the same total points of curve. Your final number will be your final grade. I will not shade your final grade even 0.01 of a point and I will not round up. There will be no exceptions!!!
HOW TO ARGUE A TEST QUESTION: If you have a quarrel with a test question, you must present me with a written argument by the next class time after getting the test back from me. You should include why you believe my answer is wrong and why you are right. Documentation (cited or copied) from the text or other sources will go a long way towards a successful argument. If I receive no such argument from you within the allotted time, we will consider the case closed and I will hear no arguments at a later date.
THE FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION: The final exam in this class consists of 100 multiple-choice, one-best-answer questions. The test has been designed so that there is the same percent of questions per topic as percent time we spent in class on that topic. For instance, if we spend 20% of the semester discussing the nervous system, then 20 questions on the final will be from the nervous system. Not only that, but the percentages cover each topic shown in the course outline. The test itself is subdivided into four sections, each of which corresponds to materials covered on the four regular tests. The grade on the total final exam will count 20% towards your final grade. In addition, each of the sections is graded separately and that grade is compared to your score on that regular test. For example, if your regular test score for test 1 is a 68 and your grade on section 1 of the final is a 78, I will erase the 68 from my grade book and replace it with the 78. This policy allows you to replace every test score from the semester.
You must take the final exam at or before its scheduled time.
TEXTBOOK: Biology of Human Aging, 2nd edition, Alexander P. Spence, Prentice-Hall
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To understand the current hypotheses regarding the biological processes of human aging
2. To demonstrate knowledge of the basic anatomy and physiology of the human body
systems
3. To understand and be able to relay correct information to clients regarding basic age-
related changes in the body systems
4. To have a rudimentary knowledge of the most common age-related dysfunctions of the
human body systems
BIOLOGY OF HUMAN AGING OUTLINE
I. Chapter 1: Introduction to Human Aging (1)
A. Methods used to study aging (2)
B. Increase in the number and percentage of elderly persons (3)
C. General effects of aging (5)
D. Common terms related to aging (6)
E. Rates of aging (7)
F. General aging changes in the body (8)
1. Body structural changes (8)
2. Body compositional changes (9)
3. Body functional changes (9)
G. Importance of regular health examinations (10)
II. Chapter 2: Theories of Aging (13)
A. Mechanisms of aging (14)
B. General theories of aging (15)
1. Aging by program (16)
2. Gene theory (17)
3. Gene mutation theory (18)
4. Cross-linkage theory (19)
5. Free radical theory (20)
6. Cellular garbage theory (21)
7. Accumulation-of-errors theory (21)
8. Wear-and-tear theory (22)
9. Autoimmune theory (22)
a. New antigens (23)
b. Increase in autoimmune reactions (23)
III. Chapter 3: Cellular Aging (27)
A. Cell components (28)
1. Plasma membrane (28)
2. Nucleus (28)
3. Endoplasmic reticulum (31)
4. Ribosomes (31)
5. Golgi apparatus (31)
6. Lysosomes (32)
7. Mitochondria (32)
8. Centrioles (32)
9. Cytoskeleton (32)
B. Validity of cell-culture findings (32)
C. Specific cellular changes during aging (34)
1. Membrane changes (34)
2. Nuclear changes (35)
3. Cytoplasmic changes (35)
4. Ribosomal changes (35)
5. Mitochondrial changes (36)
6. Lysosomal changes (37)
IV. Chapter 4: The Integumentary System (39)
A. Review of structure and function (40)
1. Epidermis (42)
2. Dermis (42)
B. Age-related changes (42)
1. Epidermal changes (43)
2. Dermal changes (43)
3. Hypodermal changes (43)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (44)
1. Lentigo (44)
2. Senile purpura (45)
3. Senile angiomas (45)
4. Acrochordon (45)
5. Senile pruritis (45)
6. Senile keratosis (45)
7. Seborrheic keratosis (46)
8. Herpes zoster (46)
9. Decubitus ulcers (46)
10. Skin cancer (47)
a. Basal cell carcinoma (47)
b. Squamous cell carcinoma (47)
c. Malignant melanoma (47)
d. Secondary skin cancer (48)
TEST 1 -- CHAPTERS 1 - 4
V. Chapter 5: The Skeletal System (51)
A. Review of structure and function (52)
1. Bone (52)
2. Cartilage (53)
B. Age-related changes (57)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (59)
1. Bursitis (59)
2. Arthritis (59)
a. Osteoarthritis (59)
b. Rheumatoid arthritis (60)
c. Gouty arthritis (60)
3. Osteoporosis (62)
4. Tumors of bone (62)
VI. Chapter 6: The Muscular System (67)
A. Review of structure and function (68)
1. Skeletal muscle (68)
2. Smooth muscle (69)
3. Cardiac muscle (70)
B. Age-related changes (70)
1. Skeletal muscle (70)
2. Smooth muscle (71)
3. Cardiac muscle (73)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (73)
1. Parkinson's disease (73)
2. Myasthenia gravis (74)
3. Muscle cramps (74)
4. Polymyositis (74)
5. Polymyalgia rheumatica (75)
VII. Chapter 7: The Nervous System (77)
A. Review of structure and function (78)
1. Cells of the nervous system (78)
2. Organization of the nervous system (80)
a. Central nervous system (80)
b. Peripheral nervous system (82)
B. Age-related changes (84)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (88)
1. Decreased reflex responses (88)
2. Declining autonomic responses (88)
3. Insomnia (88)
4. Dementia (89)
a. Alzheimer's disease (89)
b. Non-Alzheimer dementias (90)
c. Multi-infarction dementia (90)
d. Parkinson's disease (91)
e. Cerebrovascular accident (91)
VIII. Chapter 8: The Special Senses (95)
A. The eye (96)
1. Review of structure and function (96)
2. Age-related changes (98)
3. Age-related dysfunctions (100)
a. Presbyopia (100)
b. Blindness (101)
c. Glaucoma (101)
d. Diabetic retinopathy (102)
e. Cataracts (102)
f. Age-related macular degeneration (103)
g. Detached retina (103)
B. The ear (103)
1. Review of structure and function (104)
2. Age-related changes
3. Age-related dysfunctions
a. Presbycusis (106)
b. Tinnitus (106)
c. Deafness (107)
d. Dizziness and vertigo (107)
C. Taste (108)
1. Review of structure and function (108)
2. Age-related changes (109)
D. Smell (110)
1. Review of structure and function (110))
2. Age-related changes (110)
TEST 2 -- CHAPTERS 5 - 8
IX. Chapter 9: The Circulatory System (113)
A. Review of structure and function (114)
1. Blood (114)
2. Heart (115)
3. Blood vessels (117)
4. Lymphatic system (118)
B. Age-related changes (120)
1. Blood (120)
2. Heart (120)
3. Blood vessels (122)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (123)
1. Atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis (124)
2. Hypertension (125)
3. Coronary artery disease (125)
4. Myocardial infarction (127)
5. Angina pectoris (127)
6. Cardiac arrhythmias (128)
7. Congestive heart failure (128)
X. Chapter 10: The Immune System (131)
A. Review of structure and function (132)
1. Bone marrow (132)
2. Thymus (132)
3. Spleen (133)
4. Lymph nodes (133)
5. Tonsils (133)
6. Lymphocytes and plasma cells (133)
B. Age-related changes (135)
1. Bone marrow (135)
2. Thymus (136)
3. Spleen (137)
4. Lymph nodes (138)
5. Tonsils (138)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (138)
1. General decrease in immune responses (138)
2. Age-associated T-lymphocyte defects (139)
3. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (139)
4. Lymphomas (140)
XI. Chapter 11: The Respiratory System (143)
A. Review of structure and function (144)
1. Nasal cavity (144)
2. Pharynx (145)
3. Trachea (145)
4. Bronchi (146)
5. Alveoli (147)
6. Lungs (147)
B. Age-related changes (150)
1. Trachea and bronchi (150)
2. Alveoli (150)
3. Lungs (150)
4. Structural changes (152)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (152)
1. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (153)
a. Emphysema (153)
b. Chronic bronchitis (154)
2. Pneumonia (154)
3. Tuberculosis (155)
4. Pulmonary embolism (155)
TEST 3 -- CHAPTERS 9 - 11
XII. Chapter 12: The Digestive System (159)
A. Review of structure and function (161)
1. Mouth (161)
2. Pharynx and esophagus (161)
3. Stomach (163)
4. Small intestine (163)
5. Large intestine (164)
6. Pancreas (165)
7. Liver (165)
B. Age-related changes (166)
1. Mouth (166)
2. Esophagus (167)
3. Stomach (167)
4. Small intestine (168)
5. Large intestine (168)
6. Pancreas (168)
7. Liver (169)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (169)
1. Hiatal hernia (169)
2. Cancer (170)
3. Diverticulitis (170)
4. Constipation (171)
5. Fecal incontinence (172)
6. Hemorrhoids (172)
7. Intestinal obstruction (172)
D. Nutrition in the elderly (172)
1. Carbohydrate requirements (174)
2. Protein requirements (175)
3. Fat requirements (175)
4. Vitamin requirements (176)
a. Fat-soluble vitamins (176)
b. Water-soluble vitamins (177)
5. Mineral requirements (178)
6. Water requirements (178)
XIII. Chapter 13: The Urinary System (183)
A. Review of structure and function (184)
1. Kidneys (184)
2. Ureters (189)
3. Urinary bladder (189)
4. Urethra (189)
B. Age-related changes (190)
1. Kidneys (190)
2. Bladder and urethra (191)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (192)
1. Urinary incontinence (192)
2. Nocturia (193)
3. Dysfunctions caused by the prostate gland (193)
4. Pyelonephritis (194)
5. Renal calculi (194)
XIV. Chapter 14: The Reproductive System (197)
A. Review of structure and function (198)
1. Male reproductive system (198)
2. Female reproductive system (200)
B. Age-related changes (202)
1. Changes in men (202)
2. Changes in women (203)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (204)
1. Cancer (204)
2. Atrophic vaginitis (205)
3. Prolapse of the uterus (205)
4. Impotence (205)
5. Diminished sexual functioning (206)
XV. Chapter 15: The Endocrine System (209)
A. Review of structure and function (212)
1. Pituitary gland (212)
2. Thyroid gland (214)
3. Parathyroid glands (214)
4. Adrenal glands (214)
5. Pancreas (215)
6. Gonads (216)
B. Age-related changes (216)
1. Pituitary gland (216)
2. Thyroid gland (217)
3. Parathyroid glands (217)
4. Adrenal glands (218)
5. Pancreas (218)
C. Age-related dysfunctions (219)
1. Diabetes mellitus (219)
2. Hypothyroidism (220)
3. Stress responses (220)
TEST 4 -- CHAPTERS 12 - 15
FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
9