Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T15:02:50.632Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Various Definitions of Biological Aging

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

M.E. Thompson  and
W.F. Forbes
M.E. Thompson
Affiliation:
University of Waterloo
W.F. Forbes
Affiliation:
University of Waterloo
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Various definitions of aging are discussed. The term successful aging is criticized and some of the criteria of normal aging are discussed. The relevance of a good definition of biological aging and aging processes is outlined and it is stressed that aging process parameters should discriminate between individuals who are at higher and lower risk in terms of specific harmful consequences.

Résumé

Plusieurs définitions de vieillissement sont discutées. L'expression vieillissement réussi est critiquée et certains des critéres du vieillissement normal sont discutés. L'importance d'une définition adéquate du vieillissement biologique et du processus de vieillissement est cernée et les auteurs soulignent que les paramètres du processus de vieillissement devraient distinguer entre les groupes de personnes à haut risque et ceux à bas risque, en termes de conséquences nuisibles spécifiques.

Keywords

AgingDefinitionsNormal AgingSuccessful Aging.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 1990 , pp. 91 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Borkan, G.A. & Norris, A.H. (1980) Assessment of biological age using a profile of physical parameters. Journal of Gerontology, 35, 177–184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, K.S. & Forbes, W.F. (1976) Concerning the estimation of biological age. Gerontology, 22, 428–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Comfort, A. (1969) Test-battery to measure aging-rate in man. Lancet, ii, 1411–1415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heikkinen, E., Kiiskinen, A., Käyhty, B., Rimpelä, M. & Vuori, I. (1974) Assessment of biological age. Methodological study in two finnish populations. Gerontologia, 20, 33–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hollingsworth, J.W., Hashizume, A. & Jablon, S. (1965) Correlations between tests of aging in Hiroshima subjects. An attempt to define ‘physiologic age’. Yale Journal Biological Medicine, 38, 11–26.Google ScholarPubMed
Kohn, R.R. (1978) Principles of Mammalian Aging. 2nd Ed.Englewood Cliffs. N.J.: Prentice–Hall Inc., Prentice-Hall Foundations of Developmental Biology Series.Google Scholar
Nakamura, E., Miyao, K. & Ozeki, T. (1988) Assessment of biological age by principal component analysis. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 46, 1–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reibnegger, G., Huber, L.A., Jürgens, G., Schönitzer, D., Werner, E.R., Wachter, H., Wick, G. & Traill, K.N. (1988) Approach to define ‘normal aging’ in man. Immune function, serum lipids, lipoproteins and neopterin levels. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 46, 67–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rowe, J.W. & Kahn, R.L. (1987) Human aging: Usual and successful. Science, 143–149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed