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Biological Senescence: Loss of Integration and Resilience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

F. Eugene Yates  and
Laurel A. Benton
F. Eugene Yates
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
Laurel A. Benton
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
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Abstract

The flow of time can be conceptualized either as a cycle or an arrow. We offer a combined view: a helix. Chronological age (geophysical time reference) is not necessarily identical to biological age (internal time reference), and aging does not necessarily imply senescence. A new scheme of senescence, based on homeodynamics (nonlinear mechanics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics), is introduced as a plausible physical basis for understanding senescence. We propose that energy throughput, initially constructive of forms and functions, becomes destructive once most of the available degrees of freedom have been “frozen out” by the construction. Senescence becomes manifested at that point.

Résumé

Le cours du temps peut être conceptualisé selon un modèle cyclique ou linéaire. Nous présentons une perspective combinant ces deux idées, soit un modèle spiral. L'âge chronologique (référence de temps géophysique) n'est pas nécessairement identique à l'âge biologique (référence de temps interne), et le vieillissement ne suggère pas nécessairement la sénescence. Un nouveau schéma de sénescence, fondé sur l'homéodynamique (mécanique non linéaire et thermodynamique de non équilibre), est présenté comme un fondement physique plausible servant à comprendre la sénescence. Nous proposons que la production d'énergie, matériaux initial pour la construction des formes et des fonctions, devient défavorable lorsque la majorité des degrés de liberté ont été «immobilisés» par la construction. C'est à ce moment que la sénescence se manifeste.

Keywords

SenescenceHomeodynamicsStabilityIntegration (Vertical and Horizontal)Death (System and Component Types)Complexity.Sénescencehoméodynamiquestabilitéintégration verticale et horizontalemort du système et de ses composantescomplexité.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 14 , Issue 1: Models of Aging , Printemps/Spring 1995 , pp. 106 - 120
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1995

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