Brain structure and its implication in metabolism in aging: A review
1982
Buschmann, MB Tank
Since the brain is unique in coordinating all body organs and their functions, any alteration in brain structure has important implications for brain metabolism. This is especially true in the case of altered protein syntheses, which in turn, affects brain activity. Gross changes and cellular-level changes in the aging human brain are considered, along with the relevant body of literature concerning research using animal models. The noted increase in our national life expectancy because of improved health care and living standards is of no real benefit if the extended years include functional motor or sensory loss and senility. The pathologic condition known as presenility affects the young, and accounts for 85% of US patients institutionalized with organic dementia. Normally-aged persons show the same qualitative cellular brain changes as those seen in senility and presenility, with the only apparent difference being the greater number of cellular changes associated with pathologic states. Hence, the correlation between structural and metabolic changes and abnormal behavior is unknown. A relationship does exist, however, between morphologic changes of neuronal aging, protein composition, and behavior. (wz)
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