Book Review
Physiological Basis of Aging and Geriatrics
N Engl J Med 2008; 358:1312-1313March 20, 2008
- Article
Physiological Basis of Aging and Geriatrics
Fourth edition. Edited by Paola S. Timiras. 407 pp., illustrated. New York, Informa Healthcare, 2007. $229.95. ISBN: 978-0-8493-7305-3It is no longer reasonable to present the physiology of development and aging in a single book. The latest edition of this book, which has undergone many updates and title changes since its original publication in 1972 as Developmental Physiology and Aging (New York: Macmillan), captures the remarkable acceleration of progress in the field and will ensure the status of this textbook as an important benchmark in research on aging.
The book is addressed to geriatricians as well as physiologists, which is important because much of what we now know has rendered many so-called deficits of the aging process amenable to intervention. In industrialized countries, people 80 years of age and older currently represent the fastest-growing segment of the population, and centenarians are more frequently encountered. By the year 2030, a large proportion of the population (about 20%) will live beyond 65 years of age. Physicians and other health professionals working in the areas of prevention and rehabilitation will have to deal with the growing number of elderly persons and ensure quality of life in a population whose predecessors were typically resigned to inevitable decline.
In this book, readers will learn about recent therapeutic developments in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and diabetes, along with chronic problems of high cholesterol, gastritis, and sexual impotence. Research done with the use of transgenic animals as models of aging has shed light on the influence of both genes and the environment on the aging process. Current data show that we are not doomed by our DNA; on the contrary, adjustment to environmental conditions is possible at all ages. Important advances in genetic and stem-cell research as they relate to aging are also included, as are tables that reflect current trends, new research data, and the latest statistics.
Editor Paola Timiras and her contributors — well-recognized experts in their respective areas — have expanded their discussions of nutrition and physical exercise for the elderly, and they comment on recent advances in biology and bioengineering that allow greater independence for the elderly by preserving function into later years. Other chapters in the book evaluate the latest information on the role of oxidants and antioxidants and correlate them with known theories of aging.
Part I of the book begins with an introductory chapter by Timiras, who expresses the view that old age is simply another stage of life and not a disease. Indeed, as Timiras has pointed out in her earlier work, the fastest rate of aging occurs in the first five years of life. Her inclusion of historical perspectives and theories about aging will interest not only scientists and researchers, but also elderly patients seeking to better understand this stage of life.
The chapters in part II survey the aging of body systems, with a focus on ways to maintain optimal function and adaptive ability. Part III deals with prevention and rehabilitation and presents pharmacologic, nutritional, and physical exercise guidelines aimed at the preservation of physical and mental health.
The book is well referenced and includes helpful illustrations and concise tables. The editor and authors have followed the established guidelines to ensure continuity and uniformity of style among chapters. This book is invaluable to all who work with aging persons, including physicians, therapists, and caregivers — and it might also grace the shelves of elderly patients themselves.
A. Aria Tzika, Ph.D.
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114
atzika@hms.harvard. edu
