Healthy Aging Ch 3 Vocab

Apoptosis

a process of programmed cell death marked by cell shrinkage

Capacity

the ability to make decisions

Catecholamine

hormones of the adrenal medulla that are released in response to sympathetic nervous system activity

Energy maintenance theory of aging (EMTA)

based on animal research, this model suggests that persons must maintain higher levels of ATP to sustain longevity

Free radicals

molecules with an unpaired electron in the outer shell of electrons that remain unstable until paired with another molecule

Human needs theory

Maslow surmised that a hierarchy of five needs motivates human behavior: physiologic, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization

Immunomodulation

the effects of various chemical mediators, hormones, and drugs of the immune system

Lipofuscin (LF)

an un-degradable material that decreases lysosomal function; age pigment; a brown pigment found in aging cells relating to oxidative mechanisms

Melatonin

a hormone produced by the pineal gland that is linked to sleep and wake cycles

Mitochondria

parts of a cell that transform organic compounds into energy

Nonstochastic theories of aging

theories stating that a series of genetically programmed events occur to all organisms with aging

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)

short-lived, highly reactive products of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism that destroy proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids

Senescence

the process of growing old

Stochastic theories of aging

theories stating that random events occurring in one’s life cause damage that accumulates with aging

Telomerase

an enzyme that regulates chromosomal aging by its action on telomeres

Telomere

repeated sequences of DNA that protect the tips of the outermost appendages of the chromosome arms