9-8-09 Biological Changes

• Skin changes:
○ Three layers of the skin:
○ Epidermis: cells lose regularity and form in random arrangement
○ Dermis: composed of collagen and elastin
○ Subcutaneous fat: underlying layer of fat tissue that supports the skins
○ Sebaceous glands
○ Risk factors for skin changes: genetics, fair skin, photo aging (exposure to sun),
environmental toxins.

○ Treatments for skin problems

Cosmetic advances
Botox
Facelifts
Moisturizers-alpha-hydroxy acid

• Nails
Nails are actually a part of the skin
Nail growth rate slow down
Become yellow and ridged
Toes nails become curved
• Teeth loss
○ Jaw bone losses due to wear and tear
○ Yellow and loss of enamel
○ With tooth loss , lower income more likely to have no teeth.
• Hair
Hair eventually turns gray and then to white
Reductions in melanin production cause lack of pigmentation( gray/white hair)
Hair becomes thinner

○ Androgenetic alopecia- hair follicles stop producing the long thick pigmented hairs
and actually produce more of the short and fine un-pigmented hairs we can barely
see.

• Body Build-older actually do shrink

○ More pronounced in women
○ Bone material in vertebrae collapses
○ Middle-aged spread
 Accumulations of body fat around hips an waist
 Weight increases from 20’s-50’s
 Weight decreases after that

• SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

○ Vision: loss of visual acuity in someone 85 is 80% less than someone in their 40’s

○ Glare at night becomes more disabling

○ Cataracts: clouding that develops in the lens causing blurry vision.

 25% of population 65+ have cataracts.

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○ Presbyopia

○ Glaucoma

• Risks and Treatments for vision loss

○ Hearing

○ Presbycusis

○ Tinnitus

• Risks and Treatments for hearing loss

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○ Smell and Taste

• Risks and Treatments for smell/taste

• Muscles

○ Sarcopenia

○ Risks and Treatments for muscle changes

• Bones/Joints

○ Osteoporosis

○ Risks and Treatments for bone/joint changes

• Mobility and Balance

○ Vertigo

○ Risks and Treatments for mobility and balance

• Cardiovascular system:
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• Respiratory System:

• Urinary System:

• Digestive System:

• Endocrine System:

○ Cortisol:

• Immune System:

• Nervous System:

○ Central Nervous System:

○ Autonomic Nervous System:

• Sleep
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○ Sleep apnea

• Temperature Control
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