Physiological Changes with Age

1
Physiological Changes with Age

• Body Composition
• Both men and women experience a loss of muscle
  mass and water, and an increase of fat tissue
• Skin
• Skin loses its elasticity and thickness
• Hair
• Hair becomes thinner and more gray

2
Distribution of Major Body Components
Source Reprinted with permission from the
American Geriatrics Society. Speculations on
vascular changes with age, by R.J. Goldman
(Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol.
18, p. 766, 1970).
3
Organ Systems

• Musculoskeletal and kinesthetic system
• Respiratory system
• Cardiovascular system
• Urinary system
• Gastrointestinal system
• Endocrine system
• Nervous system

4
Aging in Organ Systems
Source N.W. Shock, The physiology of aging.
Scientific American, 1962, 206, 110.
5
Effect of Age on Systolic Blood Pressure
Source J.D. Tobin, Physiological indices of
aging. In D. Danon, N.W. Shock, and M. Marois
(Eds.). Aging A challenge in science and
society, Vol. 1 (New York Oxford University
Press, 1981)
6
Sleep Patterns

• Up to 40 percent of older adults report sleep
  difficulties
• Older adults may compensate by taking naps
• Disorders of sleep that can occur with age
  include
• respiratory problems, sleep apnea, and restless
  leg syndrome

7
Vision and Hearing

• Vision
• Vision problems increase with age
• i.e. glaucoma, cataract, age-related macular
  degeneration
• Hearing
• Age-related hearing may lead to adaptations and
  compensation
• Otosclerosis, presbycusis, tinnitus

8
The Eye
9
The Ear
10
Taste and Smell

• Taste
• The taste function of older people does not
  undergo a general decline in strength, but
  demonstrates specific changes
• Smell
• Age differences exist in the appreciation of
  smells