Description
The aging process in people results from the gradual accumulation of defects and damage to the molecules and cells that make up our bodies so that the risk of disease and disability increases. Although our bodies have built-in mechanisms for repairing defects and damage, the repair mechanisms wear out over time so damage accumulates, alters the function of body organs, and causes age-related diseases such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, and more. With the recent development of new scientific understanding of the aging process, instead of treating each age-related disease as it arises, a more effective way will be to attack their common root cause: the aging process itself. Medical science is now exploring new ways to slow, or even reverse, the aging process at the molecular level. This could lead to better approaches to prevent or treat age-related disease and reduce disability. This class will discuss past, present, and future ways of medically slowing the ageing process itself to improve health.
