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Is there more to aging than mitochondrial DNA and reactive oxygen species?
Author(s) -
Alexeyev Mikhail F.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2009.07269.x
Subject(s) - life expectancy , population ageing , quality of life (healthcare) , gerontology , psychological intervention , affect (linguistics) , mitochondrial dna , healthy aging , population , medicine , psychology , environmental health , biology , psychiatry , nursing , genetics , communication , gene
With the aging of the population, we are seeing a global increase in the prevalence of age‐related disorders, especially in developed countries. Chronic diseases disproportionately affect the older segment of the population, contributing to disability, a diminished quality of life and an increase in healthcare costs. Increased life expectancy reflects the success of contemporary medicine, which must now respond to the challenges created by this achievement, including the growing burden of chronic illnesses, injuries and disabilities. A well‐developed theoretical framework is required to understand the molecular basis of aging. Such a framework is a prerequisite for the development of clinical interventions that will constitute an efficient response to the challenge of age‐related health issues. This review critically analyzes the experimental evidence that supports and refutes the Free Radical/Mitochondrial Theory of Aging, which has dominated the field of aging research for almost half a century.