Endocrine Aspects of Successful Aging: Genes, Hormones and Lifestyles

At the beginning of the 20th century, life expectancy at birth in North America and Western Europe was around 50 years of age. Nowadays, women have gained more than 30 years of age and men are trailing closer. However, according to several sociologists such as Louis Chauvel, the notion of a "greying society" is not entirely adequate since aging people are physically and socially younger and more active for a longer time. Of course, the other side of the medal is to tackle the challenge of preventing age-associated chronic diseases. In this book the extensive field of research on neuroendocrine aging has been reviewed. Aging is one of the most complex biological processes determined by the interactions between genetic and environmental factors.

Inhalt
Regulation of C. elegans Life Span by Insulin-Like Signaling.- IGF-1 and Insulin Signaling in the Control of Longevity.- IGF-1 Receptors in Mammalian Longevity: Less is More.- IGF-1 Gene Polymorphism and Disease in the Elderly.- Polymorphisms and Male Ageing.- Age-Related Changes in the Regulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Adrenal Axis: the Role of Personality Variables.- Aging White Matter and Cognitive Decline: A Role for Steroids.- How Do Changes in the GH/IGF-1 Status of the Elderly Whether Occurring Naturally, Pathologically or Therapeutically Induced Impact Their Lives?.- Estrogen and Cognitive Functioning in Women.- Genetic Polymorphisms and Age-Related Diseases: the Example of Osteoporosis.- Are Estrogens Protective or Risk Factors in the Brain? Insights Derived from Animal Models.- Testosterone Supplementation and Aging-Associated Sarcopenia.- The Long Thread of GFAP in Aging, Steroids, and Synaptic Plasticity.- Circadian Rhythmicity and Aging: The Molecular Basis of Oscillatory Gene Expression.- Prediction of Death in the Elderly Men: Endocrine Factors.