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Aging of the Nervous System

  • Chapter
Aging of the Organs and Systems

Part of the book series: Biology of Aging and Its Modulation ((BIMO,volume 3))

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Abstract

To most of us, the possible decline in memory, cognition and motor control is probably the most alarming prospect of impending old age. The changes that occur in the nervous system during aging can have severe consequences. The variation between individuals is great; for a few fortunate individuals, cognitive and motor function may be relatively unaffected even into very old age, while most suffer only mild decline. Many however, are affected by one of the neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The distressing effects of these disorders and the increase in the number of sufferers as the aging population grows has made study of these diseases a major focus for gerontologists, but despite extensive study, their causes still remain to be firmly established. For many years, a full understanding of the pathology of these diseases has been hampered by the lack of knowledge about what constitutes “normal” or ”healthy” aging of the nervous system.

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  1. Dept. of Biological Sciences, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK

    M. J. Saffrey

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  1. Department of Immunology, Imperial College of Science Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK

    Richard Aspinall

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Saffrey, M.J. (2003). Aging of the Nervous System. In: Aspinall, R. (eds) Aging of the Organs and Systems. Biology of Aging and Its Modulation, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0673-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0673-5_11

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