Geriatric Bioscience: The Link between Aging and Disease

by David Hamerman MD, Robert N. Butler MD

Overview

It is increasingly important for physicians who treat older persons, and for researchers on aging, to understand how molecular biology informs clinical expressions of aging and age-related conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, osteoarthritis, frailty, cancer, and dementia. Dr. David Hamerman translates basic scientific concepts into precepts of clinical practice and sheds light on the links among biology, natural aging, longevity, and disease.

Exploring the connections between disease and the science behind it, Geriatric Bioscience addresses how mechanisms of inflammation, cytokine expression, and stress responses influence disease and how preventive gerontology in the practice of medicine could compress morbidity. Hamerman also discusses cutting-edge therapies such as cyclo-oxygenases, bisphosphonates, statins, cytokine inhibitors, and hormone therapies.

Examining the science of geriatrics and converting its concepts into clinical applications, this groundbreaking work provides clinicians and researchers with a solid foundation for a greater understanding of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of age-related diseases as well as recommendations for promoting healthy aging.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801886928
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	12/03/2007
Pages:	316
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Hamerman, M.D., is Distinguished University Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, founder of the Division of Geriatrics at Montefiore Medical Center, and editor of Osteoarthritis: Public Health Implications for an Aging Population, also published by Johns Hopkins.

Robert N. Butler, M.D., is president and chief executive officer of the International Longevity Center–USA and professor of geriatrics at the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. From 1975 to 1982 he was the founding director of the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health. In 1982 he founded the first department of geriatrics in a U.S. medical school. In 1976 Butler won the Pulitzer Prize for his book Why Survive?: Being Old in America. He is co-author (with Dr. Myrna I. Lewis) of the books Aging and Mental Health and Love and Sex After 60. He is presently working on a book, The Longevity Revolution.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Robert N. Butler
Preface
1. The Emergence and Future of Geriatrics
2. An Introduction to Concepts of Molecular Biology
3. Aging
I. Trends in the Aging of the Population
II. What Is Aging? Can We Distinguish betweenAging and Disease?
III. Mechanisms of Aging
IV. Longevity: Genetics of Extended Life Span or Risk for Adverse Events
4. Interrelations of Certain Aging-related Conditions
I. Cytokines, Inflammation, and Responses to Stress
II. Atherosclerosis: Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
III. The Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes
IV. Osteoporosis
V. Osteoarthritis
VI. Frailty and Related Conditions: Anorexia, Sarcopenia, Exercise
VII. Cancer
VIII. Alzheimer Disease
5. Interactive Therapies Significant for an Aging Population
I. Cyclooxygenases
II. Statins
III. Bisphosphonates
IV. Thiazolidinediones and Peroxisome Proliferatoractivated Receptor
V. Cytokine Inhibitors as a Landmark for Newer Anti-inflammatory Therapies
VI. Hormonal Therapies
6. Preventive Gerontology
I. The Compression or Expansion of Morbidity?
II. Healthy Lifestyle Practices
III. "Successful Aging"
Epilogue
Glossary
References
Index

What People are Saying About This

Judith Campisi

"One of the greatest challenges facing biologists in the twenty-first century is understanding how the aging process predisposes organisms to the host of pathologies known as age-related disease. This book describes the essential elements of this challenge and is an important and intelligent addition to the gerontology literature."

From the Publisher

One of the greatest challenges facing biologists in the twenty-first century is understanding how the aging process predisposes organisms to the host of pathologies known as age-related disease. This book describes the essential elements of this challenge and is an important and intelligent addition to the gerontology literature.
—Judith Campisi, Ph.D., Buck Institute for Age Research, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

This book is a landmark achievement in presenting a perspective of the biology of aging that is linked to the expression of many diseases affecting older persons.
—Ronald A. DePinho, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Director, Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

In this remarkable volume, David Hamerman presents the many exciting advances in our knowledge of the biology of aging and clearly relates them to clinical geriatrics, a link we all need and can use.
—T. Franklin Williams, M.D., University of Rochester, former Director, National Institute on Aging

Ronald A. DePinho

"This book is a landmark achievement in presenting a perspective of the biology of aging that is linked to the expression of many diseases affecting older persons."

T. Franklin Williams

"In this remarkable volume, David Hamerman presents the many exciting advances in our knowledge of the biology of aging and clearly relates them to clinical geriatrics, a link we all need and can use."

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: David O. Staats, MD (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center)
Description: This book reflects a single author's discussions on the relationship between aging and diseases, with a chapter on molecular biology and a section on Alzheimer's disease by contributing authors.
Purpose: This series of well documented essays discusses the first principles of aging and disease, and then discusses the relationships between them. This is an unusual and highly individual approach requiring great skill to accomplish. The author succeeds admirably in meeting these objectives and produces a first-class book.
Audience: The audience is both gerontologists, scientists who study aging, and clinicians who treat the diseases of old age. This represents the work of an author who has pondered these questions for decades and represents careful reflection and synthesis on his part. This is clearly the work of an expert in the field.
Features: The first chapter gives the history and future direction of geriatrics. The second chapter gives a primer of molecular biology. The third chapter discusses the nature of aging, disease, and longevity. The fourth chapter weaves together aging-related conditions — obesity/diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. The fifth chapter on therapies for an aging population includes a riff on giving statins broadly. The concluding chapter discusses prevention. Beautiful illustrations adorn the book, including a section of color plates. The diagrams are very useful.
Assessment: This book ties together much about the molecular biology of aging and the pathophysiology of diseases occurring in old age. The nexus between obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease is tantalizing. It takes the hand of a master to synthesize so much material and give a unified overarching view of the relationship between aging and disease. This skillful hand is seen in the smooth flow of the book and a most pleasurable style of writing.

Doody's Review Service

Hamerman leads the advanced and careful reader to a better understanding of the relationships between the biology of aging and the emergence of aging-related diseases.
—Choice

A unique presentation based on the author's many decades of research and experience in the science of aging. It is extremely well documented with more than a thousand references and a helpful reference . . . an important source of information from an expert.
—Dr. Steven Schwartz, Riverdale Press

The nexus between obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease is tantalizing. It takes the hand of a master to synthesize so much material and give a unified overarching view of the relationship between aging and disease. This skillful hand is seen in the smooth flow of the book and a most pleasurable style of writing.
—David O. Staats, Doody's Review Service

A must-read for clinicians providing primary care in geriatrics
—Laura J. Niedernhofer, Journal of Clinical Investigation

An inspiring, concise, comprehensive, and stimulating primer of the field for aspiring gerontologists, geriatricians, and other physicians who will care for elderly persons.
—William B. Hazzard, MD, JAMA

The depth of knowledge presented is astounding . . . It is a must read for young and in-training geriatricians.
—Dr. Denise Zwahlen-Minton, Pharos

I found much of interest in the collection.
—John E. Morley, Ageing and Society

From the Publisher

I found much of interest in the collection.

Ageing and Society - John E. Morley

A unique presentation based on the author's many decades of research and experience in the science of aging. It is extremely well documented with more than a thousand references and a helpful reference . . . an important source of information from an expert.

Riverdale Press - Dr. Steven Schwartz

Hamerman leads the advanced and careful reader to a better understanding of the relationships between the biology of aging and the emergence of aging-related diseases.

Choice

An inspiring, concise, comprehensive, and stimulating primer of the field for aspiring gerontologists, geriatricians, and other physicians who will care for elderly persons.

JAMA - William B. Hazzard

The depth of knowledge presented is astounding . . . It is a must read for young and in-training geriatricians.

Pharos - Dr. Denise Zwahlen-Minton

A must-read for clinicians providing primary care in geriatrics

Journal of Clinical Investigation - Laura J. Niedernhofer

A unique presentation based on the author's many decades of research and experience in the science of aging. It is extremely well documented with more than a thousand references and a helpful reference... an important source of information from an expert.

— Dr. Steven Schwartz

Riverdale Press

I found much of interest in the collection.

— John E. Morley

Ageing and Society

A must-read for clinicians providing primary care in geriatrics

— Laura J. Niedernhofer

Journal of Clinical Investigation

An inspiring, concise, comprehensive, and stimulating primer of the field for aspiring gerontologists, geriatricians, and other physicians who will care for elderly persons.

— William B. Hazzard, MD

JAMA

The depth of knowledge presented is astounding... It is a must read for young and in-training geriatricians.

— Dr. Denise Zwahlen-Minton

Pharos