A BIOLOGICAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL VIEW ON AGEING
Abstract: In this
paper two major views on ageing: the ‘genetic’ (‘programmed’) types
of theories and the ‘wear-and-tear’ (‘damage’ or
‘error’) theories are
presented. The genetic theories, saying
that specific genes
regulate ageing, explain
the species differences
better, while the wear-and-tear theories, implying that damages in the
genome lead to ageing, explain the
male-female differences better. The ‘survival curve’ (human’s
survival as a
function of time), shows
that the maximum
age is fixed,
but that the
average age still
increases. Good food, a
safe hygienic environment
and adequate medical
care play a
positive role in
human longevity. Notwithstanding that it can be stated that ageing is
associated with somatic and, in particular,
with cognitive decline.
Brain degeneration as
expressed in the
diseases of Alzheimer and
Parkinson are rather typical ageing disorders. However, natural ageing is also accompanied by
mental and physical
decline, presumably due
to brain cell
loss and loss
of contacts between nerve cells. Presently, it becomes more and more
clear that the decline due to ageing can be delayed or slowed down to a certain
degree. Keeping the body and the brain active might be associated by a
reduction in the loss of synapses, or even in the formation of extra synapses.
This forms a compensation buffer for the decrease of general bodily processes, including cognitive
functions. Especially, elderly
people complain about
memory problems. The memory
decline is particularly
in episodic memory.
However, the procedural
memory (for the performance
of complex activities
and skills) does
not decline and
the semantic memory (the memory concerned
with meanings and concepts) even sometimes profits of the rise in
age. Though old
people have episodic
memory problems, they
have compensating types of
memory, which delivers
them to have
an adequate response
to life situations.
This can be regarded as an increase in wisdom.
Penulis: Anton Coenen
Kode Jurnal: jppsikologikepribadiangg130001
