Abstract
A practical and simple method of direct proof of occurrence of changes in the aging rate is suggested. The aging rate is defined here according to the pacemaker concept of the control of aging as the rate of pace of the inner aging clock. The principle of the method consists of the analysis of relationships between mortality curves. The methodology makes it possible to distinguish the changes in mortality caused by direct intervention in the basic mechanism of the control of aging processes (the pacemaker) from changes caused by intervention in other systems of an organism. As mortality curves are often difficult to obtain directly in experimental gerontology, a method of transformation of survival data into mortality curves is demonstrated. The general purpose of this study is to derive more information from experimental data and from demographic studies, and contribute to a more exact methodology of verification in gerontology.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (403.6 KB).
References
- 1.Sacher G. On statistical nature of mortality with respect to chronic radiation. Radiol. 1956;67:250–257. doi: 10.1148/67.2.250. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 2.Failla G. The aging process and cancerogenesis. Proc. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1958;71:1124–1140. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1958.tb46828.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 3.Strehler B.L., Mildvan A.S. General theory of mortality and aging. Science. 1960;132:14–21. doi: 10.1126/science.132.3418.14. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 4.Strehler L. Time, Cells and Aging. 2nd ed. New York: Academic Press; 1971. pp. 103–124. [Google Scholar]
- 5.Doubal S. Theory of Reliability, Biological Systems and Aging. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1982;18:339–353. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(82)90037-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 6.Riggs J.E. Aging and mortality: Manifestation of increasing informational entropy of genome? Mech. Ageing Dev. 1993;66:246–256. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(93)90012-G. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 7.Lestienne R. On the thermodynamic and biological interpretation of Gompertz mortality rate distribution. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1988;42:197–214. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(88)90047-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 8.Piantanelli, L., Basso, A., and Rossolini, G.: Modelling the link between aging rate and mortality rate. In: Pierpaoli, W., Regelson, W., Febris, N. (eds.): The Aging Clock, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Vol. 719, New York, 1994. [DOI] [PubMed]
- 9.Doubal S., Klemera P. Influence of aging rate changes on mortality curves. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1990;54:75–85. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(90)90017-A. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 10.Harman D. The aging process: Major risk factor for disease and death. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1991;88:5260–5363. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.12.5360. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 11.Hosokawa M., Kasai R., Higuchi K., Takeshita S. Grading score system: A method for evaluation of senescence in senescence accelerated mouse. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1984;26:91–102. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(84)90168-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 12.Johanson T.E. Survival and mortality. In: Schneider E.L., Rowe J.W., editors. Handbook of the Biology of Aging. 3rd ed. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold; 1989. p. 46. [Google Scholar]
- 13.Wilson D.L. A comparison of methods for estimating mortality parameters from survival data. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1993;66:269–281. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(93)90014-I. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 14.Bagci G., Bozcuk A.N. Does an extension of the developmental period in Drosophila cause the prolongation of adult life? Age. 1994;17:99–102. [Google Scholar]
- 15.Harman D. Prospects for future increases in the functional life span. Age. 1994;17:119–146. [Google Scholar]
- 16.Riggs J.E. Longitudinal gompertzian analysis of adult mortality in the U.S., 1900–1986. Mech. Ageing Dev. 1990;54:235–247. doi: 10.1016/0047-6374(90)90053-I. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]