Gerontology M119X
Psychology M119X
ID: 224-430-200
(Gerontol), 328-324-200 (Psych)
Instructor
and Office Hours: Professor
Larry L. Butcher (Department of
Psychology, UCLA; 8623 Franz Hall; F,
Classroom
and Time: 2258A
Franz Hall; F,
Course
Description: Biologic mechanisms of the aging process and its terminal
phase, death, have been increasingly studied in recent years. Although
spectacular advances have been made in our knowledge of those mechanisms,
myriad unanswered questions remain. Major goals of this class will be (1) to
establish what we know experimentally about the biology and behavioral
neuroscience of aging and (2) to evaluate the theories developed to account for
what we know. We will examine age-related changes in populations and
individuals, consider evolutionary and comparative aspects of aging, explore
human aging and genetic determinants of longevity, study interventions known to
modify the aging process, and look at aging from the perspective of both
intracellular and intercellular events. We then will review, dissect, and
evaluate theories and conjectures proposed to explain
the biologic changes occurring in organisms at the end stages of life.
Evaluation:
One midterm and one
final examination will be given. Both examinations will be objective (i.e.,
multiple choice, true-false) and will be computer
scored. Questions will be gleaned both from the book (~ 40%) and from the
lectures (~ 60%). The midterm will represent 40% of the final grade (60
questions) and the final 60% (90 questions). The final will stress the second
half of the class, but some questions, approximately 15%, will address the
first half of the quarter as well. No
make-up examinations will be given. Examinations will be given only at their
scheduled times.
Important Dates: Midterm examination: Friday, May 13,
Textbook: Robert Arking, The Biology of Aging: Observations and Principles (Second Edition), Sinauer, 1998. Handouts will also be made available when needed.
April 8 Introduction
Perspectives
on aging: Definitions, models, pp.
3-26
and plasticity
April 15 NO
CLASS
April 22 Measuring age-related changes in populations pp. 27-59
Age-related
changes in individuals I: pp.
61-80
Actuarial
analyses
April 29 Age-related
changes in individuals II: pp.
81-105
Use
of biomarkers
Evolutionary
and comparative aspects of pp.
109-136
longevity and aging
May 6 Human
aging: Plasticity and patterns of pp.
153-182
aging.
Interactions
between aging and disease pp.
183-250
May 13 MIDTERM EXAMINATION
May 20 Genetic
determinants of longevity pp.
251-308
Altering
aging: Interventions known pp.
311-363
experimentally to modify longevity and
aging
May 27 Theories
of aging: An overview pp.
367-376
Stochastic
theories of aging pp.
377-413
June 3 Systemic
theories of aging pp.
415-443
Aging
as an intracellular process pp.
445-472
June 10 Aging as a breakdown of intercellular
regulatory processes pp.
475-482
pp.
483-497
Is
there a common mechanism of aging? pp.
501-511
Conclusions
June 14 FINAL EXAMINATION