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Related Concept Videos

Bone Disorders01:29

Bone Disorders

Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
The Effect of Aging on Tissues01:19

The Effect of Aging on Tissues

Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...
Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age01:09

Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age

The upper and lower limb initially develops as a small bulge called a limb bud, which appears on the lateral side of the early embryo. The upper limb bud appears near the end of the fourth week of development, with the lower limb bud appearing shortly after.
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution01:00

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are not...
Cross-bridge Cycle01:26

Cross-bridge Cycle

As muscle contracts, the overlap between the thin and thick filaments increases, decreasing the length of the sarcomere—the contractile unit of the muscle—using energy in the form of ATP. At the molecular level, this is a cyclic, multistep process that involves binding and hydrolysis of ATP, and movement of actin by myosin.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

The Creation of a Rat Model for Osteosarcopenia via Ovariectomy
03:52

The Creation of a Rat Model for Osteosarcopenia via Ovariectomy

Published on: February 21, 2025

Sarcopenia in older adults.

Jeremy D Walston1

  • 1Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. jwalston@jhmi.edu

Current Opinion in Rheumatology
|September 8, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, impacts older adults' independence. Research reviews definitions, causes, and interventions, highlighting nutrition and exercise as key therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Muscle Physiology
  • Aging Research

Background:

  • Sarcopenia, age-related skeletal muscle decline, is a major cause of functional impairment and loss of independence in the elderly.
  • It is increasingly defined by reduced muscle mass and impaired muscle function or strength, though a consensus diagnosis is still lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current definitions of sarcopenia.
  • To explore the multifactorial causes and clinical consequences of sarcopenia.
  • To discuss potential interventions for sarcopenia.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current definitions, causes, and consequences of sarcopenia.
  • Analysis of recent molecular findings and biological mechanisms.
  • Evaluation of current and potential interventions.

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Identifying Frailty Using Point-of-Care Ultrasonography: Image Acquisition and Assessment

Published on: July 26, 2024

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Last Updated: May 18, 2026

The Creation of a Rat Model for Osteosarcopenia via Ovariectomy
03:52

The Creation of a Rat Model for Osteosarcopenia via Ovariectomy

Published on: February 21, 2025

Identifying Frailty Using Point-of-Care Ultrasonography: Image Acquisition and Assessment
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Identifying Frailty Using Point-of-Care Ultrasonography: Image Acquisition and Assessment

Published on: July 26, 2024

Main Results:

  • Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of muscle mass and function, with multifactorial causes including aging, hormonal changes, inflammation, inactivity, illness, and poor nutrition.
  • Emerging research points to apoptosis, mitochondrial decline, and the angiotensin system as contributing biological mechanisms.
  • Nutrition and exercise are primary intervention strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Ongoing efforts to establish a consensus definition for sarcopenia are crucial for advancing research and testing new interventions.
  • While pharmaceutical agents are under development, optimal therapy currently relies on adequate nutrition and targeted exercise programs.