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[Thermodynamics of aging]
1Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
Izvestiia Akademii Nauk. Seriia Biologicheskaia
|January 19, 1999
Summary
Aging processes follow a thermodynamic tendency, where organismal Gibbs function minimizes, explaining age-related changes. This thermodynamic theory aids in developing diets and medications to slow aging and treat age-related diseases.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular thermodynamics
- Biophysical chemistry
- Thermodynamics of biological systems
Context:
- Aging is a complex process involving changes in organismal chemical composition and tissue morphology.
- Quasi-closed systems in living organisms exhibit thermodynamic tendencies influencing biological processes.
- Ontogeny reveals variations in the chemical composition of living organisms throughout their lifespan.
Purpose:
- To confirm the thermodynamic tendency of aging processes using macrothermodynamics.
- To explain age-related variations in supramolecular and chemical composition, and tissue morphology through thermodynamic theory.
- To establish principles for developing diets and medications to slow aging and treat pathologies.
Summary:
- Macrothermodynamics of quasi-closed systems and ontogenetic data support a thermodynamic basis for aging.
- The theory posits that the Gibbs function for supramolecular structure formation in organisms tends toward a minimum.
- This thermodynamic principle explains observed changes in organismal composition and tissue structure during aging.
Impact:
- Thermodynamic theory provides a framework for designing diets and medications to decelerate aging.
- These interventions can be applied to preventative care and the treatment of age-related diseases.
- Understanding the chemical stability of supramolecular structures through thermodynamics sheds light on biological evolution and the second law of thermodynamics.