Syndrome of premature aging causes. Early aging - causes, features and methods of prevention. What is premature aging and how to avoid it

Premature aging is a disease that is very sharp and fast. It is also called progeria, the name comes from the Greek word progeros.

For the first time openly declared the existence of a problem rapid aging in some children in 1886 in America. The good news is that this disease is very rare. this moment worldwide, there are 53 people suffering from premature skin aging. No adherence to a certain gender was revealed, that is, such a misfortune can happen to both a boy and a girl.

Recognize premature aging early stages it can be very difficult, because at birth the baby looks completely healthy. The first signs can be identified only after a year or two of the baby's life. This is characterized by the development of the main features. These include a sharp and stoppage of growth, hair begins to fall out, the skin wrinkles. As complications, a dislocation of the femoral part can occur, as they become weak bones. In practice, cases of serious cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke or heart attack, have been observed.

Premature aging is currently considered one of the most important problems that scientists are still studying, since a reliable treatment has not been found. The life expectancy of patients is very short, and on average it barely reaches 14 years. The maximum period of residence is 21 years, and it is noted that death, like in old people, most often occurs due to the development of cardiovascular pathologies.

Scientists have proven that in 90% of cases of such a disease, premature aging is the result of a mutation in a particular gene. Genetic disturbances occur. Such a disease cannot be inherited, that is, if one child has premature aging, then you should not worry about the health of future children and be afraid of the next conception. Of course, there are situations when two relatives fall ill in one family. But scientists classify this as an accident, but not a pattern or heredity. The probability of this happening is only 1 percent out of 100 possible.

The manifestation of basic symptoms, such as sudden hair loss, weight loss and stunting, can only lead to certain thoughts. A specialist can accurately diagnose premature aging of children only with the help of genetic research. As noted above, a clear way to treat this terrible disease No, so there is active work in this area. In progeria, destruction occurs. It is believed that the drug farnesyl transferase, which is intended for the treatment cancers, is able to restore the cellular structure, including the destroyed nucleus. While the experiments were carried out on mice, they showed that there were minor improvements. The trial included 13 mice that were injected with the drug for three months, with only one

But the hope of sick children never fades, because medicine is developing every day and is moving by leaps and bounds to solve many important problems. For example, in America, experts put forward a version according to which the antibiotic rapamycin can become a real obstacle to the active destruction of cells. AT ordinary life it is given to people who plan to have surgery because rapamycin reduces work immune system. In the course of numerous experiments and studies, it has been proven that the composition of antibiotics is able to gradually stop a rapidly progressing disease. But before it is fully confirmed, it still needs to go through many more checks.

Aging is a complex complex process that affects the whole organism as a whole and each cell individually. Aging of the body and skin in particular is a consequence of deep processes of wear and tear of internal resources. Meanwhile, aging can be both natural and accelerated. Premature aging of the skin is manifested by early age-related changes: wrinkles, pigmentation, loss of firmness and elasticity, muscular atrophy and a change in the oval of the face. How modern science considers the issue of aging? What kind physiological processes and factors that activate the mechanisms of aging?

What causes wrinkles

Leading theories about the causes of aging

• Harman's theory (free radical)

Explains aging by the negative effects of free radicals on cellular metabolism. Proteins, lipids, nucleic acids are exposed to harmful oxidative processes. The beauty and youthfulness of the skin largely depends on the state and full functioning of two proteins - elastin and collagen. As a result negative impact on elastin and collagen free radicals, destructive changes occur in them, leading to loss of elasticity and firmness of the skin. If this theory is correct, then the use of active antioxidants: beta-carotene, vitamin E, melatonin, etc., can prevent premature skin aging.

• Maillard's theory (glycation theory)

Explains the aging process by a specific non-enzymatic interaction between the protein amino group and monosaccharides. Glycation is due to the ability of proteins to interact and bond with sugary substances. Scientists associate the action of sugary substances with malfunctions in normal functioning cells and the development of diseases such as glaucoma and atherosclerosis.

What activates the mechanisms of aging

The primacy in launching and accelerating the mechanisms of aging belongs to disorders in metabolism, in the work of the nervous, endocrine and digestive systems.

• Estrogens and premature aging

Deficiency in the body of a woman of specific female hormones, estrogen, is one of the main causes of premature aging of the body and skin. At the same time, an excess of these same hormones significantly enhances skin pigmentation, often leading to the appearance of dark spots.

• Androgens and skin aging

Androgens are male sex hormones. It is their excess that activates the excessive production of sebum, leading to the formation of acne and oily seborrhea, also leads to baldness as a result of an atrophying effect on hormone-sensitive hair follicles.

• Excessive sun exposure

Ultraviolet rays of the solar spectrum can reach the deepest layers of the dermis, damage capillary walls, cause photoallergic and photoatactic reactions, lead to photoaging of the skin and oncological diseases. The alpha rays of the solar spectrum, although they have a less deep and aggressive effect, nevertheless, they can damage the epidermis and increase its keratinization.

• Harmful substances

Everyone knows negative impact harmful substances on the human body, meanwhile, few people think about what adversely affects the condition of the skin and a number of applied by us medical preparations: antibiotics, diuretics and anti-inflammatory drugs, sleeping pills.

• Bad habits

Studies show that smokers develop premature wrinkles three times earlier. This is due to intense oxidative processes and the reduction of small blood vessels and capillaries in the skin. Vitamin C is essential for stable, uninterrupted collagen formation. most of which smokers use to fight against free radicals.

• Stress

Stress adversely affects the state of all organs and systems, and all its blows are reflected on the skin as in a mirror. Constant intense physical, mental and mental stress drains nervous system, disrupting the blood supply to all tissues. Adrenaline, which is actively produced during stress, leads to vasoconstriction, depriving the skin of vital oxygen and nutrients.

How does our skin age?

General state skin, its firmness and elasticity largely depend on the health of microcirculation and metabolic processes in the skin. Due to the aging process, the epidermis, especially its malpighian layer, is significantly reduced and flattened, which in turn leads to lethargy and flabbiness of the skin. The stratum corneum, on the contrary, thickens, as a result of dehydration, the water-lipid balance of the skin is disturbed, and the efficiency and activity of fibroblasts is significantly reduced. The structure of elastin and collagen fibers changes, microcirculation is disturbed, capillary walls thicken, the supply of essential nutrients is reduced, facial muscles weaken, which leads to a change in its oval, skin color and texture change.

All of the above factors and causes are associated with premature skin aging that occurs before the age of 50 years. natural aging the skin, which occurs after the age of 50, is associated with somewhat different functional and structural changes that disrupt tissue trophism.

Prevention of premature aging

Prevention of premature aging should be considered in terms of preventing the wear and tear of the body's internal resources. This can be achieved in two ways:

Due healthy lifestyle life, i.e. through the creation of conditions for the most natural functioning of the human body: the rejection of bad habits, providing a varied and adequate physical activity, observing the daily routine, forming a culture of nutrition, a culture of thinking and a culture of emotions. It would seem that it could be simpler, but as it turns out, in fact, a change in lifestyle is a huge shake-up for the brain, because it will be necessary to change, first of all, consciousness and habits that have been established for years. Denying yourself or limiting yourself to something for a day, a week, or even a month is not so difficult, but constantly keeping yourself in “hedgehog gloves” and not indulging your own weaknesses is an extremely difficult task that requires iron discipline, endurance and great willpower. But the result is worth it!

By preventing age-related physiological dysfunctions in order to improve the adaptive capabilities of the body. The solution to this problem lies in the use of rational and versatile support different systems human body: targeted physical training, anti-aging cosmetic procedures, soft farm-correction, the use of natural food additives. These measures are aimed at regulating metabolic and trophic processes in cells and activating synthetic processes in tissues.

With properly selected complex anti-aging therapy, the activity of key cellular enzymes and many others increases. physiological phenomena, which are expressed in a significant increase in both functional and reserve capabilities of all organs and systems. All this is extremely important not only for slowing down the aging of the body as a whole, but also for effective prevention skin aging, since external activities alone do not always lead to the desired result.

Correction of the effects of premature aging

Today in the arsenal of the beauty industry a large number of methods and methods of correction and rejuvenation of the face and body:

• Therapeutic: massage, antioxidant and clinical therapy, injections, peeling, mesotherapy, biorevitalization.
• Surgical: endoscopic lifting, plastic surgery.
• Hardware: laser therapy, hardware massage, phonophoresis.

Before embarking on radical methods of correction and rejuvenation, you should definitely contact a specialist - a dermatocosmetologist who will help determine the type of skin aging and choose the most gentle and effective method corrections in a particular case. You should also review and make changes in your lifestyle: nutrition, daily routine, sports. This will certainly have a positive impact not only on the condition of the skin, but also on health in general.

Progeria is a genetic disease in which premature, rapid aging of the body occurs: skin, internal organs and systems. The disease has two forms: childhood (Hatchinson-Gilford syndrome) and adult (Werner syndrome). It should be noted that most often occurs in boys. Girls get sick much less often. The disease is rare. To date, only eighty cases of progeria are known worldwide.

A genetic failure that has occurred in the body accelerates the aging process by about 8-10 times. A child with such a disease, when he turns 8, looks 80. And not only externally. The condition of his internal organs also corresponds to the age of extreme old age. Therefore, such children live for a very short time, about 13 - 20 years.

Today on www.site we will talk in more detail about premature aging of the human body - this is a disease of progeria, the symptoms, causes and treatment of which will essentially interest us further ... Let's start with the causes of this pathology:

Why does progeria disease occur, what are the causes leading to it?

The disease is caused by a genetic mutation in lamin A (LMNA). This is a gene that is directly involved in the process of cell division. Its mutation causes a malfunction in the genetic system, which deprives cells of their resistance, starts the process in the body rapid aging.

Note that unlike many other genetic diseases, progeria is not hereditary, it is not transmitted from parents to children. The mechanism of sudden genetic mutation has not yet been studied by scientists.

Premature aging symptoms:

In children:

Immediately after birth, the baby looks completely normal. The manifestations of the disease begin closer to the age of 2, when parents notice that the child has stopped developing. Growth retardation has been observed since 9 months. The baby is not gaining weight well, the skin loses elasticity, looks aging, keratinized areas appear on it. The joints lose their elasticity, the subcutaneous adipose tissue. These children often have hip dislocations.

A characteristic appearance takes the shape of the head and face of the child. The head becomes much more face, lower jaw small, smaller than the top. On the scalp, eyelids, veins are clearly visible. Eyelashes fall out, eyebrows thin out, hair falls out intensely. The child's milk teeth do not grow well, their irregular shape is noted. Teeth that have grown in place of milk teeth begin to fall out.

When a child reaches three years old, his growth stops completely, it is noted. mental retardation. The nose takes on a beak-like shape, the skin becomes thinner. Skin undergo typical aging changes.

At further development diseases, the elasticity of the arteries is disturbed, atherosclerosis develops, cardiovascular diseases may have a stroke.

Progeria in adults:

The disease in adults begins to develop suddenly in adolescence(14-18 years old). It all starts with unreasonable weight loss, growth stops. A characteristic sign of the onset of the disease is early graying, increased prolapse hair, baldness.

Thinning, dryness of the skin is observed, it becomes pale, acquires an unhealthy shade. blood vessels, the subcutaneous fat layer of the extremities is rapidly lost, why hands and the patient's legs look very thin.

After 30 years of life, the patient's eyes are affected by cataracts. His voice becomes weak, the skin becomes coarse, ulcerated, there is a violation of the function of sweat, sebaceous glands. The patient's body is deficient in calcium, which causes the development of osteoporosis, erosive osteoarthritis, diseases develop of cardio-vascular system, intellectual abilities decrease.

Premature aging of the human body is also manifested by other characteristic symptoms: short stature, round, moon-shaped face, nose like a bird's beak, thin, narrow lips. To characteristics also includes a thin chin, sharply protruding forward, a dense, short body and thin, dry limbs, abundantly covered with pigmentation.

A large number of patients, by about 40 years, fall ill oncological diseases, diabetes. They are diagnosed with dysfunction parathyroid glands, severe cardiovascular pathologies. It is these serious diseases that cause early death patients with progeria. Which is unlikely to suit anyone ... Therefore, let's talk about how progeria is corrected, what treatment will help in improving well-being and slowing down the processes that have begun.

treatment for progeria

Modern medicine does not yet have methods of treatment and prevention of this genetic disease. The help of doctors is to slow down its progression, reduce, minimize symptoms.

For example, a patient is prescribed a daily intake of small doses of aspirin, which helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks and prevent stroke.

Use drugs from the group of statins, which reduce cholesterol levels.

Use drugs - anticoagulants, which reduce the risk of blood clots. Also, during therapy, growth hormone is used, which helps the patient's body to restore weight gain, promotes normal growth.

Physiotherapeutic methods are used to help restore the elasticity of the joints, allowing the patient not to lose physical activity. These techniques are very important, in particular for young patients.

In addition, in children with progeria, milk teeth are removed. With this disease, adult teeth erupt very early, while milk teeth deteriorate rapidly. Therefore, they need to be removed in a timely manner.

Progeria treatment requires individual approach to each patient, depending on his condition and age. Currently underway clinical researches drugs created by scientists to treat this genetic disease. Perhaps soon there will be effective therapeutic methods. Be healthy!

CAUSES OF PREMATURE AGE

Biological age is the individual rate of aging. For some, it is ahead of the passport one, for others it corresponds to it, for others it lags behind the calendar. They say about the latter: "Young at heart, you will never give him his years."

Nadezhda Litvinova, Professor of the Faculty of Biology, KSU, as one of the topics scientific research invited her students to compare the passport and biological age of different people.

We decided to compare physiological state a person with his psycho-emotional properties and personal characteristics, - explains Nadezhda Litvinova. - Age can be determined by morphological features- wrinkles, gray hair, it is possible according to the functions of the heart and blood vessels, other internal organs and systems. And we evaluated the functional biological age. For example, I'm 50, but I feel like I'm 60, which is reflected in my attitude to life, in my behavior.

How is "early old age" defined?

Early old age is characterized by the "burnout" syndrome, that is, hypochondria, personal anxiety, depression, tendency to hysteria. In other words, if suddenly a beloved teacher or parent, in response to disobedience, starts stamping her feet and screaming, the child should know that in front of him is an old woman (old man) in a young guise. Each of us in school youth had his own such "teacher" - they were not loved, they were given offensive nicknames, and when they grew up, they sometimes felt sorry for them.

Psychologists are puzzled

The results amazed the researchers. It turned out that in 38% of people the biological age is 7-9 years ahead of the passport! In addition, people with accelerated aging tend to have more weight on average, are more likely to experience various diseases, increased arterial pressure, reduced functionality organism.

Scientists analyzed and social causes premature aging. Most of these people have low incomes, live in private (often rural) houses, in communal apartments or small unsatisfactory apartments, have a low professional category, malnutrition, raise two or more children, are not satisfied with their work, and move little.

But, what is most surprising is that at the age of about 30 years, prematurely aged the most!

The influence of social factors is obvious: among forty-year-olds, the rate of aging is not only reduced, but there is also reverse process, - Professor Nadezhda Litvinova comments. - There is an explanation: by the age of forty, a person, as a rule, has solved his housing problems, earned authority, received high qualifications, and the children have grown up, there are fewer worries. He calms down and feels more active and confident.

When a course of psychological unloading was conducted for early aged people, their anxiety decreased, the level of depression and psychasthenia decreased.

How not to grow old prematurely

The rate of aging is partly inherent in us genetically - transmitted from ancestors. Second important factor- relative material well-being. But, according to Professor Lyudmila Belozerova, who created one of the recognized methods for assessing biological age, a huge role is played by rational image life: how a person moves, how he eats and how he builds relationships with other people. People who age more slowly than the passport age, as a rule, move a lot and with pleasure, work a lot, eat everything, but little by little, they are optimistic and friendly to others.

The difference in the rate of biological maturation is noticeable already in childhood, pediatricians know and are able to measure this. It is very important that mental and exercise stress the child corresponded to him: too large, unbearable load is just as harmful to development as insufficient, and can affect the premature aging of a person in the future.

Check your biological age

1. Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch your skin on the back of your hand for 5 seconds. Letting go of your fingers, see how long it takes for the whitened skin to return to its original state:
- 5 seconds - you are about 30 years old;
- 8 seconds - about 40 years;
- 10 seconds - about 50 years;
- 15 seconds - about 60 years.

2. The assistant should vertically hold a ruler 30-50 cm long between your slightly open large and index fingers zero mark down. Your hand is at zero. When you are ready, the partner at some point silently releases the ruler without warning. Try to grab it with your thumb and forefinger.
If you caught a ruler at around 12-15 cm - you are 20 years old;
- at around 20 cm - 30 years;
- at around 25 cm - 40 years;
- at around 30-35 cm - 60 years.

3. Stand up straight, bend your knees slightly and lean forward. Try to touch the floor with your palms.
If you succeeded - your age is between 20 and 30 years old;
- if you touch the floor only with your fingers - about 40 years;
- if you reach only to the shins - about 50 years;
- if only to the knees - you are already over 60.

4. Close your eyes and stand on one leg, lift the other 10 cm from the floor. You can balance with your hands, but you can't hold on to anything. Count yourself or ask someone to check how many seconds you were in this position:
- 30 seconds or more - you are 20 years old;
- 20 seconds - 40 years;
- 15 seconds - 50 years;
- less than 10 seconds - 60 years and older.

Based on materials from the Center for Sociological Research of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov.

The human body is a magnificent self-renewing system, but even it cannot function properly without the right materials.

Today, scientists around the world have come together to fight what destroys human body, – with aging and premature death. In laboratories, clinics, at international conferences, discoveries are made, experiments are carried out and ways to increase the duration of human life are discussed.

It is not at all necessary that a person at the age of 70 should either die or suffer from decrepitude and weakness. However, all people from childhood get used to the idea that 70 years is age limit. Once accepted, this thought becomes a belief and is firmly rooted in the mind, influencing the behavior and mood of a person. Doctors confirm the important role that prejudice or self-hypnosis plays in the treatment process. Doubt can nullify all the efforts of doctors.

If you want to achieve the desired results and celebrate your 100th birthday, drop all doubts. Drive away thoughts that old age is already close, that diseases lie in wait for you, that you are becoming weaker and your health is deteriorating. Such thoughts are dangerous: they kill the hope of success. Take action, develop a program for a full healthy life.

Your activity will force out of consciousness negative thoughts because opposite views on the same problem cannot simultaneously exist in it.

It takes time to get used to a new life attitude. So take your time, constantly remind yourself that you are laying the foundation of health on long years prolonging the age of youth and delaying the onset of old age.

Many now want to live long, and in most developed countries the number of elderly and old people is increasing rapidly. If people grow old at 65, and at 75 and 80 become completely decrepit, if the number of people in these age groups is constantly growing, the number of those who care for the elderly is growing accordingly. And this means that a large percentage of the working-age population will not be able to work in the main industries, and there will be a labor shortage in society. This is a serious problem in all countries, and one of the possible ways her decision is an extension full life. That is why the fight against old age has become global, and the possibility of living long and not aging is being studied by scientists all over the world.

Consider a unique creation of nature - a queen bee. Worker bees and drones live from 4 to 5 months, and the queen - about 8 years. At the same time, the uterus is not from birth some kind of super-perfect individual - it is an ordinary larva. Her phenomenal (for a bee) lifespan, big sizes and more perfect appearance- the result of a special diet.

In the first three days, all the larvae in the hive receive the same food. After that, the larvae, which should become queens, are fed especially. Through certain time they eat only one substance, which is called royal jelly. It is this food that contributes to the transformation of an ordinary larva into a queen bee.

It's much more difficult for people. Man does not have the opportunity to exist in an environment with constant temperature controlled, with a special diet, with service personnel, can't live by the advance established pattern. He has to overcome many serious obstacles on the way to longevity. Biologists are just investigating these obstacles, and are also trying to find ways and methods to eliminate them. Obviously, old age is not one of these obstacles: the percentage of people who die of natural old age is negligible.

Self-poisoning (autointoxication) is one of the main reasons that shorten a person's life. To the number negative factors are also unfavourable conditions existence, lack of vitamins, etc. It is assumed that a strong factor that prematurely kills a person is a stress syndrome. AT recent times talk about it very often. Excitement, grief, fear - any negative emotions disrupt the functions of the glands, digestive organs, increase blood pressure, create overvoltage in the body, destroy cell structures. Psychologists say that people often die because negative thoughts are constantly present in their minds.

Today, scientists are increasingly turning Special attention on the relationship between the state of the human psyche and the functioning of his body. The English oncologist Sir Genege Ogilvy claims that he has not yet met a single cancer patient without any mental disorders. When a difficult problem arises before a person, which he cannot solve for a long time, then such prolonged mental work affects the whole organism: a headache or other physical pain and even some disease may develop. For example, in some cases asthma was attributed by experts to either unresolved problems or dashed hopes.

This mechanism of the occurrence of the disease in humans is somewhat reminiscent of the process of pearl formation. As you know, the mollusk produces pearls around foreign body, from which he cannot get rid, since the formation of a pearl brings him relief to some extent. However, the elimination of the main irritant is only a half measure, and not a solution to the problem that has arisen.

The normal functioning of the body depends to a greater or lesser extent on the activity of the glands. internal secretion: in case of its violation, signs of a particular disease may appear. Each gland produces hormones that control or regulate physical processes in the body, with the pituitary gland playing a decisive role. In turn, the activity of the pituitary gland is regulated nerve centers cerebral cortex.

As a result of the stress syndrome, thoughts and emotions, figuratively speaking, “pull the strings” in the body. Your main task is to ensure that these strings are not "tightened" if you want to successfully fight against premature old age and death.