2,26 Low mood symptoms are also common in the presymptomatic phas

2,26 Low mood selleck chemical Veliparib symptoms are also common in the presymptomatic phases of neurodegenerative

disorders, and are often misattributed to general age-related morbidity.27,28 This discrepancy between formal diagnosis and clinically significant depressive symptoms likely reflects the tendency of older individuals to underreport psychiatric symptoms, the predominance Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical of vegetative and somatic symptoms as part of their clinical presentation, the inability to express depressive symptoms secondary to cognitive impairment,29 and the possibility that depression in older individuals represents a different disease entity with unique clinical presentation and pathophysiology.2,30 Although it is difficult to untangle causal relationships, evidence suggests that proper mood regulation—the capacity to exert homeostatic control on emotions over time—may represent a key component of late-life functional success, and conversely, that mood symptoms may represent not only an early marker, but also a potential contributing factor for subsequent Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical spiraling functional declines.31 Indeed, studies of the functional correlates of aging consistently report increased negative outcomes of low mood,2 motor deficits ranging from decreased fine motor control to impairments

in balance and gait, and continuous decline in certain aspects of cognitive functions.32 This suggests Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical that aspects of mood regulatory mechanisms may be selectively vulnerable to early homeostatic changes during normal and pathological aging, or that depressive symptoms may represent a common output for various underlying age-related brain

Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical declines.30,33 Conversely, a proportion of older individuals are more resilient to the adverse effects of negative life events and are less likely to feel remorse and guilt,2 underscoring Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical the critical role of individual variability. Aging of the brain The number of individuals reaching age 65 in the United States rose 3-fold in the 20th century, from 4.1% in 1900 to 12.4% in the year 2000, and may rise above 20% by the middle of this century. This is equivalent to roughly 85 million people at current growth rates.1 Despite its critical importance to a population growing older, “normal” brain aging and its association with late-life Drug_discovery brain disorders is an understudied area of research. This is particularly apparent when compared with the investigation of neurodegenerative disorders, among other fields. The lack of attention given to this important topic may be due to the general belief that aging is inescapable, broad-ranging, and nonspecific. However, in recent years, the identification of single gene mutations affecting aging and longevity in nematodes, insects, and rodents has demonstrated the presence of a genetic program underlying aging, challenging the above assumptions.

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