Aging is a syndrome of changes that are deleterious, progressive, universal and thus far irreversible. Aging damage occurs to molecules (DNA, proteins, lipids), to cells and to organs. Diseases of old age (diseases which increase in frequency with age, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, etc.) are often distinguished from aging per se. But even if the aging process is distinct from the diseases of aging, it is nonetheless true that the damage associated with the aging process increases the probability that diseases of old age will occur.
Some gerontologists prefer to use the word senescence because "aging" implies that the passage of time necessarily results in deterioration (biological entropy) — which is certainly not true during the early, developmental, time of life (before the age of 10 or 12 in humans). I will retain the word "aging" because I believe the association between aging & deterioration is universal as adult years progress and because the distinction between aging & development is very strongly established in conventional language. Also, shorter words make for slightly faster reading.
Xanya Sofra Weiss
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