Let's try to find out what the biological and chronological age are. These concepts arose in the process of recognizing the unevenness of formation, maturity, and aging. The phenomena of uneven age-related changes explain the difference between the chronological age and the psychological age.
The concept of biological age
Age is the length of time from the birth of a person to any other period. For each person, he has his own indicator, depends on many social and physiological factors. They consider anatomical and physiological age, which is determined by the sum of structural, metabolic, regulatory, physiological processes. It may differ from the calendar term of life.
Individuality
Chronological age is the time interval from the appearance of a person in the world to a specific calculation time.
Biological and chronological ages often do not coincide, since each person has certain individual characteristics, differs in the rate of aging of physiological systems, and the rate of age-related changes.
Chronological age is not a criterion for a full analysis of the working capacity and health of an aging person. It represents the level of formation of morphological structures that are achieved by an individual.
Biological age characterizes the level of development. Individual differences in the processes of development and growth can have a significant range. To the maximum extent, the chronological framework of age is noticeable during puberty. During this time period, a serious physiological and morphological restructuring of the human body is observed.
The emergence of the term
In most children, the chronological age and psychological age are the same, but this does not always happen. There are also such adolescents who are seriously ahead of their chronological biological age. This term arose at the turn of the 30-40s of the last century. Among domestic scientists who were studying this problem was P.N. Sokolov.
He managed to give a definition of chronological age, as well as to develop a special table of age qualities according to the intensity of informative signs. In the second half of the twentieth century, material related to biological age was published. This problem is the key for analyzing the impact of time on changes in the human body at various stages of development, united by ontogenesis.
Growth Characteristics
During the allometric process, the development of organs and body parts is disproportionate to each other. Due to the different speed of their growth, a change in the proportions of the body occurs. There are general characteristics of the ontogenetic development of man:
- continuity;
- irreversibility;
- cyclicity;
- sexual dimorphism.
To explain the advancement of chronological age by psychological age, we consider these terms in more detail.
Continuity consists in the growth of various systems and organs of the human body in a certain time period, it is carried out according to a limited form. The body is an open biological system that develops throughout its life.
Irreversibility and gradualism involves dividing the growth process into stages or periods. If one of them is missed, it will be impossible to return to it.
Cyclicity is associated with the seasons of the year, daily changes in the state of the body. Sensitivity to exogenous and endogenous factors involves the activation or limitation of growth rates under the influence of a huge range of external environmental factors.
Sexual dimorphism is the most striking characteristic of human formation. This process manifests itself to varying degrees at all stages of ontogenesis. The "gender factor" is important, researchers constantly compare men and women, analyzing the concept of chronological age.
Among the fundamental characteristics that are considered by scientists, the individuality of the ontogenesis is of interest. The dynamics of development in all people is different, so we can only talk about general features, since not everyone has an advancing chronological age with the psychological age at maturity.
Criteria for identifying biological age
If the chronological age is determined by passport data, then using the biological species, you can assess the individuality of the age status. The analysis is carried out in accordance with the criteria:
- maturity, estimated on the basis of the formation of secondary sexual characteristics;
- skeletal maturity associated with the degree of ossification of the skeleton;
- dental maturity, analyzed by tooth wear, the number of permanent and primary teeth.
Morphological maturity is revealed on the basis of the formation of endurance, musculoskeletal system, and coordination of movements. Experts give her assessment on the basis of changes in body proportions that occur with slow growth of the neck and head with accelerated formation of limbs.
Assessment Features
The characteristics that are used to assess the biological age of a person must comply with a specific list of requirements. First of all, they should reflect specific age-related changes, measurable or detailed description. The measurements should not negatively affect the state of health of the subject, cause him negative and painful sensations.
The option of estimating biological age should be suitable for examining the maximum number of people.
The specifics of the assessment
Auxology uses different systems for determining biological age, which fully satisfy all the requirements. In addition to tooth and bone age, sexual development, physiological and morphological maturity, and mental and psychological indicators are evaluated.
Puberty is analyzed on the basis of the level of development of sexual characteristics: voice mutations, the onset of the menstrual cycle, the development of the mammary glands, the appearance of hair in the armpits.
When conducting an analysis of biological age, maturity indicators are used that are specific to specific physiological systems of our body.
There were attempts to conduct an assessment based on age-related changes in the microstructures of individual organs, but they did not give a positive result.
The chronological age of a person does not always coincide with his biological characteristics. To assess the biological age, a comparison is made of certain indicators of the development of the studied individual with generally accepted standards identified for the ethnic, sexual, and age groups.
Features of modern research
To ensure that the research results are complete and reliable, scientists use different indicators. If chronological age is a “passport” indicator, then biological characteristics are often characterized as the age of development. It is a reflection of the pace of individual development, growth, formation, aging of an individual organism.
In different people, the ratio of the rates of development and growth at individual stages of ontogenesis can differ significantly. So, if for a group of girls the chronological age is ten years, then in the biological formation about half of the composition have deviations in a larger (smaller) direction.
According to the discrepancy between biological and chronological age, it is possible to assess the intensity of aging, the functional characteristics of a person. For example, maximum rates of age-related shifts have been identified in centenarians.
In addition to heredity, biological age depends on lifestyle, environmental conditions in which a person is formed and develops. It involves taking into account external pathological changes that affect the body.
People with the same chronological age in the second half of their life differ significantly in morphological and functional status. Those who combine positive heredity with a favorable lifestyle look much younger than passport data.
Among the main manifestations of aging biological age, we distinguish violations of important vital functions, as well as a narrowing of the range of adaptation, the appearance of diseases, an increased risk of death, and a decrease in the length of life remaining.
Methods for assessing biological age
This term appeared due to the fact that chronological age is not considered a full-fledged criterion for the ability to work and the health status of an aging population. Even among peers, there are noticeable differences in the rate of age-related changes. It is advisable to determine the biological age in people who are over thirty years old. Evaluation of this indicator is important for social workers, doctors, it makes it possible to diagnose various diseases, conduct social and hygienic measures, and look for ways to extend active old age.
If the biological age lags behind the chronological indicator, you can count on a full life, but with premature aging, unfortunately, a person much earlier needs additional care and care.
For example, if there are significant discrepancies between the calendar and biological clocks, premature withering of the skin occurs, gray hair appears, and numerous wrinkles form. Even with stable activity of the brain and heart muscle, the appearance of a person gives out his condition.
To assess the biological age, a thorough and comprehensive medical and anthropological examination of the patient is carried out.
Modern research and methods
Tests designed for outpatient studies include an assessment of height, chest circumference, weight, shoulder diameter, and skin fold thickness.
In addition, such functional indicators of the state of systems and organs as the respiratory rate, blood pressure, muscle strength of the hands, visual acuity, ECG, vibration sensitivity, state of memory, psychomotorism are analyzed.
From laboratory studies that allow determining the biological age of a person, we will single out a biochemical blood test, as well as a general urinalysis.
For this time period, there are a sufficient number of such tests, each of which has specific goals and objectives.
Some researchers are convinced that for conducting experiments, special attention should be paid to morphological criteria, without taking into account psychological indicators related to professional performance, health, and social adaptation. This position is not objective, since it is associated only with age-related changes occurring at the molecular level.
Using the reduced method, doctors determine the biological age of adults. To do this, analyze the state of the cardiopulmonary system, psyche, sensory organs, motor apparatus, assess the number of healthy teeth.
Conclusion
When considering passport and biological age, it is important to consider individual characteristics, gender, ethnicity, and the influence of social factors. Psychophysiological maturity is determined using Kern-Yrasek tests. They are based on a change in the proportions of the body, slowing down neck growth, accelerating the development of limbs.
Skeletal maturity is considered an excellent indicator of biological age for all stages of ontogenesis. As the bones grow, they undergo characteristic changes, which can be recorded on radiographs.
The characteristic indicators of age-related changes are the appearance of ossification nuclei, as well as the formation of stenosis. It is on these indicators that judge the state of the human body.
It is the skeletal system that is used to detect the biological age of a person during the entire postnatal ontogenesis. As the body ages, osteosclerosis, osteoporosis, and numerous joint deformities appear. Dental maturity is also used as a traditional method for detecting biological age. When comparing data relating to a particular person with standards drawn up in advance, certain results are obtained. Of course, there are serious differences between passport and biological age, for example, among people in creative professions: artists, teachers, artists. These people remain active much longer than financiers and accountants.