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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1998
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Epic Interactive Encyclopedia, The - 1998 Edition (1998)(Epic Marketing).iso
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Old_age
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INFOTEXT
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1992-09-01
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The later years of life. The causes of
progressive degeneration of bodily and mental
processes associated with it are still not
precisely known, but every one of the
phenomena of ageing can occur at almost any
age, and the process does not take place
throughout the body at an equal rate.
Geriatrics is the branch of medicine dealing
with old age and its diseases. Normally,
ageing begins after about 30. The arteries
start to lose their elasticity, so that a
greater strain is placed on the heart. The
resulting gradual impairment of the blood
supply is responsible for many of the
changes, but between 30 and 60 there is a
period of maturity in which ageing usually
makes little progress. Research into the
process of old age (gerontology) includes
study of dietary factors and the mechanisms
behind structural changes in arteries and
bones.