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2 - Theories of Ageing across Ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2024

By
Thomas B.L. Kirkwood
Edited by
Jean-François Lemaître  and
Samuel Pavard
Jean-François Lemaître
Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Samuel Pavard
Affiliation:
National Museum of Natural History, Paris
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Summary

Why and how we age are deep and enduring questions. The quest for a theoretical framework explaining the evolutionary origins and proximate mechanisms of ageing has led to the elaboration of hundreds of theories of very diverse kinds. The aim of this chapter is twofold. First, it will provide an historical perspective of the numerous theories of ageing. Second, it will emphasize the need for a unified framework merging both evolutionary and mechanistic theories by demonstrating that such theoretical frameworks are required to promote innovative research projects involving the joint effort of multiple research disciplines.

Keywords

senescenceevolutionmechanismsnetworkshistory
Type
Chapter
Information
The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity , pp. 12 - 27
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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