Interwoven processes that promote aging and progression of age-related diseases and disabilities which include: stress adaptation, epigenetics, inflammation, macromolecular damage, metabolism, proteostasis, stem cells and regeneration.
Deeper dive
The Trans-NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) at the National Institutes of Health aims to better understand aging mechanisms, links between aging and chronic disease and recommends pathways to identify and slow the appearance and progression of age-related diseases and disabilities. They have developed what’s known as the “Seven Pillars of Aging” — key themes regarding the processes that promote aging.
These are not independent factors driving aging; rather, they are highly interlinked processes, and understanding the interplay between these seven pillars is critical to understanding the science of aging. This post about the disease drivers of aging and the 2016 Geroscience Summit takes a closer look.