Is aging “normal”?

Abstract

The descriptive term “normal” aging is often used in scientific literature to indicate commonly occurring changes with increasing age in the absence of overt disease. However, significant molecular and geropathological changes are increasingly present to indicate there is nothing normal about aging. Thus, the term “normal” aging is scientifically incorrect. There are changes in multiple genetic and epigenetic processes and pathways that drive aging, and some individuals are more resilient to these changes than others. Thus, “resilient” aging would be a more correct term to represent a major emphasis on investigating mechanisms and therapeutic targets for resilience, rather than a label of “normal” aging that is misleading and currently receives relatively little attention.

Keywords: Aging, “Normal” aging, age-related changes, geropathology, resilient aging