title: Life extension versus improving quality of life.
abstract: There are two principal directions in ageing research: (i) the quest for understanding the mechanisms that determine the length of life and the use of such knowledge in order to find a potentially life extending treatment and (ii) the attempt to improve the quality of life in the elderly by reversing or preventing functional decline of different tissues without primarily extending life span. This chapter addresses the importance of assessing the potential impact of interventions on quality of life rather than extending life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Box 800466, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nass
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Thorner
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002149:Energy Intake; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008136:Longevity; D011788:Quality of Life; D012106:Research; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I