{"id":5419,"date":"2016-11-05T01:00:59","date_gmt":"2016-11-05T01:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/ap1x2-91\/?post_type=chapter&p=5419"},"modified":"2017-05-11T14:50:03","modified_gmt":"2017-05-11T14:50:03","slug":"age-related-changes-to-the-digestive-system","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/atd-herkimer-biologyofaging\/chapter\/age-related-changes-to-the-digestive-system\/","title":{"raw":"Age Related Changes to the Digestive System","rendered":"Age Related Changes to the Digestive System"},"content":{"raw":"

Mouth<\/h3>\r\nThe most significant change to the mouth with age is the loss of teeth.\u00a0 This is caused by a combination of bone loss from the jaw, which occurs with age, and\u00a0gum disease.\u00a0 Both result in a loosening of teeth.\u00a0 While lost teeth can be replaced with dentures these are not equivalent to natural teeth.\u00a0 Dentures can make it difficult to chew comfortably.\u00a0 This can\u00a0result in a change of eating habits and\u00a0long term deficits in nutrition.\r\n\r\nAdditional changes to the mouth include a decreased level of saliva production, thicker mucus production, and a diminished sense of taste.\r\n

Esophagus<\/h3>\r\nMany other people experience difficultly in swallowing.\u00a0 Most often this is a result from incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, but it could be a result of a neurological disorder.\r\n\r\nOther issues with esophagus include heartburn caused by stomach acid entering the esophagus through a weakened esophageal sphincter.\r\n

Stomach<\/h3>\r\nThe mucus membrane of the stomach thins with age resulting in lower levels of mucus, hydrochloric acid, and digestive enzymes.\u00a0 This reduces the digestion of proteins and may result in chronic atrophic gastritis.\r\n

Small Intestine<\/h3>\r\nThe walls of the small intestines atrophy with age.\u00a0 This alters the shape of the villi and reduces the surface area across which absorption occurs.\u00a0 Along with the atrophy these is a decrease in the production of digestive enzymes.\u00a0 Surprisingly these changes do not result in\u00a0decreased rate of the absorption of digested food.\r\n

Large Intestine<\/h3>\r\nThe walls of the large intestines atrophy with age.\u00a0 The thinning of the walls results in outpockets from the wall, a condition known as diverticulosis.\r\n

Pancreas<\/h3>\r\nThe number of secretory cells in the pancreas decreases with age.\u00a0 This results in a decrease in the level of fat digestion.\r\n

Liver<\/h3>\r\nWhile the liver reduces in size with age it does not show any significant reduction in the ability to perform its various functions in healthy elderly people.","rendered":"

Mouth<\/h3>\n

The most significant change to the mouth with age is the loss of teeth.\u00a0 This is caused by a combination of bone loss from the jaw, which occurs with age, and\u00a0gum disease.\u00a0 Both result in a loosening of teeth.\u00a0 While lost teeth can be replaced with dentures these are not equivalent to natural teeth.\u00a0 Dentures can make it difficult to chew comfortably.\u00a0 This can\u00a0result in a change of eating habits and\u00a0long term deficits in nutrition.<\/p>\n

Additional changes to the mouth include a decreased level of saliva production, thicker mucus production, and a diminished sense of taste.<\/p>\n

Esophagus<\/h3>\n

Many other people experience difficultly in swallowing.\u00a0 Most often this is a result from incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter, but it could be a result of a neurological disorder.<\/p>\n

Other issues with esophagus include heartburn caused by stomach acid entering the esophagus through a weakened esophageal sphincter.<\/p>\n

Stomach<\/h3>\n

The mucus membrane of the stomach thins with age resulting in lower levels of mucus, hydrochloric acid, and digestive enzymes.\u00a0 This reduces the digestion of proteins and may result in chronic atrophic gastritis.<\/p>\n

Small Intestine<\/h3>\n

The walls of the small intestines atrophy with age.\u00a0 This alters the shape of the villi and reduces the surface area across which absorption occurs.\u00a0 Along with the atrophy these is a decrease in the production of digestive enzymes.\u00a0 Surprisingly these changes do not result in\u00a0decreased rate of the absorption of digested food.<\/p>\n

Large Intestine<\/h3>\n

The walls of the large intestines atrophy with age.\u00a0 The thinning of the walls results in outpockets from the wall, a condition known as diverticulosis.<\/p>\n

Pancreas<\/h3>\n

The number of secretory cells in the pancreas decreases with age.\u00a0 This results in a decrease in the level of fat digestion.<\/p>\n

Liver<\/h3>\n

While the liver reduces in size with age it does not show any significant reduction in the ability to perform its various functions in healthy elderly people.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t

Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
CC licensed content, Original<\/div>