ABSTRACT
Why do we age? Answering this question may be indistinguishable to answering the question of what is life itself. Throughout the years, many theories and mechanisms have been proposed. Nevertheless, until recently, the very definition of biological aging, senescence, has been uncertain. In this chapter, the main views of different models of senescence are summarized, focusing on some of the biochemical processes that accompany aging and associated theories of aging.
Inherently complex, the aging phenomenon is characterized by numerous alterations and modifications occurring at different stages of the biological hierarchy. Some of the most relevant changes that take place during aging are explored, as well as the current status of emergent (anti)aging therapies and what the future holds for this research field.
It is clear that an integrative approach is necessary in order to fully understand how and why we age, and, perhaps, answering that question that has accompanied us for centuries.
