ABSTRACT

This chapter describes aging changes in the structure and function of the human visual (see section entitled Vision) and auditory (see section entitled Hearing) systems. Agingassociated visual (Tables 1 and 2) and auditory impairments, disorders, and diseases are also presented in the abovementioned sections, and current efforts for their treatment and rehabilitation are reviewed (Boxes 1-6). The basics of the aging changes in the senses of taste, smell, and somatic sensation are not included in the present chapter, mainly due to lack of space, but can be found in the previous editions of this chapter (1). In this fourth edition, some discussion of the aging of taste and smell is presented in Chapter 19 along with aging of the gastrointestinal system.