Aging and gastrointestinal physiology

This article reviews the effects of aging on the immune system, specificall y the role of apoptosis. Nutrition and malnutrition in the elderly and thei r implications are examined. The structural and functional changes that occ ur with aging in the gastrointestinal tract are also described. Medical car e for the elderly population can significantly be improved by the understan ding of the physiology of aging in the gastrointestinal tract. This improve d understanding can assist in distinguishing disease states from normal cha nges that occur with age.