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.