Historical antecedents of normative vs pathologic perspectives in aging.

Differing concepts of aging, i.e., a normative versus a pathologic process, are presented in historical perspective and are traced through selected writings from ancient China, India, Egypt, and Greece into more modern times. These is no consistent shift across epochs from one to the other perspective, and mixed perspectives often appear. Ideas regarding the aging process and age-related disease are influenced by the changing medical state of the art in various areas. Because of the still incomplete knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved, the current status of medical knowledge has not yet resolved the "aging vs disease dilemma." History, however, does reveal insights that promote respect for prescientific observations and intuitions, provide a contextual background for progress achieved, and foreshadow current trends in the theory and practice of geriatrics.