idea that progressive physical and mental decline are inevitable with age
No. The decremental model of aging is the idea that progressive physical and mental decline are inevitable with age. In other words, chronological age is what makes people "old". There are great differences in physical condition among the elderly. These depend on their genetic makeup and environment, not strictly just their age.
Decremental... meaning 'decrease'.
graded (local) potentials
Elizabeth Head has written: 'Cognitive function and aging in the dog' 'The canine as an animal model of human aging and dementia'
Action potentials in nerve cells are short-lived and decremental in nature. They involve a rapid depolarization and repolarization of the cell membrane, lasting only milliseconds. The strength of the signal diminishes as it travels along the neuron due to leakage of ions across the membrane.
aging
"Aging" can either be an adjective (as in, "an aging person") or a gerund (as in, "The person was aging rapidly").
The book "Aging Identity: A Dialogue with Postmodernism" examines aging from a point of view that aging is not a decline, but a dynamic change. It looks at aging and the attitude towards the elderly in different cultures and the diversity of aging peoples. The book also looks at the challenges and opportunities that come with aging.
British English typically spells "aging" as "ageing."
Aging of skin due to the harmful effects of the sun is called photo aging or photoaging.
Fear of aging is called gerontophobia.
aging