MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION AS A KEY DRIVER OF THE AGING PROCESS

This article analyzes the theoretical foundations and modern molecular mechanisms of the aging process. Numerous hypotheses explaining aging exist in gerontology, and the work scientifically presents the classical views of I.I. Mechnikov, I.P. Pavlov, A.A. Bogomolts, A.V. Nagorniy, and V.N. Nikitin, as well as somatic mutation, free radical, telomere, immunological, and genetic (programmed) theories. Furthermore, the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging process is examined, along with associated changes related to oxidative stress, energy deficiency, and disruption of cellular signaling mechanisms. Analyses indicate that aging is not driven by a single factor but is a multi-stage biological process resulting from the interaction of genetic, molecular, immune, and neuroendocrine mechanisms.