JE Morley, L van den Berg, editors
Humana Press, Totowa NJ 2000
ISBN 0-89603-756-8.
Reviewed by: Barry Goldlist, MD, FRCPC, FACP
This textbook is an American multi-authored text. As is usual in such books, there is some qualitative variability from chapter to chapter. Unlike some American texts, it does feature some contributors who do not work in the USA. In fact, two Canadian geriatricians wrote the chapter on Diabetes in the Elderly, Graydon Menelly from the University of British Columbia and Daniel Tessier from the University of Sherbrooke.
The introduction, on the Biological Theories of Aging, is very cursory, but does provide a reasonable overview for the neophyte. There are relatively few references from 1995 on for this chapter, but it is probably adequate for this type of text. The chapter on age-related decline, entitled "Tithonusism" after the character in Greek mythology, is well written and provocative, although I doubt whether the term "Tithonusism" will ever catch on. It is just too difficult to pronounce!
Of all the chapters, the one by John Morley on "Testosterone" is by far the best. There are three reasons for this: First, Morley offers a wonderful historical perspective on research in the field. Secondly, the evidence on the role of testosterone in aging is very clearly presented, and any management suggestions are clearly evidence based. Finally, the writing style is wonderfully accessible. I felt as though I was having a conversation with an expert, not reading an academic text. Most of the chapters do not measure up to this one, but there are still some excellent sections. The chapter on diabetes is very thorough and academic, and the management options are clearly spelled out. Some chapters seem a bit out of place, e.g., gynecomastia, and others simply describe a disease common in the elderly such as Paget's Disease of Bone. I suspect that this chapter would be no different if it appeared in a standard textbook on endocrinology.
On the whole, I feel this is a useful text. Its most likely audience would be specialists in geriatrics and endocrinologists with a particular interest in aging. It would also be a worthwhile text for institutional libraries to obtain.
