Abiotrophy

ABIOTROPHY (from the Greek a - negative particle, bios - life and trophe - nutrition), a term introduced by Gowers to denote reduced viability, lesser resistance compared to normal of any organ or any system of the organism, caused by purely constitutional reasons, as a result of which even minor impacts of various kinds become significant and can lead not only to serious functional disorders, but also to progressive anatomical disorders. Even normal functioning of an organ in such cases easily leads to premature wear. Gowers himself had in mind only certain systemic hereditary-family diseases of the nervous system, but later the said term began to be applied to other systems and organs as well. As an example, one can point to the early and seemingly causeless withering of the female sex glands in still young women following normal childbirth. Abiotrophy is, therefore, a hidden congenital defect, a constitutional anomaly, having much in common with what, according to other terminology, is partly referred to as so-called partial premature senile hyperinvolution, and partly - to the so-called hypoplastic state (status hypoplasticus).