Atrophy can be caused by a variety of factors, which can be broadly classified into physiological and pathological causes:
Physiological Atrophy: This occurs as part of normal developmental processes or aging. For instance, the thymus gland undergoes atrophy after puberty, and muscle mass decreases with age. Pathological Atrophy: This results from disease, malnutrition, or disuse. Examples include muscle atrophy due to prolonged immobility, brain atrophy in Alzheimer's disease, and atrophy of endocrine organs due to hormonal deficiencies.
