Autonomic nervous system in old age

✍ Scribed by George A. Kuchel, Patrick R. Hof

• Publisher: Karger Publishers
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 148
• Series: Interdisciplinary topics in gerontology 33
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

With the remarkable increase in life expectancy in recent years, overall numbers of older individuals living with disability and functional dependence are likely to increase. Age-related changes and diseases involving the peripheral nervous system, particularly its autonomic elements, frequently play determining roles in late life health and functional independence. While basal sympathetic activity increases with normative aging, there is evidence of considerable dysregulation of the ability of the aging sympathetic nervous system to respond to a variety of challenges. In this book, investigators from several different disciplines discuss aging of the autonomic nervous system from a variety of perspectives. Given the fact that aging of the parasympathetic elements of the autonomic nervous system is not nearly as well understood as that of its sympathetic portions, greater emphasis has been placed on the latter. The topics of this volume provide an excellent overview.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 8
References......Page 10
Clinical Studies......Page 12
Neuropathology......Page 13
Pathophysiological and Biochemical Studies......Page 16
Neuropathology......Page 17
Oxidative Injury......Page 20
Deficiency of Neurotrophic Substances and Aging in the Peripheral Nervous System......Page 22
Neurotrophic Substances in Excess as a Pathogenetic Mechanism for NAD......Page 23
Regenerative Mechanisms (Axonal Regeneration, Collateral Axonal Sprouting, Synaptic Plasticity)......Page 24
Extracellular Matrix......Page 25
Abnormal Calcium Dynamics......Page 26
References......Page 27
Clinical and Therapeutic Implications of Aging Changes in Autonomic Function......Page 35
Aging Changes in -Adrenoceptor Responsiveness......Page 36
Aging Changes in Baroreflex Sensitivity......Page 37
Increased Sympathetic Nervous System Activity......Page 39
References......Page 40
Heart Rate......Page 43
Blood Pressure......Page 44
Systolic Function......Page 45
Diagnosis and Management for Specific Cardiovascular Diseases Related to Autonomic Dysfunction......Page 47
Syncope......Page 48
Heart Failure and Altered Neurohumoral Response......Page 51
References......Page 53
Autonomic Nervous System Physiology......Page 56
Aging and the Autonomic Nervous System......Page 58
References......Page 61
Effect of Aging on Carbohydrate Metabolism......Page 64
Potential Mechanisms to Explain Impaired Carbohydrate Metabolism with Aging......Page 65
Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia in the Aged Population......Page 68
Aging, Adrenergic Stimulation and Glucose Production......Page 69
Aging, Adrenergic Stimulation and Insulin Secretion......Page 70
Aging, Adrenergic Stimulation and Non-Insulin-Mediated Glucose Uptake......Page 72
Effect of Aging on the Adrenergic Response to Hypoglycemia......Page 73
References......Page 74
The Aging Esophagus......Page 78
Aggressive Factors......Page 80
Defensive Factors......Page 81
Motility......Page 82
Aging and the Small Intestine......Page 83
The Aging Colon......Page 84
References......Page 85
Factors Affecting Continence in the Elderly......Page 89
Physiologic and Functional Changes in the Aged Human Bladder......Page 90
Normal Neural Control of the Bladder......Page 92
Transmitters and Receptors......Page 95
Effects of Aging on Bladder Innervation......Page 96
Ultrastructural Features of Normative Bladder Aging......Page 97
Changes in Bladder Morphology and Function in Aged Animals......Page 98
Using Muscle Strip and in vivo Contractility Studies......Page 99
Use of the Acute Bladder Obstruction Animal Model of Bladder Plasticity......Page 100
References......Page 101
Effect of Aging on Female Fertility......Page 105
Effect of Aging on Male Fertility......Page 106
Paternal Age and Birth Defect......Page 107
Andropause......Page 108
Aging and Sexual Function in Men......Page 109
Sexual and Orgasmic Function......Page 110
Aging and Penile Sensations......Page 111
Aging and Central Nervous System......Page 112
Aging and Sexual Function in Women......Page 113
References......Page 114
Epidemiology of Pain in Old Age......Page 118
Physiologic Basis of Pain Perception......Page 119
Role of the Autonomic Nervous System in Nociception......Page 122
Central Nervous System......Page 123
Age-Related Changes of Autonomic Nervous System-Mediated Pain......Page 125
Conclusion......Page 126
References......Page 127
Aging and Thermoregulation......Page 131
Heat-Induced Reponses in the Elderly......Page 132
Aging and Cold-Induced Thermoregulation......Page 134
Thermoregulation in Cold-Exposed Aging Rodents......Page 136
Senescence and Thermoregulation in Rats......Page 139
Conclusions......Page 140
References......Page 141
Author Index......Page 145
C......Page 146
P......Page 147
V......Page 148