Assessment of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Function in the Geriatric Age Group

Friedman, M.; Green, Michael F.; Sharland, D. E.

doi:10.1093/geronj/24.3.292

Cited by 69 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…These data agree with other reports in the lit erature [29] and they might be related to the reduced dis tribution volume and the lower metabolic clearance rate of cortisol in aging.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Neuroendocrine Correlates of the Aging Brain in Humans

et al. 1995

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Physiological brain aging is characterized by important biochemical and structural changes and by the unbalance among the different neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. The study of the circadian organization of neuroendocrine functions may be considered a clinically reliable tool to investigate the changes of the CNS and particularly of the limbic-hypothalamic system occurring in aged people. The circadian rhythms of plasma melatonin, ACTH and cortisol and of oral temperature were studied in 16 clinically healthy women aged 66-90 years and in 14 young controls aged 20-30. In addition, the effect of dexamethasone on the plasma cortisol circadian rhythm and the cortisol response to Synacthen pulse intravenous injection were evaluated. All subjects were studied as inpatients, with the same synchronization to the hospital life schedule. When compared with young controls, elderly subjects exhibited a reduction of the mean level and of the amplitude of the circadian rhythm of oral temperature, an increase of the mean level of ACTH and cortisol rhythms and a selective impairment of melatonin nocturnal secretion. Furthermore, elderly subjects showed a reduced sensitivity to the dexamethasone suppression test, by comparison to young controls. These changes were age-related and they may depend either on CNS modification or on alterations of the hormonal metabolic clearance.

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“…These data agree with other reports in the lit erature [29] and they might be related to the reduced dis tribution volume and the lower metabolic clearance rate of cortisol in aging.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Neuroendocrine Correlates of the Aging Brain in Humans

et al. 1995

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“…For example, some studies reported higher evening [251,281] and morning [278] cortisol levels at older ages; higher 24h mean cortisol concentrations at older ages have also been reported in both men and women [269,270,272,281,282]. Other studies have reported no such age effect [280,283].…”

Section: Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A majority of studies have shown that basal circulating levels of cortisol [248-266 and references therein] do not vary significantly with aging in humans. These analyses included the varying gender population as well as the health status of subjects with some using samples from males only [248,249,256,[260][261][262], others employing both men and women [252][253][254][255]257,259,262,265], some from subjects classified as 'normal healthy' [248,249,256,[260][261][262], and others from hospitalized patients [251,252,257,262]. Few studies have reported decreased [267,268], or increased [269][270][271][272][273] cortisol levels.…”

Section: Humansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Aging on Steroid Hormone Biosynthesis and Secretion

Zaidi¹

2013

TOLSJ

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Steroid hormones are lipophilic, low-molecular weight organic compounds all of which are derived from cholesterol. They are primarily synthesized by steroidogenic glands such as gonads (ovary and testis), the adrenal gland and, during pregnancy, by the placental trophoblasts. Limited steroid synthesis also takes place in the brain. Steroid hormones are crucial for the proper functioning of the body. They mediate a wide variety of vital physiological functions, ranging from maintaining normal reproductive function and secondary sexual characteristics, to regulating virtually every metabolic process in the body. Like many age-related endocrine disorders, aging also progressively impacts the tissue-specific synthesis and secretion of steroid hormones. The goal of this review is to summarize the effects of aging on steroid hormone synthesis and secretion by the adrenal gland and gonads of both human and experimental animal models, to describe the potential involvement of excessive oxidative stress in mediating age-related alterations in steroidogenesis, and to discuss the possible underlying mechanisms involved.

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“…Most studies have shown no change or nonsignificant increases in mean levels of ACTH (106)(107)(108) or serum cortisol at older ages (99,100,106,(108)(109)(110)(111)(112)(113)(114)(115)(116)(117)(118)(119). These studies have included samples varying in gender composition as well as health status with some using only males (106,107,109,110,114,118), others including both men and women (99,100,108,112,113,115,117), some using subjects described as 'healthy' (99, 106-110, 113, 114, 118), and others using hospitalized subjects (111,112,117). The consistent lack of age differences in basal levels across these various samples and by gender (99,100,108,112,113,117) serves to strengthen the conclusion that age does not have a major impact on basal or nonstimulated levels.…”

Section: B Nonstimulated Hpa Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%