Decreased adrenal androgen sensitivity to ACTH during aging

Parker, Lawrence N.; Gral, T; Perrigo, Vicki; Skowsky, R.

doi:10.1016/0026-0495(81)90139-6

Cited by 70 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Therefore, in vivo administration of CRF is useful to examine pituitary-adreno cortical function [2,8,12]. Although several lines of evidence have demonstrated that the adrenocortical response to ACTH is altered with aging, there is apparently no report on the effect of CRF on the pituitary-adrenal axis in the aged [9,18]. The present study clearly showed that aging has no significant influence on the responses of plasma ACTH and cortisol to o-CRF in human male sub jects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Aging Is without Effect on the Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Men

Ohashi¹,

Fujio²,

Kato³

et al. 1986

Gerontology

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The effects of ovine corticotropin releasing factor (o-CRF) on the secretions of ACTH, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) were studied in the healthy young and elderly male individuals. o-CRF caused significant elevations of plasma ACTH, cortisol and DHEA concentrations, in all subjects. Moreover, there were no significant differences in the time-dependent responses of plasma ACTH, cortisol and DHEA to o-CRF between the young and elderly male individuals o-CRF showed no significant rise of plasma DHEA-S, in all subjects. We conclude that the pituitary-adrenal sensitivity to the hypothalamic CRF in the elderly does not change with aging.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Aging Is without Effect on the Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Men

Ohashi¹,

Fujio²,

Kato³

et al. 1986

Gerontology

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“…On the other hand, pregnenolone, progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone had delayed, but quantitiatively normal responses compared with those in young subjects [4], In that study, Maki et al [4] suggested that the mi crosomal 17a-hydroxylase and Cl 7,20-lyase activities might be decreased in the aged hu man adrenal cortex. Parker et al [7] and Vermeulen et al [13], based on their studies on the responses of plasma adrenal steroids to ACTH stimulation, have also suggested that decreased activity of Cl 7,20-lyase and re duced synthesis of A5-steroids occurs in the adrenal cortex of elderly human subjects. In the present study, we have attempted to as certain whether small, physiological doses of ACTH induce the same changes in plasma adrenocortical steroids of elderly subjects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the age-related changes in hu man adrenocortical function have been eval uated by measuring the basal levels of the various plasma corticosteroids, there are few studies which seek to establish the changes in the adrenocortical responsiveness to various stimulating agents as a function of the aging process [7,13]. In this study, we have at tempted to determine the simultaneous re sponses of serum cortisol, aldosterone, DHEA and DHEA-S to small, graded infu sions of ACTH after overnight dexamethasone suppression in normal young and el derly men.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adrenocortical Responsiveness to Graded ACTH Infusions in Normal Young and Elderly Human Subjects

Ohashi¹,

Kato²,

Nawata³

et al. 1986

Gerontology

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The responses of plasma cortisol, aldosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) to graded ACTH infusions (from 50 mU/h to 1,000 mU/h) in elderly subjects were compared with those in young subjects. There were no significant differences between young and elderly subjects in terms of the levels of plasma cortisol during ACTH infusion. The increment in median serum cortisol increase observed in elderly subjects was also equal to that found in young subjects. Plasma aldosterone concentration showed a gradual increase in response to ACTH infusion in both young and elderly individuals. There was no significant difference between the response of young and aged subjects. Significant increases in serum DHEA in response to ACTH infusion were observed in both young and aged individuals, however, the median increase of serum DHEA (ΔDHEA) in the elderly subjects was markedly lower than that in the young ones. Serum DHEA-S concentrations prior to ACTH infusion were significantly lower in the elderly subjects. With graded infusions of ACTH, plasma DHEA-S concentrations in young subjects tended to increase gradually, whereas there was no significant increase in plasma DHEA-S concentrations in the elderly. These results are indicative that the responses of adrenal androgens in elderly subjects to small, graded doses of ACTH infusion are preferentially impaired; however, the responses of cortisol and aldosterone are well maintained.

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“…Plasma DHEA and DHEA-S concentrations decrease progressively in both sexes during ageing, a phenomenon probably related to an enzymatic alteration in the biosyn thetic pathway, while the response of both steroids to ACTH stimulation is gradually impaired [24], Aldosterone secretion is reduced as well as the hor monal response to salt restriction. This is related to a decreased secretion of renin, which causes the genera tion of angiotensin, a direct stimulus of aldosterone secretion.…”

Section: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axismentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Ageing on Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Rhythms in Humans

Touitou¹

1995

Horm Res

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Biological rhythms in blood variables are now fairly well documented in young healthy adults whereas reports in elderly subjects are few for obvious reasons including the difficulty of setting up a group of elderly subjects comparable in age and social background and moreover free of major liver, heart, kidney, bone or any other degenerative disease and consequently not requiring medication. We have observed that the parameters characteristic of the biological rhythm may be modified with ageing. However, the modifications are different from one function or variable to the next. Differences in acrophases, mesors and amplitudes could be demonstrated. For instance the acrophase may be phase-advanced in the elderly for plasma cortisol, DHEA-S, 18-OHDOC, the amplitude may be modified for testosterone, 18-OHDOC, proteins, melatonin, gonadotrophins. The administration as a function of time of drugs or agents used as a diagnostic tool made it possible to ascertain the importance of the time structure in this field. Both validity and interpretation of such administration depend upon the timing of the agent administration in the 24-hour scale. Therefore, the temporal organization of the subjects undergoing such treatments should be taken into account. In the near future this kind of investigation on various biological variables may lead to an improvement of the desired drug effects in elderly patients.

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Decreased adrenal androgen sensitivity to ACTH during aging

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Aging Is without Effect on the Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Men

Aging Is without Effect on the Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Men

Adrenocortical Responsiveness to Graded ACTH Infusions in Normal Young and Elderly Human Subjects

Effects of Ageing on Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Rhythms in Humans

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