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Non‐Uniform Age‐Related Decrements in Regional Sweating and Skin Blood Flow
Author(s) -
Smith Caroline J.,
Alexander Lacy M.,
Kenney W. Larry
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.1133.11
Subject(s) - microdialysis , medicine , thermoregulation , sweat , skin temperature , endocrinology , cholinergic , acetylcholine , biomedical engineering , central nervous system
Aging is associated with attenuated thermoregulatory effector function which varies regionally over the body. Our aim was to examine age‐related alterations in the relation between regional sweating (RSR) and skin blood flow (SkBF) in response to thermal and pharmacological stimuli. Four microdialysis (MD) fibers were placed in the ventral forearm, abdomen, thigh, and lower back of 8 healthy older (O, 64 ± 2 yrs) and 9 young (Y, 23 ± 2 yrs) men and women matched for anthropometric characteristics and VO 2max . RSR and SkBF (laser‐Doppler flux; LDF) were measured over each MD site during whole body heating (WBH; Δ1°C oral temperature) and acetylcholine dose response protocols (ACh 1×10 −7 –0.1M). During WBH RSRs were attenuated (p<0.001) and onset thresholds were delayed at all sites (p<0.05) in the O. SkBF was also attenuated with age (p<0.001) with few differences in onset (Y vs. O back p<0.05). Within groups, RSR (p<0.001) but not SkBF varied among sites. Cholinergic sensitivity was similar between groups for RSR but varied for SkBF (arm 1.0–10mM P<0.05; abdomen p<0.05). RSR did not differ among sites but SkBF varied in the O (p<0.05). Together these data suggest regional age‐related decrements in heat‐activated sweat gland function but not cholinergic sensitivity. Site‐specific difference in sweating tend to disappear with aging. Supported by NIH RO1‐ AG007004 ‐22 (W.L.K.) and ACSM Foundation Research Endowment 2012 (C.J.S).