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Testosterone restores respiratory long term facilitation in old male rats by an aromatase‐dependent mechanism
Author(s) -
Nelson N. R.,
Bird I. M.,
Behan M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.198200
Subject(s) - testosterone (patch) , endocrinology , medicine , aromatase , respiratory system , hormone , androgen , biology , cancer , breast cancer
Non‐technical summary Steroidal sex hormones (testosterone, oestradiol and progesterone) play an important role in the neural control of breathing. Hormone levels typically change throughout life. Testosterone levels increase during puberty in boys, but from ∼30 years of age levels decline gradually. The typical age of onset for obstructive sleep apnoea, a prominent breathing disorder of older humans, is ∼50 years of age in men. In a study in old male rats, we show that testosterone supplementation can reverse the age‐associated decrease in one measurement of the neural control of breathing. We conclude that testosterone supplementation can potentially be used to enhance upper airway function in the elderly.