title: Twenty-four-hour secretory pattern of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the elderly.
abstract: A chronobiological study was carried out in 8 elderly male subjects (74-85 years) to evaluate the 24-hour vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) secretory pattern. Eight young adult males (21-32 years) made up the control group. Blood samples were drawn from each subject every 2 h during the day and hourly during the night for a 24-hour period. Mean 24-hour VIP values in elderly (21.1 +/- 0.3 pg/ml) and young adults (19.1 +/- 0.3 pg/ml) did not differ statistically, but daytime VIP values observed in elderly subjects (21.4 +/- 0.5 pg/ml) were higher (p less than 0.05) than those recorded in young adults (17.5 +/- 0.5 pg/ml). The young adults showed significant (p less than 0.05) circadian VIP fluctuations with highest values during the nighttime, while the elderly subjects did not. An age-related decreased activity of the peripheral neuronal VIP-ergic network is hypothesized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rolandi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franceshini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cataldi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barreca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D002909:Chronobiology Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide