title: Age-related changes in adrenaline content of rat splanchnic blood vessels.
abstract: The influence of ageing on the adrenaline content of the superior mesenteric artery and vein, renal artery and vein and portal vein was studied in 3-month- (young), 12-month- (adult) and 24-month-old (old) male Wistar rats using radioenzymatic assay for the measurement of catecholamine levels. Adrenaline concentrations were unchanged in the vascular wall of the blood vessels examined in adult rats, but were significantly decreased in the vascular wall of the superior mesenteric, renal and portal veins of old rats. In contrast, no age-dependent changes of adrenaline levels were found in the vascular wall of the superior mesenteric or renal arteries. The possibility that the loss of adrenaline concentrations in the venous vascular wall may be in some way related to the cardiovascular impairment occurring with age is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amenta
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bronzetti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ricci
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation
chemical_list: D004837:Epinephrine