Aging is without effect on the pituitary-adrenal axis in men.
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.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone