title: Physiologic determinants of the anorexia of aging: insights from animal studies.
abstract: The anorexia of aging is a syndrome characterized by unexplained losses in food intake and body weight that occur near the end of life. Proposed etiologies cover a wide range of biological and psychological conditions. The observation of this phenomenon in older laboratory animals suggests that physiological changes play a significant causal role. Research on the neurochemical control of energy balance has received much attention in recent years, and age-related alterations in the neuropeptidergic effectors of food intake have been implicated in the anorexia of aging. This review provides an update on putative mechanisms underlying this dysregulation of feeding during advanced age.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. bahorwitz@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Horwitz
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Blanton
authors.forename: Roger B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000502:physiology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents