title: Age and gender effects on serotonin-dependent plasticity in respiratory motor control.
abstract: We review recent evidence indicating that serotonin-dependent plasticity in respiratory control is influenced by age and gender. Specifically, respiratory long-term-facilitation following intermittent hypoxia decreases with age in male rats, but increases in female rats. We speculate about a possible relationship between age and gender effects on serotonin-dependent plasticity in upper airway motoneuron pools and the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 Linden Drive, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. behanm@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behan
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Zabka
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin