Aging and secretory reserve capacity of major salivary glands.
A loss of acinar cells occurs with aging, while salivary production remains age-stable in healthy adults. It is hypothesized that a secretory reserve exists to preserve function despite a loss of acinar cells in normal aging. The purpose of this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was to determine age-related differences in salivary response to an anti-sialogogue (glycopyrrolate). Thirty-six healthy subjects (18 young--20-38 yrs; 18 older--60-77 yrs) received 4.0 microg/kg i.v. glycopyrrolate. Parotid and submandibular/sublingual saliva samples and xerostomia questionnaire responses were collected. Variables calculated for each subject were: times to initial and maximum suppression and xerostomic complaint; time to recovery; and durations of suppression and complaint. Salivary function was more adversely affected in older persons. There were no consistent age-associated questionnaire response differences. These findings suggest that salivary gland output is more adversely affected by an anti-sialogogue in healthy older vs. younger adults, supporting the secretory reserve hypothesis of salivary function.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006024:Glycopyrrolate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D010919:Placebos; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013361:Sublingual Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced
D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; D006024:Glycopyrrolate