Aging-related changes in cardiac sympathetic function in humans, assessed by 6-18F-fluorodopamine PET scanning.
Sympathetic nerves play key roles in cardiac physiology and aging-related cardiovascular diseases. This study examined the effects of normal human aging on cardiac sympathetic innervation and function, including the neuronal uptake of catecholamines (uptake 1) via the cell membrane norepinephrine transporter.


METHODS
Thirty-three healthy volunteers, 17 under 40 and 16 over 50 y old, underwent thoracic PET scanning after injection of the sympathoneural imaging agent 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine. Myocardial perfusion was estimated by (13)NH(3) scanning, and arterial blood was sampled for levels of 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine and 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity.


RESULTS
The older group had more myocardial 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity than did the younger group. Myocardial perfusion was also greater in the older group, and arterial blood levels of 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine were also higher. After adjustment for delivery of the tracer, the estimated level of myocardial extraction of 6-(18)F-fluorodopamine was lower in the older group (48%) than in the younger group (74%) (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac uptake 1 activity decreases with normal human aging.
Li
Sheng-Ting
ST
Clinical Neurocardiology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Holmes
Courtney
C
Kopin
Irwin J
IJ
Goldstein
David S
DS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C029253:6-fluorodopamine; D004298:Dopamine