title: Molecular endocrinology and physiology of the aging central nervous system.
abstract: Aging is associated with a progressive decline in physical and cognitive functions. The impact of age-dependent endocrine changes regulated by the central nervous system on the dynamics of neuronal behavior, neurodegeneration, cognition, biological rhythms, sexual behavior, and metabolism are reviewed. We also briefly review how functional deficits associated with increases in glucocorticoids and cytokines and declining production of sex steroids, GH, and IGF are likely exacerbated by age-dependent molecular misreading and alterations in components of signal transduction pathways and transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Huffington Center on Aging, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, M320, Houston, TX 77030, USA. rsmith@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Roy G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Betancourt
authors.forename: Yuxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines