[Age-related changes in blood concentration of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones, their central and peripheral regulators in healthy men].
We studied concentrations of cortisol, its precursors and active form in human blood and relation to the changes in concentration of central and peripheral hormonal regulators (total 36 parameters) in healthy male volunteers aged 18-72 y.o. The study demonstrated a significant decrease in blood concentrations of unutilazed cortisol precursors (pregnenolone and progesterone) with advanced age accompanied by maintenance of total and free cortisol concentrations. We found age-related decrease in ACTH level that is a known hypophysial stimulant of cortisol and cortisol precursor synthesis in adrenal glands. Cortisol and ACTH levels in study population had different correlation behavior in relation to central and peripheral regulators for hormonal axes.


CONCLUSIONS
cortisol level remains stable with advanced age in males despite the decrease in steroidogenic activity and blood ACTH level. This may be due to the imbalance in the regulation of cortisol and ACTH production by central and peripheral regulators especially by hormones of reproductive and somatotrophic axes.
I N
IN
Kuzina
V V
VV
Kilikovskiĭ
O V
OV
Smirnova
D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone