title: [Role of androgen in the elderly. Roles of androgen on blood vessels].
abstract: In the process of atherosclerosis, vascular effects of androgen remain poorly understood and have been controversial for a long time. For many years, it has been widely believed that androgen plays an unfavorable role in the development of atherosclerosis. Recently, however, an increasing body of evidence suggests that androgens may exert protective effects against the development of atherosclerosis, at least in elderly men. Androgen may exert complex effects on the vessel wall. Furthermore, experimental studies have demonstrated the direct action of androgen on the vasculature. In this review, we illustrate the action of androgen on the cardiovascular system, focusing on the action of testosterone on blood vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Traditional Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akishita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III