title: Neuro-hormonal effects of physical activity in the elderly.
abstract: Thanks to diagnostic and therapeutic advances, the elderly population is continuously increasing in the western countries. Accordingly, the prevalence of most chronic age-related diseases will increase considerably in the next decades, thus it will be necessary to implement effective preventive measures to face this epidemiological challenge. Among those, physical activity exerts a crucial role, since it has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, cognitive impairment and cancer. The favorable effects of exercise on cardiovascular homeostasis can be at least in part ascribed to the modulation of the neuro-hormonal systems implicated in cardiovascular pathophysiology. In the elderly, exercise has been shown to affect catecholamine secretion and biosynthesis, to positively modulate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and to reduce the levels of plasma brain natriuretic peptides. Moreover, drugs modulating the neuro-hormonal systems may favorably affect physical capacity in the elderly. Thus, efforts should be made to actually make physical activity become part of the therapeutic tools in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Femminella
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Lucia
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iacotucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Formisano
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petraglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Allocca
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Enza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ratto
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Loreta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy ; Division of Cardiology, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN) Telese Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rengo
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonaduce
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy ; Division of Cardiology, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN) Telese Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rengo
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy ; Division of Cardiology, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute of Telese Terme (BN) Telese Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrara
keywords: brain natriuretic peptide; elderly; physical activity; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; sympathetic nervous system