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Preparation of Acute Hippocampal Slices from Rats and Transgenic Mice for the Study of Synaptic Alterations during Aging and Amyloid Pathology
Published on: March 23, 2011
Neurochemical alterations during age-related anorexia
C A Blanton1, B A Horwitz, R B McDonald
1Department of Nutrition, Section of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. cablanton@ucdavis.edu
Abstract:
Unexplained weight loss during the latter stages of aging is commonly preceded by a spontaneous diminution in food intake. Multiple etiologies of age-related anorexia in humans, ranging from social isolation to impaired gastrointestinal function, have been proposed. The observation of this phenomenon in older laboratory animals suggests that physiological changes play a significant causal role. A continually expanding body of information on the neurochemical control of food intake supports a contribution of altered neurochemistry to dysregulated feeding behavior. This review provides an update on the relationship between declining food intake during advanced age and physiological (specifically neurochemical) function. The complexity of the control of food intake as well as the variety of investigative methods used in this field of study render the identification of definitive causes difficult. Evidence presented here is evaluated and possible etiologic factors are suggested.
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