Effect of aging on responses to autonomic cardiovascular tests

Cardiovascular deconditioning (CD) and orthostatic intolerance represent some of the major disturbances experienced by astronauts returning on Earth after micro-G exposure. The orthostatic intolerance observed in crew members after space missions has been hypothesized to be related to a disorder of the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system. There is evidence that advanced acing itself may alter the cardiovascular mechanism that underlie the CD. Due to involvement of elderly subjects in space flights it is mandatory to verify how age affects the cardiovascular autonomic neural regulation. In order to assess age-related differences in autonomic cardiovascular regulation our aim is to analyze the cardiovascular responses to 3 different autonomic tests that explore baroreceptor (tilt and deep breathing) and non-baroreceptor (isometric exercise) afferent pathways, in two goups of normal subjects characterized by significant different age.