Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Altered immune status in the elderly.

R J Simons1, H Y Reynolds

  • 1Department of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey 17033.

Seminars in Respiratory Infections
|December 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Review and perspective of the 12th Bronchoalveolar Lavage Conference within the second joint WASOG-BAL International Conference.

Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG·2011
Same author

Bronchoalveolar lavage--obtaining biologic specimens from the respiratory tract surface.

Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG·2008
Same author

Bronchoalveolar lavage: perspective from the 11th BAL conference.

Monaldi archives for chest disease = Archivio Monaldi per le malattie del torace·2008
Same author

Sarcoidosis: impact of other illnesses on the presentation and management of multi-organ disease.

Lung·2002
Same author

Sampling local respiratory tract sites for inflammation.

Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG·2001
Same author

Use of bronchoalveolar lavage in humans--past necessity and future imperative.

Lung·2001
Same journal

TB vaccines at the turn of the century: insights into immunity to M. tuberculosis and modern approaches for prevention of an ancient disease.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
Same journal

Environmental infection control of tuberculosis.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
Same journal

Mycobacterium tuberculosis: the treatment of active disease.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
Same journal

Pediatric tuberculosis.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
Same journal

Clinical and radiographic features of HIV-related tuberculosis.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
Same journal

Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection.

Seminars in respiratory infections·2003
See all related articles

Elderly individuals experience weakened immune defenses, particularly in T cell function, increasing pneumonia risk. Age-related immunosenescence impairs the immune system

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • The aging immune system (immunosenescence) predisposes elderly individuals to infections like pneumonia.
  • Key immune components include alveolar macrophages, T lymphocytes, and neutrophils.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine how aging affects the immune system's ability to combat respiratory infections.
  • To understand the role of immunosenescence in pneumonia susceptibility in the elderly.

Main Methods:

  • The study reviews age-associated changes in cellular and humoral immunity.
  • Focuses on T cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine secretion (e.g., interleukin-2).
  • Examines macrophage and neutrophil function in aged individuals.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Aged T cells show impaired activation, proliferation, and reduced interleukin-2 secretion.
  • Antibody responses to vaccines (pneumococcal, influenza) are diminished due to T helper cell deficiency.
  • Macrophage recruitment is reduced, and neutrophil inflammatory responses may be blunted.

    • Conclusions:

    • Immunosenescence, particularly T cell decline, significantly contributes to increased pneumonia risk in the elderly.
    • Age-related immune dysfunction affects multiple immune cell types, compromising lung defense mechanisms.