Relation between histological age-changes in the carotid body and atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries

Histological changes in the human carotid body associated with increasing age are accompanied by occlusive atherosclerotic lesions in the arteries of the carotid bifurcation, and are probably ischaemic in origin. The carotid sinus, however, is unusually susceptible to the development of atheroma and its occlusion appears to have little influence in compromising blood flow through the glomic arteries.