Age-Related Decrease in Abdominal Pain and Associated Structural- and Functional Mechanisms: An Exploratory Study in...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Aging Research
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Global populations are aging, increasing age-related diseases and healthcare costs.
• Intestinal health in the elderly is under-researched, despite potential changes in gut function and perception.
• Altered visceroperception in aging may affect bowel habits and symptoms in both healthy individuals and those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related changes in gastrointestinal symptoms.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms of these age-related changes in gut perception.
• To compare visceral hypersensitivity and pain receptor expression between young and elderly individuals.

Main Methods:

• Included 780 subjects (463 IBS patients, 317 healthy controls) across different age groups.
• Collected demographic and gastrointestinal symptom data using validated questionnaires.
• Assessed visceral hypersensitivity via rectal barostat and analyzed TRPA1/TRPV1 gene and protein expression in sigmoid biopsies from young and elderly healthy adults.

Main Results:

• Elderly individuals (both IBS patients and healthy) reported significantly lower abdominal pain and indigestion scores compared to younger adults.
• Visceral hypersensitivity was significantly less prevalent in elderly IBS patients than in young IBS patients.
• Healthy elderly adults exhibited significantly lower TRPA1 gene transcription and lower TRPA1/TRPV1 protein expression compared to healthy young adults.

Conclusions:

• Abdominal pain perception decreases with age, potentially due to reduced expression of TRPA1 and TRPV1 receptors.
• These findings suggest a biological basis for altered pain signaling in the aging gut.
• Further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms and implications for intestinal health in older adults.