Age and the neck's "décolleté syndrome"

Applying non-invasive procedures (inspection, palpation) which do not stress the old subjects, the author studies the "décolleté syndrome" of 60 old subjects and 60 middle-aged control subjects. According to the examinations, the generative changes in the skin, muscles, fat pads and blood vessels of the neck are the first macroscopic signs of old age that are conspicuous to the subjects. The elderly subject is the first who detect the wrinkles on the skin of the neck and wasting of the neck, becoming panicky as a result. Not without reason, because these symptoms are really indicative of approaching old age. In the case of middle-aged control subjects, aging of the neck may become manifest as early as over 45 years, preceding any other symptom. The aging of the neck is accompanied subsequently by other symptoms of old age found by inspection (look, lips and regions around thereof, hand, gait). Finally, the psycho-somatic status becomes typical of old age. When the pathological "décolleté syndrome" of the neck is detected in due time, the gerontologist may attempt to adopt a therapy or prevention to retard the aging.