Age-related changes of sympathetic outflow to muscles in humans

Abstract

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSA) was recorded microneurographically from the tibial nerve in 40 healthy male subjects aged 18 to 75. Passive and graded head-up tiltings were loaded on the subjects. The effects of aging on the resting activity of muscle sympathetic nerve in supine position at rest (burst number per minute), increase in MSA from the resting level by orthostasis (slope of the regression line between sine of the tilt angle and MSA bursts per minute), and the MSA in upright standing position were analyzed. The resting MSA increased with age, and a significant positive correlation was observed between age and resting activity (Y = -6.83 +/- 0.876X, r = .882, p less than .001). The MSA was enhanced by head-up tilt linearly with the sine of the tilt angle, and a significant negative correlation was observed between age and the MSA increase by orthostasis (Y = 57.6 - 0.582X, r = . 843, p less than .001). Standing MSA increased significantly but less remarkably than resting MSA. It was concluded that aging increases the resting activity, but there is less increase in the standing activity of sympathetic outflow to muscles in humans.