Autonomic nervous system in old age

With the remarkable increase in life expectancy in recent years, overall numbers of older individuals living with disability and functional dependence are likely to increase. Age-related changes and diseases involving the peripheral nervous system, particularly its autonomic elements, frequently play determining roles in late life health and functional independence. While basal sympathetic activity increases with normative aging, there is evidence of considerable dysregulation of the ability of the aging sympathetic nervous system to respond to a variety of challenges. In this book, investigators from several different disciplines discuss aging of the autonomic nervous system from a variety of perspectives. Given the fact that aging of the parasympathetic elements of the autonomic nervous system is not nearly as well understood as that of its sympathetic portions, greater emphasis has been placed on the latter. The topics of this volume provide an excellent overview.