Neuroendocrine-immune interactions in healthy aging.

Aim: The nervous, endocrine and immune systems are connected by shared neurotransmitters, hormones and cytokines. The function of these systems shows patterns of circadian rhythmicity and a number of age-related changes in the 24-h hormonal and non-hormonal rhythms have been found in older human beings. The aim of this study was to evaluate integration among the nervous, endocrine and immune systems in the elderly.

Aging related changes of circadian rhythmicity of cytotoxic lymphocyte subpopulations.

Background: Immunosenescence is a process that affects all cell compartments of the immune system and the contribution of the immune system to healthy aging and longevity is still an open question. Lymphocyte subpopulations present different patterns of circadian variation and in the elderly alteration of circadian rhythmicity has been evidenced. The aim of our study was to analyze the dynamics of variation of specific cytotoxic lymphocyte subsets in old aged subjects.