Evidence for the anorexia of aging: gastrointestinal transit and
hunger in healthy elderly vs. young adults.
Clarkston, W. K., M. M. Pantano, J. E. Morley, M. Horowitz, J. M.
Littlefield, F. R. Burton.
Divisions of Geriatric Medicine, Gastroenterology and Nuclear
Medicine, Dept. Of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University School
of Medicine, St. Louis, MO and Geriatric Research Education and
Clinical Center, St. Louis VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO 63110 and
Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Australia
APStracts 3:0279R, 1996.
Animal studies suggest that aging is associated with anorexia and
disordered gastrointestinal transit . To determine whether there is a
relationship between the effects of aging on appetite and
gastrointestinal transit in humans, 19 young (age 23-50 yr) and 14
elderly (age 70-84 yr) normal volunteers underwent measurements of
(i) desire to eat, hunger and fullness (visual analog scales) (ii)
gastric emptying (scintigraphy) (iii) orocecal transit (breath
hydrogen) (iv) total gut transit (radiopaque markers), and (v)
autonomic nerve function (cardiovascular reflexes).
Received 21 September 1996; accepted in final form 26 June 1996.
APS Manuscript Number R592-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 25 July 1996