目的:体感功能是成功衰老的关键。先前的研究表明,体感功能随着年龄的增长而下降;然而,这可能会受到测试地点的影响,模态,和生物行为因素。虽然体感功能下降与周围神经系统退化有关,关于与中枢神经系统和大脑结构的相关性知之甚少。这项研究的目的是使用无害和有害的刺激来检查与年龄相关的体感功能下降,在2个解剖测试部位,考虑到情感和认知功能,以及老年人的体感功能和大脑结构之间的关联。
方法:横断面分析包括84名“年轻”(n=22,年龄范围:19-24岁)和“年长”(n=62,年龄范围:60-94岁)健康成年人,他们参加了整个生命周期的疼痛和活动性神经调节检查研究。对参与者进行体感功能测量(定量感觉测试)评估,在2个部位(meta骨和鱼际)使用标准化程序,并完成认知和心理功能测量和结构磁共振成像。
结果:在温暖检测(p=.018,ηp2=0.10)和热痛阈值(p=.014,ηp2=0.12)方面观察到显着的年龄×测试部位相互作用效应。观察到机械的主要年龄效应,振动,冷,和温暖检测阈值(ps<.05),老年人表现出感觉功能的丧失。右侧枕区出现体感功能与脑灰质结构显著相关,正确的时间区域,和左腹周.
结论:我们的研究结果表明,与年轻人相比,健康的老年人对无害和有害刺激的感觉反应发生了变化,并且此外,这些改变受到解剖部位的独特影响。这些发现表明,老年人的躯体感觉下降不均匀,这可能代表了衰老过程的一部分外周和中枢神经系统的改变。
OBJECTIVE: Somatosensory function is critical for successful aging. Prior studies have shown declines in somatosensory function with age; however, this may be affected by testing site, modality, and biobehavioral factors. While somatosensory function declines are associated with peripheral nervous system degradation, little is known regarding correlates with the central nervous system and brain structure in particular. The objectives of this study were to examine age-related declines in somatosensory function using innocuous and noxious stimuli, across 2 anatomical testing sites, with considerations for affect and cognitive function, and associations between somatosensory function and brain structure in older adults.
METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis included 84 \"younger\" (n = 22, age range: 19-24 years) and \"older\" (n = 62, age range: 60-94 years) healthy adults who participated in the Neuromodulatory Examination of Pain and Mobility Across the Lifespan study. Participants were assessed on measures of somatosensory function (quantitative sensory testing), at 2 sites (metatarsal and thenar) using standardized procedures, and completed cognitive and psychological function measures and structural magnetic resonance imaging.
RESULTS: Significant age × test site interaction effects were observed for warmth detection (p = .018, η p 2 = 0.10) and heat pain thresholds (p = .014, η p 2 = 0.12). Main age effects were observed for mechanical, vibratory, cold, and warmth detection thresholds (ps < .05), with older adults displaying a loss of sensory function. Significant associations between somatosensory function and brain gray matter structure emerged in the right occipital region, the right temporal region, and the left pericallosum.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate healthy older adults display alterations in sensory responses to innocuous and noxious stimuli compared to younger adults and, furthermore, these alterations are uniquely affected by anatomical site. These findings suggest a nonuniform decline in somatosensation in older adults, which may represent peripheral and central nervous system alterations part of aging processes.