Age-related changes of plasma steroids in normal adult males

Plasma cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH-P), testosterone (T), 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT, estrone (E₁) and estradiol (E₂), were measured in 94 normal adult men aged between 20–99. using RIA methods after chromatographic separation of steroids on Sephadex LH-20 columns.All plasma steroids except 17-OH-P, were age dependent: cortisol, testosterone and DHT decreased significantly with age, whereas estrone and estradiol were significantly increased in elderly men. Cortisol, testosterone. T/DHT ratio and estradiol levels were significantly correlated with age.The age related changes of plasma steroids in elderly men, were suggestive of decreased cortisol secretion, and decreased testicular function with increased peripheral conversion of androgens into estrogens. Testosterone was positively correlated with its precursor (17-OH-P) and respectively its peripheral metabolites (DHT and E₂). The negative correlation between estrone and 17-OH-P found in elderly men, suggested that increased estrogen level in aging males may be considered able to inhibit the testicular androgen production.     

昼夜节律系统与成人昼夜节律睡眠觉醒障碍

昼夜节律是存在于所有生命体中、接近24小时的内源性生物节律。昼夜节律与社会或环境节律的长期不同步,会引起睡眠、情绪等一系列变化。本文阐述了昼夜节律系统与睡眠之间的联系,重点介绍成人昼夜节律睡眠觉醒障碍疾病的临床研究成果,以期加强临床医生对该病的认识和诊治。     

Age-related changes in plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, cortisol, testosterone and free testosterone circadian rhythms in adult men

The circadian rhythms of serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone (T), free testosterone (fT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), oestradiol, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHA-s) have been investigated in 5 normal male adults and 6 elderly men. Circadian rhythms were detected statistically significant (p less than 0.05) by population mean cosinor analysis, for T, fT, cortisol and DHA-s in the young group. In the elderly population, serum cortisol showed a clear circadian rhythm, although with some phase modification, whereas DHA-s secretion lost its circadian rhythmicity. This demonstrates that ageing differently affects the two major adrenal functions, glucocorticoid and androgenic; further, the data suggest that an independent adrenal androgen-regulating system could be selectively impaired in the older subjects. In the elderly group the loss of T circadian rhythm was confirmed, but a statistically significant circadian rhythm of fT was recorded. It was characterized by a marked phase advance and not related with the SHBG modifications found in elderly men. This finding leads us to reconsider the role of fT, which appears more sensitive than total T, in studying circadian rhythm of gonadal androgen secretion.     

Dermatoglyphic asymmetry and testosterone levels in normal males

Dermatoglyphic prints and salivary samples were taken on a sample of 39 adult males. A statistical relationship between dermatoglyphic asymmetry and adult testosterone levels as measured in saliva was examined for seven dermatoglyphic variables by means of correlation, regression, and analysis of covariance, controlling for age and stature when necessary. The first two types of analyses indicated a significant effect of testosterone level upon the asymmetry of three dermatoglyphic variables: a-b ridge count, palmar pattern intensity, and the combined pattern intensity of palm and digits. Analysis of covariance, which examined the effect of testosterone level as a categorical variable, while holding age or stature constant, demonstrated the asymmetry of five variables to be significantly affected by testosterone level: radial digital count, digital pattern intensity, palmar pattern intensity, total digital ridge count, and the combined palmar and digital intensity. Although there is as yet only associational evidence linking levels of prenatal and secondary testosterone, the results of the present study lend support to the hypothesis that prenatal testosterone levels may have a significant effect on the development of dermatoglyphics. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Acute suppression of endogenous testosterone levels by exogenous testosterone in normal men

The effect of exogenous testosterone on endogenous plasma testosterone was studied in normal men. Intramuscularly administered testosterone-19,19,19-d3 rapidly appeared in the systemic circulation in large amounts. Endogenous plasma testosterone was suppressed to near-castrate levels. The suppressed level began to rise between 6 and 10 h, and reached a preinjection level at 24 h after the injection. Plasma LH decreased with a concomitant decrease in endogenous testosterone and began to rise as soon as plasma total testosterone returned to physiological levels.     

Effect of age on circadian rhythm of prolactin in normal men

The 24 h secretion pattern of prolactin was studied in 9 young normal males (aged 22-46) and in 11 older normal men (aged 55-74). Despite considerably reduced duration and quality of sleep, the nocturnal surge in plasma prolactin in elderly men was the same as in young subjects. The overall 24 h secretion pattern and the absolute levels of prolactin are unaltered with age in normal men.     

Aging alters properties of the circadian pacemaker controlling the locomotor activity rhythm in males of Drosophila nasuta

Effects of aging on the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity in males of Drosophila nasuta were investigated. The adult life of males was divided in 1-3 stages according to spontaneous changes in free-running period x in constant darkness (DD): stage 1, days 1-19; stage 2, days 20-36; stage 3, days 37-43. Stage 1 was characterized by a bimodal activity pattern with a short light-induced morning peak and a prolonged evening peak when the flies were entrained to light-dark cycles of 12 hours of light, 12 hours of darkness (LD 12:12). The morning peak had a phase angle difference Ψ_m (Ψ, the time from lights on in LD 12:12 cycles to the onset of morning peak) of about 0.1h, while Ψ_e (Ψ of evening peak) was about 9h at stage 1. The transient morning peak was curtailed at the end of stage 1. At stage 2, the Ψ_e was about 10h, and the activity end was delayed by an addition of about 3h of activity in the scotophase. The changes in W during DD free runs were determined in two groups of flies: flies reared in LD 12:12 and flies reared in DD. In both groups, W increased from about 23h at stage 1 to about 25h at stage 2. Stage 3 was characterized by arrhythmicity associated with highest mean activity level (total number of passes/fly/day) in the entrained and both free-running groups. The mean activity level increased significantly from stage 1 to stage 3 in all three groups of flies.     

Effect of imipramine on the circadian rhythm of plasma melatonin in unipolar depression

The authors took a series of 20 serum samples over a 24-hr period for measurement of melatonin in four men and six women with Major Depressive Disorder (DSM-III), at baseline (depressed) and after 4 weeks on imipramine (150-200 mg/day) after achieving clinical remission. After successful treatment with imipramine, 24-hr secretion and peak levels of melatonin were significantly higher than at baseline, with no difference in time of peak level. Testing after 2 weeks of treatment (four subjects), with only a partial or no clinical response, revealed no differences compared with baseline. The therapeutic efficacy of imipramine may be associated with an enhancement of noradrenergic activity.     

Saliva testosterone time-course response to hCG in adult normal men. Comparison with plasma levels

Testosterone time-course response to 5000 IU hCG was studied simultaneously in the saliva and the plasma of 13 adult normal men. Baseline levels in saliva and plasma were: 93 +/- 9 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) and 4.9 +/- 0.3 ng/ml respectively. After hCG the same biphasic pattern was observed in both fluids with a similar early response but the delayed peak at 72 h was relatively higher in saliva than in plasma. Thus it was suggested to collect saliva instead of plasma for the evaluation of testicular secretion of testosterone after hCG administration.     

The circadian rhythm of flight activity of Spodoptera exigua males in response to sex pheromone

In many moths, male attraction to the blend of synthetic sex pheromone releasing continuously in the field shows an apparent circadian rhythm similar to that of locomotion activity. In this study, the daily rhythms of electroantennography (EAG) and behavioral responses to sex pheromone, and the daily rhythms of locomotion activity were measured in male beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The peaks of males trapped by light and sex pheromone were all during the latter part of the night in the field. However, there was no significant variation among time intervals in the EAG responses of male antennae to sex pheromone stimuli. The principal period of locomotion activity under L15:D9 (LD) continued to occur during the scotophase and the subjective scotophase in the day of constant darkness (DD1) and the second of two consecutive days of constant darkness (DD2). The majority of males contacted the sex pheromone source in a wind tunnel during the latter part of the scotophase under LD and the subjective scotophase for DD1 and DD2. There were significant associations between the rhythm of the behavioral response to sex pheromone and locomotion activity. These results suggested that the male's behavioral response to sex pheromone in the beet armyworm could be observed only until locomotion activity of the male occurred at the end of the dark period, despite sex pheromone being released continuously from synthetic pheromone‐baited traps in the field.     

Influence of administration of pyridoxine on circadian rhythm of plasma ACTH, cortisol prolactin and somatotropin in normal subjects

The influence of vitamin B6 in a dosage of 300 mg X 2 in 24 hrs, on circadian rhythm of plasmatic ACTH, cortisol, prolactin and somatotropin have been studied in 10 normal women. After vitamin B6 24 hrs pattern of ACTH and cortisol is unchanged; prolactin levels are slightly lower, in a statistically unsignificant proportion the night peak of growth hormone is higher in a statistically significant proportion (p. 0.05). The effect of vitamin B6 is likely to me mediated by dopaminergic receptors at hypothalamic level as previous studies by other Authors appear to prove.     

Analysis of trough and peak of plasma melatonin circadian rhythm in ewes

This study evaluates the pattern of plasma melatonin during the trough and the peak of its daily rhythm. Blood samples from 8 ewes were collected every 3 h for a 48-h period. On the third day, blood samples were collected from 10:00 to 13:00 (trough) and from 20:00 to 23:00 (peak) every 20 min. Our results showed a robust daily rhythm of melatonin in both days of monitoring, with nocturnal acrophase. During the trough, a significant decrease was observed starting from the 10:40 with a progressive decrease about every 40 min. During the peak of the plasma melatonin daily rhythm, an increase was observed starting from the 20:40 with a progressive increase about every 40 min. These data could be taken in consideration to monitor the plasma melatonin variations during the 24 h, and for the administration of melatonin for breeding in ewes.     

Geographical variation in circadian eclosion rhythm and photoperiodic adult diapause inDrosophila littoralis

Summary The time measuring system ofDrosophila littoralis strains originating between 40–70° N was found to be highly variable and latitude dependent. The critical daylength for photoperiodic adult diapause varied from 12 h or no diapause response in the south to 20 h in north. The median timing of pupal eclosion rhythm varied correspondingly from 21 h to 12 h from lights off in LD 321, and the period of free-running rhythm of eclosion from 24 h to 19 h. The phase of the free-running rhythm was also variable, and correlated with the phase of the entrained rhythm. Latitudinal variation in the entrained rhythm of eclosion and in diapause is adaptive, leading to eclosion early in the morning and to overwintering at the adult stage. In some strains with a late phase of eclosion, strong transient cycles were seen following the transition from LL to DD. A total damping of the free-running eclosion rhythm within 2–7 days was common to all strains. This damping was more pronounced in the northern strains. The phase and period of eclosion rhythms were statistically independent. Diapause was not correlated with any parameters of the eclosion rhythm in the analysis. Diapause may still be influenced by the period of the eclosion rhythm, even though its minor contribution may be masked by a more variable, eclosion rhythm independent system in the determination of diapause.Abbreviations, symbols and terms LD Light/dark; as in LD 321 meaning a cycle of 3 h light21 h darkness - LL Continuous light - DD Continuous darkness - T Period of a Zeitgeber cycle - Natural period of eclosion rhythm in constant conditions - _EL Phase of the free-running rhythm of eclosion - A Amplitude of the free-running rhythm of eclosion; possible range is from 4.17% (no rhythmicity) to 20% (the daily eclosion peaks 2–6 within 5 h each) - P Persistence of the free-running rhythm of eclosion; the number of daily eclosion peaks where the mean for five highest hourly percentages still exceed 6% - A phase shift, expressed in h; a re-setting of a rhythm; either as an advance shift (i.e. earlier= +), or as a delay shift (i.e. later = –) - PRC Phase-response curve - _LD Phase of entrained rhythm of eclosion; e.g. _{LD 321} is the median hour of eclosion peak from lights off at LD 321 - SD _ecl Amplitude of the entrained rhythm of eclosion; the smaller SD_ecl the higher the amplitude - PPRC Photoperiodic response curve; proportion of females in diapause displayed as a function of daylength - CDL Critical photoperiod; the photoperiod in the 24 h LD cycle at which 50% of the population studied diapauses - SD _diap Accuracy of diapause response of a strain; the smaller the SD_diap the more accurate the response - Cdl The main locus controlling CDL inD. littoralis     

Age-related decline of plasma bioavailable testosterone in adult men

Plasma bioavailable and total testosterone (T), gonadotropins (FSH, LH) and prolactin (PRL) were determined in 70 ambulatory men subdivided into 3 groups according to age: group I (n = 22; age 20-35 yr), group II (n = 22; age: 36-50 yr) and group III (n = 26; age 51-70 yr). Bioavailable T levels declined significantly with age (r = -0.42; P less than 0.01) while those of total T decreased less significantly (r = -0.28; P less than 0.05). In addition, the decrease of bioavailable T occurred earlier. FSH was shown to increase with age (r = 0.41; P less than 0.01) whereas LH and PRL were not found to change significantly. Bioavailable T was correlated with total T (r = 0.25; P less than 0.05) and inversely correlated with FSH (r = -0.26; P less than 0.05). No correlation could be demonstrated between LH and either bioavailable or total T. In view of the age-related increase of sex hormone binding globulin, a fact generally observed in the literature, bioavailable T may be considered a more reliable index than total T for the evaluation of T production. Thus it may be concluded that the early decrease of bioavailable T in ambulatory men not known to have any pathology or any medication altering testicular function corresponds in fact to age-related decline of T secretion by the testes.     

No endogenous circadian rhythm in resting plasma Hsp72 concentration in humans

Extra-cellular (e) heat shock protein (Hsp)72 has been shown to be elevated in a number of clinical conditions and has been proposed as a potential diagnostic marker. From a methodological and diagnostic perspective, it is important to investigate if concentrations of eHsp72 fluctuate throughout the day; hence, the purpose of the study was to measure resting concentrations of plasma eHsp72 throughout a 24-h period. Blood samples were taken every hour from 1200-2100 hours and from 0700-1200 hours the following day from seven healthy recreationally active males. Participants remained in the laboratory throughout the trial, performed light sedentary activities and were provided with standardised meals and fluids. Physical activity was quantified throughout by the use of an accelerometer. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood samples were analysed for eHsp72 concentration using a commercially available high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (intra-assay coefficient of variation = 1.4%). One-way repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that measures of physiological stress such as heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure remained stable throughout the trial and subjects remained sedentary throughout (mean activity energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate-35.7 +/- 10.0 kcalh(-1)). Plasma Hsp72 concentration did not fluctuate significantly throughout the day and showed no apparent endogenous circadian rhythm in absolute (P = 0.367) or plasma volume change corrected data (P = 0.380). Individual coefficients of variation ranged from 3.8-7.7% (mean 5.4%). Mean Hsp72 concentration across all subjects and time points was 1.49 +/- 0.08 ngml(-1). These data show that in a rested state, plasma eHsp72 concentration shows no apparent endogenous circadian rhythm.     

Daily variations of plasma sex hormone-binding globulin binding capacity, testosterone and luteinizing hormone concentrations in healthy rested adult males

In this study the daily variations of plasma sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) binding capacity were measured together with plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in 7 healthy rested adult males. Plasma SHBG-binding capacity demonstrated a significant circadian rhythm (acrophase = 2.06 p.m.; mesor = 0.35 +/- 0.6 ng testosterone bound/100 ml; amplitude = 17% of the mesor). Plasma testosterone also showed a circadian rhythm (acrophase = 7.02 a.m.; mesor = 4.38 +/- 0.67 ng/ml; amplitude = 18% of the mesor). The free testosterone index (or the ratio between plasma testosterone and SHBG-binding capacity) was not correlated with plasma LH levels. In our hands this last parameter did not vary according to a circadian pattern. These data are discussed in terms of a feedback mechanism controlling the pituitary-testis axis regulation.