Endocrine Abstracts

Mice with targeted deletion of GH receptor (GHRKO mice) are GH resistant, small, hypoinsulinemic, very sensitive to insulin and remarkably long-lived. We have previously reported that these animals failed to respond to calorie restriction (CR) by additional increase in insulin sensitivity or extension of longevity. Because GHRKO mice are characterized by increased adiposity and adiposity is normally associated with insulin resistance rather than sensitivity, we hypothesized th...

Alterations in insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling (IIS) play a key role in lifespan extension in model organisms. For example, mice globally null for insulin receptor substrate protein 1 (IRS1), a major intracellular IIS effector, are both long-lived and have improved health during this long life. However, unlike long-lived GH dwarf mice and dietary restricted (DR) mice, Irs1 null mice combine an increased lifespan with lifelong insulin resistance. These findings ...

Normal ageing is accompanied by increased organismal frailty, reflecting organ specific functional decline, with an associated increase in the likelihood of disease. The immune system undergoes significant decline with age, termed immunesenescence, which results in increased susceptibility to infection and reduced vaccination responses. Significant changes in the hormonal milieu also occur with age and it is clear that age-related changes in adrenal hormone secretion can impos...

Cognitive decline with ageing is highly variable, with some individuals showing minimal change, and others developing dementias. Clinically significant cognitive impairment is among the most important unmet medical needs worldwide: currently there are virtually no generally accepted effective prevention strategies or treatments.Ageing is associated with multiple changes in hormone levels and target tissue sensitivity. There is a rapidly growing evidence ...