Award details

Age-related changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary -adrenal axis: Role in immunesenescence and effect of DHEA replacement

Reference	ERA16062
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Janet Lord
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Michael Salmon
Institution	University of Birmingham
Department	Medical Sciences - Medicine
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	242,084
Status	Completed
Type	Research Grant
Start date	01/02/2002
End date	31/01/2006
Duration	48 months

Abstract

As humans age the level of circulating dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a major adrenal steroid, declines gradually, with only 10-20 percent of the peak adult level remaining by the seventh decade. DHEA has anti-glucocorticoid actions and as levels of cortisol do not decline with age, ageing is accompanied by a relative glucocorticoid excess and potential immunosuppression. This project will determine the contribution of a decline in DHEA levels to the age-related loss of immune function in humans and whether restoration of DHEA levels can improve key immune functions that are affected by ageing and impact upon the health of the elderly, namely: response to influenza vaccines, T-lymphocyte anti-viral responses and neutrophil bactericidal function.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Biochemistry & Cell Biology (BCB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	Experimental Research on Ageing (ERA) [2001]
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

I accept the terms and conditions of use (opens in new window)

export PDF file

back to list new search