HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Accepted manuscript (PDF) All Versions of this Article: JOE-09-0431v1 205/3/201    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Perrini, S. Articles by Giorgino, F. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Perrini, S. Articles by Giorgino, F.

S Perrini, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
L Laviola, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
M Carreira, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
A Cignarelli, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
A Natalicchio, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
F Giorgino, Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Andrology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

Correspondence: Francesco Giorgino, Email: f.giorgino{at}endo.uniba.it

Widespreasd increase in life expectancy is accompanied by an increased prevalence of features of physical frailty. Signs and symptoms may include sarcopenia and osteopenia, reduced exercise capacity, and diminished sense of well-being. The pathogenesis of age-associated sarcopenia and osteopenia is multifactorial, and hormonal decline may be a contributing factor. Aging is associated with a progressive decrease in growth hormone (GH) secretion, and more than 30% of elderly people have circulating IGF-I levels below the young-normal range. GH acts directly on target tissues, including skeletal muscle and bone among many others, but many effects are mediated indirectly by circulating (liver-derived) or locally produced IGF-I. Aging is also associated with reduced insulin sensitivity which, in turn, may contribute to the impairment of IGF-I action. Recent experimental evidence suggests that, besides the age-dependent decline of GH and IGF-I serum levels, the dysregulation of GH and IGF-I actions due to impairment in the post-receptor signaling machinery may contribute to the loss of muscle mass and osteopenia. This article will focus on the molecular mechanisms of impaired GH and IGF-I signaling and action in aging and their role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia and osteoporosis.