ORGAN BODY-WEIGHT LOSS WITH AGING - EVIDENCE FOR COORDINATED INVOLUTION

Loss of body weight, during later stages of aging, is a phenomenon rec ognized in all human populations studied. Reduction of body weight is accompanied by a loss of internal organ weight and volume. The usual a pproach is to describe organ weight versus age. However, organ weight can be related to overall body weight, by means of the allometric equa tion. This general expression can be used to relate the weight of each of several organs to that of the body, and offered a good description of data for a reported Japanese autopsy study on males and females ov er the age of 60 years. The equations were also used in describing the ratio of organ weights (such as the spleen/liver weight). A further e xtension was in examining the terms of the allometric equation (a cons tant and an exponent for each organ), and noting a close coupling betw een male and female values. The allometric description of organ weight s versus body weight, suggests a 'co-ordinated involution', and appear s worthy of further investigation.