Neuroendocrinology of ageing

Many common problems encountered in the ageing patient can be related to ne uroendocrine phenomena. These include Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cog nitive dysfunction, depression, Parkinson's disease, hyponatraemia and the postmenopausal increase in both vascular risk and osteoporosis. This review concentrates on the hypothalamic neuroendocrine system, including the dopa minergic, noradrenergic, serotoninergic, cholinergic and neurohypophyseal s ystems and the roles of the anterior pituitary and monoamine oxidases, lute inizing hormone-releasing hormone, corticotrophin-releasing factor, the pro -opiomelanocortin-derived and opioid peptides, peptides involved in growth hormone and thyrotropin regulation, and amino acid transmitters.