About this Research Topic
Aging is the primary risk factor for the development of chronic disease and co-morbidities that notably impact cardiovascular and cognitive health. It is becoming increasingly clear that in humans, as well as experimental rodent models, the aging process is heterogeneous, with some individuals aging healthier than others; an observation that has yet to be adequately resolved at the molecular, cellular, organ, and integrative levels of physiological homeostasis. The microcirculation, namely the blood and lymphatic circulations, coordinate and maintain the optimal perfusion and health of all organs and tissues throughout the body, thus likely playing a role in healthy aging. The current topic will focus on resilient aging with regard to lifespan and healthspan while integrating mechanisms of cross-talk among peripheral and central microcirculatory systems.
In large part, individual laboratory groups and respective studies in biomedical research have been restricted to physiological studies of a single age group, biological sex, organ system, and in some cases, the contribution of only one gene or protein to an observed physiological or pathophysiological phenomenon. Accordingly, a contaminating effect of data “homogenization” across the literature has become commonplace while not well-resolved for the differentiation and integration among organ systems to sufficiently understand and treat the development of chronic vascular disease that occurs with aging. Increasing the number of integrative studies and perspectives will advance our understanding of why some individuals experience a more successful healthspan and lifespan compared to others. Through publication of review, perspective, and primary research manuscripts, the goal of the current Research Topic is to better understand the integrated product as vascular aging.
The Research Topic will encompass the microcirculatory basis for development of age-related dementia and role of biological sex using the following specific themes:
- Interdependency of cognitive health with other organ systems (coronary, pulmonary, renal, skeletal muscle, gut)
- Fundamental mechanisms of structure and function of the blood vs. lymphatic circulation as they pertain to physiological and supra-physiological aging process;
- Genetic vs. post-translational regulation of ion channel expression and function for governing resistance vs. permeability throughout vascular networks;
- Pharmacological (hypertension & metabolic disorder drugs) vs. non-pharmacological (exercise & diet regimens) therapy;
- Modern and emerging methods of “–omics” and physiological data integration across organ systems.
Keywords: Microcirculatory systems, aging, vascular genetics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
