Many aspects of aging tend to progress in parallel, which is much as one might expect if considering aging to be a collection of outcomes that all arise from the same underlying forms of cell and tissue damage. So finding a correlation isn't always evidence that there is some link between outcomes in aging. Here, researchers note an association between physical capacity and autonomic nervous system function in late life. It is quite possible to theorize on cause and consequence, and the mechanisms involved, in this situation - but actually proving any of those connections is quite a different story.
The autonomic nervous system plays unique and pivotal roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis. These roles are mainly exerted through their effects on the function of multiple organ systems. Aside from its well-known effects on cardiovascular and metabolic systems, recent experimental research even showed the previously unexpected close connections of autonomic nervous system activity with inflammation, immune responses, and skeletal muscle physiology.
Here, we conducted a longitudinal study with repeated measurements of heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic nervous system function, and functional capacity. We aimed to examine the longitudinal association of heart rate variability and its change with changes in functional capacity over time in older adults.
A cohort of 542 adults (mean age of 70.1 years) received repeated measurements of heart rate variability, an autonomic nervous system function marker, and chair rise time, a functional capacity measure. Linear mixed models analysis showed that 1 standard deviation (SD) lower power in low-frequency range of heart rate variability at baseline was associated with a 0.11 second/year faster increase in chair rise time during the follow-up, whereas 1 SD increase in power in high-frequency range and 1 SD decrease in the ratio of power in low-frequency range to power in high-frequency range during the follow-up were associated with a 0.22 second and 0.17 second increase in chair rise time. In conclusion, autonomic nervous system function and its changes were longitudinally associated with changes in functional capacity in older adults.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-80659-w
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