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PERSPECTIVE article

Front. Aging
Sec. Molecular Mechanisms of Aging
Volume 5 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fragi.2024.1526230
This article is part of the Research Topic Unraveling the Complexity of Aging: An In-Depth Examination of its Hallmarks View all 3 articles

Hallmarks of Aging: Middle-aging Hypovascularity, Tissue Perfusion and Nitric oxide Perspective on Healthspan

Provisionally accepted
  • Molecular Medicine, NSW Health Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Aging is a complex process marked by various changes at both cellular and systemic levels, impacting the functioning and lifespan of organisms. Over time, researchers have pinpointed several significant hallmarks of aging that lead to the gradual deterioration of tissue function, regulation, and homeostasis associated with aging in humans. Despite this, the intricate interactions and cumulative effects of these hallmarks are still mostly uncharted territory. Understanding this complex web is a major challenge in Geroscience, yet it is crucial for developing effective strategies that promote healthy aging, reduce medical costs, and ensure the sustainability of health systems. Gaining insights in this area is essential for creating interventions that can slow the aging process, enhance healthspan, and decrease the likelihood of age-related diseases. The integration of knowledge from various fields concerning the middle-aging nitric oxide (NO)-mediated hypovascularity hypoxia hemodynamic hypothesis points to a systems-based approach to the biological hallmarks of aging. Key evidence suggests a systemic connection between the endocrine system (specifically sex hormones), endogenous NO deficiency, and the vascular system, which serves as a network of microvascular structures crucial for tissue perfusion functions at cellular level. These processes also involve oxidative stress and inflammation triggered by hypoxia.

    Keywords: Aging hallmarks, geroscience, Vascular aging, Tissue perfusion, Nitric Oxide, Healthspan, causal inference, triangulation of evidence

    Received: 11 Nov 2024; Accepted: 17 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Phua. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Teow J Phua, Molecular Medicine, NSW Health Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.