Altered Mechanisms of Vasodilation in Aged Human Skin

In Brief Human skin blood flow increases in response to increased body core and local skin temperature via distinct reflex and local mechanisms requiring functional nitric oxide (NO) for full expression. The mechanisms mediating cutaneous vasodilation are impaired with primary aging, resulting in attenuated vasodilation. This article highlights recent findings of how age-related vascular impairments in NO signaling contribute to attenuated cutaneous vasodilation. Age-related attenuated skin blood flow during whole-body and localized heating is mediated by impairments in sympathetic and local NO-dependent mechanisms.