Age- and Sex-Related Differences in the Lipid Profile and Stress Response in Human Aging

We analyzed the dynamics of the main lipid profile parameters, the plasma concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and the 24-hour urinary concentration of free cortisol, melatonin sulfate, metanephrine, and normetanephrine in 1136 subjects of different ages and sexes. Pronounced age- and sex-related differences were discovered both in the blood concentration of atherogenic lipid fractions and in the types of hyperlipidemia. We also found significant differences in the age dynamics of the parameters of stress response in men and women and in the correlation between these parameters and the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and its atherogenic index. These data suggest that the mechanisms of atherosclerosis development and pathological aging caused by this disorder differ between the sexes and age groups. The results of this study can be used to solve the problem of early detection and prediction of different age-related pathological conditions.