A flame burning within

Inflammation is a human being's primary defense against threats to homeostasis that are encountered every day. Especially in old age, when regulatory mechanisms responsible for inflammatory responses may be ineffective or damaged, the result can be adverse pathological conditions, and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The inflammation response is a plastic network composed of redundant signaling among several different mediators. These mediators have a reciprocal relationship with other biological sub-systems, including hormone regulation, the autonomic nervous system, and oxidative/anti-oxidant balance. Studying this complex architecture requires parallel and multiple research strategies from epidemiological to biochemical level, from observational studies to innovative intervention approaches. Given that the inflammatory response is a critical age-related process, understanding its regulatory action is essential in avoiding hazardous consequences in old age. (C) 2004, Editrice Kurtis.