Aging and Complexity of Pulpal Blood Flow Oscillations

A few studies of aging showed that cutaneous blood flow and complexity of blood flow oscillations decrease with age. The objective of this study was to investigate the aging effect on the dental pulp blood flow and on the complexity of pulpal blood flow (PBF) oscillations.

Method:

PBF measurements were carried out on intact right upper central incisors of 10 healthy young subjects (20-25 years) and 10 healthy elderly subjects (60-70 years). Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to assess PBF. The complexity of some characteristic frequencies (cardiac, respiratory and myogenic) of PBF was assessed by self-similarity measure, Hurst exponent.

Result:

PBF levels were significantly higher in young general population compared to elderly. Hurst exponents calculated for all three frequency ranges, as a whole, showed complexity for both groups of participants, being significantly lesser in older group of participants. Significant difference between younger and older participants in complexity of particular frequency range was observed only for the myogenic component, beingdecreased in older participants.

Conclusion:

It could be concluded that PBF declines with age and that myogenic component of PBF contributes to a decrease in complexity of PBF oscillations in older participants.