In man, a parallelism between the sub epidermic connective tissue and the vascular (aorta and coronary) changes with age was noted. The vascular state is reflected by the alterations of the papillary dermis – normal vessels correspond to a normal skin, what ever the patient’s age; a damaged aorta and coronary artery correspond to a damaged skin. The study of the cutaneous fibroblasts during human ageing reveals a progressive lack of microfibrillar secretions and signs of cytoplasmic suffering. The more intense the vascular injury, the more pronounced is the cutaneous change. The detection of the subepidermic connective tissue injuries is particularly interesting for the diagnosis of early arteriosclerosis. Above age 45, vascular and cutaneous alterations increase. They are linked to normal ageing. This parallelism between vascular ageing and the degree of the cutaneous damage also appears in chronic lathyrism. In the rat, the administration of lathyric toxic agents at weak and prolonged doses caused simultaneous alterations of aortic and cutaneous connective tissues in the eighth week of intoxication. In the aorta, a dislocation of the elastic framework, an increase of the interstitial tissue, a dedifferentiation of muscle cells are observed. In the skin, the papillary dermis presents a collagenic tissue with thin and fragmented bundles, a progressive disappearance of the elastic framework and alterations of the fibroblasts with signs of damage and a deficient secretion. In experimental lathyrism, the changes of the elastic fibres are accompanied by a dedifferentiation of the muscular cells of the aorta and an alteration of the cutaneous fibroblasts. These damages correspond to the modifications observed during ageing in man. This experimentation reveals chronic lathyrism as an experimental pattern of the human connective tissue ageing. This toxic agent causes connective tissue (fibrillary and cellular), aortic and cutaneous injuries rather similar to those observed in senescent man.

This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.