Aging and Inflammation in Macrophages

As we age it becomes more difficult for our bodies to repair and recover from illness or injury; specifically, injuries to the peripheral nervous system. In addition, cellular and systemic dysfunction can lead to disorders that cause incomplete regeneration including movement and sensory disorders like neuralgia and vision loss1. Consequently, the extent of neurological recovery decreases, with the best recovery being for patients from 20-25 years of age, with a progressive non-linear decline as we age2. Annually, the majority of the 18 million peripheral nerve injuries occur in patients over the age of 45, and less than half of those ever regain full functional recovery1. Even when controlling for the type and severity of the nerve injury, the strongest determinant of recovery is the age of the subject3