Food restriction in female Wistar rats. II. β-adrenoceptor density in the cerebellum and in the splenic lymphocytes

The effect of diet restriction, applied on an every-other-day schedule from 3.5 months of age on, has been investigated on the β-adrenoceptor density in the cerebellum and in the splenic lymphocytes of old female Wistar rats. Comparing animals 6 months and 24 months old fed ad libitum, a 75% age-dependent reduction in specific binding of the agonist dihydroalprenolol was observed in cerebellar membrane preparations, while the β-adrenoceptor density of lymphocytes remained unaltered. Diet restriction induced a partial recovery of the age-related decrease of this parameter in the cerebellum without affecting the receptor density of lymphocytes. Present results suggest that undernutrition delays the appearance of those alterations related to aging.