Final answer:
Autonomic inefficiency in aging is often due to peripheral vascular changes. These changes can lead to blood flow issues and affect the autonomic nervous system, causing a range of symptoms from motor control issues to altered heart rate and digestion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In aging, autonomic inefficiency is most commonly due to peripheral vascular changes. Aging can lead to a reduction in homeostatic balance, making elderly individuals more prone to disease. This can manifest as difficulty in regulating body temperature, higher susceptibility to infectious diseases, and increased risk for conditions such as heat stroke. Peripheral vascular changes can affect blood flow and lead to autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
Conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) illustrate the importance of myelin in neuron function, and with aging, the regeneration of cells, including neurons, becomes less efficient. This impacts not just motor function but can also lead to autonomic nervous system issues. For instance, diabetes can cause peripheral nerve damage that affects postganglionic sympathetic fibers, leading to symptoms of autonomic inefficiency. Sensorial disturbances like impaired control of motor movements, perpetually low heart rate, or decreased digestion ability can all stem from such neurological changes.