Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Aug;1204:54-64. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05524.x.
Unlike menopause, male reproductive senescence does not involve an acute drop in fertility. Men do, however, manifest distinct changes in somatic and gonadal function with age. Moreover, population variation in male reproductive senescence reveals phenotypic plasticity resulting from environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors. An evolutionary and life history perspective is vital for understanding male reproductive senescence because aging involves biological constraint as well as adjustments to reproductive strategies and the allocation of somatic resources. An awareness of life history-related tradeoffs between energetic and time constraints is especially useful because biological aspects of male senescence are products of environmental challenges and natural selection. This article reviews the adaptive significance of the evolutionary biology of human male senescence with particular attention to population variation. An evolutionary perspective cannot only shed light on the origins and biology of human male senescence but also provide insights into contemporary issues of male aging and health.
与女性更年期不同,男性生殖衰老并不会导致生育能力的急剧下降。然而,男性确实会随着年龄的增长表现出身体和性腺功能的明显变化。此外,男性生殖衰老的人群变化揭示了表型可塑性,这是由环境、生活方式和遗传因素造成的。从进化和生命史的角度来看,理解男性生殖衰老至关重要,因为衰老是生物限制以及对生殖策略和身体资源分配的调整的结果。对能量和时间限制之间与生活史相关的权衡的认识尤其有用,因为男性衰老的生物学方面是环境挑战和自然选择的产物。本文综述了人类男性衰老的进化生物学的适应意义,特别关注人群变化。进化视角不仅可以揭示人类男性衰老的起源和生物学,还可以为当代男性衰老和健康问题提供新的见解。