Which component becomes less elastic with age?

• A. Arteries
• B. Veins
• C. Capillaries
• D. Nerves

Answer: (A)

Arteries become less elastic with age because the elastic fibers in their walls degrade and are partly replaced by stiffer collagen; calcification can also stiffen the vessels. This loss of elasticity, or arterial compliance, means the arteries don’t expand as well during the heartbeat and don’t recoil as effectively between beats. The result is higher systolic pressure and a wider pulse pressure in older adults. Veins and capillaries aren’t primarily affected in the same way—veins are designed to be more compliant to hold more blood, and capillaries are thin-walled for exchange rather than for elastic recoil. Nerves aren’t an elastic tissue; aging affects conduction and myelin but not arterial elasticity.