Our objective was to evaluate the influence of aging on left ventricular (LV) regional systolic function along the long and short axes in clinically normal patients. We recorded LV wall motion velocity patterns at the mid-wall portion of the middle of the LV posterior wall in the parasternal long-axis view (short-axis direction) and at the endocardial portion of the middle of the LV posterior wall in the apical long-axis view (long-axis direction) with pulsed tissue Doppler imaging in 80 normal patients (age range 15 to 78 years). In all patients the LV pressure curve and its first derivative (dP/dt) were recorded. The systolic wave of the LV posterior wall motion velocity pattern exhibited 2 peaks, the first (Sw(1)) and second (Sw(2)) systolic waves. No significant changes were seen with aging in the percent LV fractional shortening determined by M-mode echocardiography, LV ejection fraction determined by left ventriculography, the peak Sw(1) and Sw(2) along the short axis, the peak Sw(2) along the long axis, and the peak dP/dt. The peak Sw(1) along the long axis correlated inversely with age (P <.0001) but did not correlate significantly with the peak dP/dt. These results suggest that shortening of the longitudinal fibers in early systole is impaired with increased age in healthy individuals. This impairment results in insufficient spherical change in the LV cavity, although global LV pump function and myocardial contractility are maintained.