Correlations among Brain Gray Matter Volumes, Age, Gender, and Hemisphere in Healthy Individuals

PubMed Central

Taki, Yasuyuki; Thyreau, Benjamin; Kinomura, Shigeo; Sato, Kazunori; Goto, Ryoi; Kawashima, Ryuta; Fukuda, Hiroshi

2011-01-01

To determine the relationship between age and gray matter structure and how interactions between gender and hemisphere impact this relationship, we examined correlations between global or regional gray matter volume and age, including interactions of gender and hemisphere, using a general linear model with voxel-based and region-of-interest analyses. Brain magnetic resonance images were collected from 1460 healthy individuals aged 20–69 years; the images were linearly normalized and segmented and restored to native space for analysis of global gray matter volume. Linearly normalized images were then non-linearly normalized and smoothed for analysis of regional gray matter volume. Analysis of global gray matter volume revealed a significant negative correlation between gray matter ratio (gray matter volume divided by intracranial volume) and age in both genders, and a significant interaction effect of age × gender on the gray matter ratio. In analyzing regional gray matter volume, the gray matter volume of all regions showed significant main effects of age, and most regions, with the exception of several including the inferior parietal lobule, showed a significant age × gender interaction. Additionally, the inferior temporal gyrus showed a significant age × gender × hemisphere interaction. No regional volumes showed significant age × hemisphere interactions. Our study may contribute to clarifying the mechanism(s) of normal brain aging in each brain region. PMID:21818377

Predictors of healthy ageing: public health policy targets.

PubMed

Sowa, Agnieszka; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Topór-Mądry, Roman; Poscia, Andrea; la Milia, Daniele Ignazio

2016-09-05

The public health policy agenda oriented towards healthy ageing becomes the highest priority for the European countries. The article discusses the healthy ageing concept and its possible determinants with an aim to identify behavioral patterns related to healthy ageing in selected European countries. The healthy ageing is assessed based on a composite indicator of self-assessed health, functional capabilities and life meaningfulness. The logistic regression models are used to assess the impact of the healthy lifestyle index, psycho-social index and socio-economic status on the probability of healthy ageing (i.e. being healthy at older age). The lifestyle and psychosocial indexes are created as a sum of behaviors that might be important for healthy ageing. Models are analyzed for three age groups of older people: 60-67, 68-79 and 80+ as well as for three groups of countries representing Western, Southern and Central-Eastern Europe. The lifestyle index covering vigorous and moderate physical activity, consumption of vegetables and fruits, regular consumption of meals and adequate consumption of liquids is positively related to healthy ageing, increasing the likelihood of being healthy at older age with each of the items specified in the index. The score of the index is found to be significantly higher (on average by 1 point for men and 1.1 for women) for individuals ageing healthily. The psychosocial index covering employment, outdoor social participation, indoor activities and life satisfaction is also found to be significantly related to health increasing the likelihood of healthy ageing with each point of the index score. There is an educational gradient in healthy ageing in the population below the age of 68 and in Southern and Central-Eastern European countries. In Western European countries, income is positively related to healthy ageing for females. Stimulation physical activity and adequate nutrition are crucial domains for a well-defined public health policy

Social cognition in schizophrenia and healthy aging: differences and similarities.

PubMed

Silver, Henry; Bilker, Warren B

2014-12-01

Social cognition is impaired in schizophrenia but it is not clear whether this is specific for the illness and whether emotion perception is selectively affected. To study this we examined the perception of emotional and non-emotional clues in facial expressions, a key social cognitive skill, in schizophrenia patients and old healthy individuals using young healthy individuals as reference. Tests of object recognition, visual orientation, psychomotor speed, and working memory were included to allow multivariate analysis taking into account other cognitive functions Schizophrenia patients showed impairments in recognition of identity and emotional facial clues compared to young and old healthy groups. Severity was similar to that for object recognition and visuospatial processing. Older and younger healthy groups did not differ from each other on these tests. Schizophrenia patients and old healthy individuals were similarly impaired in the ability to automatically learn new faces during the testing procedure (measured by the CSTFAC index) compared to young healthy individuals. Social cognition is distinctly impaired in schizophrenia compared to healthy aging. Further study is needed to identify the mechanisms of automatic social cognitive learning impairment in schizophrenia patients and healthy aging individuals and determine whether similar neural systems are affected. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Productivity, vitality and utility in a group of healthy professionally active individuals with nocturia.

PubMed

Kobelt, G; Borgström, F; Mattiasson, A

2003-02-01

To assess the effect of nocturia on productivity, vitality and utility in a selected group of professionally active individuals with nocturia, compared with matched controls, and investigate the effect of symptom severity, to test the hypothesis that lack of sleep caused by frequent sleep interruptions could reduce an individuals' daytime energy and activity levels. Subjects (203) were recruited in Sweden through advertisements, and their suitability for the study assessed in a structured interview. Controls (80) matched for age and gender were randomly selected from a market research panel and given the same interview. Both groups completed a productivity questionnaire, a generic quality-of-life questionnaire with a specific domain for vitality and a utility instrument. The study group with nocturia had a significantly lower level of vitality and utility, and greater impairment of work and activity, than the control group. Women were more affected than men. Symptom severity correlated with all three measures. In an otherwise healthy and professionally active group of individuals, waking at night to void significantly diminishes their overall well-being, vitality and productivity, leading to a significant level of indirect and intangible costs.

Changing course in ageing research: The healthy ageing phenotype.

PubMed

Franco, Oscar H; Karnik, Kavita; Osborne, Gabrielle; Ordovas, Jose M; Catt, Michael; van der Ouderaa, Frans

2009-05-20

Ageing is often associated with the aged and the diseased, nevertheless ageing is a process that starts in-uterus and is characterised by a progressive functional loss but not necessarily by the presence of disease and poor quality of life. How to meander through life without crossing the confines of major chronic disease and cognitive and physical impairment remains one of the most relevant challenges for science and humankind. Delimiting that 'immaculate' trajectory - that we dub as the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype' - and exploring solutions to help the population to stay or return to this trajectory should constitute the core focus of scientific research. Nevertheless, current efforts on ageing research are mainly focused on developing animal models to disentangle the human ageing process, and on age-related disorders often providing merely palliative solutions. Therefore, to identify alternative perspectives in ageing research, Unilever and the Medical Research Council (MRC) UK convened a Spark workshop entitled 'The Healthy Ageing Phenotype'. In this meeting, international specialists from complementary areas related to ageing research, gathered to find clear attributes and definitions of the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype', to identify potential mechanisms and interventions to improve healthy life expectancy of the population; and to highlight areas within ageing research that should be prioritised in the future. General agreement was reached in recognising ageing research as a disaggregated field with little communication between basic, epidemiological and clinical areas of research and limited translation to society. A more holistic, multi-disciplinary approach emanating from a better understanding of healthy ageing trajectories and centred along human biological resilience, its maintenance and the reversibility from early deviations into pathological trajectories, is urgently required. Future research should concentrate on understanding the mechanisms that permit

Gender, Contraceptives and Individual Metabolic Predisposition Shape a Healthy Plasma Lipidome.

PubMed

Sales, Susanne; Graessler, Juergen; Ciucci, Sara; Al-Atrib, Rania; Vihervaara, Terhi; Schuhmann, Kai; Kauhanen, Dimple; Sysi-Aho, Marko; Bornstein, Stefan R; Bickle, Marc; Cannistraci, Carlo V; Ekroos, Kim; Shevchenko, Andrej

2016-06-14

Lipidomics of human blood plasma is an emerging biomarker discovery approach that compares lipid profiles under pathological and physiologically normal conditions, but how a healthy lipidome varies within the population is poorly understood. By quantifying 281 molecular species from 27 major lipid classes in the plasma of 71 healthy young Caucasians whose 35 clinical blood test and anthropometric indices matched the medical norm, we provided a comprehensive, expandable and clinically relevant resource of reference molar concentrations of individual lipids. We established that gender is a major lipidomic factor, whose impact is strongly enhanced by hormonal contraceptives and mediated by sex hormone-binding globulin. In lipidomics epidemiological studies should avoid mixed-gender cohorts and females taking hormonal contraceptives should be considered as a separate sub-cohort. Within a gender-restricted cohort lipidomics revealed a compositional signature that indicates the predisposition towards an early development of metabolic syndrome in ca. 25% of healthy male individuals suggesting a healthy plasma lipidome as resource for early biomarker discovery.

Healthy Family 2009: Assuring Healthy Aging

MedlinePlus

... Issue Past Issues Healthy Family 2009 Assuring Healthy Aging Past Issues / Winter 2009 Table of Contents For ... please turn Javascript on. 7 Smart Steps to Aging Well 1. Control Blood Pressure You can have ...

Psychosocial Characteristics of Children with Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence Versus Matched Healthy Children

PubMed Central

Avis, Kristin T.; Shen, Jiabin; Weaver, Patrick; Schwebel, David C.

2015-01-01

Background: Hypersomnia of central origin from narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia (IHS) is characterized by pathological levels of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Central hypersomnia has historically been underdiagnosed and poorly understood, especially with respect to its impact on daytime functioning and quality of life in children. Objective: Describe the psychosocial adjustment of children treated for narcolepsy or IHS on school performance, quality of life, and physical/extracurricular activities. Methods: Using a matched case control design, we compared child self- and parent-reported data from thirty-three 8- to 16-year-olds with an established diagnosis of narcolepsy or IHS, according to ICSD-2 criteria, to that of 33 healthy children matched by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and household income. Assessments evaluated academic performance, quality of life and wellness, sleepiness, and participation in extracurricular activities. Results: Compared to healthy controls, children with central hypersomnia had poorer daytime functioning in multiple domains. Children with hypersomnia missed more days of school and had lower grades than healthy controls. Children with hypersomnia had poorer quality of life by both parent and child report. Children with hypersomnia were significantly sleepier, had higher BMI, and were more likely to report a history of recent injury. Finally, children with hypersomnia engaged in fewer after-school activities than healthy controls. Conclusions: A range of significant psychosocial consequences are reported in children with hypersomnia even after a diagnosis has been made and treatments initiated. Health care professionals should be mindful of the psychosocial problems that may present in children with hypersomnia over the course of treatment. Citation: Avis KT, Shen J, Weaver P, Schwebel DC. Psychosocial characteristics of children with central disorders of hypersomnolence versus matched healthy children. J Clin Sleep Med 2015

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Esophageal Candidiasis in Healthy Individuals: A Single Center Experience in Korea

PubMed Central

Choi, Jae Hyeuk; Lee, Chang Geun; Kang, Hyoun Woo; Lim, Chi Yeon; Choi, Jong-Sun

2013-01-01

Purpose Esophageal candidiasis (EC) is the most frequent opportunistic fungal infection in immunocompromised host. However, we have found EC in healthy individuals through esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for EC in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 281 patients who had been incidentally diagnosed with EC. We also conducted age and sex matched case control study to identify the risk factor for EC. Results The prevalence of EC was 0.32% (281/88125). The most common coexisting EGD finding was reflux esophagitis (49/281, 17.4%). An antifungal agent was prescribed in about half of EC, 139 cases (49.5%). Follow-up EGD was undertaken in 83 cases (29.5%) and 20 cases of candidiasis was persistently found. Case control study revealed EC were more often found in user of antibiotics (p=0.015), corticosteroids (p=0.002) and herb medication (p=0.006) as well as heavy drinking (p<0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of EC was 0.32% (281/88125) in Korea. Use of antibiotics, corticosteroids and herb as well as heavy drinking were significant risk factors for EC in healthy individuals. PMID:23225813

Adult height, dietary patterns, and healthy aging.

PubMed

Ma, Wenjie; Hagan, Kaitlin A; Heianza, Yoriko; Sun, Qi; Rimm, Eric B; Qi, Lu

2017-08-01

Background: Adult height has shown directionally diverse associations with several age-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, decline in cognitive function, and mortality. Objective: We investigated the associations of adult height with healthy aging measured by a full spectrum of health outcomes, including incidence of chronic diseases, memory, physical functioning, and mental health, among populations who have survived to older age, and whether lifestyle factors modified such relations. Design: We included 52,135 women (mean age: 44.2 y) from the Nurses' Health Study without chronic diseases in 1980 and whose health status was available in 2012. Healthy aging was defined as being free of 11 major chronic diseases and having no reported impairment of subjective memory, physical impairment, or mental health limitations. Results: Of all eligible study participants, 6877 (13.2%) were classified as healthy agers. After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors, we observed an 8% (95% CI: 6%, 11%) decrease in the odds of healthy aging per SD (0.062 m) increase in height. Compared with the lowest category of height (≤1.57 m), the OR of achieving healthy aging in the highest category (≥1.70 m) was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.87; P -trend < 0.001). In addition, we found a significant interaction of height with a prudent dietary pattern in relation to healthy aging ( P -interaction = 0.005), and among the individual dietary factors characterizing the prudent dietary pattern, fruit and vegetable intake showed the strongest effect modification ( P -interaction = 0.01). The association of greater height with reduced odds of healthy aging appeared to be more evident among women with higher adherence to the prudent dietary pattern rich in vegetable and fruit intake. Conclusions: Greater height was associated with a modest decrease in the likelihood of healthy aging. A prudent diet rich in fruit and vegetables might modify the relation. © 2017

Healthy lifestyle habits and mortality in overweight and obese individuals.

PubMed

Matheson, Eric M; King, Dana E; Everett, Charles J

2012-01-01

Though the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices are well-established among the general population, less is known about how developing and adhering to healthy lifestyle habits benefits obese versus normal weight or overweight individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between healthy lifestyle habits (eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily, exercising regularly, consuming alcohol in moderation, and not smoking) and mortality in a large, population-based sample stratified by body mass index (BMI). We examined the association between healthy lifestyle habits and mortality in a sample of 11,761 men and women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III; subjects were ages 21 and older and fell at various points along the BMI scale, from normal weight to obese. Subjects were enrolled between October 1988 and October 1994 and were followed for an average of 170 months. After multivariable adjustment for age, sex, race, education, and marital status, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality for individuals who adhered to 0, 1, 2, or 3 healthy habits were 3.27 (2.36-4.54), 2.59 (2.06-3.25), 1.74 (1.51-2.02), and 1.29 (1.09-1.53), respectively, relative to individuals who adhered to all 4 healthy habits. When stratified into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups, all groups benefited from the adoption of healthy habits, with the greatest benefit seen within the obese group. Healthy lifestyle habits are associated with a significant decrease in mortality regardless of baseline body mass index.

Heart rate autonomic regulation system at rest and during paced breathing among patients with CRPS as compared to age-matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Bartur, Gadi; Vatine, Jean-Jacques; Raphaely-Beer, Noa; Peleg, Sara; Katz-Leurer, Michal

2014-09-01

The objective of this study is to assess the autonomic nerve heart rate regulation system at rest and its immediate response to paced breathing among patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as compared with age-matched healthy controls. Quasiexperimental. Outpatient clinic. Ten patients with CRPS and 10 age- and sex-matched controls. Participants underwent Holter ECG (NorthEast Monitoring, Inc., Maynard, MA, USA) recording during rest and biofeedback-paced breathing session. Heart rate variability (HRV), time, and frequency measures were assessed. HRV and time domain values were significantly lower at rest among patients with CRPS as compared with controls. A significant association was noted between pain rank and HRV frequency measures at rest and during paced breathing; although both groups reduced breathing rate significantly during paced breathing, HRV time domain parameters increased only among the control group. The increased heart rate and decreased HRV at rest in patients with CRPS suggest a general autonomic imbalance. The inability of the patients to increase HRV time domain values during paced breathing may suggest that these patients have sustained stress response with minimal changeability in response to slow-paced breathing stimuli. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Motor and Tactile-Perceptual Skill Differences between Individuals with High-Functioning Autism and Typically Developing Individuals Ages 5-21

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abu-Dahab, Sana M. N.; Skidmore, Elizabeth R.; Holm, Margo B.; Rogers, Joan C.; Minshew, Nancy J.

2013-01-01

We examined motor and tactile-perceptual skills in individuals with high-functioning autism (IHFA) and matched typically developing individuals (TDI) ages 5-21 years. Grip strength, motor speed and coordination were impaired in IHFA compared to matched TDI, and the differences between groups varied with age. Although tactile-perceptual skills of…

Individual Test Point Fluctuations of Macular Sensitivity in Healthy Eyes and Eyes With Age-Related Macular Degeneration Measured With Microperimetry.

PubMed

Barboni, Mirella Telles Salgueiro; Szepessy, Zsuzsanna; Ventura, Dora Fix; Németh, János

2018-04-01

To establish fluctuation limits, it was considered that not only overall macular sensitivity but also fluctuations of individual test points in the macula might have clinical value. Three repeated measurements of microperimetry were performed using the Standard Expert test of Macular Integrity Assessment (MAIA) in healthy subjects ( N = 12, age = 23.8 ± 1.5 years old) and in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) ( N = 11, age = 68.5 ± 7.4 years old). A total of 37 macular points arranged in four concentric rings and in four quadrants were analyzed individually and in groups. The data show low fluctuation of macular sensitivity of individual test points in healthy subjects (average = 1.38 ± 0.28 dB) and AMD patients (average = 2.12 ± 0.60 dB). Lower sensitivity points are more related to higher fluctuation than to the distance from the central point. Fixation stability showed no effect on the sensitivity fluctuation. The 95th percentile of the standard deviations of healthy subjects was, on average, 2.7 dB, ranging from 1.2 to 4 dB, depending on the point tested. Point analysis and regional analysis might be considered prior to evaluating macular sensitivity fluctuation in order to distinguish between normal variation and a clinical change. S tatistical methods were used to compare repeated microperimetry measurements and to establish fluctuation limits of the macular sensitivity. This analysis could add information regarding the integrity of different macular areas and provide new insights into fixation points prior to the biofeedback fixation training.

A prospectus for ethical analysis of ageing individuals' responsibility to prevent cognitive decline.

PubMed

Forlini, Cynthia; Hall, Wayne

2017-11-01

As the world's population ages, governments and non-governmental organizations in developed countries are promoting healthy cognitive ageing to reduce the rate of age-related cognitive decline and sustain economic productivity in an ageing workforce. Recommendations from the Productivity Commission (Australia), Dementia Australia, Government Office for Science (UK), Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (USA), Institute of Medicine (USA), among others, are encouraging older adults to engage in mental, physical, and social activities. These lifestyle recommendations for healthy cognitive ageing are timely and well supported by scientific evidence but they make implicit normative judgments about the responsibility of ageing individuals to prevent cognitive decline. Ethical tensions arise when this individual responsibility collides with social and personal realities of ageing populations. First, we contextualize the priority given to healthy cognitive ageing within the current brain-based medical and social discourses. Second, we explore the individual responsibility by examining the economic considerations, medical evidence and individual interests that relate to the priority given to healthy cognitive ageing. Third, we identify three key ethical challenges for policymakers seeking to implement lifestyle recommendations as an effective population-level approach to healthy cognitive ageing. The result is a prospectus for future in-depth analysis of ethical tensions that arise from current policy discussions of healthy cognitive ageing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

DNA methylation age is elevated in breast tissue of healthy women.

PubMed

Sehl, Mary E; Henry, Jill E; Storniolo, Anna Maria; Ganz, Patricia A; Horvath, Steve

2017-07-01

Limited evidence suggests that female breast tissue ages faster than other parts of the body according to an epigenetic biomarker of aging known as the "epigenetic clock." However, it is unknown whether breast tissue samples from healthy women show a similar accelerated aging effect relative to other tissues, and what could drive this acceleration. The goal of this study is to validate our initial finding of advanced DNA methylation (DNAm) age in breast tissue, by directly comparing it to that of peripheral blood tissue from the same individuals, and to do a preliminary assessment of hormonal factors that could explain the difference. We utilized n = 80 breast and 80 matching blood tissue samples collected from 40 healthy female participants of the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center who donated these samples at two time points spaced at least a year apart. DNA methylation levels (Illumina 450K platform) were used to estimate the DNAm age. DNAm age was highly correlated with chronological age in both peripheral blood (r = 0.94, p < 0.0001) and breast tissues (r = 0.86, p < 0.0001). A measure of epigenetic age acceleration (age-adjusted DNAm Age) was substantially increased in breast relative to peripheral blood tissue (p = 1.6 × 10 -11 ). The difference between DNAm age of breast and blood decreased with advancing chronologic age (r = -0.53, p = 4.4 × 10 -4 ). Our data clearly demonstrate that female breast tissue has a higher epigenetic age than blood collected from the same subject. We also observe that the degree of elevation in breast diminishes with advancing age. Future larger studies will be needed to examine associations between epigenetic age acceleration and cumulative hormone exposure.

Psychopathological Dimensions in Substance Abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and Healthy Matched Group.

PubMed

Rezaei, Sajjad; Taramian, Sonbol; Kafie, Seyed Mousa

2013-01-01

Inattention to symptoms of mental disorders and substance abuse in patients with HIV/AIDS and other at-risk groups, may lead to irreversible damages. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychopathological dimensions in substance abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and healthy matched groups. In a cross-sectional and analytical study, selected samples (by available, consecutive, and objective methods) were 43 HIV-positive substance abusers, 49 HIV negative substance abusers under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in the counseling clinic of Behavioral Diseases and Addiction Abandonment, and 45 ordinary individuals. All of them were evaluated by matched confounding variables via Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Results indicated a significant difference between these groups in the Global Severity Index (GSI), Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI), and Positive Symptom Total (PST) (P < 0.001). Two by two the comparison of the three groups from psychopathological dimensions revealed that substance abusers with HIV/AIDS persistently suffer more mental problems in all dimensions compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). In addition, in comparison with HIV negative substance abusers, they also suffer more mental problems in other dimensions, including somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, phobia, and psychoticism (P < 0.05). Yet, the difference in paranoid ideation, hostility, and obsessive-compulsive cases was insignificant. Two by two, the comparison between healthy individuals and substance abusers without HIV/AIDS showed higher levels of depression and psychoticism in substance abusers (P < 0.05), but no difference in other dimensions. Comorbidity of substance abuse and HIV diagnosis intensify mental disorder symptoms. Moreover, lack of prevention and implementation of appropriate psychological and psychiatric interventions after substance abuse and HIV lead to extended establishment of mental disorder symptoms.

Psychopathological Dimensions in Substance Abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and Healthy Matched Group

PubMed Central

Rezaei, Sajjad; Taramian, Sonbol; Kafie, Seyed Mousa

2013-01-01

Background Inattention to symptoms of mental disorders and substance abuse in patients with HIV/AIDS and other at-risk groups, may lead to irreversible damages. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychopathological dimensions in substance abusers with and without HIV/AIDS and healthy matched groups. Methods In a cross-sectional and analytical study, selected samples (by available, consecutive, and objective methods) were 43 HIV-positive substance abusers, 49 HIV negative substance abusers under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in the counseling clinic of Behavioral Diseases and Addiction Abandonment, and 45 ordinary individuals. All of them were evaluated by matched confounding variables via Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Findings Results indicated a significant difference between these groups in the Global Severity Index (GSI), Positive Symptom Distress Index (PSDI), and Positive Symptom Total (PST) (P < 0.001). Two by two the comparison of the three groups from psychopathological dimensions revealed that substance abusers with HIV/AIDS persistently suffer more mental problems in all dimensions compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). In addition, in comparison with HIV negative substance abusers, they also suffer more mental problems in other dimensions, including somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, phobia, and psychoticism (P < 0.05). Yet, the difference in paranoid ideation, hostility, and obsessive-compulsive cases was insignificant. Two by two, the comparison between healthy individuals and substance abusers without HIV/AIDS showed higher levels of depression and psychoticism in substance abusers (P < 0.05), but no difference in other dimensions. Conclusion Comorbidity of substance abuse and HIV diagnosis intensify mental disorder symptoms. Moreover, lack of prevention and implementation of appropriate psychological and psychiatric interventions after substance abuse and HIV lead to extended establishment

Individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke can correctly match forearm positions within a single arm

PubMed Central

Gurari, Netta; Drogos, Justin M.; Dewald, Julius P.A.

2017-01-01

Objective Previous studies determined, using between arms position matching assessments, that at least one-half of individuals with stroke have an impaired position sense. We investigated whether individuals with chronic stroke who have impairments mirroring arm positions also have impairments identifying the location of each arm in space. Methods Participants with chronic hemiparetic stroke and age-matched participants without neurological impairments (controls) performed a between forearms position matching task based on a clinical assessment and a single forearm position matching task, using passive and active movements, based on a robotic assessment. Results 12 out of our 14 participants with stroke who had clinically determined between forearms position matching impairments had greater errors than the controls in both their paretic and non-paretic arm when matching positions during passive movements; yet stroke participants performed comparable to the controls during active movements. Conclusions Many individuals with chronic stroke may have impairments matching positions in both their paretic and non-paretic arm if their arm is moved for them, yet not within either arm if these individuals control their own movements. Significance The neural mechanisms governing arm location perception in the stroke population may differ depending on whether arm movements are made passively versus actively. PMID:27866116

Anatomical brain difference of subthreshold depression in young and middle-aged individuals.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wang, Zengjian; Hwang, JiWon; Zhao, Bingcong; Yang, Xinjing; Xin, Suicheng; Wang, Yu; Jiang, Huili; Shi, Peng; Zhang, Ye; Wang, Xu; Lang, Courtney; Park, Joel; Bao, Tuya; Kong, Jian

2017-01-01

Subthreshold depression (StD) is associated with substantial functional impairments due to depressive symptoms that do not fully meet the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Its high incidence in the general population and debilitating symptoms has recently put it at the forefront of mood disorder research. In this study we investigated common volumetric brain changes in both young and middle-aged StD patients. Two cohorts of StD patients, young and middle-aged, ( n  = 57) and matched controls ( n  = 76) underwent voxel-based morphometry (VBM). VBM analysis found that: 1) compared with healthy controls, StD patients showed decreased gray matter volume (GMV) in the bilateral globus pallidus and precentral gyrus, as well as increased GMV in the left thalamus and right rostral anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex; 2) there is a significant association between Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale scores and the bilateral globus pallidus (negative) and left thalamus (positive); 3) there is no interaction between age (young vs. middle-age) and group (StD vs. controls). Our findings indicate significant VBM brain changes in both young and middle-aged individuals with StD. Individuals with StD, regardless of age, may share common neural characteristics.

Sensorimotor Control of Tracking Movements at Various Speeds for Stroke Patients as Well as Age-Matched and Young Healthy Subjects

PubMed Central

Ao, Di; Song, Rong; Tong, Kai-yu

2015-01-01

There are aging- and stroke-induced changes on sensorimotor control in daily activities, but their mechanisms have not been well investigated. This study explored speed-, aging-, and stroke-induced changes on sensorimotor control. Eleven stroke patients (affected sides and unaffected sides) and 20 control subjects (10 young and 10 age-matched individuals) were enrolled to perform elbow tracking tasks using sinusoidal trajectories, which included 6 target speeds (15.7, 31.4, 47.1, 62.8, 78.5, and 94.2 deg/s). The actual elbow angle was recorded and displayed on a screen as visual feedback, and three indicators, the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized integrated jerk (NIJ) and integral of the power spectrum density of normalized speed (IPNS), were used to investigate the strategy of sensorimotor control. Both NIJ and IPNS had significant differences among the four groups (P<0.01), and the values were ranked in the following order: young controls < age-matched controls aging-induced increase in reliance on feedback control. The RMSE increased with the increase in the target speed and the NIJ and IPNS initially declined and then remained steady for all four groups, which indicated a shift from feedback to feedforward control as the target speed increased. The feedback-feedforward trade-off induced by stroke, aging and speed might be explained by a change in the transmission delay and neuromotor noise. The findings in this study improve our understanding of the mechanism underlying the sensorimotor control and neurological changes caused by stroke and aging. PMID:26030289

Psychosocial Characteristics of Children with Central Disorders of Hypersomnolence Versus Matched Healthy Children.

PubMed

Avis, Kristin T; Shen, Jiabin; Weaver, Patrick; Schwebel, David C

2015-11-15

Hypersomnia of central origin from narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia (IHS) is characterized by pathological levels of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Central hypersomnia has historically been underdiagnosed and poorly understood, especially with respect to its impact on daytime functioning and quality of life in children. Describe the psychosocial adjustment of children treated for narcolepsy or IHS on school performance, quality of life, and physical/extracurricular activities. Using a matched case control design, we compared child self- and parent-reported data from thirty-three 8- to 16-year-olds with an established diagnosis of narcolepsy or IHS, according to ICSD-2 criteria, to that of 33 healthy children matched by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and household income. Assessments evaluated academic performance, quality of life and wellness, sleepiness, and participation in extracurricular activities. Compared to healthy controls, children with central hypersomnia had poorer daytime functioning in multiple domains. Children with hypersomnia missed more days of school and had lower grades than healthy controls. Children with hypersomnia had poorer quality of life by both parent and child report. Children with hypersomnia were significantly sleepier, had higher BMI, and were more likely to report a history of recent injury. Finally, children with hypersomnia engaged in fewer after-school activities than healthy controls. A range of significant psychosocial consequences are reported in children with hypersomnia even after a diagnosis has been made and treatments initiated. Health care professionals should be mindful of the psychosocial problems that may present in children with hypersomnia over the course of treatment. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Effects of Ageism on Individual and Health Care Providers' Responses to Healthy Aging.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Lynda D.

1996-01-01

Reviews literature to support the contention that misconceptions about the aging process have a detrimental effect on healthy aging. Seeks to demonstrate how stereotyping can affect the shape and nature of programs for elderly people. Argues that for long-lasting change to occur, service providers need to target these negative attitudes in…

Lipid and Alzheimer's disease genes associated with healthy aging and longevity in healthy oldest-old.

PubMed

Tindale, Lauren C; Leach, Stephen; Spinelli, John J; Brooks-Wilson, Angela R

2017-03-28

Several studies have found that long-lived individuals do not appear to carry lower numbers of common disease-associated variants than ordinary people; it has been hypothesized that they may instead carry protective variants. An intriguing type of protective variant is buffering variants that protect against variants that have deleterious effects. We genotyped 18 variants in 15 genes related to longevity or healthy aging that had been previously reported as having a gene-gene interaction or buffering effect. We compared a group of 446 healthy oldest-old 'Super-Seniors' (individuals 85 or older who have never been diagnosed with cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes or major pulmonary disease) to 421 random population-based midlife controls. Cases and controls were of European ancestry. Association tests of individual SNPs showed that Super-Seniors were less likely than controls to carry an APOEε4 allele or a haptoglobin HP2 allele. Interactions between APOE/FOXO3, APOE/CRYL1, and LPA/CRYL1 did not remain significant after multiple testing correction. In a network analysis of the candidate genes, lipid and cholesterol metabolism was a common theme. APOE, HP, and CRYL1 have all been associated with Alzheimer's Disease, the pathology of which involves lipid and cholesterol pathways. Age-related changes in lipid and cholesterol maintenance, particularly in the brain, may be central to healthy aging and longevity.

Effects of APOE-ε4 allele load on brain morphology in a cohort of middle-aged healthy individuals with enriched genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Cacciaglia, Raffaele; Molinuevo, José Luis; Falcón, Carles; Brugulat-Serrat, Anna; Sánchez-Benavides, Gonzalo; Gramunt, Nina; Esteller, Manel; Morán, Sebastián; Minguillón, Carolina; Fauria, Karine; Gispert, Juan Domingo

2018-03-27

Apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 is the major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. However, the dose-dependent impact of this allele on brain morphology of healthy individuals remains unclear. We analyzed gray matter volumes (GMvs) in a sample of 533 healthy middle-aged individuals with a substantial representation of ε4-carriers (207 heterozygotes and 65 homozygotes). We found APOE-ε4 additive GMv reductions in the right hippocampus, caudate, precentral gyrus, and cerebellar crus. In these regions, the APOE genotype interacted with age, with homozygotes displaying lower GMv after the fifth decade of life. APOE-ε4 was also associated to greater GMv in the right thalamus, left occipital gyrus, and right frontal cortex. Our data indicate that APOE-ε4 exerts additive effects on GMv in regions relevant for Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology already in healthy individuals. These findings elucidate the mechanisms underlying the increased Alzheimer's disease risk in ε4-carriers, suggesting a dose-dependent disease vulnerability on the brain structure level. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular function is better in veteran football players than age-matched untrained elderly healthy men.

PubMed

Schmidt, J F; Andersen, T R; Andersen, L J; Randers, M B; Hornstrup, T; Hansen, P R; Bangsbo, J; Krustrup, P

2015-02-01

The aim of the study was to determine whether lifelong football training may improve cardiovascular function, physical fitness, and body composition. Our subjects were 17 male veteran football players (VPG; 68.1 ± 2.1 years) and 26 healthy age-matched untrained men who served as a control group (CG; 68.2 ± 3.2 years). Examinations included measurements of cardiac function, microvascular endothelial function [reactive hyperemic index (RHI)], maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), and body composition. In VPG, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume was 20% larger (P < 0.01) and LV ejection fraction was higher (P < 0.001). Tissue Doppler imaging revealed an augmented LV longitudinal displacement, i.e., LV shortening of 21% (P < 0.001) and longitudinal 2D strain was 12% higher (P < 0.05), in VPG. In VPG, resting heart rate was lower (6 bpm, P < 0.05), and VO2max was higher (18%, P < 0.05). In addition, RHI was 21% higher (P < 0.05) in VPG. VPG also had lower body mass index (P < 0.05), body fat percentage, total body fat mass, android fat percentage, and gynoid fat percentage (all P < 0.01). Lifelong participation in football training is associated with better LV systolic function, physical fitness, microvascular function, and a healthier body composition. Overall, VPG have better cardiovascular function compared with CG, which may reduce their cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ: A comparison with age-matched breast cancer survivors and healthy controls.

PubMed

Abrahams, H J G; Smits, L; Lugt, M de; Roos, W K de; Kamm, Y; Heins, M J; Verhagen, C A H H V M; Gielissen, M F M; Knoop, H

2017-02-01

Severe fatigue after treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has not been studied before. The current study examined (i) the prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients versus breast cancer survivors (BCS) and healthy controls (HC), (ii) quality of life and functioning of severely versus non-severely fatigued DCIS patients and BCS, and (iii) the association of fatigue with psychosocial and behavioral factors in DCIS patients. 89 patients treated for DCIS were matched on age and gender to 67 BCS and 178 HC (ratio 1:1:2). Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Severity subscale of the Checklist Individual Strength. 23% of DCIS patients, 25% of BCS, and 6% of HC were severely fatigued (DCIS versus HC: p < 0.001). Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and were more impaired in all domains of functioning than non-severely fatigued DCIS patients. Sleep problems, dysfunctional cognitions regarding fatigue, avoidance of activities, all-or-nothing behavior, perceived lack of social support, DCIS-related coping problems, and fear of future cancer occurrence were related to fatigue. The prevalence of severe fatigue in DCIS patients was similar to BCS, but higher than in HC. Severely fatigued DCIS patients had a lower quality of life and more functional impairments. The psychosocial and behavioral fatigue-related factors in DCIS patients are known to perpetuate fatigue in BCS. These factors can be targeted in interventions for cancer-related fatigue. Our findings suggest that the same treatment elements might be applicable to severely fatigued DCIS patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sympathetic activity during passive heat stress in healthy aged humans

PubMed Central

Gagnon, Daniel; Schlader, Zachary J; Crandall, Craig G

2015-01-01

Abstract Cardiovascular adjustments during heat stress are generally attenuated in healthy aged humans, which could be due to lower increases in sympathetic activity compared to the young. We compared muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) between 11 young (Y: 28 ± 4 years) and 10 aged (A: 70 ± 5 years) subjects prior to and during passive heating. Furthermore, MSNA responses were compared when a cold pressor test (CPT) and lower body negative pressure (LBNP) were superimposed upon heating. Baseline MSNA burst frequency (Y: 15 ± 4 vs. A: 31 ± 3 bursts min−1, P ≤ 0.01) and burst incidence (Y: 26 ± 8 vs. A: 50 ± 7 bursts (100 cardiac cycles (CC))−1, P ≤ 0.01) were greater in the aged. Heat stress increased core temperature to a similar extent in both groups (Y: +1.2 ± 0.1 vs. A: +1.2 ± 0.0°C, P = 0.99). Absolute levels of MSNA remained greater in the aged during heat stress (burst frequency: Y: 47 ± 6 vs. A: 63 ± 11 bursts min−1, P ≤ 0.01; burst incidence: Y: 48 ± 8 vs. A: 67 ± 9 bursts (100 CC)−1, P ≤ 0.01); however, the increase in both variables was similar between groups (both P ≥ 0.1). The CPT and LBNP further increased MSNA burst frequency and burst incidence, although the magnitude of increase was similar between groups (both P ≥ 0.07). These results suggest that increases in sympathetic activity during heat stress are not attenuated in healthy aged humans. Key points Cardiovascular adjustments to heat stress are attenuated in healthy aged individuals, which could contribute to their greater prevalence of heat-related illnesses and deaths during heat waves. The attenuated cardiovascular adjustments in the aged could be due to lower increases in sympathetic nerve activity during heat stress. We examined muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and plasma catecholamine concentrations in healthy young and aged individuals during whole-body passive heat stress. The main finding

T Lymphocyte Maturation Is Impaired in Healthy Young Individuals Carrying Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guazzarotti, Laura; Trabattoni, Daria; Castelletti, Eleonora; Boldrighini, Benedetta; Piacentini, Luca; Duca, Piergiorgio; Beretta, Silvia; Pacei, Michela; Caprio, Cristiana; Vigano, Alessandra; di Natale, Berardo; Zuccotti, Gian Vincenzo; Clerici, Mario

2009-01-01

Cytokine production, immune activation, T lymphocytes maturation, and serum IL-7 concentration were examined in 24 youngsters with Down syndrome and no acquired diseases (healthy Down syndrome [12 prepubertal, 13 pubertal]) and 42 age- and gender-matched controls (20 prepubertal, 22 pubertal). Results showed that a complex immune and impairment is…

Analysis of prototypical narratives produced by aphasic individuals and cognitively healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Silveira, Gabriela; Mansur, Letícia Lessa

2015-01-01

Aphasia can globally or selectively affect comprehension and production of verbal and written language. Discourse analysis can aid language assessment and diagnosis. Objective [1] To explore narratives that produce a number of valid indicators for diagnosing aphasia in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. [2] To analyze the macrostructural aspects of the discourse of normal individuals. [3] To analyze the macrostructural aspects of the discourse of aphasic individuals. Methods The macrostructural aspects of three narratives produced by aphasic individuals and cognitively healthy subjects were analyzed. Results A total of 30 volunteers were examined comprising 10 aphasic individuals (AG) and 20 healthy controls (CG). The CG included 5 males. The CG had a mean age of 38.9 years (SD=15.61) and mean schooling of 13 years (SD=2.67) whereas the AG had a mean age of 51.7 years (SD=17.3) and mean schooling of 9.1 years (SD=3.69). Participants were asked to narrate three fairy tales as a basis for analyzing the macrostructure of discourse. Comparison of the three narratives revealed no statistically significant difference in number of propositions produced by the groups. A significant negative correlation was found between age and number of propositions produced. Also, statistically significant differences were observed in the number of propositions produced by the individuals in the CG and the AG for the three tales. Conclusion It was concluded that the three tales are applicable for discourse assessment, containing a similar number of propositions and differentiating aphasic individuals and cognitively healthy subjects based on analysis of the macrostructure of discourse. PMID:29213973

Healthy aging: The ultimate preventative medicine.

PubMed

Kaeberlein, Matt; Rabinovitch, Peter S; Martin, George M

2015-12-04

Age is the greatest risk factor for nearly every major cause of mortality in developed nations. Despite this, most biomedical research focuses on individual disease processes without much consideration for the relationships between aging and disease. Recent discoveries in the field of geroscience, which aims to explain biological mechanisms of aging, have provided insights into molecular processes that underlie biological aging and, perhaps more importantly, potential interventions to delay aging and promote healthy longevity. Here we describe some of these advances, along with efforts to move geroscience from the bench to the clinic. We also propose that greater emphasis should be placed on research into basic aging processes, because interventions that slow aging will have a greater effect on quality of life compared with disease-specific approaches. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

From neural signatures of emotional modulation to social cognition: individual differences in healthy volunteers and psychiatric participants

PubMed Central

Aguado, Jaume; Baez, Sandra; Huepe, David; Lopez, Vladimir; Ortega, Rodrigo; Sigman, Mariano; Mikulan, Ezequiel; Lischinsky, Alicia; Torrente, Fernando; Cetkovich, Marcelo; Torralva, Teresa; Bekinschtein, Tristan; Manes, Facundo

2014-01-01

It is commonly assumed that early emotional signals provide relevant information for social cognition tasks. The goal of this study was to test the association between (a) cortical markers of face emotional processing and (b) social-cognitive measures, and also to build a model which can predict this association (a and b) in healthy volunteers as well as in different groups of psychiatric patients. Thus, we investigated the early cortical processing of emotional stimuli (N170, using a face and word valence task) and their relationship with the social-cognitive profiles (SCPs, indexed by measures of theory of mind, fluid intelligence, speed processing and executive functions). Group comparisons and individual differences were assessed among schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and their relatives, individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), individuals with euthymic bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy participants (educational level, handedness, age and gender matched). Our results provide evidence of emotional N170 impairments in the affected groups (SCZ and relatives, ADHD and BD) as well as subtle group differences. Importantly, cortical processing of emotional stimuli predicted the SCP, as evidenced by a structural equation model analysis. This is the first study to report an association model of brain markers of emotional processing and SCP. PMID:23685775

The relative age effect in soccer: a match-related perspective.

PubMed

Vaeyens, Roel; Philippaerts, Renaat M; Malina, Robert M

2005-07-01

Asymmetries in the distributions of birth dates in senior professional and youth soccer players have been interpreted as evidence for systematic discrimination against individuals born shortly before the cut-off date in assigning youth to specific age groups. This concept is known as the "relative age effect". The results of a longitudinal study of birth date distritubions of 2757 semi-professional and amateur senior soccer players in Belgium are presented. Records for competitive games were available in official statistics provided by the Royal Belgian Football Association. The chi-square statistic was used to examine differences between observed and expected birth date distributions. Regression analyses indicated a shift of bias when two different start dates were compared. Players born in the early part of the new age band (January to March) were over-represented compared with players born late in the new selection period (October to December). However, players with birthdays at the start of the old selection year (August) were still represented. In a retrospective analysis of 2138 players, variables indicative of match involvement, number of selections for matches, and time played were examined in relation to the relative age effect. The group of semi-professional and amateur senior soccer players born in the first quarter of the selected age band received more playing opportunities. Comparisons of birth date distributions (traditional approach to relative age effect) with match-related variables gave similar, though not entirely consistent, results. However, there were no differences for the mean number of selections and for playing minutes between players born at the start or the end of the selection year. Our findings suggest that match-based variables may provide a more reliable indication of the relative age effect in soccer.

Comparison of posture and balance in cancer survivors and age-matched controls.

PubMed

Schmitt, Abigail C; Repka, Chris P; Heise, Gary D; Challis, John H; Smith, Jeremy D

2017-12-01

The combination of peripheral neuropathy and other treatment-associated side effects is likely related to an increased incidence of falls in cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to quantify differences in postural stability between healthy age-matched controls and cancer survivors. Quiet standing under four conditions (eyes open/closed, rigid/compliant surface) was assessed in 34 cancer survivors (2 males, 32 females; age: 54(13) yrs., height: 1.62(0.07) m; mass: 78.5(19.5) kg) and 34 age-matched controls (5 males, 29 females; age: 54(15) yrs.; height: 1.62(0.08) m; mass: 72.8(21.1) kg). Center of pressure data were collected for 30s and the trajectories were analyzed (100Hz). Three-factor (group*surface*vision) mixed model MANOVAs with repeated measures were used to determine the effect of vision and surface on postural steadiness between groups. Cancer survivors exhibited larger mediolateral root-mean square distance and velocity of the center of pressure, as well as increased 95% confidence ellipse area (P<0.01) when compared with their age-matched counterparts. For example, when removing visual input, cancer survivors had an average increase in 95% confidence ellipse area of 91.8mm 2 while standing on a rigid surface compared to a 68.6mm 2 increase for the control group. No frequency-based center of pressure measures differed between groups. Cancer survivors exhibit decreased postural steadiness when compared with age-matched controls. For cancer survivors undergoing rehabilitation focused on existing balance deficits, a small subset of the center of pressure measures presented here can be used to track progress throughout the intervention and potentially mitigate fall risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of age and gender interaction on circulating endothelial progenitor cells in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Rousseau, Alexandra; Ayoubi, Fida; Deveaux, Christel; Charbit, Beny; Delmau, Catherine; Christin-Maitre, Sophie; Jaillon, Patrice; Uzan, Georges; Simon, Tabassome

2010-02-01

To assess the level of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPC) in cycling women compared with men and menopausal women. Controlled clinical study. Healthy, nonsmoking volunteers. Twelve women, aged 18-40 years, with regular menstrual cycles, 12 menopausal women, and two groups of 12 age-matched men were recruited. Women did not receive any hormone therapy. Collection of 20 mL of peripheral blood. The number of CEPC, defined as (Lin-/7AAD-/CD34+/CD133+/KDR+) cells per 10(6) mononuclear cells (MNC), was measured by flow cytometry. The number of CEPC was significantly higher in cycling women than in age-matched men and menopausal women (26.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10.5 per 10(6) MNC vs. 10 per 10(6) MNC, respectively). The number of CEPC was similar in menopausal women, age-matched, and young men. The number of CEPC is influenced by an age-gender interaction. This phenomenon may explain in part the better vascular repair and relative cardiovascular protection in younger women as compared with age-matched men. Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of ageing process on body composition of antioxidant and lipid peroxidation among healthy individuals in South West Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogunro, P S; Ogungbamigbe, T O

2013-03-01

To evaluate the effect of ageing on the level of antioxidants and lipid peroxidation in healthy individual of various age groups. A total number of 162 healthy males and females volunteer between the ages of 18-80 years were divided into three groups. These volunteers were divided into group i(18-30 yr), group ii (31-60 yrs) and group iii (60-80 yr). Plasma concentration of total bilirubin, uric acid, ascorbic acid, a-tocopherol, retinol, total antioxidant status (TAS), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and ceruloplasmin measured. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione and peroxidase (GSHPx) were measured using standard methods. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px and SOD) activities and GSH level were significantly reduced among group iii (p<0.01) and group ii (p<0.05) age group subjects compared to the younger age group i. Conversely, MDA showed a significant increase in group iii (p<0.01) and group ii (p<0.01) compared to younger age group i. CAT activity and TAS level were reduced significantly (p<0.05) in both groups iii and ii compared to younger age group i. Ascorbic acid, a-tocopherol and retinol levels were significantly reduced among group iii (p<0.05) compared to group i. Ageing was associated with increased lipid peroxidation and lower antioxidant defenses. Changes that occur during ageing cannot be avoided but may be delayed and controlled to some extent. To counter these changes, dietary supplementation of a variety of antioxidants might be beneficial.

Auditory temporal processing in healthy aging: a magnetoencephalographic study

PubMed Central

Sörös, Peter; Teismann, Inga K; Manemann, Elisabeth; Lütkenhöner, Bernd

2009-01-01

Background Impaired speech perception is one of the major sequelae of aging. In addition to peripheral hearing loss, central deficits of auditory processing are supposed to contribute to the deterioration of speech perception in older individuals. To test the hypothesis that auditory temporal processing is compromised in aging, auditory evoked magnetic fields were recorded during stimulation with sequences of 4 rapidly recurring speech sounds in 28 healthy individuals aged 20 – 78 years. Results The decrement of the N1m amplitude during rapid auditory stimulation was not significantly different between older and younger adults. The amplitudes of the middle-latency P1m wave and of the long-latency N1m, however, were significantly larger in older than in younger participants. Conclusion The results of the present study do not provide evidence for the hypothesis that auditory temporal processing, as measured by the decrement (short-term habituation) of the major auditory evoked component, the N1m wave, is impaired in aging. The differences between these magnetoencephalographic findings and previously published behavioral data might be explained by differences in the experimental setting between the present study and previous behavioral studies, in terms of speech rate, attention, and masking noise. Significantly larger amplitudes of the P1m and N1m waves suggest that the cortical processing of individual sounds differs between younger and older individuals. This result adds to the growing evidence that brain functions, such as sensory processing, motor control and cognitive processing, can change during healthy aging, presumably due to experience-dependent neuroplastic mechanisms. PMID:19351410

Endothelium-dependent control of cerebrovascular functions through age: exercise for healthy cerebrovascular aging.

PubMed

Bolduc, Virginie; Thorin-Trescases, Nathalie; Thorin, Eric

2013-09-01

Cognitive performances are tightly associated with the maximal aerobic exercise capacity, both of which decline with age. The benefits on mental health of regular exercise, which slows the age-dependent decline in maximal aerobic exercise capacity, have been established for centuries. In addition, the maintenance of an optimal cerebrovascular endothelial function through regular exercise, part of a healthy lifestyle, emerges as one of the key and primary elements of successful brain aging. Physical exercise requires the activation of specific brain areas that trigger a local increase in cerebral blood flow to match neuronal metabolic needs. In this review, we propose three ways by which exercise could maintain the cerebrovascular endothelial function, a premise to a healthy cerebrovascular function and an optimal regulation of cerebral blood flow. First, exercise increases blood flow locally and increases shear stress temporarily, a known stimulus for endothelial cell maintenance of Akt-dependent expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide generation, and the expression of antioxidant defenses. Second, the rise in circulating catecholamines during exercise not only facilitates adequate blood and nutrient delivery by stimulating heart function and mobilizing energy supplies but also enhances endothelial repair mechanisms and angiogenesis. Third, in the long term, regular exercise sustains a low resting heart rate that reduces the mechanical stress imposed to the endothelium of cerebral arteries by the cardiac cycle. Any chronic variation from a healthy environment will perturb metabolism and thus hasten endothelial damage, favoring hypoperfusion and neuronal stress.

Alpha-synuclein levels in blood plasma decline with healthy aging.

PubMed

Koehler, Niklas K U; Stransky, Elke; Meyer, Mirjam; Gaertner, Susanne; Shing, Mona; Schnaidt, Martina; Celej, Maria S; Jovin, Thomas M; Leyhe, Thomas; Laske, Christoph; Batra, Anil; Buchkremer, Gerhard; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Wernet, Dorothee; Richartz-Salzburger, Elke

2015-01-01

There is unequivocal evidence that alpha-synuclein plays a pivotal pathophysiological role in neurodegenerative diseases, and in particular in synucleinopathies. These disorders present with a variable extent of cognitive impairment and alpha-synuclein is being explored as a biomarker in CSF, blood serum and plasma. Considering key events of aging that include proteostasis, alpha-synuclein may not only be useful as a marker for differential diagnosis but also for aging per se. To explore this hypothesis, we developed a highly specific ELISA to measure alpha-synuclein. In healthy males plasma alpha-synuclein levels correlated strongly with age, revealing much lower concentrations in older (avg. 58.1 years) compared to younger (avg. 27.6 years) individuals. This difference between the age groups was enhanced after acidification of the plasmas (p<0.0001), possibly reflecting a decrease of alpha-synuclein-antibody complexes or chaperone activity in older individuals. Our results support the concept that alpha-synuclein homeostasis may be impaired early on, possibly due to disturbance of the proteostasis network, a key component of healthy aging. Thus, alpha-synuclein may be a novel biomarker of aging, a factor that should be considered when analyzing its presence in biological specimens.

Positive Technology for Healthy Living and Active Ageing.

PubMed

Riva, Giuseppe; Gaggioli, Andrea; Villani, Daniela; Cipresso, Pietro; Repetto, Claudia; Serino, Silvia; Triberti, Stefano; Brivio, Eleonora; Galimberti, Carlo; Graffigna, Guendalina

2014-01-01

Information and communication technologies are widely and rapidly spreading in people's daily lives. But what is the possible role of the mass proliferation of digital devices in supporting healthy living and active ageing? Are they useful in fostering personal growth and individual integration of the elderly, by promoting satisfaction, opportunities for action, and self-expression? Rather, do they enhance automation, impose constraints on personal initiative, and result in compulsive consumption of information? In this chapter, we suggest that possible answers to these questions will be offered by the "Positive Technology" approach, i.e., the scientific and applied approach to using technology so that it improves the quality of our personal experiences through its structuring, augmentation, and/or replacement. First, we suggest that it is possible to use technology to manipulate the quality of experience with the goal of increasing wellness and generating strengths and resilience in individuals, organizations, and society. Then, we classify positive technologies according to their effects on these three features of personal experience - Hedonic: technologies used to induce positive and pleasant experiences; Eudaimonic: technologies used to support individuals in reaching engaging and self-actualizing experiences; Social/Interpersonal: technologies used to support and improve the connectedness between individuals, groups, and organizations. Finally, we discuss the possible role of positive technologies for healthy living and active ageing by presenting different practical applications of this approach.

Responses of sympathetic nervous system to cold exposure in vibration syndrome subjects and age-matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Nakamoto, M

1990-01-01

Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine in vibration syndrome subjects and age-matched healthy controls were measured for the purpose of estimating the responsibility of the sympathetic nervous system to cold exposure. In preliminary experiment, it was confirmed that cold air exposure of the whole body was more suitable than one-hand immersion in cold water. In the main experiment, 195 subjects were examined. Sixty-five subjects had vibration syndrome with vibration-induced white finger (VWF + group) and 65 subjects had vibration syndrome without VWF (VWF- group) and 65 controls had no symptoms (control group). In the three groups, plasma norepinephrine levels increased during cold air exposure of whole body at 7 degrees +/- 1.5 degrees C. Blood pressure increased and skin temperature decreased during cold exposure. Percent increase of norepinephrine in the VWF+ group was the highest while that in VWF- group followed and that in the control group was the lowest. This whole-body response of the sympathetic nervous system to cold conditions reflected the VWF which are characteristic symptoms of vibration syndrome. Excluding the effects of shivering and a cold feeling under cold conditions, it was confirmed that the sympathetic nervous system in vibration syndrome is activated more than in the controls. These results suggest that vibration exposure to hand and arm affects the sympathetic nervous system.

Female fibromyalgia patients: lower resting metabolic rates than matched healthy controls.

PubMed

Lowe, John C; Yellin, Jackie; Honeyman-Lowe, Gina

2006-07-01

Many features of fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism are virtually the same, and thyroid hormone treatment trials have reduced or eliminated fibromyalgia symptoms. These findings led the authors to test the hypothesis that fibromyalgia patients are hypometabolic compared to matched controls. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured by indirect calorimetry and body composition by bioelectrical impedance for 15 fibromyalgia patients and 15 healthy matched controls. Measured resting metabolic rate (mRMR) was compared to percentages of predicted RMR (pRMR) by fat-free weight (FFW) (Sterling-Passmore: SP) and by sex, age, height, and weight (Harris-Benedict: HB). Patients had a lower mRMR (4,306.31+/-1077.66 kJ vs 5,411.59+/-695.95 kJ, p=0.0028) and lower percentages of pRMRs (SP: -28.42+/-15.82% vs -6.83+/-12.55%, p<0.0001. HB: -29.20+/-17.43% vs -9.13+/-9.51%, p=0.0008). Whereas FFW, age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) best accounted for variability in controls' RMRs, age and fat weight (FW) did for patients. In the patient group, TSH level accounted for 28% of the variance in pain distribution, and free T3 (FT3) accounted for 30% of the variance in pressure-pain threshold. Patients had lower mRMR and percentages of pRMRs. The lower RMRs were not due to calorie restriction or low FFW. Patients' normal FFW argues against low physical activity as the mechanism. TSH, FT4, and FT3 levels did not correlate with RMRs in either group. This does not rule out inadequate thyroid hormone regulation because studies show these laboratory values do not reliably predict RMR.

The World report on ageing and health: a policy framework for healthy ageing

PubMed Central

Beard, John R; Officer, Alana; de Carvalho, Islene Araujo; Sadana, Ritu; Pot, Anne Margriet; Michel, Jean-Pierre; Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter; Epping-Jordan, JoAnne E; Peeters, G M E E (Geeske); Mahanani, Wahyu Retno; Thiyagarajan, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli; Chatterji, Somnath

2015-01-01

Although populations around the world are rapidly ageing, evidence that increasing longevity is being accompanied by an extended period of good health is scarce. A coherent and focused public health response that spans multiple sectors and stakeholders is urgently needed. To guide this global response, WHO has released the first World report on ageing and health, reviewing current knowledge and gaps and providing a public health framework for action. The report is built around a redefinition of healthy ageing that centres on the notion of functional ability: the combination of the intrinsic capacity of the individual, relevant environmental characteristics, and the interactions between the individual and these characteristics. This Health Policy highlights key findings and recommendations from the report. PMID:26520231

From neural signatures of emotional modulation to social cognition: individual differences in healthy volunteers and psychiatric participants.

PubMed

Ibáñez, Agustín; Aguado, Jaume; Baez, Sandra; Huepe, David; Lopez, Vladimir; Ortega, Rodrigo; Sigman, Mariano; Mikulan, Ezequiel; Lischinsky, Alicia; Torrente, Fernando; Cetkovich, Marcelo; Torralva, Teresa; Bekinschtein, Tristan; Manes, Facundo

2014-07-01

It is commonly assumed that early emotional signals provide relevant information for social cognition tasks. The goal of this study was to test the association between (a) cortical markers of face emotional processing and (b) social-cognitive measures, and also to build a model which can predict this association (a and b) in healthy volunteers as well as in different groups of psychiatric patients. Thus, we investigated the early cortical processing of emotional stimuli (N170, using a face and word valence task) and their relationship with the social-cognitive profiles (SCPs, indexed by measures of theory of mind, fluid intelligence, speed processing and executive functions). Group comparisons and individual differences were assessed among schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and their relatives, individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), individuals with euthymic bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy participants (educational level, handedness, age and gender matched). Our results provide evidence of emotional N170 impairments in the affected groups (SCZ and relatives, ADHD and BD) as well as subtle group differences. Importantly, cortical processing of emotional stimuli predicted the SCP, as evidenced by a structural equation model analysis. This is the first study to report an association model of brain markers of emotional processing and SCP. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dietary flavonoid intake at midlife and healthy aging in women.

PubMed

Samieri, Cécilia; Sun, Qi; Townsend, Mary K; Rimm, Eric B; Grodstein, Francine

2014-12-01

Dietary flavonoids have been related to lower risks of various chronic diseases, but it is unclear whether flavonoid intake in midlife helps to maintain good health and wellbeing in aging. We examined the relation of flavonoid intake in midlife with the prevalence of healthy aging. We included 13,818 women from the Nurses' Health Study with dietary data and no major chronic diseases in 1984-1986 when they were aged in their late 50s (median age: 59 y); all women provided information on multiple aspects of aging an average of 15 y later. Intakes of 6 major flavonoid subclasses in midlife were ascertained on the basis of averaged intakes of flavonoid-rich foods from 2 food-frequency questionnaires (1984-1986). We defined healthy compared with usual aging as of age 70 y; healthy aging was based on survival to ≥70 y with maintenance of 4 health domains (no major chronic diseases or major impairments in cognitive or physical function or mental health). Of women who survived until ≥70 y of age, 1517 women (11.0%) met our criteria for healthy aging. Compared with women in the lowest quintile of intake, women in the highest quintile of intake of several flavonoid subclasses at midlife had greater odds of healthy aging. After multivariable adjustment, ORs were as follows: flavones, 1.32 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.58); flavanone, 1.28 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.53); anthocyanin, 1.25 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.50); and flavonol, 1.18 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.42) (all P-trend ≤ 0.02). Consistently, greater intakes of major sources of these flavonoids (i.e., oranges, berries, onions, and apples) were associated with increased odds of healthy aging. We showed no association with flavan-3-ol monomers (P-trend = 0.80) or polymers (P-trend = 0.63). Higher intake of flavonoids at midlife, specifically flavones, flavanones, anthocyanins, and flavonols, is associated with greater likelihood of health and wellbeing in individuals surviving to older ages. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

An in vitro evaluation of anti-aging effect of guluronic acid (G2013) based on enzymatic oxidative stress gene expression using healthy individuals PBMCs.

PubMed

Taeb, Mahsa; Mortazavi-Jahromi, Seyed Shahabeddin; Jafarzadeh, Abdollah; Mirzaei, Mohammad Reza; Mirshafiey, Abbas

2017-06-01

Aging is usually associated with increased levels of oxidants, and may result in damages caused by oxidative stress. There is a direct relationship between aging and increased incidence of inflammatory diseases. The present research intended to study the anti-aging and anti-inflammatory effects of the drug G2013 (guluronic acid) at low and high doses on the genes expression of a number of enzymes involved in oxidative stress (including SOD2, GPX1, CAT, GST, iNOS, and MPO) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy individuals under in vitro conditions. Venous blood samples were taken from 20 healthy individuals, the PBMCs were isolated and their RNAs extracted and their cDNAs were synthesized, and the genes expression levels were measured using the qRT-PCR technique. Our results indicated that this drug could, at both low and high doses, significantly reduce the expression of the genes for SOD2, GPX1, CAT, and GST compared to the LPS group (p<0.0001). Moreover, it was noticed that the drug is able to significantly reduce gene expression levels at the high dose and at both doses (low and high), for iNOS and MPO compared to the LPS group (p<0.0001), respectively. The present research showed that G2013, as a novel NSAID drug with immunomodulatory properties, could modulate the expression levels of the genes for SOD2, GPX1, CAT, GST, iNOS, and MPO, to the level of healthy gene expression, and possibly it might reduce the pathological process of aging and age-related inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network.

PubMed

Lang, Jason E; Anderson, Lynda; LoGerfo, James; Sharkey, Joseph; Belansky, Elaine; Bryant, Lucinda; Prohaska, Tom; Altpeter, Mary; Marshall, Victor; Satariano, William; Ivey, Susan; Bayles, Constance; Pluto, Delores; Wilcox, Sara; Goins, R Turner; Byrd, Robert C

2006-01-01

The Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network (PRC-HAN), funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Healthy Aging program, was created in 2001 to help develop partnerships and create a research agenda that promotes healthy aging. The nine universities that participate in the network use their expertise in aging research to collaborate with their communities and other partners to develop and implement health promotion interventions for older adults at the individual, organizational, environmental, and policy levels. The population of older adults in the United States is growing rapidly; approximately 20% of Americans will be aged 65 years or older by 2030. The health and economic impact of an aging society compel the CDC and the public health community to place increased emphasis on preventing unnecessary disease, disability, and injury among older Americans. The PRC-HAN has a broad research agenda that addresses health-promoting skills and behaviors, disease and syndrome topics, and knowledge domains. The network chose physical activity for older adults as its initial focus for research and has initiated two networkwide projects: a comprehensive, multisite survey that collected information on the capacity, content, and accessibility of physical activity programs for older adults and a peer-reviewed publication that describes the role of public health in promoting physical activity among older adults. In addition to participating in the core research area, each network member works independently with its community committee on PRC-HAN activities. As a result, the network is 1) expanding prevention research for older adults and their communities; 2) promoting the translation and dissemination of findings to key stakeholders; 3) strengthening PRC-HAN capacity through partnerships and expanded funding; and 4) stimulating the adoption of policies and programs by engaging policymakers, planners, and practitioners. In 2003, the PRC

Healthy Aging with Go4Life

MedlinePlus

... this page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Healthy Aging Healthy Aging with Go4Life ® Past Issues / Winter 2015 Table of Contents Go4Life from the National Institute on Aging at NIH is a national exercise and physical ...

Respiratory and cardiovascular responses to walking down a traffic-polluted road compared with walking in a traffic-free area in participants aged 60 years and older with chronic lung or heart disease and age-matched healthy controls: a randomised, crossover study.

PubMed

Sinharay, Rudy; Gong, Jicheng; Barratt, Benjamin; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; Ernst, Sabine; Kelly, Frank J; Zhang, Junfeng Jim; Collins, Peter; Cullinan, Paul; Chung, Kian Fan

2018-01-27

Long-term exposure to pollution can lead to an increase in the rate of decline of lung function, especially in older individuals and in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas shorter-term exposure at higher pollution levels has been implicated in causing excess deaths from ischaemic heart disease and exacerbations of COPD. We aimed to assess the effects on respiratory and cardiovascular responses of walking down a busy street with high levels of pollution compared with walking in a traffic-free area with lower pollution levels in older adults. In this randomised, crossover study, we recruited men and women aged 60 years and older with angiographically proven stable ischaemic heart disease or stage 2 Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) COPD who had been clinically stable for 6 months, and age-matched healthy volunteers. Individuals with ischaemic heart disease or COPD were recruited from existing databases or outpatient respiratory and cardiology clinics at the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and age-matched healthy volunteers using advertising and existing databases. All participants had abstained from smoking for at least 12 months and medications were taken as recommended by participants' doctors during the study. Participants were randomly assigned by drawing numbered disks at random from a bag to do a 2 h walk either along a commercial street in London (Oxford Street) or in an urban park (Hyde Park). Baseline measurements of participants were taken before the walk in the hospital laboratory. During each walk session, black carbon, particulate matter (PM) concentrations, ultrafine particles, and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) concentrations were measured. Between October, 2012, and June, 2014, we screened 135 participants, of whom 40 healthy volunteers, 40 individuals with COPD, and 39 with ischaemic heart disease were recruited. Concentrations of black carbon, NO 2 , PM 10 , PM 2.5 , and ultrafine particles

A novel multi-tissue RNA diagnostic of healthy ageing relates to cognitive health status.

PubMed

Sood, Sanjana; Gallagher, Iain J; Lunnon, Katie; Rullman, Eric; Keohane, Aoife; Crossland, Hannah; Phillips, Bethan E; Cederholm, Tommy; Jensen, Thomas; van Loon, Luc J C; Lannfelt, Lars; Kraus, William E; Atherton, Philip J; Howard, Robert; Gustafsson, Thomas; Hodges, Angela; Timmons, James A

2015-09-07

Diagnostics of the human ageing process may help predict future healthcare needs or guide preventative measures for tackling diseases of older age. We take a transcriptomics approach to build the first reproducible multi-tissue RNA expression signature by gene-chip profiling tissue from sedentary normal subjects who reached 65 years of age in good health. One hundred and fifty probe-sets form an accurate classifier of young versus older muscle tissue and this healthy ageing RNA classifier performed consistently in independent cohorts of human muscle, skin and brain tissue (n = 594, AUC = 0.83-0.96) and thus represents a biomarker for biological age. Using the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men birth-cohort (n = 108) we demonstrate that the RNA classifier is insensitive to confounding lifestyle biomarkers, while greater gene score at age 70 years is independently associated with better renal function at age 82 years and longevity. The gene score is 'up-regulated' in healthy human hippocampus with age, and when applied to blood RNA profiles from two large independent age-matched dementia case-control data sets (n = 717) the healthy controls have significantly greater gene scores than those with cognitive impairment. Alone, or when combined with our previously described prototype Alzheimer disease (AD) RNA 'disease signature', the healthy ageing RNA classifier is diagnostic for AD. We identify a novel and statistically robust multi-tissue RNA signature of human healthy ageing that can act as a diagnostic of future health, using only a peripheral blood sample. This RNA signature has great potential to assist research aimed at finding treatments for and/or management of AD and other ageing-related conditions.

Functional health status of adults with tetralogy of Fallot: matched comparison with healthy siblings.

PubMed

Knowles, Rachel; Veldtman, Gruschen; Hickey, Edward J; Bradley, Timothy; Gengsakul, Aungkana; Webb, Gary D; Williams, William G; McCrindle, Brian W

2012-07-01

Survival prospects for adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) are now excellent. Attention should therefore shift to assessing and improving functional health status and quality of life. We aimed to assess late functional health status of adults surviving TOF repair by matched comparison to their healthy siblings. All 1,693 TOF repairs performed at our institution between 1946 and 1990 were reviewed. A matched comparison was undertaken whereby presumed survivors and their healthy sibling were contacted and asked to complete the Ontario Health Survey 1990 and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Both questionnaires were completed by 224 adult survivors and their sibling closest in age. Adults with repaired TOF had lower scores for self-perceived general health status (p < 0.001), were less likely to rate their health as good or excellent (p < 0.001), and had lower SF-36 scores for physical functioning and general health (p = 0.001) than their siblings. However, patients reported similar satisfaction with their lives, similar levels of social participation and support, and were as likely to be in long-term partnerships. Worse physical and mental health scores were associated with older age at surgery and at time of questionnaire completion and recent requirement for noncardiac medication. Although reporting lower functional health status then their siblings, quality of life and life satisfaction for adults who underwent surgery for TOF during childhood is comparable to that of their siblings without heart defects. Follow-up of younger adults is required to understand current health outcomes attributable to improvements in the management of TOF. Copyright © 2012 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrition and healthy ageing: the key ingredients.

PubMed

Kiefte-de Jong, Jessica C; Mathers, John C; Franco, Oscar H

2014-05-01

Healthy longevity is a tangible possibility for many individuals and populations, with nutritional and other lifestyle factors playing a key role in modulating the likelihood of healthy ageing. Nevertheless, studies of effects of nutrients or single foods on ageing often show inconsistent results and ignore the overall framework of dietary habits. Therefore, the use of dietary patterns (e.g. a Mediterranean dietary pattern) and the specific dietary recommendations (e.g. dietary approaches to stop hypertension, Polymeal and the American Healthy Eating Index) are becoming more widespread in promoting lifelong health. A posteriori defined dietary patterns are described frequently in relation to age-related diseases but their generalisability is often a challenge since these are developed specifically for the population under study. Conversely, the dietary guidelines are often developed based on prevention of disease or nutrient deficiency, but often less attention is paid to how well these dietary guidelines promote health outcomes. In the present paper, we provide an overview of the state of the art of dietary patterns and dietary recommendations in relation to life expectancy and the risk of age-related disorders (with emphasis on cardiometabolic diseases and cognitive outcomes). According to both a posteriori and a priori dietary patterns, some key 'ingredients' can be identified that are associated consistently with longevity and better cardiometabolic and cognitive health. These include high intake of fruit, vegetables, fish, (whole) grains and legumes/pulses and potatoes, whereas dietary patterns rich in red meat and sugar-rich foods have been associated with an increased risk of mortality and cardiometabolic outcomes.

The Development of Emotion-Processing in Children: Effects of Age, Emotion, and Intensity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herba, Catherine M.; Landau, Sabine; Russell, Tamara; Ecker, Christine; Phillips, Mary L.

2006-01-01

Background: This study examined the effects of age and two novel factors (intensity and emotion category) on healthy children's developing emotion-processing from 4 to 15 years using two matching paradigms. Methods: An explicit emotion-matching task was employed in which children matched the emotion of a target individual, and an implicit task…

Healthy ageing and home: the perspectives of very old people in five European countries.

PubMed

Sixsmith, J; Sixsmith, A; Fänge, A Malmgren; Naumann, D; Kucsera, C; Tomsone, S; Haak, M; Dahlin-Ivanoff, S; Woolrych, R

2014-04-01

This paper reports on in-depth research, using a grounded theory approach, to examine the ways in which very old people perceive healthy ageing in the context of living alone at home within urban settings in five European countries. This qualitative study was part of a cross-national project entitled ENABLE-AGE which examined the relationship between home and healthy ageing. Interviews explored the notion of healthy ageing, the meaning and importance of home, conceptualisations of independence and autonomy and links between healthy ageing and home. Data analysis identified five ways in which older people constructed healthy ageing: home and keeping active; managing lifestyles, health and illness; balancing social life; and balancing material and financial circumstances. Older people reflected on their everyday lives at home in terms of being engaged in purposeful, meaningful action and evaluated healthy ageing in relation to the symbolic and practical affordances of the home, contextualised within constructions of their national context. The research suggests that older people perceive healthy ageing as an active achievement, created through individual, personal effort and supported through social ties despite the health, financial and social decline associated with growing older. The physicality and spatiality of home provided the context for establishing and evaluating the notion of healthy ageing, whilst the experienced relationship between home, life history and identity created a meaningful space within which healthy ageing was negotiated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Stereotype-Matching Effect: Greater Influence on Functioning When Age Stereotypes Correspond to Outcomes

PubMed Central

Levy, Becca R.; Leifheit-Limson, Erica

2009-01-01

Older individuals assimilate, and are targeted by, contradictory positive and negative age stereotypes. It was unknown whether the influence of stereotype valence is stronger when the stereotype content corresponds to the outcome domain. We randomly assigned older individuals to either positive-cognitive, negative-cognitive, positive-physical, or negative-physical subliminal-age-stereotype groups and assessed cognitive and physical outcomes. As predicted, when the age stereotypes corresponded to the outcome domains, their valence had a significantly greater impact on cognitive and physical performance. This suggests that if a match occurs, it is more likely to generate expectations that become self-fulfilling prophecies. PMID:19290757

Healthy Aging After Age 65: A Life-Span Health Production Function Approach.

PubMed

Ferdows, Nasim B; Jensen, Gail A; Tarraf, Wassim

2018-06-01

This article examines the determinants of healthy aging using Grossman's framework of a health production function. Healthy aging, sometimes described as successful aging, is produced using a variety of inputs, determined in early life, young adulthood, midlife, and later life. A healthy aging production function is estimated using nationally representative data from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study on 7,355 noninstitutionalized seniors. Using a simultaneous equation mediation model, we quantify how childhood factors contribute to healthy aging, both directly and indirectly through their effects on mediating adult outcomes. We find that favorable childhood conditions significantly improve healthy aging scores, both directly and indirectly, mediated through education, income, and wealth. We also find that good health habits have positive effects on healthy aging that are larger in magnitude than the effects of childhood factors. Our findings suggest that exercising, maintaining proper weight, and not smoking are likely to translate into healthier aging.

A proposed panel of biomarkers of healthy ageing.

PubMed

Lara, Jose; Cooper, Rachel; Nissan, Jack; Ginty, Annie T; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Deary, Ian J; Lord, Janet M; Kuh, Diana; Mathers, John C

2015-09-15

There is no criterion reference for assessing healthy ageing and this creates difficulties when conducting and comparing research on ageing across studies. A cardinal feature of ageing is loss of function which translates into wide-ranging consequences for the individual and for family, carers and society. We undertook comprehensive reviews of the literature searching for biomarkers of ageing on five ageing-related domains including physical capability and cognitive, physiological and musculoskeletal, endocrine and immune functions. Where available, we used existing systematic reviews, meta-analyses and other authoritative reports such as the recently launched NIH Toolbox for assessment of neurological and behavioural function, which includes test batteries for cognitive and motor function (the latter described here as physical capability). We invited international experts to comment on our draft recommendations. In addition, we hosted an experts workshop in Newcastle, UK, on 22-23 October 2012, aiming to help capture the state-of-the-art in this complex area and to provide an opportunity for the wider ageing research community to critique the proposed panel of biomarkers. Here we have identified important biomarkers of healthy ageing classified as subdomains of the main areas proposed. Cardiovascular and lung function, glucose metabolism and musculoskeletal function are key subdomains of physiological function. Strength, locomotion, balance and dexterity are key physical capability subdomains. Memory, processing speed and executive function emerged as key subdomains of cognitive function. Markers of the HPA-axis, sex hormones and growth hormones were important biomarkers of endocrine function. Finally, inflammatory factors were identified as important biomarkers of immune function. We present recommendations for a panel of biomarkers that address these major areas of function which decline during ageing. This biomarker panel may have utility in epidemiological

What factors influence healthy aging? A person-centered approach among older adults in Taiwan.

PubMed

Liu, Li-Fan; Su, Pei-Fang

2017-05-01

The present study aimed to identify the health profiles of older adults by using latent class analysis to investigate health heterogeneity and to determine what factors predicted healthy aging among an oldest-old sample cohort that was followed up for 14 years in Taiwan. Data were drawn from five waves (carried out in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007) of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging to examine the changes in health heterogeneity in a nationally representative oldest-old cohort of Taiwanese. Overall, data from a total of 11 145 observations of 3155 older adults were considered. The influential factors predicting health changes were analyzed by using a generalized estimating equation. The results showed that four health profiles were identified among the aging population observed in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. With increasing age, the combined effects of the physical functioning, cognitive and emotional health, and comorbidities of older adults significantly impact their health changes. Apart from health deteriorating with age and sex disparities, educational and economic status, health behaviors, and social participation at the individual level were found to be the robust factors in predicting healthy aging. In considering what factors impact healthy aging, we suggest that a person-centered approach would be useful and critical for policy makers to understand the compositions of health profiles and the influencing factors in view of a life-course perspective. Based on the factors identified as influencing healthy aging at the individual level, it is imperative from a policy-making perspective to maximize opportunities for healthy aging. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 697-707. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Long-term effects of cardiac rehabilitation in elderly individuals with stable coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Mandic, Sandra; Stevens, Emily; Hodge, Claire; Brown, Casey; Walker, Robert; Body, Dianne; Barclay, Leanne; Nye, Edwin R; Williams, Michael J A

2016-01-01

To compare exercise capacity and cardiovascular response to exercise in elderly individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD) who attend ongoing community-based maintenance cardiac rehabilitation (CR) versus age- and gender-matched healthy "very active" (HVA; ≥ 2000 kcal/week) and healthy "less active" (HLA; <2000 kcal/week) individuals. Sixty-three participants (age: 72.3 ± 5.1 years; 62% men; n = 21 per group) completed the following assessments: (1) symptom-limited graded exercise test with expired gas analysis and bioimpedance assessment of cardiovascular function during exercise; (2) walking tests; (3) physical function; (4) anthropometry and (5) 12-month physical activity recall. The CR group achieved 98% (range: 73-154%) of age- and gender-predicted peak oxygen consumption for healthy individuals. Peak oxygen consumption was lower in CR compared to HVA but not HLA group (VO2peak: CR: 19.0 ± 4.5, HVA: 23.7 ± 2.9, HLA: 20.7 ± 4.7 ml ·kg(-1)ċmin(-1), p = 0.001 versus HVA; p = 0.390 versus HLA). Peak heart rate was lower in CR compared to both HVA and HLA. Walking test results and cardiovascular and physical function were not different between the groups. Elderly individuals with CAD participating in maintenance CR have similar exercise capacity and cardiorespiratory response to exercise compared to their age- and gender-matched less active healthy peers. The findings support referral of elderly patients to community-based CR. Fitness benefits of long-term maintenance cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs remain unknown. Elderly individuals with coronary artery disease participating in maintenance CR have exercise capacity and cardiorespiratory response to exercise similar to their less active healthy peers. Maintenance CR may play an important role prolonging independent living in elderly individuals.

The Frontal Hypothesis of Cognitive Aging: Factor Structure and Age Effects on Four "Frontal Tests" among Healthy Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez-Aranda, Claudia; Sundet, Kjetil

2006-01-01

With 101 healthy aging adult participants, the authors investigated whether executive functions are a unitary concept. The authors established the factor structure of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST; E. A. Berg, 1948), the Stroop color and word test (C. J. Golden, 1978), verbal fluency using the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT;…

Age-related differences in muscle activity patterns during walking in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Van Criekinge, Tamaya; Saeys, Wim; Hallemans, Ann; Van de Walle, Patricia; Vereeck, Luc; De Hertogh, Willem; Truijen, Steven

2018-05-26

To examine how muscle activity over the entire gait cycle changes with increasing age. Electromyography data of the erector spinae, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were collected by an instrumented gait analysis during over ground walking in healthy adults aged between 20 and 89 years. Participants were categorized per decade (n = 105, 15 per decade, decades 3-9). Normalized integrated linear envelopes of the electromyographic signal were calculated for one stride. A one way ANOVA using spm1d statistics explored the differences between age groups, followed by a post hoc analysis. While initiation of decline commenced at the age of 60 for erector spinae and tibialis anterior, age-related changes are most pronounced after the age of 80. Concerning timing of muscle activity, subjects in decade 7-9 had prolonged activity and/or early activity of the erector spinae, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius compared to other decades. Regarding amplitude of muscle activity, decreased peak amplitudes of the erector spinae, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius were observed in decades 7-9 compared to other decades. Both timing and amplitude of muscle activation patterns need to be considered to understand the aging process. Regarding the erector spinae, tibialis anterior and vastus lateralis, a decrease in muscle activation coincides with prolonged activity, compared to the gastrocnemius where decreased muscle activation is associated with early activation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is Ginkgo biloba a cognitive enhancer in healthy individuals? A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Laws, Keith R; Sweetnam, Hilary; Kondel, Tejinder K

2012-11-01

We conducted a meta-analysis to examine whether Ginkgo biloba (G. biloba) enhances cognitive function in healthy individuals. Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar databases and recent qualitative reviews were searched for studies examining the effects of G. biloba on cognitive function in healthy individuals. We identified randomised controlled trials containing data on memory (K = 13), executive function (K = 7) and attention (K = 8) from which effect sizes could be derived. The analyses provided measures of memory, executive function and attention in 1132, 534 and 910 participants, respectively. Effect sizes were non-significant and close to zero for memory (d = -0.04: 95%CI -0.17 to 0.07), executive function (d = -0.05: 95%CI -0.17 to 0.05) and attention (d = -0.08: 95%CI -0.21 to 0.02). Meta-regressions showed that effect sizes were not related to participant age, duration of the trial, daily dose, total dose or sample size. We report that G. biloba had no ascertainable positive effects on a range of targeted cognitive functions in healthy individuals. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The influence of successive matches on match-running performance during an under-23 international soccer tournament: The necessity of individual analysis.

PubMed

Varley, Matthew C; Di Salvo, Valter; Modonutti, Mattia; Gregson, Warren; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effects of successive matches on match-running in elite under-23 soccer players during an international tournament. Match-running data was collected using a semi-automated multi-camera tracking system during an international under-23 tournament from all participating outfield players. Players who played 100% of all group stage matches were included (3 matches separated by 72 h, n = 44). Differences in match-running performance between matches were identified using a generalised linear mixed model. There were no clear effects for total, walking, jogging, running, high-speed running and sprinting distance between matches 1 and 3 (effect size (ES); -0.32 to 0.05). Positional analysis found that sprint distance was largely maintained from matches 1 to 3 across all positions. Attackers had a moderate decrease in total, jogging and running distance between matches 1 and 3 (ES; -0.72 to -0.66). Classifying players as increasers or decreasers in match-running revealed that match-running changes are susceptible to individual differences. Sprint performance appears to be maintained over successive matches regardless of playing position. However, reductions in other match-running categories vary between positions. Changes in match-running over successive matches affect individuals differently; thus, players should be monitored on an individual basis.

Age-Related Brain Activation Changes during Rule Repetition in Word-Matching.

PubMed

Methqal, Ikram; Pinsard, Basile; Amiri, Mahnoush; Wilson, Maximiliano A; Monchi, Oury; Provost, Jean-Sebastien; Joanette, Yves

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the age-related brain activation changes during a word-matching semantic-category-based task, which required either repeating or changing a semantic rule to be applied. In order to do so, a word-semantic rule-based task was adapted from the Wisconsin Sorting Card Test, involving the repeated feedback-driven selection of given pairs of words based on semantic category-based criteria. Method: Forty healthy adults (20 younger and 20 older) performed a word-matching task while undergoing a fMRI scan in which they were required to pair a target word with another word from a group of three words. The required pairing is based on three word-pair semantic rules which correspond to different levels of semantic control demands: functional relatedness, moderately typical-relatedness (which were considered as low control demands), and atypical-relatedness (high control demands). The sorting period consisted of a continuous execution of the same sorting rule and an inferred trial-by-trial feedback was given. Results: Behavioral performance revealed increases in response times and decreases of correct responses according to the level of semantic control demands (functional vs. typical vs. atypical) for both age groups (younger and older) reflecting graded differences in the repetition of the application of a given semantic rule. Neuroimaging findings of significant brain activation showed two main results: (1) Greater task-related activation changes for the repetition of the application of atypical rules relative to typical and functional rules, and (2) Changes (older > younger) in the inferior prefrontal regions for functional rules and more extensive and bilateral activations for typical and atypical rules. Regarding the inter-semantic rules comparison, only task-related activation differences were observed for functional > typical (e.g., inferior parietal and temporal regions bilaterally) and atypical > typical (e

Multiple Epstein-Barr virus infections in healthy individuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walling, Dennis M.; Brown, Abigail L.; Etienne, Wiguins; Keitel, Wendy A.; Ling, Paul D.; Butel, J. S. (Principal Investigator)

2003-01-01

We employed a newly developed genotyping technique with direct representational detection of LMP-1 gene sequences to study the molecular epidemiology of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in healthy individuals. Infections with up to five different EBV genotypes were found in two of nine individuals studied. These results support the hypothesis that multiple EBV infections of healthy individuals are common. The implications for the development of an EBV vaccine are discussed.

Healthy ageing in Isan-Thai culture--A phenomenographic study based on older persons' lived experiences.

PubMed

Manasatchakun, Pornpun; Chotiga, Pleumjit; Roxberg, Åsa; Asp, Margareta

2016-01-01

Healthy ageing is a concept that concerns older persons' quality of life and is a key factor in promoting well-being. The older population in Thailand is growing. Isan (a region of north-eastern Thailand) has been reported as having one of the most rapidly increasing older populations in the country. In order to care for and promote the health of older people, healthcare providers should understand how healthy ageing is perceived by this target group. Although healthy ageing has been studied in different contexts as well as perspectives, no studies have previously focused on older persons' experiences of healthy ageing from a lifeworld perspective in Isan-Thai. Therefore, the aim of this study is to describe older persons' qualitatively different conceptions of healthy ageing in Isan-Thai culture. A phenomenographic approach with an epistemological base in lifeworld theory was used to disclose the various ways to conceptualize healthy ageing. Individual, qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 people aged 60 and above who live in Isan-Thai. The findings of this study revealed three categories of descriptions: "being independent in dependence," "being at peace," and "being a valuable person." This study also found family members, friends, healthcare providers, and religion important to healthy ageing in the Isan-Thai culture. Understanding how older people conceptualize healthy ageing is valuable for healthcare providers. They can apply these findings regarding healthy ageing in their fieldwork when caring for older people.

Persuasive Technology to Support Active and Healthy Ageing: an exploration of Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Cabrita, Miriam; Op den Akker, Harm; Tabak, Monique; Hermens, Hermie J; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M R

2018-06-20

The age of the population worldwide is rapidly increasing, bringing social and economic challenges. Persuasive technology can alleviate the burden on traditional healthcare services when used to support healthy behaviors, for instance in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Additionally, healthy behaviors are key factors for active and healthy ageing by delaying or even reversing functional decline. In this manuscript, we present a multi-perspective analysis of technologies that can be used in the support of active and healthy ageing in the daily life. First, we take the perspective of physical and mental health, by focusing on the promotion of physical activity and emotional wellbeing. From a temporal perspective, we look at how technology evolved from past, present and future. The overview of the literature is structured in four main sections: (1) measurement of current behavior (monitoring), (2) analysis of the data gathered to derive meaningful information (analyzing & reasoning), (3) support the individual in the adoption or maintenance of a behavior (coaching), and (4) tools or interfaces that provide the information to the individual to stimulate the desired behavior (applications). Finally, we provide recommendations for the design, development and implementation of future technological innovations to support Active and Healthy Ageing in daily life. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Healthy ageing: the natural consequences of good nutrition-a conference report.

PubMed

Marsman, D; Belsky, D W; Gregori, D; Johnson, M A; Low Dog, T; Meydani, S; Pigat, S; Sadana, R; Shao, A; Griffiths, J C

2018-05-24

Many countries are witnessing a marked increase in longevity and with this increased lifespan and the desire for healthy ageing, many, however, suffer from the opposite including mental and physical deterioration, lost productivity and quality of life, and increased medical costs. While adequate nutrition is fundamental for good health, it remains unclear what impact various dietary interventions may have on prolonging good quality of life. Studies which span age, geography and income all suggest that access to quality foods, host immunity and response to inflammation/infections, impaired senses (i.e., sight, taste, smell) or mobility are all factors which can limit intake or increase the body's need for specific micronutrients. New clinical studies of healthy ageing are needed and quantitative biomarkers are an essential component, particularly tools which can measure improvements in physiological integrity throughout life, thought to be a primary contributor to a long and productive life (a healthy "lifespan"). A framework for progress has recently been proposed in a WHO report which takes a broad, person-centered focus on healthy ageing, emphasizing the need to better understand an individual's intrinsic capacity, their functional abilities at various life stages, and the impact by mental, and physical health, and the environments they inhabit.

Healthy Aging in China

PubMed Central

Smith, James P.; Strauss, John; Zhao, Yaohui

2014-01-01

China has aged rapidly and the rate is accelerating in decades to come. We review positive and negative forces for healthy aging in China now and in the future. The most positive force is the spectacular growth in education over time especially for Chinese women, which should improve all dimensions of cognitive and physical health and eliminate vast gender disparities in healthy aging that currently exist. Other positive forces include increasing detection and treatment of disease and the availability of health insurance and health services so that diseases like hypertension and diabetes do not remain silent killers in China. Transparency is eased on the research level by publicly available data such as CHARLS, a sharp departure from prior scientific norm in China. Negative forces center on disturbing trends in personal health behaviors such as growing rates of smoking (among men) and obesity (for both genders), and pollution—,especially in urban centers. Public health campaigns and incentives are needed on all these fronts so that predictable long-term consequences of these behaviors on older age disease are not realized. There will not be a simple demographic fix to healthy aging in China as fertility rates are unlikely to rise much, while migration will likely continue to rise leaving growing numbers of elderly parents geographically separated from their adult children. Government policy will have to allow migration of elderly parents to live with their adult children while reducing the rigid connection of policy (health insurance and health services) with place of residence. PMID:25621202

Body Weight and Matching with a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmalt, Julie H.; Cawley, John; Joyner, Kara; Sobal, Jeffery

2008-01-01

Matching and attribute trade are two perspectives used to explain mate selection. We investigated patterns of matching and trade, focusing on obesity, using Add Health Romantic Pair data (N = 1,405 couples). Obese individuals, relative to healthy weight individuals, were less likely to have physically attractive partners, with this disadvantage…

Light touch leads to increased stability in quiet and perturbed balance: Equivalent effects between post-stroke and healthy older individuals.

PubMed

Martinelli, Alessandra Rezende; Coelho, Daniel Boari; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2018-04-01

Cerebral damage provoked by stroke may lead to deficits of quiet balance control and of the recovery of body equilibrium following an unanticipated postural perturbation. In this investigation we aimed to evaluate the effect of light touch (LT) of an earth-fixed surface on balance stability in individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis, taking performance of age-matched healthy participants as reference. Evaluations were made in conditions of full and no visual information. Analysis of quiet balance showed that LT induced higher balance stability, with reduced amplitude and velocity of postural sway. Evaluation of the effect of LT on automatic postural responses was made in the task of recovering body equilibrium following a mechanical perturbation of balance leading to fast forward body sway. Results showed that LT led to reduced amplitude of center of mass displacement following the perturbation, in addition to reduced amplitude and velocity of center of pressure under the feet, and lower activation of the lower legs muscles. Those effects of LT were observed in both the post-stroke and control groups, and did not interact with vision availability. Our results indicated then that individuals who suffered a cerebral stroke can stabilize perturbed and non-perturbed postural responses by lightly touching a stable surface to a similar extent of healthy older individuals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationships between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oswald, Frank; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Schilling, Oliver; Nygren, Carita; Fange, Agneta; Sixsmith, Andrew; Sixsmith, Judith; Szeman, Zsuzsa; Tomsone, Signe; Iwarsson, Susanne

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective well-being. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries.…

The Effect of Age, Race, and Sex on Social Cognitive Performance in Individuals With Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Pinkham, Amy E; Kelsven, Skylar; Kouros, Chrystyna; Harvey, Philip D; Penn, David L

2017-05-01

Age, race, and sex are linked to social cognitive performance among healthy individuals, but whether similar effects are evident in schizophrenia is unknown. Data from 170 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 98 healthy controls were used to examine relations between these demographic factors and performance across multiple domains and measures of social cognition. Sex was not related to performance on any domain, but older age was related to poorer emotion recognition from dynamic stimuli in both patients and controls. In patients, older age was also associated with better abilities to decipher hints. Both Caucasian patients and controls performed better than African American individuals on emotion recognition and mental state attribution tasks that use only Caucasian individuals as visual stimuli. Findings suggest rather limited influences of demographic factors but do demonstrate normative age and race effects among patients. Findings also highlight important methodological considerations for measurement of social cognition.

The power of personality in discriminating between healthy aging and early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Duchek, Janet M; Balota, David A; Storandt, Martha; Larsen, Randy

2007-11-01

This study examined differences in personality in the earliest stages of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) relative to healthy aging, and the power of personality in discriminating healthy aging from early-stage DAT. Four groups of participants (middle-aged controls, older controls, persons with very mild DAT, and persons with mild DAT) and their families were administered Costa and McCrae's NEO Five-Factor Inventory. On the basis of both self-report and informant report, there was an increase in neuroticism and a decrease in conscientiousness in persons with very mild DAT relative to healthy individuals without it, and in persons with mild DAT relative to those with very mild DAT. Moreover, informant reports of neuroticism and conscientiousness capture substantial unique variance in discriminating healthy aging and very mild DAT, above and beyond standard neuropsychological tests. Discussion focuses on the importance of personality traits as a noncognitive indicator of early-stage DAT.

A method for age-matched OCT angiography deviation mapping in the assessment of disease- related changes to the radial peripapillary capillaries.

PubMed

Pinhas, Alexander; Linderman, Rachel; Mo, Shelley; Krawitz, Brian D; Geyman, Lawrence S; Carroll, Joseph; Rosen, Richard B; Chui, Toco Y

2018-01-01

To present a method for age-matched deviation mapping in the assessment of disease-related changes to the radial peripapillary capillaries (RPCs). We reviewed 4.5x4.5mm en face peripapillary OCT-A scans of 133 healthy control eyes (133 subjects, mean 41.5 yrs, range 11-82 yrs) and 4 eyes with distinct retinal pathologies, obtained using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of age on RPC perfusion densities. RPC density group mean and standard deviation maps were generated for each decade of life. Deviation maps were created for the diseased eyes based on these maps. Large peripapillary vessel (LPV; noncapillary vessel) perfusion density was also studied for impact of age. Average healthy RPC density was 42.5±1.47%. ANOVA and pairwise Tukey-Kramer tests showed that RPC density in the ≥60yr group was significantly lower compared to RPC density in all younger decades of life (p<0.01). Average healthy LPV density was 21.5±3.07%. Linear regression models indicated that LPV density decreased with age, however ANOVA and pairwise Tukey-Kramer tests did not reach statistical significance. Deviation mapping enabled us to quantitatively and visually elucidate the significance of RPC density changes in disease. It is important to consider changes that occur with aging when analyzing RPC and LPV density changes in disease. RPC density, coupled with age-matched deviation mapping techniques, represents a potentially clinically useful method in detecting changes to peripapillary perfusion in disease.

Similar verbal memory impairments in schizophrenia and healthy aging. Implications for understanding of neural mechanisms.

PubMed

Silver, Henry; Bilker, Warren B

2015-03-30

Memory is impaired in schizophrenia patients but it is not clear whether this is specific to the illness and whether different types of memory (verbal and nonverbal) or memories in different cognitive domains (executive, object recognition) are similarly affected. To study relationships between memory impairments and schizophrenia we compared memory functions in 77 schizophrenia patients, 58 elderly healthy individuals and 41 young healthy individuals. Tests included verbal associative and logical memory and memory in executive and object recognition domains. We compared relationships of memory functions to each other and to other cognitive functions including psychomotor speed and verbal and spatial working memory. Compared to the young healthy group, schizophrenia patients and elderly healthy individuals showed similar severe impairment in logical memory and in the ability to learn new associations (NAL), and similar but less severe impairment in spatial working memory and executive and object memory. Verbal working memory was significantly more impaired in schizophrenia patients than in the healthy elderly. Verbal episodic memory impairment in schizophrenia may share common mechanisms with similar impairment in healthy aging. Impairment in verbal working memory in contrast may reflect mechanisms specific to schizophrenia. Study of verbal explicit memory impairment tapped by the NAL index may advance understanding of abnormal hippocampus dependent mechanisms common to schizophrenia and aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lymphocyte maintenance during healthy aging requires no substantial alterations in cellular turnover.

PubMed

Westera, Liset; van Hoeven, Vera; Drylewicz, Julia; Spierenburg, Gerrit; van Velzen, Jeroen F; de Boer, Rob J; Tesselaar, Kiki; Borghans, José A M

2015-04-01

In healthy humans, lymphocyte populations are maintained at a relatively constant size throughout life, reflecting a balance between lymphocyte production and loss. Given the profound immunological changes that occur during healthy aging, including a significant decline in T-cell production by the thymus, lymphocyte maintenance in the elderly is generally thought to require homeostatic alterations in lymphocyte dynamics. Surprisingly, using in vivo (2) H2 O labeling, we find similar dynamics of most lymphocyte subsets between young adult and elderly healthy individuals. As the contribution of thymic output to T-cell production is only minor from young adulthood onward, compensatory increases in peripheral T-cell division rates are not required to maintain the T-cell pool, despite a tenfold decline in thymic output. These fundamental insights will aid the interpretation of further research into aging and clinical conditions related to disturbed lymphocyte dynamics. © 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Neural correlates of free recall of "famous events" in a "hypermnestic" individual as compared to an age- and education-matched reference group.

PubMed

Fehr, Thorsten; Staniloiu, Angelica; Markowitsch, Hans J; Erhard, Peter; Herrmann, Manfred

2018-06-19

Memory performance of an individual (within the age range: 50-55 years old) showing superior memory abilities (protagonist PR) was compared to an age- and education-matched reference group in a historical facts ("famous events") retrieval task. Contrasting task versus baseline performance both PR and the reference group showed fMRI activation patterns in parietal and occipital brain regions. The reference group additionally demonstrated activation patterns in cingulate gyrus, whereas PR showed additional widespread activation patterns comprising frontal and cerebellar brain regions. The direct comparison between PR and the reference group revealed larger fMRI contrasts for PR in right frontal, superior temporal and cerebellar brain regions. It was concluded that PR generally recruits brain regions as normal memory performers do, but in a more elaborate way, and furthermore, that he applied a memory-strategy that potentially includes executively driven multi-modal transcoding of information and recruitment of implicit memory resources.

Clinical implications of gait analysis in the rehabilitation of adult patients with "Prader-Willi" Syndrome: a cross-sectional comparative study ("Prader-Willi" Syndrome vs matched obese patients and healthy subjects).

PubMed

Vismara, Luca; Romei, Marianna; Galli, Manuela; Montesano, Angelo; Baccalaro, Gabriele; Crivellini, Marcello; Grugni, Graziano

2007-05-10

Being severely overweight is a distinctive clinical feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). PWS is a complex multisystem disorder, representing the most common form of genetic obesity. The aim of this study was the analysis of the gait pattern of adult subjects with PWS by using three-Dimensional Gait Analysis. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of obese patients and in a group of healthy subjects. Cross-sectional, comparative study: 19 patients with PWS (11 males and 8 females, age: 18-40 years, BMI: 29.3-50.3 kg/m2); 14 obese matched patients (5 males and 9 females, age: 18-40 years, BMI: 34.3-45.2 kg/m2); 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females, age: 21-41 years, BMI: 19.3-25.4 kg/m2). Kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking were assessed by an optoelectronic system and two force platforms. PWS adult patients walked slower, had a shorter stride length, a lower cadence and a longer stance phase compared with both matched obese, and healthy subjects. Obese matched patients showed spatio-temporal parameters significantly different from healthy subjects.Furthermore, Range Of Motion (ROM) at knee and ankle, and plantaflexor activity of PWS patients were significantly different between obese and healthy subjects. Obese subjects revealed kinematic and kinetic data similar to healthy subjects. PWS subjects had a gait pattern significantly different from obese patients. Despite that, both groups had a similar BMI. We suggest that PWS gait abnormalities may be related to abnormalities in the development of motor skills in childhood, due to precocious obesity. A tailored rehabilitation program in early childhood of PWS patients could prevent gait pattern changes.

Clinical implications of gait analysis in the rehabilitation of adult patients with "Prader-Willi" Syndrome: a cross-sectional comparative study ("Prader-Willi" Syndrome vs matched obese patients and healthy subjects)

PubMed Central

Vismara, Luca; Romei, Marianna; Galli, Manuela; Montesano, Angelo; Baccalaro, Gabriele; Crivellini, Marcello; Grugni, Graziano

2007-01-01

Background Being severely overweight is a distinctive clinical feature of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). PWS is a complex multisystem disorder, representing the most common form of genetic obesity. The aim of this study was the analysis of the gait pattern of adult subjects with PWS by using three-Dimensional Gait Analysis. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of obese patients and in a group of healthy subjects. Methods Cross-sectional, comparative study: 19 patients with PWS (11 males and 8 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 29.3–50.3 kg/m2); 14 obese matched patients (5 males and 9 females, age: 18–40 years, BMI: 34.3–45.2 kg/m2); 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females, age: 21–41 years, BMI: 19.3–25.4 kg/m2). Kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking were assessed by an optoelectronic system and two force platforms. Results PWS adult patients walked slower, had a shorter stride length, a lower cadence and a longer stance phase compared with both matched obese, and healthy subjects. Obese matched patients showed spatio-temporal parameters significantly different from healthy subjects. Furthermore, Range Of Motion (ROM) at knee and ankle, and plantaflexor activity of PWS patients were significantly different between obese and healthy subjects. Obese subjects revealed kinematic and kinetic data similar to healthy subjects. Conclusion PWS subjects had a gait pattern significantly different from obese patients. Despite that, both groups had a similar BMI. We suggest that PWS gait abnormalities may be related to abnormalities in the development of motor skills in childhood, due to precocious obesity. A tailored rehabilitation program in early childhood of PWS patients could prevent gait pattern changes. PMID:17493259

Ageing/Menopausal Status in Healthy Women and Ageing in Healthy Men Differently Affect Cardiometabolic Parameters.

PubMed

Campesi, Ilaria; Occhioni, Stefano; Tonolo, Giancarlo; Cherchi, Sara; Basili, Stefania; Carru, Ciriaco; Zinellu, Angelo; Franconi, Flavia

2016-01-01

Gender medicine requires a global analysis of an individual's life. Menopause and ageing induce variations of some cardiometabolic parameters, but, it is unknown if this occurs in a sex-specific manner. Here, some markers of oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction are analysed in men younger and older than 45 years and in pre- and postmenopausal women. Serum and plasma sample were assayed for TNF-α and IL-6, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyls and for methylated arginines using ELISA kits, colorimetric methods and capillary electrophoresis. Before body weight correction, men overall had higher creatinine, red blood cells and haemoglobin and lower triglycerides than women. Men younger than 45 years had lower levels of TNF-α and malondialdehyde and higher levels of arginine than age-matched women, while postmenopausal women had higher IL-6 concentrations than men, and higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and IL-6 levels than younger women. Men younger than 45 years had lower total cholesterol and malondialdehyde than older men. After correction, some differences remained, others were amplified, others disappeared and some new differences emerged. Moreover, some parameters showed a correlation with age, and some of them correlated with each other as functions of ageing and ageing/menopausal status. Ageing/menopausal status increased many more cardiovascular risk factors in women than ageing in men, confirming that postmenopausal women had increased vascular vulnerability and indicating the need of early cardiovascular prevention in women. Sex-gender differences are also influenced by body weight, indicating as a matter of debate whether body weight should be seen as a true confounder or as part of the causal pathway.

Verification of the ages of supercentenarians in the United States: results of a matching study.

PubMed

Rosenwaike, Ira; Stone, Leslie F

2003-11-01

Unprecedented declines in mortality among the very old have led to the emergence of "true" supercentenarians (persons aged 110 and over). The ages of these individuals have been well-documented in European countries with a history of birth registration, but have not been systematically studied in the United States, which lacks similar documentation and where the inaccuracy of age reporting has been an issue. To verify age, we linked records from the Social Security Administration for close to 700 individuals who died from 1980 to 1999 purportedly at ages 110 and older to records of the U.S. censuses of 1880 and 1900, conducted when these individuals were children. This group was a residual group from an earlier file that was reduced by the SSA after data checks that eliminated incorrect records. The results of the matched records for the residual file indicate that over 90% of the whites were accurately reported as supercentenarians, but only half of the blacks appeared to have attained age 110. The verification of age shows that the United States has more "true" supercentenarians than do other nations.

Quality of life in Arab Muslim cancer survivors following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: comparison with matched healthy group.

PubMed

Alaloul, Fawwaz; Brockopp, Dorothy Y; Andrykowski, Michael A; Hall, Lynne A; Al Nusairat, Taghreed S

2015-07-01

The aims of this study were to determine if quality of life (QOL) among Arab Muslim hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) survivors differs from that of a healthy matched comparison group and to examine the relationships of demographic and medical variables and perceived social support with post-HSCT QOL. HSCT survivors (n = 63) were recruited from the King Hussein Cancer Center outpatient clinic. A matched (age, gender, education), healthy comparison group (n = 63) was recruited through public advertisements. Participants completed the EORTC-30 QOL scale and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Differences were found between the Arab Muslim HSCT survivor and healthy comparison groups for physical functioning (p < .0001), role functioning (p < .01), social functioning (p < .0001) QOL domains, and an overall symptom score (p = .003) with the HSCT group reporting poorer status than the healthy comparison group. Effect sizes for the three QOL domains ranged from .50 (role functioning) to 1.20 (social functioning). No significant difference was noted between the Arab Muslim HSCT and comparison groups in emotional and cognitive QOL domains. Higher overall symptom scores were significantly associated with poorer QOL across all QOL domains. Similar to prior research with HSCT survivors, results suggest that HSCT has a significant negative impact on QOL. However, despite this general similarity, results suggest that the needs and experience of Muslim Arab HSCT survivors might differ from those of Western HSCT survivors in the social and emotional QOL domains. Given growing numbers of Arab and Muslim cancer survivors in the USA and other Western countries, future research is warranted.

Relationship of Muscle Mass Determined by DEXA with Spirometric Results in Healthy Individuals.

PubMed

Martín Holguera, Rafael; Turrión Nieves, Ana Isabel; Rodríguez Torres, Rosa; Alonso, María Concepción

2017-07-01

Muscle mass maybe a determining factor in the variability of spirometry results in individuals of the same sex and age who have similar anthropometric characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the association between spirometric results from healthy individuals and their muscle mass assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A sample of 161 women and 144 men, all healthy non-smokers, was studied. Ages ranged from18 to77years. For each subject, spirometry results and total and regional lean mass values obtained by full body DEXA were recorded. A descriptive analysis of the variables and a regression analysis were performed to study the relationship between spirometric variables and lean body mass, correcting for age and body mass index (BMI). In both sexes all muscle mass variables correlated positively and significantly with spirometric variables, and to a greater extent in men. After partial adjustment of correlations by age and BMI, the factor which best explains the spirometric variables is the total lean body mass in men, and trunk lean body mass in women. In men, muscle mass in the lower extremities is most closely associated with spirometric results. In women, it is the muscle mass of the trunk. In both sexes muscle mass mainly affects FEV 1 . Copyright © 2016 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Differences in levels of albumin, ALT, AST, γ-GT and creatinine in frail, moderately healthy and healthy elderly individuals.

PubMed

Edvardsson, Maria; Sund-Levander, Märtha; Milberg, Anna; Wressle, Ewa; Marcusson, Jan; Grodzinsky, Ewa

2018-02-23

Reference intervals are widely used as decision tools, providing the physician with information about whether the analyte values indicate ongoing disease process. Reference intervals are generally based on individuals without diagnosed diseases or use of medication, which often excludes elderly. The aim of the study was to assess levels of albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) in frail, moderately healthy and healthy elderly indivuduals. Blood samples were collected from individuals >80 years old, nursing home residents, in the Elderly in Linköping Screening Assessment and Nordic Reference Interval Project, a total of 569 individuals. They were divided into three cohorts: frail, moderately healthy and healthy, depending on cognitive and physical function. Albumin, ALT, AST, creatinine and γ-GT were analyzed using routine methods. Linear regression predicted factors for 34% of the variance in albumin were activities of daily living (ADL), gender, stroke and cancer. ADLs, gender and weight explained 15% of changes in ALT. For AST levels, ADLs, cancer and analgesics explained 5% of changes. Kidney disease, gender, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease explained 25% of the variation in creatinine levels and MMSE explained three per cent of γ-GT variation. Because a group of people are at the same age, they should not be assessed the same way. To interpret results of laboratory tests in elderly is a complex task, where reference intervals are one part, but far from the only one, to take into consideration.

Do people become more apathetic as they grow older? A longitudinal study in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Brodaty, Henry; Altendorf, Annette; Withall, Adrienne; Sachdev, Perminder

2010-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine levels, rates and progression of apathy in healthy older persons and to investigate factors associated with its progression. Seventy-six healthy elderly subjects, aged 58-85 years (mean 69.9), who were recruited by general advertisement and through local community groups, participated as a control group for a longitudinal study of stroke patients. Data were collected on demographic, psychological, neuropsychological and neuroimaging (MRI) variables and apathy was rated by informants on the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Apathy scores and rates increased over 5 years, especially in men. Change of apathy was associated with informant ratings of cognitive decline in the years prior to baseline assessment but not to subsequent neuropsychological, neuroimaging or functional changes. Apathy increases with age in otherwise healthy community-dwelling individuals, particularly in men.

Decreased serum level of HMGB1 and MyD88 during human aging progress in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Fu, Guo-Xiang; Chen, Alex F; Zhong, Yuan; Zhao, Jian; Gu, Ying-Jia

2016-04-01

Previous studies have suggested that high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) binds to the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling mediates the progression of various inflammatory diseases. But the roles of HMGB1 and TLR4 in aging remain poorly unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the serum levels of HMGB1 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), which is one of TLR4's intracellular adaptor proteins during human aging process and their relevance with cathepsin B (CTSB). This research was conducted using the blood samples provided by healthy people (n = 90, 63 men and 27 women). Subjects were subdivided into groups with respect to age: young (about 25 years old, n = 30), middle age (about 40 years old, n = 30), and aged (above 65 years old, n = 30). Altered serum levels of HMGB1, MyD88 and CTSB were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum levels of HMGB1 and MyD88 were significantly decreased in the aged group compared with those in the young group. Linear regression analysis showed that HMGB1 and MyD88 positively correlated with CTSB among the whole healthy people. A negative correlation was determined between MyD88 and age. The serum levels of HMGB1 and MyD88 significantly decreased with age. MyD88, but not HMGB1, was negatively correlated with age.

Computer face-matching technology using two-dimensional photographs accurately matches the facial gestalt of unrelated individuals with the same syndromic form of intellectual disability.

PubMed

Dudding-Byth, Tracy; Baxter, Anne; Holliday, Elizabeth G; Hackett, Anna; O'Donnell, Sheridan; White, Susan M; Attia, John; Brunner, Han; de Vries, Bert; Koolen, David; Kleefstra, Tjitske; Ratwatte, Seshika; Riveros, Carlos; Brain, Steve; Lovell, Brian C

2017-12-19

Massively parallel genetic sequencing allows rapid testing of known intellectual disability (ID) genes. However, the discovery of novel syndromic ID genes requires molecular confirmation in at least a second or a cluster of individuals with an overlapping phenotype or similar facial gestalt. Using computer face-matching technology we report an automated approach to matching the faces of non-identical individuals with the same genetic syndrome within a database of 3681 images [1600 images of one of 10 genetic syndrome subgroups together with 2081 control images]. Using the leave-one-out method, two research questions were specified: 1) Using two-dimensional (2D) photographs of individuals with one of 10 genetic syndromes within a database of images, did the technology correctly identify more than expected by chance: i) a top match? ii) at least one match within the top five matches? or iii) at least one in the top 10 with an individual from the same syndrome subgroup? 2) Was there concordance between correct technology-based matches and whether two out of three clinical geneticists would have considered the diagnosis based on the image alone? The computer face-matching technology correctly identifies a top match, at least one correct match in the top five and at least one in the top 10 more than expected by chance (P < 0.00001). There was low agreement between the technology and clinicians, with higher accuracy of the technology when results were discordant (P < 0.01) for all syndromes except Kabuki syndrome. Although the accuracy of the computer face-matching technology was tested on images of individuals with known syndromic forms of intellectual disability, the results of this pilot study illustrate the potential utility of face-matching technology within deep phenotyping platforms to facilitate the interpretation of DNA sequencing data for individuals who remain undiagnosed despite testing the known developmental disorder genes.

Assessing Cortisol Reactivity to a Linguistic Task as a Marker of Stress in Individuals with Left-Hemisphere Stroke and Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laures-Gore, Jacqueline; Heim, Christine M.; Hsu, Yu-Sheng

2007-01-01

Purpose: In this study, the authors explore a method of measuring physiologic and perceived stress in individuals with aphasia by investigating salivary cortisol reactivity and subjectively perceived stress in response to a standardized linguistic task. Method: Fifteen individuals with aphasia and 15 age-matched healthy controls participated in a…

Emg Signal Analysis of Healthy and Neuropathic Individuals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Ashutosh; Sayed, Tabassum; Garg, Ridhi; Shreyam, Richa

2017-08-01

Electromyography is a method to evaluate levels of muscle activity. When a muscle contracts, an action potential is generated and this circulates along the muscular fibers. In electromyography, electrodes are connected to the skin and the electrical activity of muscles is measured and graph is plotted. The surface EMG signals picked up during the muscular activity are interfaced with a system. The EMG signals from individual suffering from Neuropathy and healthy individual, so obtained, are processed and analyzed using signal processing techniques. This project includes the investigation and interpretation of EMG signals of healthy and Neuropathic individuals using MATLAB. The prospective use of this study is in developing the prosthetic device for the people with Neuropathic disability.

Effect of Amalaki rasayana on DNA damage and repair in randomized aged human individuals.

PubMed

Vishwanatha, Udupi; Guruprasad, Kanive P; Gopinath, Puthiya M; Acharya, Raviraj V; Prasanna, Bokkasa V; Nayak, Jayakrishna; Ganesh, Rajeshwari; Rao, Jayalaxmi; Shree, Rashmi; Anchan, Suchitra; Raghu, Kothanahalli S; Joshi, Manjunath B; Paladhi, Puspendu; Varier, Panniampilly M; Muraleedharan, Kollath; Muraleedharan, Thrikovil S; Satyamoorthy, Kapaettu

2016-09-15

Preparations from Phyllanthus emblica called Amalaki rasayana is used in the Indian traditional medicinal system of Ayurveda for healthy living in elderly. The biological effects and its mechanisms are not fully understood. Since the diminishing DNA repair is the hallmark of ageing, we tested the influence of Amalaki rasayana on recognized DNA repair activities in healthy aged individuals. Amalaki rasayana was prepared fresh and healthy aged randomized human volunteers were administrated with either rasayana or placebo for 45 days strictly as per the traditional text. The DNA repair was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after rasayana administration and after 45 days post-rasayana treatment regimen. UVC-induced DNA strand break repair (DSBR) based on extent of DNA unwinding by fluorometric analysis, nucleotide excision repair (NER) by flow cytometry and constitutive base excision repair (BER) by gap filling method were analyzed. Amalaki rasayana administration stably maintained/enhanced the DSBR in aged individuals. There were no adverse side effects. Further, subjects with different body mass index showed differential DNA strand break repair capacity. No change in unscheduled DNA synthesis during NER and BER was observed between the groups. Intake of Amalaki rasayana by aged individuals showed stable maintenance of DNA strand break repair without toxic effects. However, there was no change in nucleotide and base excision repair activities. Results warrant further studies on the effects of Amalaki rasayana on DSBR activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial factors for influencing healthy aging in adults in Korea.

PubMed

Han, KyungHun; Lee, YunJung; Gu, JaSung; Oh, Hee; Han, JongHee; Kim, KwuyBun

2015-03-07

Healthy aging includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being in later years. The purpose of this study is to identify the psychosocial factors influencing healthy aging and examining their socio-demographic characteristics. Perceived health status, depression, self-esteem, self-achievement, ego-integrity, participation in leisure activities, and loneliness were identified as influential factors in healthy aging. 171 Korean adults aged between 45 and 77 years-old participated in the study. Self-reporting questionnaires were used, followed by descriptive statistics and multiple regressions as inferential statistical analyses. There were significant differences between participants' general characteristics: age, education, religion, housing, hobby, and economic status. The factors related to healthy aging had positive correlation with perceived health status, self-esteem, self-achievements, and leisure activities, and negative correlation with depression and loneliness. The factors influencing healthy aging were depression, leisure activities, perceived health status, ego integrity, and self-achievements. These factors were able to explain 51.9%. According to the results, depression is the factor with the greatest influence on healthy aging. Perceived health status, ego integrity, self-achievement, self-esteem, participation of leisure activities were also influential on healthy aging as beneficial factors.

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates.

PubMed

Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Desrosiers, Mark F; Riley, Kathryn P; Markesbery, William R

2007-11-01

Although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. To develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. The biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing.

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates

PubMed Central

Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Desrosiers, Mark F.; Riley, Kathryn P.; Markesbery, William R.

2008-01-01

Background although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. Objective to develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Methods analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Results only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. Conclusions the biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing. PMID:17906306

Kinematics of Signature Writing in Healthy Aging*

PubMed Central

Caligiuri, Michael P.; Kim, Chi; Landy, Kelly M.

2014-01-01

Forensic document examiners (FDE) called upon to distinguish a genuine from a forged signature of an elderly person are often required to consider the question of age-related deterioration and whether the available exemplars reliably capture the natural effects of aging of the original writer. An understanding of the statistical relationship between advanced age and handwriting movements can reduce the uncertainty that may exist in an examiner’s approach to questioned signatures formed by elderly writers. The primary purpose of this study was to systematically examine age-related changes in signature kinematics in healthy writers. Forty-two healthy subjects between the ages of 60–91 years participated in this study. Signatures were recorded using a digitizing tablet and commercial software was used to examine the temporal and spatial stroke kinematics and pen pressure. Results indicated that vertical stroke duration and dysfluency increased with age, whereas vertical stroke amplitude and velocity decreased with age. Pen pressure decreased with age. We found that a linear model characterized the best-fit relationship between advanced age and handwriting movement parameters for signature formation. Male writers exhibited stronger age effects than female writers, especially for pen pressure and stroke dysfluency. The present study contributes to an understanding of how advanced age alters signature formation in otherwise healthy adults. PMID:24673648

Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPC) Count by Multicolor Flow Cytometry in Healthy Individuals and Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Patients.

PubMed

Falay, Mesude; Aktas, Server

2016-11-01

The present study aimed to determine circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cell (EPC) counts by multicolor flow cytometry in healthy individuals and diabetic subjects by means of forming an analysis procedure using a combination of monoclonal antibodies (moAbs), which would correctly detect the circulating EPC count. The circulating EPC count was detected in 40 healthy individuals (20 Female, 20 Male; age range: 26 - 50 years) and 30 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients (15 Female, 15 Male; age range: 42 - 55) by multicolor flow cytometry (FCM) in a single-tube panel consisting of 5 CD45/CD31/CD34/CD309/ SYTO® and 16 monoclonal antibodies. Circulating EPC count was 11.33 (7.89 - 15.25) cells/µL in the healthy control group and 4.80 (0.70 - 10.85) cells/µL in the DM group. EPC counts were significantly lower in DM cases that developed coronary artery disease (53.3%) as compared to those that did not (p < 0.001). In the present study, we describe a method that identifies circulating EPC counts by multicolor flow cytometry in a single tube and determines the circulating EPC count in healthy individuals. This is the first study conducted on EPC count in Turkish population. We think that the EPC count found in the present study will be a guide for future studies.

Defining and Estimating Healthy Aging in Spain: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Laso, Angel; McLaughlin, Sara J; Urdaneta, Elena; Yanguas, Javier

2018-03-19

Using an operational continuum of healthy aging developed by U.S. researchers, we sought to estimate the prevalence of healthy aging among older Spaniards, inform the development of a definition of healthy aging in Spain, and foster cross-national research on healthy aging. The ELES pilot study is a nationwide, cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling Spaniards 50 years and older. The prevalence of healthy aging was calculated for the 65 and over population using varying definitions. To evaluate their validity, we examined the association of healthy aging with the 8 foot up & go test, quality of life scores and self-perceived health using multiple linear and logistic regression. The estimated prevalence of healthy aging varied across the operational continuum, from 4.5% to 49.2%. Prevalence figures were greater for men and those aged 65 to 79 years and were higher than in the United States. Predicted mean physical performance scores were similar for 3 of the 4 definitions, suggesting that stringent definitions of healthy aging offer little advantage over a more moderate one. Similar to U.S. researchers, we recommend a definition of healthy aging that incorporates measures of functional health and limiting disease as opposed to definitions requiring the absence of all disease in studies designed to assess the effect of policy initiatives on healthy aging.

Serum profiling of healthy aging identifies phospho- and sphingolipid species as markers of human longevity.

PubMed

Montoliu, Ivan; Scherer, Max; Beguelin, Fiona; DaSilva, Laeticia; Mari, Daniela; Salvioli, Stefano; Martin, Francois-Pierre J; Capri, Miriam; Bucci, Laura; Ostan, Rita; Garagnani, Paolo; Monti, Daniela; Biagi, Elena; Brigidi, Patrizia; Kussmann, Martin; Rezzi, Serge; Franceschi, Claudio; Collino, Sebastiano

2014-01-01

As centenarians well represent the model of healthy aging, there are many important implications in revealing the underlying molecular mechanisms behind such successful aging. By combining NMR metabonomics and shot-gun lipidomics in serum we analyzed metabolome and lipidome composition of a group of centenarians with respect to elderly individuals. Specifically, NMR metabonomics profiling of serum revealed that centenarians are characterized by a metabolic phenotype distinct from that of elderly subjects, in particular regarding amino acids and lipid species. Shot- gun lipidomics approach displays unique changes in lipids biosynthesis in centenarians, with 41 differently abundant lipid species with respect to elderly subjects. These findings reveal phospho/sphingolipids as putative markers and biological modulators of healthy aging, in humans. Considering the particular actions of these metabolites, these data are suggestive of a better counteractive antioxidant capacity and a well-developed membrane lipid remodelling process in the healthy aging phenotype.

Cortisol-dependent stress effects on cell distribution in healthy individuals and individuals suffering from chronic adrenal insufficiency.

PubMed

Geiger, Ashley M; Pitts, Kenneth P; Feldkamp, Joachim; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Wolf, Jutta M

2015-11-01

Chronic adrenal insufficiency (CAI) is characterized by a lack of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid production due to destroyed adrenal cortex cells. However, elevated cortisol secretion is thought to be a central part in a well-orchestrated immune response to stress. This raises the question to what extent lack of cortisol in CAI affects stress-related changes in immune processes. To address this question, 28 CAI patients (20 females) and 18 healthy individuals (11 females) (age: 44.3 ± 8.4 years) were exposed to a psychosocial stress test (Trier Social Stress Test: TSST). Half the patients received a 0.03 mg/kg body weight injection of hydrocortisone (HC) post-TSST to mimic a healthy cortisol stress response. Catecholamines and immune cell composition were assessed in peripheral blood and free cortisol measured in saliva collected before and repeatedly after TSST. CAI patients showed norepinephrine (NE) stress responses similar to healthy participants, however, epinephrine (E) as well as cortisol levels were significantly lower. HC treatment post-TSST resulted in cortisol increases comparable to those observed in healthy participants (interaction effects--NE: F=1.05, p=.41; E: F=2.56, p=.045; cortisol: F=13.28, p<.001). Healthy individuals showed the expected pattern of stress-related early lymphocyte increase with subsequent decrease below baseline. The opposite pattern was observed in granulocytes. While exhibiting a similar initial increase, lymphocytes kept increasing over the following 2h in untreated patients. HC treatment buffered this effect (interaction effects--lymphocyte%: F=7.31, p<.001; granulocyte%: F=7.71, p<.001). Using CAI in humans as a model confirms cortisol's central involvement in post-stress lymphocyte migration from blood into immune-relevant body compartments. As such, future studies should investigate whether psychosocial stress exposure may put CAI patients at an increased health risk due to attenuated immune responses to pathogens

Cortisol-dependent stress effects on cell distribution in healthy individuals and individuals suffering from chronic adrenal insufficiency

PubMed Central

Geiger, Ashley M.; Pitts, Kenneth P.; Feldkamp, Joachim; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Wolf, Jutta M.

2017-01-01

Chronic adrenal insufficiency (CAI) is characterized by a lack of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid production due to destroyed adrenal cortex cells. However, elevated cortisol secretion is thought to be a central part in a well-orchestrated immune response to stress. This raises the question to what extent lack of cortisol in CAI affects stress-related changes in immune processes. To address this question, 28 CAI patients (20 females) and 18 healthy individuals (11 females) (age: 44.3 ± 8.4 years) were exposed to a psychosocial stress test (Trier Social Stress Test: TSST). Half the patients received a 0.03 mg/kg body weight injection of hydrocortisone (HC) post-TSST to mimic a healthy cortisol stress response. Catecholamines and immune cell composition were assessed in peripheral blood and free cortisol measured in saliva collected before and repeatedly after TSST. CAI patients showed norepinephrine (NE) stress responses similar to healthy participants, however, epinephrine (E) as well as cortisol levels were significantly lower. HC treatment post-TSST resulted in cortisol increases comparable to those observed in healthy participants (interaction effects – NE: F = 1.05, p = .41; E: F = 2.56, p = .045; cortisol: F = 13.28, p < .001). Healthy individuals showed the expected pattern of stress-related early lymphocyte increase with subsequent decrease below baseline. The opposite pattern was observed in granulocytes. While exhibiting a similar initial increase, lymphocytes kept increasing over the following 2 h in untreated patients. HC treatment buffered this effect (interaction effects – lymphocyte%: F = 7.31, p < .001; granulocyte%: F = 7.71, p < .001). Using CAI in humans as a model confirms cortisol’s central involvement in post-stress lymphocyte migration from blood into immune-relevant body compartments. As such, future studies should investigate whether psychosocial stress exposure may put CAI patients at an increased health risk due to attenuated

Perspectives on healthy aging among Thai elderly: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Thanakwang, Kattika; Soonthorndhada, Kusol; Mongkolprasoet, Jiraporn

2012-12-01

In this qualitative study, we provide an in-depth understanding of the views of healthy aging among Thai elderly and explore the ways that contribute to healthy aging. Data were collected using focus groups and in-depth interviews in four selected provinces of Thailand, and were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed that Thai elderly described being healthy as the result of multiple components involving physical, mental, and social well-being. Healthy aging was viewed as an absence of serious diseases, having functional independence, a positive psycho-emotional outlook, and making a social contribution. The factors considered to contribute to healthy aging included activities promoting physical and psychological health, as well as active engagement in social activities. Understanding how the elderly define healthy aging and identifying the most important components and factors that contribute to being healthy provides insight into possible policy implications and interventions to promote health and well-being among Thai elderly. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Motion coherence and direction discrimination in healthy aging.

PubMed

Pilz, Karin S; Miller, Louisa; Agnew, Hannah C

2017-01-01

Perceptual functions change with age, particularly motion perception. With regard to healthy aging, previous studies mostly measured motion coherence thresholds for coarse motion direction discrimination along cardinal axes of motion. Here, we investigated age-related changes in the ability to discriminate between small angular differences in motion directions, which allows for a more specific assessment of age-related decline and its underlying mechanisms. We first assessed older (>60 years) and younger (<30 years) participants' ability to discriminate coarse horizontal (left/right) and vertical (up/down) motion at 100% coherence and a stimulus duration of 400 ms. In a second step, we determined participants' motion coherence thresholds for vertical and horizontal coarse motion direction discrimination. In a third step, we used the individually determined motion coherence thresholds and tested fine motion direction discrimination for motion clockwise away from horizontal and vertical motion. Older adults performed as well as younger adults for discriminating motion away from vertical. Surprisingly, performance for discriminating motion away from horizontal was strongly decreased. Further analyses, however, showed a relationship between motion coherence thresholds for horizontal coarse motion direction discrimination and fine motion direction discrimination performance in older adults. In a control experiment, using motion coherence above threshold for all conditions, the difference in performance for horizontal and vertical fine motion direction discrimination for older adults disappeared. These results clearly contradict the notion of an overall age-related decline in motion perception, and, most importantly, highlight the importance of taking into account individual differences when assessing age-related changes in perceptual functions.

Impact of Aging, Cytomegalovirus Infection, and Long-Term Treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus on CD8+ T-Cell Subsets

PubMed Central

Veel, Ellen; Westera, Liset; van Gent, Rogier; Bont, Louis; Otto, Sigrid; Ruijsink, Bram; Rabouw, Huib H.; Mudrikova, Tania; Wensing, Annemarie; Hoepelman, Andy I. M.; Borghans, José A. M.; Tesselaar, Kiki

2018-01-01

Both healthy aging and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection lead to a progressive decline in naive CD8+ T-cell numbers and expansion of the CD8+ T-cell memory and effector compartments. HIV infection is therefore often considered a condition of premature aging. Total CD8+ T-cell numbers of HIV-infected individuals typically stay increased even after long-term (LT) combination antiretroviral treatment (cART), which is associated with an increased risk of non-AIDS morbidity and mortality. The causes of these persistent changes in the CD8+ T-cell pool remain debated. Here, we studied the impact of age, CMV infection, and LT successful cART on absolute cell numbers in different CD8+ T-cell subsets. While naïve CD8+ T-cell numbers in cART-treated individuals (N = 38) increased to healthy levels, central memory (CM), effector memory (EM), and effector CD8+ T-cell numbers remained higher than in (unselected) age-matched healthy controls (N = 107). Longitudinal analysis in a subset of patients showed that cART did result in a loss of memory CD8+ T-cells, mainly during the first year of cART, after which memory cell numbers remained relatively stable. As CMV infection is known to increase CD8+ T-cell numbers in healthy individuals, we studied whether any of the persistent changes in the CD8+ T-cell pools of cART-treated patients could be a direct reflection of the high CMV prevalence among HIV-infected individuals. We found that EM and effector CD8+ T-cell numbers in CMV+ healthy individuals (N = 87) were significantly higher than in CMV− (N = 170) healthy individuals. As a result, EM and effector CD8+ T-cell numbers in successfully cART-treated HIV-infected individuals did not deviate significantly from those of age-matched CMV+ healthy controls (N = 39). By contrast, CM T-cell numbers were quite similar in CMV+ and CMV− healthy individuals across all ages. The LT expansion of the CM CD8+ T-cell pool in cART-treated individuals could thus

Perceptions of competence: age moderates views of healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Berry, Jane M; Williams, Helen L; Thomas, Kevin D; Blair, Jamie

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Older adults have more complex and differentiated views of aging than do younger adults, but less is known about age-related perceptions of Alzheimer's disease. This study investigated age-related perceptions of competence of an older adult labeled as "in good health" (healthy) or "has Alzheimer's disease" (AD), using a person-perception paradigm. It was predicted that older adults would provide more differentiated assessments of the two targets than would younger adults. Younger (n=86; 18-36 years) and older (n=66; 61-95 years) adults rated activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and memory abilities of a female target aged 75 years, described as healthy or with AD. Data on anxiety about aging, knowledge of and experience with aging and AD, knowledge of memory aging, and positive and negative biases toward aging and AD were also collected. Older adults perceived the healthy target as more capable of cognitively effortful activities (e.g., managing finances) and as possessing better memory abilities than the AD target. As predicted, these differences were greater than differences between targets perceived by younger adults. The interaction effect remained significant after statistically controlling for relevant variables, including education and gender. Additionally, exploratory analyses revealed that older adults held less positively biased views of AD than younger adults, but negatively biased views were equivalent between age groups. The results demonstrate that mere labels of "healthy" and "Alzheimer's disease" produce significant and subtle age differences in perceived competencies of older adults, and that biases towards AD vary by age group and valence. Our findings extend the person-perception paradigm to an integrative analysis of aging and AD, are consistent with models of adult development, and complement current research and theory on stereotypes of aging. Future directions for research

Aortic propagation velocity does not correlate with classical aortic stiffness parameters in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Arı, Hatem; Kahraman, Fatih; Türker, Yasin; Güler, Serdar; Baş, Hasan Aydın; Erdoğan, Doğan

2017-10-30

Aortic stiffness is an important cardiovascular risk marker, which can be determined using different noninvasive techniques. Aortic propagation velocity (APV) has recently been established as a novel echocardiographic parameter of aortic stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the association between APV and the classical echocardiography-derived aortic stiffness parameters, aortic distensibility (AD) and aortic strain (AS), in a group of otherwise healthy individuals. In total, 97 consecutive healthy subjects were recruited in this observational study. APV was measured using color M-mode echocardiography from the suprasternal window in the descending aorta. AS and AD were calculated using clinical blood pressure and the M-mode echocardiography-derived aortic diameters. Correlation analyses were performed between cardiovascular risk factors related to increased aortic stiffness (age, obesity, and blood pressure) and measured stiffness parameters (APV, AS, and AD). Correlation analyses were also performed among the measured stiffness parameters. Good correlation of age, blood pressure, and BMI with AS and AD was observed. One-on-one correlation of age, blood pressure, and BMI with APV was not observed. No correlation was observed between APV and AS (r=-0.05, p=0.6) or between APV and AD (r=-0.17, p=0.8). Although APV has been proposed as a novel and practical echocardiographic parameter of aortic stiffness, especially in patients with coronary artery disease, correlations between classical stiffness parameters (AS and AD) and APV were absent in healthy individuals at low-intermediate risk. The clinical and research applicability of APV should be further evaluated.

Effects of computerized match-to-sample training on emergent fraction-decimal relations in individuals with fragile X syndrome.

PubMed

Hammond, Jennifer L; Hirt, Melissa; Hall, Scott S

2012-01-01

Individuals diagnosed with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common known form of inherited intellectual disability, are reported to exhibit considerable deficits in mathematical skills that are often attributed to brain-based abnormalities associated with the syndrome. We examined whether participants with FXS would display emergent fraction-decimal relations following brief, intensive match-to-sample training on baseline relations. The performance profiles on tests of symmetry and transitivity/equivalence of 11 participants with FXS, aged 10-23 years, following baseline match-to-sample training were compared to those of 11 age- and IQ-matched controls with idiopathic developmental disability. The results showed that both groups of participants showed significant improvements in the baseline (trained) relations, as expected. However, participants with FXS failed to show significant improvements in the (untrained) symmetry and transitivity/equivalence relations compared to those in the control group. A categorical analysis of the data indicated that five participants with FXS and eight controls showed at least "intermediate" emergence of symmetry relations, whereas one individual with FXS and three controls showed at least intermediate emergence of transitivity/equivalence relations. A correlation analysis of the data indicated that improvements in the symmetry relations were significantly associated with improvements in the transitivity/equivalence relations in the control group (r=.69, p=.018), but this was not the case in the FXS group (r=.34, p>.05). Participant IQ was significantly associated with improvements in the symmetry relations in individuals with FXS (r=.60, p=.049), but not in controls (r=.21, p>.05). Taken together, these results suggest that brief, computerized match-to-sample training may produce emergent mathematical relations for a subset of children with FXS and developmental disabilities. However, the ability of individuals with FXS to form

Plantarflexion moment is a contributor to step length after-effect following walking on a split-belt treadmill in individuals with stroke and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Lauzière, Séléna; Miéville, Carole; Betschart, Martina; Duclos, Cyril; Aissaoui, Rachid; Nadeau, Sylvie

2014-10-01

To assess plantarflexion moment and hip joint moment after-effects following walking on a split-belt treadmill in healthy individuals and individuals post-stroke. Cross-sectional study. Ten healthy individuals (mean age 57.6 years (standard deviation; SD 17.2)) and twenty individuals post-stroke (mean age 49.3 years (SD 13.2)). Participants walked on an instrumented split-belt treadmill under 3 gait periods: i) baseline (tied-belt); ii) adaptation (split-belt); and iii) post-adaptation (tied-belt). Participants post-stroke performed the protocol with the paretic and nonparetic leg on the faster belt when belts were split. Kinematic data were recorded with the Optotrak system and ground reaction forces were collected via the instrumented split-belt treadmill. In both groups, the fast plantarflexion moment was reduced and the slow plantarflexion moment was increased from mid-stance to toe-off in the post-adaptation period. Significant relationships were found between the plantarflexion moment and contralateral step length. Split-belt treadmills could be useful for restoring step length symmetry in individuals post-stroke who present with a longer paretic step length because the use of this type of intervention increases paretic plantarflexion moments. This intervention might be less recommended for individuals post-stroke with a shorter paretic step length because it reduces the paretic plantarflexion moment.

The Healthy Aging Research Network: Modeling Collaboration for Community Impact.

PubMed

Belza, Basia; Altpeter, Mary; Smith, Matthew Lee; Ory, Marcia G

2017-03-01

As the first Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevention Research Centers Program thematic network, the Healthy Aging Research Network was established to better understand the determinants of healthy aging within older adult populations, identify interventions that promote healthy aging, and assist in translating research into sustainable community-based programs throughout the nation. To achieve these goals requires concerted efforts of a collaborative network of academic, community, and public health organizational partnerships. For the 2001-2014 Prevention Research Center funding cycles, the Healthy Aging Research Network conducted prevention research and promoted the wide use of practices known to foster optimal health. Organized around components necessary for successful collaborations (i.e., governance and infrastructure, shaping focus, community involvement, and evaluation and improvement), this commentary highlights exemplars that demonstrate the Healthy Aging Research Network's unique contributions to the field. The Healthy Aging Research Network's collaboration provided a means to collectively build capacity for practice and policy, reduce fragmentation and duplication in health promotion and aging research efforts, maximize the efficient use of existing resources and generate additional resources, and ultimately, create synergies for advancing the healthy aging agenda. This collaborative model was built upon a backbone organization (coordinating center); setting of common agendas and mutually reinforcing activities; and continuous communications. Given its successes, the Healthy Aging Research Network model could be used to create new and evaluate existing thematic networks to guide the translation of research into policy and practice. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age-related testosterone decline in a Brazilian cohort of healthy military men.

PubMed

Nardozza Júnior, Archimedes; Szelbracikowski, Sergio dos Santos; Nardi, Aguinaldo Cesar; Almeida, Jose Carlos de

2011-01-01

Androgen decline in the aging man has become a topic of increasing clinical relevance worldwide, as the reduction in testosterone levels has been reported to be accompanied by loss of muscle mass, accumulation of central adiposity, impaired mobility and increase risk of bone fractures. Although well-established in studies conducted in developed countries, progressive decline in serum testosterone levels with age has been poorly investigated in Brazil. To determine the pattern of blood testosterone concentrations decline with age in a cohort of Brazilian healthy military men. We retrospectively reviewed data on serum testosterone measurements of healthy individuals that had undergone a routine check-up at the Military Biology Institute. Blood samples were obtained early in the morning, and total testosterone concentration was determined using a commercial chemoluminescent immunoassay. Mean values were analyzed in five age groups: ≤ 40, 41 to 50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70, and > 70 years. Mean total testosterone levels. 1,623 subjects were included in the analysis; mean age was 57 years (24 to 87), and mean testosterone level was 575.5 ng/dL (25.0 to 1308.0 ng/dL). The evaluation of age-related changes in total testosterone levels revealed a progressive reduction in serum levels of this hormone with increasing age. Testosterone levels below 300 ng/dL were reported in 321 participants, a prevalence of nearly 20% in the study population. In agreement with other findings, a reduction of total testosterone levels with age was reported for healthy Brazilian men.

Healthy individuals' perspectives on clinical research protocols and influences on enrollment decisions.

PubMed

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Kim, Jane Paik

2017-01-01

Understanding the perspectives of healthy individuals is important ethically and for the advancement of science. We assessed perceptions of risk associated with research procedures, comparing views of healthy individuals with and without experience in clinical research, and the respondents' reported willingness to volunteer. Semistructured interviews and written surveys were conducted. Study participants were healthy individuals, half of whom were currently enrolled in clinical research and half of whom had no prior experience in clinical research. Participants were queried regarding seven "minimal risk" or "greater than minimal risk" protocol vignettes with procedures of three types: routine diagnostic tests, more burdensome (i.e., more effort or potential harm) diagnostic tests, and pharmacologic interventions. Views of influences on enrollment decisions were also assessed. Most healthy individuals indicated that protocols with more burdensome or pharmacologic interventions were very risky (59%, 58%), as opposed to routine diagnostic test procedures (32%). Respondents' willingness to enroll in protocols varied by type of protocol (p value < .001) and was inversely correlated with risk assessments (regression coefficients from GEE = -0.4; -0.5; -0.7). The odds of healthy individuals with research experience expressing strong willingness to enroll in the depicted protocols were twice the odds of healthy individuals without research experience expressing the same level of willingness (OR = 2.0 95% CI: [1.1, 3.9]). Respondents did not assign risk categories as institutional review boards (IRBs) would, as indicated by low agreement (26%) between respondent and expert opinion on minimal risk protocols. Perceptions of procedure risk appear to influence healthy individuals' willingness to enroll in protocols. Participants with experience in clinical research were far more likely to express willingness to enroll, a finding with important scientific and ethical

Repeated-Sprint Sequences During Female Soccer Matches Using Fixed and Individual Speed Thresholds.

PubMed

Nakamura, Fábio Y; Pereira, Lucas A; Loturco, Irineu; Rosseti, Marcelo; Moura, Felipe A; Bradley, Paul S

2017-07-01

Nakamura, FY, Pereira, LA, Loturco, I, Rosseti, M, Moura, FA, and Bradley, PS. Repeated-sprint sequences during female soccer matches using fixed and individual speed thresholds. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1802-1810, 2017-The main objective of this study was to characterize the occurrence of single sprint and repeated-sprint sequences (RSS) during elite female soccer matches, using fixed (20 km·h) and individually based speed thresholds (>90% of the mean speed from a 20-m sprint test). Eleven elite female soccer players from the same team participated in the study. All players performed a 20-m linear sprint test, and were assessed in up to 10 official matches using Global Positioning System technology. Magnitude-based inferences were used to test for meaningful differences. Results revealed that irrespective of adopting fixed or individual speed thresholds, female players produced only a few RSS during matches (2.3 ± 2.4 sequences using the fixed threshold and 3.3 ± 3.0 sequences using the individually based threshold), with most sequences composing of just 2 sprints. Additionally, central defenders performed fewer sprints (10.2 ± 4.1) than other positions (fullbacks: 28.1 ± 5.5; midfielders: 21.9 ± 10.5; forwards: 31.9 ± 11.1; with the differences being likely to almost certainly associated with effect sizes ranging from 1.65 to 2.72), and sprinting ability declined in the second half. The data do not support the notion that RSS occurs frequently during soccer matches in female players, irrespective of using fixed or individual speed thresholds to define sprint occurrence. However, repeated-sprint ability development cannot be ruled out from soccer training programs because of its association with match-related performance.

Participation in Heart-Healthy Behaviors: A Secondary Analysis of the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match Data.

PubMed

Arslanian-Engoren, Cynthia; Eastwood, Jo-Ann; De Jong, Marla J; Berra, Kathy

2015-01-01

The American Heart Association created Go Red Heart Match, a free and secure online program that enables women to connect with each other to fight heart disease either personally or as a caregiver for someone with heart disease. Through these connections, participants have an opportunity to develop a personal, private, and supportive relationship with other women; share common experiences; and motivate and encourage each other to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic characteristics of the Go Red Heart Match responders and to determine whether participation in the program prompted participants to engage in heart-healthy behaviors. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a needs assessment survey from the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match was conducted. A total of 117 (35%) of the 334 invited women completed the survey. Most responders were female, married, and college educated. A total of 105 (90%) responders were diagnosed with a type of heart disease or stroke and 77 (73%) responders had undergone treatment. As a result of participating in the program, 75% of the responders reported the following improvements in heart-healthy behaviors: eating a more heart-healthy diet (54%), exercising more frequently (53%), losing weight (47%), and quitting smoking (10%). Responders who had a diagnosis of heart attack (n = 48) were more likely (P = .003) to quit smoking than were those with other diagnoses (n = 69). Notably, 48% of responders reported encouraging someone else in their life to speak to their doctor about their risk for heart disease. Most women who participated in Heart Match reported engaging in new heart-healthy behaviors. The findings support expanding the existing program in a more diverse population as a potentially important way to reach women and encourage cardiovascular disease risk reduction for those with heart disease and stroke.

Fibrin clot structure remains unaffected in young, healthy individuals after transient exposure to diesel exhaust

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Exposure to urban particulate matter has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and thrombosis. We studied the effects of transient exposure to diesel particles on fibrin clot structure of 16 healthy individuals (age 21- 44). The subjects were randomly exposed to diesel exhaust and filtered air on two separate occasions. Blood samples were collected before exposure, and 2 and 6 hours after exposure. There were no significant changes on clot permeability, maximum turbidity, lag time, fibre diameter, fibre density and fibrinogen level between samples taken after diesel exhaust exposure and samples taken after filtered air exposure. These data show that there are no prothrombotic changes in fibrin clot structure in young, healthy individuals exposed to diesel exhaust. PMID:20565709

Sensorimotor Control in Individuals With Idiopathic Neck Pain and Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

de Zoete, Rutger M J; Osmotherly, Peter G; Rivett, Darren A; Farrell, Scott F; Snodgrass, Suzanne J

2017-06-01

(1) To identify reported tests used to assess sensorimotor control in individuals with idiopathic neck pain and (2) to investigate whether these tests can quantify differences between individuals with idiopathic neck pain and healthy individuals. Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, MEDLINE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus. Studies reporting sensorimotor outcomes in individuals with idiopathic neck pain or healthy individuals were identified. There were 1,677 records screened independently by 2 researchers for eligibility: 43 studies were included in the review, with 30 of these studies included in the meta-analysis. Methodologic quality was determined using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Data were extracted using a standardized extraction table. Sensorimotor control was most commonly assessed by joint position error and postural sway. Pooled means for joint position error after cervical rotation in individuals with neck pain (range, 2.2°-9.8°) differed significantly (P=.04) compared with healthy individuals (range, 1.66°-5.1°). Postural sway with eyes open ranged from 4.85 to 10.5cm 2 (neck pain) and 3.5 to 6.6cm 2 (healthy) (P=.16), and postural sway with eyes closed ranged from 2.51 to 16.6cm 2 (neck pain) and 2.74 to 10.9cm 2 (healthy) (P=.30). Individual studies, but not meta-analysis, demonstrated differences between neck pain and healthy groups for postural sway. Other test conditions and other tests were not sufficiently investigated to enable pooling of data. The findings from this review suggest sensorimotor control testing may be clinically useful in individuals with idiopathic neck pain. However, results should be interpreted with caution because clinical differences were small; therefore, further cross-sectional research with larger samples is needed to determine the magnitude of the relation between

P300-based brain-computer interface (BCI) event-related potentials (ERPs): People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) vs. age-matched controls.

PubMed

McCane, Lynn M; Heckman, Susan M; McFarland, Dennis J; Townsend, George; Mak, Joseph N; Sellers, Eric W; Zeitlin, Debra; Tenteromano, Laura M; Wolpaw, Jonathan R; Vaughan, Theresa M

2015-11-01

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aimed at restoring communication to people with severe neuromuscular disabilities often use event-related potentials (ERPs) in scalp-recorded EEG activity. Up to the present, most research and development in this area has been done in the laboratory with young healthy control subjects. In order to facilitate the development of BCI most useful to people with disabilities, the present study set out to: (1) determine whether people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and healthy, age-matched volunteers (HVs) differ in the speed and accuracy of their ERP-based BCI use; (2) compare the ERP characteristics of these two groups; and (3) identify ERP-related factors that might enable improvement in BCI performance for people with disabilities. Sixteen EEG channels were recorded while people with ALS or healthy age-matched volunteers (HVs) used a P300-based BCI. The subjects with ALS had little or no remaining useful motor control (mean ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised 9.4 (±9.5SD) (range 0-25)). Each subject attended to a target item as the items in a 6×6 visual matrix flashed. The BCI used a stepwise linear discriminant function (SWLDA) to determine the item the user wished to select (i.e., the target item). Offline analyses assessed the latencies, amplitudes, and locations of ERPs to the target and non-target items for people with ALS and age-matched control subjects. BCI accuracy and communication rate did not differ significantly between ALS users and HVs. Although ERP morphology was similar for the two groups, their target ERPs differed significantly in the location and amplitude of the late positivity (P300), the amplitude of the early negativity (N200), and the latency of the late negativity (LN). The differences in target ERP components between people with ALS and age-matched HVs are consistent with the growing recognition that ALS may affect cortical function. The development of BCIs for use by this population may begin

The utility of placing recollection in opposition to familiarity in early discrimination of healthy aging and very mild dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

PubMed

Tse, Chi-Shing; Balota, David A; Moynan, Sarah C; Duchek, Janet M; Jacoby, Larry L

2010-01-01

This study explored the ability to control familiarity-based information in a memory exclusion paradigm in healthy young, older adults, and early stage DAT individuals. We compared the predictive power of memory exclusion performance to standard psychometric performance in discriminating between aging and the earliest stage of DAT and between APOe4-present and APOe4-absent genotype in healthy control individuals. Participants responded "yes" to words that were previously semantically encoded, and "no" to words that were previously read aloud and to new words. The number of targets and distractors on the read "distractor" list was manipulated to investigate the degree to which aging and DAT influence the ability to recollect in the face of distractor familiarity due to repetition. Memory exclusion performance was better for healthy older adults than very mild DAT individuals and better for healthy control individuals with APOe4 allele than those without APOe4 allele even after controlling for standard psychometric performance. Discussion focuses on the importance of attentional control systems in memory retrieval and the utility of the opposition paradigm for discriminating healthy versus pathological aging. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Muscle torque of healthy individuals and individuals with spastic hemiparesis after passive static streching.

PubMed

Tatsukawa DE Freitas, Sérgio Takeshi; DE Carvalho Abreu, Elizângela Márcia; Dos Reis, Mariane Cecilia; DE Souza Cunha, Bruna; Souza Moreira Prianti, Tamires; Pupio Silva Lima, Fernanda; Oliveira Lima, Mário

2016-01-01

Spasticity is one of the main causes of contracture, muscle weakness and subsequent functional incapacity. The passive static stretching can be included as having the purpose of increasing musculoskeletal flexibility, however, it also can influence the muscle torque. The objective is to verify the immediate effect of passive static stretching in the muscle strength of healthy and those who present spastic hemiparesis. There were assessed 20 subjects, 10 spastic hemiparetic (EG) and 10 healthy individuals (CG), including both sexes, aged between 22 and 78 years. The torque of extensor muscles of the knee was analyzed using isokinetic dynamometer. Results have shown that EG has less muscle torque compared to CG ( p < 0.01). In addition, EG presented a decrease in significance of muscle torque after stretching ( p < 0.05), however, it has not shown significant alteration in muscle torque of CG after performing the program that was prescribed. Immediately after the passive stretch, a significant torque decrease can be seen in hypertonic muscle; it is believed that this reduction may be associated with the physiological overlap between actin and myosin filaments and so preventing the muscle to develop a maximum contraction.

Trajectories of the healthy ageing phenotype among middle-aged and older Britons, 2004-2013.

PubMed

Tampubolon, Gindo

2016-06-01

Since the ageing population demands a response to ensure older people remain healthy and active, we studied the dynamics of a recently proposed healthy ageing phenotype. We drew the phenotype's trajectories and tested whether their levels and rates of change are influenced by health behaviours, comorbidities and socioeconomic positions earlier in the life course. The English Longitudinal Ageing Study, a prospective, nationally representative sample of people aged ≥50 years, measured a set of eight biomarkers which make up the outcome of the healthy ageing phenotype three times over nearly a decade (N2004=5009, N2008=5301, N2013=4455). A cluster of health behaviours, comorbidities and socioeconomic positions were also measured repeatedly. We assessed the phenotype's distribution non-parametrically, then fitted linear mixed models to phenotypic change and further examined time interactions with gender and socioeconomic position. We ran additional analyses to test robustness. Women had a wider distribution of the healthy ageing phenotype than men had. The phenotype declined annually by -0.242 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.352, -0.131). However, there was considerable heterogeneity in the levels and rates of phenotypic change. Women started at higher levels, then declined more steeply by -0.293 (CI: -0.403, -0.183) annually, leading to crossover in the trajectories. Smoking and physical activity assessed on the Allied Dunbar scale were strongly associated with the trajectories. Though marked by secular decline, the trajectories of the healthy ageing phenotype showed distinct socioeconomic gradients. The trajectories were also susceptible to variations in health behaviours, strengthening the case for serial interventions to attain healthy and active ageing. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Late-life factors associated with healthy aging in older men.

PubMed

Bell, Christina L; Chen, Randi; Masaki, Kamal; Yee, Priscilla; He, Qimei; Grove, John; Donlon, Timothy; Curb, J David; Willcox, D Craig; Poon, Leonard W; Willcox, Bradley J

2014-05-01

To identify potentially modifiable late-life biological, lifestyle, and sociodemographic factors associated with overall and healthy survival to age 85. Prospective longitudinal cohort study with 21 years of follow-up (1991-2012). Hawaii Lifespan Study. American men of Japanese ancestry (mean age 75.7, range 71-82) without baseline major clinical morbidity and functional impairments (N = 1,292). Overall survival and healthy survival (free from six major chronic diseases and without physical or cognitive impairment) to age 85. Factors were measured at late-life baseline examinations (1991-1993). Of 1,292 participants, 1,000 (77%) survived to 85 (34% healthy) and 309 (24%) to 95 (<1% healthy). Late-life factors associated with survival and healthy survival included biological (body mass index, ankle-brachial index, cognitive score, blood pressure, inflammatory markers), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity), and sociodemographic factors (education, marital status). Cumulative late-life baseline risk factor models demonstrated that age-standardized (at 70) probability of survival to 95 ranged from 27% (no factors) to 7% (≥ 5 factors); probability of survival to 100 ranged from 4% (no factors) to 0.1% (≥ 5 factors). Age-standardized (at 70) probability of healthy survival to 90 ranged from 4% (no factors) to 0.01% (≥ 5 factors). There were nine healthy survivors at 95 and one healthy survivor at 100. Several potentially modifiable risk factors in men in late life (mean age 75.7) were associated with markedly greater probability of subsequent healthy survival and longevity. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

Structural Asymmetry of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Correlates with Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from Healthy Individuals and Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Mao, Yu; Wei, Dongtao; Yang, Junyi; Du, Xue; Xie, Peng; Qiu, Jiang

2016-06-01

In this study, we investigated the role of structural asymmetry of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the continuum of depression from healthy individuals to patients. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 70 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), 49 matched controls, and 349 healthy university students to calculate structural asymmetry indexes of the DLPFC. First-episode, treatment-naive MDD patients showed a relatively lower asymmetry index than healthy controls, and their asymmetry index was negatively correlated with the depressive symptoms. This abnormality was normalized by antidepressants in medicated MDD patients. Furthermore, the asymmetry index was negatively correlated with the depressive symptoms in university students; this was replicated at two time points in a subgroup of students, suggesting good test-retest reliability. Our findings are consistent with previous studies that support the imbalance hypothesis of MDD and suggest a potential structural basis underlying the functional asymmetry of the DLPFC in depression. In future, the structural index of the DLPFC may become a potential biomarker to evaluate individuals' risk for the onset of MDD.

Social capital and healthy ageing in Indonesia.

PubMed

Cao, Junran; Rammohan, Anu

2016-07-22

A large international literature has found a positive association between social capital and measures of physical and mental health. However, there is a paucity of research on the links between social capital and healthy ageing in a developing country environment, where universal social security coverage is absent and health infrastructure is poor. In this paper, we develop and empirically test a model of the linkages between social capital and the health outcomes for older adults in Indonesia, using data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey-East (IFLS-East), conducted in 2012. Using multivariate regression analysis, we examine whether social capital plays a role in mitigating poor health among older individuals aged 50 years and above in Indonesia's most vulnerable provinces. We test the robustness of these social capital variables across different health measures (self-assessed health, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), measures of chronic illness and mental health measures), as well as across different demographic groups, after controlling for an array of socio-economic, demographic and geographic characteristics. Our findings show that access to better social capital (using measures of neighbourhood trust and community participation) is associated with a higher degree of physical mobility, independence, and mental well-being among older individuals but has no influence on chronic illnesses. These results are consistent when we estimate samples disaggregated by gender, rural/urban residence, and by age categories. From a policy perspective these results point to the importance of social capital measures in moderating the influence of poor health, particularly in the Activities of Daily Living.

Developmental trajectories of the fronto-temporal lobes from infancy to early adulthood in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Tanaka, Chiaki; Matsui, Mie; Uematsu, Akiko; Noguchi, Kyo; Miyawaki, Toshio

2012-01-01

Brain development during early life in healthy individuals is rapid and dynamic, indicating that this period plays a very important role in neural and functional development. The frontal and temporal lobes are known to play a particularly important role in cognition. The study of healthy frontal and temporal lobe development in children is therefore of considerable importance. A better understanding of how these brain regions develop could also aid in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. Some developmental studies have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine infant brains, but it remains the case that relatively little is known about cortical brain development in the first few years of life. In the present study we examined whole brain, temporal lobe and frontal lobe developmental trajectories from infancy to early adulthood in healthy individuals, considering gender and brain hemisphere differences. We performed a cross-sectional, longitudinal morphometric MRI study of 114 healthy individuals (54 females and 60 males) aged 1 month to 25 years old (mean age ± SD 8.8 ± 6.9). We measured whole brain, temporal and frontal lobe gray matter (GM)/white matter (WM) volumes, following previously used protocols. There were significant non-linear age-related volume changes in all regions. Peak ages of whole brain, temporal lobe and frontal lobe development occurred around pre-adolescence (9-12 years old). GM volumes for all regions increased significantly as a function of age. Peak age was nevertheless lobe specific, with a pattern of earlier peak ages for females in both temporal and frontal lobes. Growth change in whole brain GM volume was larger in males than in females. However, GM volume growth changes for the temporal and frontal lobes showed a somewhat different pattern. GM volume for both temporal and frontal lobes showed a greater increase in females until around 5-6 years old, at which point this tendency reversed (GM volume

Effects of increasing time delays on pitch-matching accuracy in trained singers and untrained individuals.

PubMed

Estis, Julie M; Coblentz, Joana K; Moore, Robert E

2009-07-01

Trained singers (TS) generally demonstrate accurate pitch matching, but this ability varies within the general population. Pitch-matching accuracy, given increasing silence intervals of 5, 15, and 25 seconds between target tones and vocal matches, was investigated in TS and untrained individuals. A relationship between pitch discrimination and pitch matching was also examined. Thirty-two females (20-30 years) were grouped based on individual vocal training and performance in an immediate pitch-matching task. Participants matched target pitches following time delays, and completed a pitch discrimination task, which required the classification of two tones as same or different. TS and untrained accurate participants performed comparably on all pitch-matching tasks, while untrained inaccurate participants performed significantly less accurately than the other two groups. Performances declined across groups as intervals of silence increased, suggesting degradation of pitch matching as pitch memory was taxed. A significant relationship between pitch discrimination and pitch matching was revealed across participants.

Individuals with Asperger's Disorder Exhibit Difficulty in Switching Attention from a Local Level to a Global Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katagiri, Masatoshi; Kasai, Tetsuko; Kamio, Yoko; Murohashi, Harumitsu

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibit difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level. Eleven participants with Asperger's disorder and 11 age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed a level-repetition switching task using Navon-type hierarchical…

Gray-matter macrostructure in cognitively healthy older persons: Associations with age and cognition

PubMed Central

Fleischman, Debra A.; Leurgans, Sue; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Arvanitakis, Zoe; Barnes, Lisa L.; Boyle, Patricia A.; Han, S. Duke; Bennett, David A.

2013-01-01

A deeper understanding of brain macrostructure and its associations with cognition in persons who are considered cognitively healthy is critical to the early detection of persons at risk of developing dementia. Few studies have examined the associations of all three gray-matter macrostructural brain indices (volume, thickness, surface area) with age and cognition, in the same persons who are over the age of 65 and do not have cognitive impairment. We performed automated morphometric reconstruction of total gray matter, cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter and 84 individual regions in 186 participants (60% over the age of 80) without cognitive impairment. Morphometric measures were scaled and expressed as difference per decade of age and an adjusted score was created to identify those regions in which there was greater atrophy per decade of age compared to cortical or subcortical brain averages. The results showed that there is substantial total volume loss and cortical thinning in cognitively healthy older persons. Thinning was more widespread than volume loss, but volume loss, particularly in temporoparietal and hippocampal regions, was more strongly associated with cognition. PMID:23955313

Recipient-donor age matching in liver transplantation: a single-center experience.

PubMed

Pagano, D; Grosso, G; Vizzini, G; Spada, M; Cintorino, D; Malaguarnera, M; Donati, M; Mistretta, A; Gridelli, B; Gruttadauria, S

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether donor age was a predictor of outcomes in liver transplantation, representing an independent risk factor as well as its impact related to recipient age-matching. We analyzed prospectively collected data from 221 adult liver transplantations performed from January 2006 to September 2009. Compared with recipients who received grafts from donors <60 years old, transplantation from older donors was associated with significantly higher rates of graft rejection (9.5% vs 3.5%; P = .05) and worse graft survival (P = .021). When comparing recipient and graft survivals according to age matching, we observed significantly worse values for age-mismatched (P values .029 and .037, respectively) versus age-matched patients. After adjusting for covariates in a multivariate model, age mismatch was an independent risk factor for patient death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-4.17; P = .027) and graft loss (HR 3.86, 95% CI 1.02-15.47; P = .046). The results of this study suggest to that optimized donor allocation takes into account both donor and recipient ages maximize survival of liver-transplanted patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preparing the workforce for healthy aging programs: the Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP) model.

PubMed

Frank, Janet C; Altpeter, Mary; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Driggers, Joann; Lachenmayr, Susan; Manning, Colleen; Martinez, Dana M; Price, Rachel M; Robinson, Patricia

2014-10-01

Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a model community college career technical education program, Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP), for undergraduate college students, current personnel in aging service and community organizations, and others interested in retraining. A multidisciplinary cross-sector team from disciplines of public health, sociology, gerontology and nursing developed four competency-based courses that focus on healthy aging, behavior change strategies, program management, an internship, and an option for leader training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. To enhance implementation and fidelity, intensive faculty development training was provided to all instructors and community agency partners. Baseline and postprogram evaluation of competencies for faculty and students was conducted. Process evaluation for both groups focused on satisfaction with the curricula and suggestions for program improvement. SHARP has been piloted five times at two community colleges. Trainees (n = 113) were primarily community college students (n = 108) and current aging service personnel (n = 5). Statistically significant improvements in all competencies were found for both faculty and students. Process evaluation outcomes identified the needed logical and component adaptations to enhance the feasibility of program implementation, dissemination, and student satisfaction. The SHARP program provides a well-tested, evidence-based effective model for addressing workforce preparation in support of healthy aging service program expansion and delivery. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Using CForest to Analyze Diffusion Tensor Imaging Data: A Study of White Matter Integrity in Healthy Aging.

PubMed

McWhinney, Sean R; Tremblay, Antoine; Chevalier, Thérèse M; Lim, Vanessa K; Newman, Aaron J

2016-12-01

Healthy aging has been associated with a global reduction in white matter integrity, which is thought to reflect cognitive decline. The present study aimed to investigate this reduction over a broad range of the life span, using diffusion tensor imaging analyzed with conditional inference random forest modeling (CForest). This approach is sensitive to subtle and potentially nonlinear effects over the age continuum and was used to characterize the progression of decline in greater detail than has been possible in the past. Data were collected from 45 healthy individuals ranging in age from 19 to 67 years. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was estimated using probabilistic tractography for a number of major tracts across the brain. Age coincided with a nonlinear decrease in FA, with onset beginning at ∼30 years of age and the steepest declines occurring later in life. However, several tracts showed a transient increase before this decline. The progression of decline varied by tract, with steeper but later decline occurring in more anterior tracts. Finally, strongly right-handed individuals demonstrated relatively preserved FA until more than a decade following the onset of decline of others. These results demonstrate that using a novel, nonparametric analysis approach, previously reported reductions in FA with healthy aging were confirmed, while at the same time, new insight was provided into the onset and progression of decline, with evidence suggesting increases in integrity continuing into adulthood.

Emotional intelligence components in alcohol dependent and mentally healthy individuals.

PubMed

Mohagheghi, Arash; Amiri, Shahrokh; Mousavi Rizi, Seyedreza; Safikhanlou, Salman

2015-01-01

Emotional intelligence might play an important role in the onset and persistence of different psychopathologies. This study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and alcohol dependence. In this case-control study, participants included alcohol dependent individuals and mentally healthy inpatients. Each group consisted of 40 individuals (male/female: 1). The diagnosis was based on the criteria of the DSM-IV-TR using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV). All the participants completed Bar-On emotional intelligence test. 20 males and 20 females were included in each group. Mean age of alcohol dependent participants and controls was 31.28±7.82 and 34.93±9.83 years in that order. The analyses showed that the alcohol dependent individuals had a significant difference compared with the control group and received lower scores in empathy, responsibility, impulse control, self-esteem, optimism, emotional consciousness, stress tolerance, autonomy, problem-solving, and total score of emotional intelligence components. Patients with alcohol dependence have deficits in components of emotional intelligence. Identifying and targeted training of the individuals with lower scores in components of emotional intelligence may be effective in prevention of alcohol dependence.

The Old-Age Healthy Dependency Ratio in Europe.

PubMed

Muszyńska, Magdalena M; Rau, Roland

2012-09-01

The aim of this study is to answer the question of whether improvements in the health of the elderly in European countries could compensate for population ageing on the supply side of the labour market. We propose a state-of-health-specific (additive) decomposition of the old-age dependency ratio into an old-age healthy dependency ratio and an old-age unhealthy dependency ratio in order to participate in a discussion of the significance of changes in population health to compensate for the ageing of the labour force. Applying the proposed indicators to the Eurostat's population projection for the years 2010-2050, and assuming there will be equal improvements in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy at birth, we discuss various scenarios concerning future of the European labour force. While improvements in population health are anticipated during the years 2010-2050, the growth in the number of elderly people in Europe may be expected to lead to a rise in both healthy and unhealthy dependency ratios. The healthy dependency ratio is, however, projected to make up the greater part of the old-age dependency ratio. In the European countries in 2006, the value of the old-age dependency ratio was 25. But in the year 2050, with a positive migration balance over the years 2010-2050, there would be 18 elderly people in poor health plus 34 in good health per 100 people in the current working age range of 15-64. In the scenarios developed in this study, we demonstrate that improvements in health and progress in preventing disability will not, by themselves, compensate for the ageing of the workforce. However, coupled with a positive migration balance, at the level and with the age structure assumed in the Eurostat's population projections, these developments could ease the effect of population ageing on the supply side of the European labour market.

Parents' barriers and strategies to promote healthy eating among school-age children.

PubMed

Nepper, Martha J; Chai, Weiwen

2016-08-01

The home environment is considered one of the most important settings in regards to the development of healthy eating habits among children. The primary purpose of this study was to explore parents' barriers and strategies in promoting healthy eating in the home. The secondary objective was to determine whether the barriers and strategies parents had were different between healthy weight and overweight/obese school-age children. Semi-structured individual interviews with 14 parents of healthy weight and 11 parents of overweight/obese children (6-12 years) were conducted in family homes from August 2014 to March 2015. Transcripts were recorded and codes and themes were verified by the research team and one qualitative expert. Themes emerging from both parents of healthy weight and overweight/obese children were: 1) Parents are busy and strapped for time; 2) Cost is a barrier in providing healthy food, but parents are resourceful; 3) Children ask for junk food regularly, but parents have strategies to manage; 4) Picky eaters are a challenge but parents know they have to overcome this barrier; and 5) Early exposure to unhealthy eating influences children's food choices but strategies can help. However, parents of overweight/obese children felt a lack of support from their spouses/partners for healthy eating in the home, which was not expressed among parents of healthy weight children. Additionally, barriers and strategies were similar among parents of children from different age groups [6-9 years vs. 10-12 years (pre-adolescents)]. Our results suggest while parents faced some challenges in promoting healthy eating in the home, they utilized several strategies to overcome these barriers, which are valuable for direct intervention to improve home food environment and manage children's weight. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional analyses of the skin surface of the areola mammae: comparison between healthy adult male and female subjects and between healthy individuals and patients with atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Kikuchi, K; Tagami, H; Akaraphanth, R; Aiba, S

2011-01-01

Although the nipple and areola of the breast constitute a unique and prominent area on the chest, so far no study has been done on the functional properties of their skin surfaces. To study the stratum corneum (SC) covering the areola using noninvasive methods. Eighteen adult healthy subjects comprising nine men and nine women and 18 age- and sex-matched patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), none of whom had visible skin lesions, participated in the study. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin surface hydration and skin surface lipid levels were measured on the areola and adjacent breast skin. The size of the skin surface corneocytes of these skin regions was assessed. All the healthy subjects showed significantly higher TEWL accompanied by smaller sized corneocytes on the areola than on the adjacent breast skin. Only female subjects revealed a significantly higher skin surface hydration state together with significantly increased skin surface lipid levels on the areola than on the adjacent breast skin. These sex differences were observed even in patients with AD. Comparison between healthy individuals and the patients with AD demonstrated higher TEWL, decreased skin surface hydration state and lower skin surface lipid levels associated with smaller sized corneocytes in the areola in the patients with AD, especially in male patients. In adults, the SC barrier function and SC water-binding capacity of the areola were functionally poorer than in the adjacent skin, being covered by smaller sized corneocytes and lower amounts of skin surface lipids, especially in men and in patients with AD. © 2011 The Authors. BJD © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists 2011.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 and renal function among young and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Bernasconi, Raffaele; Aeschbacher, Stefanie; Blum, Steffen; Mongiat, Michel; Girod, Marc; Todd, John; Estis, Joel; Nolan, Niamh; Renz, Harald; Risch, Lorenz; Conen, David; Risch, Martin

2018-05-01

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23), an osteocyte hormone involved in the regulation of phosphate metabolism, is associated with incident and progressive chronic kidney disease. We aimed to assess the association of FGF-23 with renal parameters, vascular function and phosphate metabolism in a large cohort of young and healthy individuals. Healthy individuals aged 25-41 years were included in a prospective population-based study. Fasting venous blood and morning urinary samples were used to measure plasma creatinine, cystatin C, endothelin-1, phosphate and plasma FGF-23 as well as urinary creatinine and phosphate. Multivariable regression models were constructed to assess the relationship of FGF-23 with parameters of renal function, endothelin-1 and fractional phosphate excretion. The median age of 2077 participants was 37 years, 46% were males. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR - CKD-EPI creatinine-cystatin C equation) and fractional phosphate excretion were 110 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 8.7%, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, there was a significant inverse relationship of FGF-23 with eGFR (β per 1 log-unit increase -3.81; 95% CI [-5.42; -2.20]; p<0.0001). Furthermore, we found a linear association between FGF-23 and endothelin-1 (β per 1 log-unit increase 0.06; [0.01, 0.11]; p=0.01). In addition, we established a significant relationship of FGF-23 with fractional phosphate excretion (β per 1 log-unit increase 0.62; [0.08, 1.16]; p=0.03). Increasing plasma FGF-23 levels are strongly associated with decreasing eGFR and increasing urinary phosphate excretion, suggesting an important role of FGF-23 in the regulation of kidney function in young and healthy adults.

The role of income and occupation in the association of education with healthy aging: results from a population-based, prospective cohort study.

PubMed

White, Christine M; St John, Philip D; Cheverie, Madelon R; Iraniparast, Maryam; Tyas, Suzanne L

2015-11-25

The beneficial effects of higher education on healthy aging are generally accepted, but the mechanisms are less well understood. Education may influence healthy aging through improved employment opportunities that enhance feelings of personal control and reduce hazardous exposures, or through higher incomes that enable individuals to access better health care or to reside in better neighbourhoods. Income and occupation have not been explored extensively as potential mediators of the effect of education on healthy aging. This study investigates the role of income and occupation in the association between education and healthy aging including potential effect modification by gender. Logistic regression was used to explore the association of education, income (perceived income adequacy, life satisfaction with finances) and occupation (occupational prestige) with healthy aging five years later in 946 community-dwelling adults 65+ years from a population-based, prospective cohort study in Manitoba, Canada. Higher levels of education generally increased the likelihood of healthy aging. After adjusting for education, both income measures, but not occupation, predicted healthy aging among men; furthermore, the association between education and healthy aging was no longer significant. Income and occupation did not explain the significant association between education and healthy aging among women. Perceived income adequacy and life satisfaction with finances explained the beneficial effects of higher education on healthy aging among men, but not women. Identifying predictors of healthy aging and the mechanisms through which these factors exert their effects can inform strategies to maximize the likelihood of healthy aging.

The utility of placing recollection in opposition to familiarity in early discrimination of healthy aging and very mild dementia of the Alzheimer’s type

PubMed Central

Tse, Chi-Shing; Balota, David A.; Moynan, Sarah C.; Duchek, Janet M.; Jacoby, Larry L.

2009-01-01

The present study explored the ability to control familiarity-based information in a memory exclusion paradigm in healthy young, older adults, and early-stage DAT individuals. We compared the predictive power of memory exclusion performance to standard psychometric performance in discriminating between healthy aging and the earliest detectable form of DAT and between APOe4-present and APOe4-absent genotype in healthy control individuals. Participants responded “yes” to words that were previously semantically encoded, and “no” to other words. The number of targets and distractors on the read “distractor” list was manipulated to investigate the degree to which aging and DAT influence the ability to recollect specific details of study episodes in the face of distractor familiarity due to repetition. Memory exclusion performance (as reflected by d′) decreased across participant groups (young > healthy old control > very mild DAT). Logistic regression analyses showed that d′ increased the discriminative power for healthy older adults vs. very mild DAT individuals above and beyond standard psychometric measures. Memory exclusion d′ was also lower for healthy control individuals with APOe4 allele, compared to those without the APOe4 allele after partialing out baseline psychometric performance. Discussion focuses on the importance of attentional control systems in memory retrieval and the utility of the opposition paradigm for early discrimination between healthy and pathological aging. PMID:20063946

Hippocampal multimodal structural changes and subclinical depression in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Spalletta, Gianfranco; Piras, Fabrizio; Caltagirone, Carlo; Fagioli, Sabrina

2014-01-01

Several neuroimaging studies report reduced hippocampal volume in depressed patients. However, it is still unclear if hippocampal changes in healthy individuals can be considered a risk factor for progression to clinical depression. Here, we investigated subclinical depression and its hippocampal correlates in a non-clinical sample of healthy individuals, with particular regard to gender differences. One-hundred-two participants underwent a comprehensive clinical assessment, a high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging protocol using a 3T MRI scanner. Data of macro-(volume) and micro-(mean diffusivity, MD) structural changes of the hippocampus were analyzed with reference to the Beck Depression Inventory score. Results of multivariate regression analyses revealed reduced bilateral volume, along with increased bilateral MD in hippocampal formation predicting subclinical depressive phenomenology only in healthy males. Conversely, subclinical depressive phenomenology in healthy female was accounted for by only lower educational level, in the absence of any hippocampal structure variations. To date, this is the only evidence reporting a relationship between subclinical depressive phenomenology and changes in hippocampal formation in healthy individuals. Our findings demonstrated that reduced volume, along with increased MD in hippocampal formation, is significantly associated with subclinical depressive phenomenology in healthy males. This encourages to study the hypothesis that early macro- and microstructural changes in hippocampi associated with subclinical depression may constitute a risk factor of developing depressive disorders in males. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Healthy ageing.

PubMed

Sims, Jane

The increasing number of people reaching their 80s and 90s has triggered multidisciplinary consideration of how to address and capitalise on the longevity phenomenon. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of ways in which clinicians can work with older patients to optimise their health and wellbeing during the later years of life. Old age need not be burdensome to individuals or society. There is strong evidence to support the management of many chronic diseases presenting in - or extending into - old age. General practice will need to adapt to the demographic challenges of an ageing population by targeting conditions that impede people from contributing to family and societal life. General practitioners (GPs) will also need to adapt to the changing expectations of, and from, older patients across the upcoming generations.

Comparison of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 Loci Polymorphism between Kidney Transplants of Uremia Patients and Healthy Individuals in Central China

PubMed Central

Gao, Shilin; Feng, Guiwen; Feng, Yonghua; Wang, Zhigang; Zhang, Xiaobai

2016-01-01

Chronic kidney disease is becoming a global public health problem, which will usually cause uremia at the end stage of chronic kidney failure. So far, kidney transplant is the most effective and proper therapy for uremia, however, the short supply of matched donor kidney has been a persistent bottleneck for transplantation. HLA matching of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 loci is very important for the allocation of kidney transplants. In this study, we investigated genotypes of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 loci based on 1,464 uremia patients and 10,000 unrelated healthy individuals in Henan province of China, and compared the frequency distribution of these HLA alleles and corresponding haplotypes between patient and healthy groups. We detected 23 HLA-A, 49 HLA-B and 17 HLA-DRB1 alleles in total. The predominant alleles of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 loci in patients are the same as those in healthy group. The seven most frequent alleles account for about 87%, 50%, and 77% at HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 loci, respectively. The haplotypes (combinations of HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1) with significantly different frequency between patients and controls mostly account for less than 1%. Overall, this suggests that HLA matching is not a potential difficulty for kidney transplant of uremia patients. However, three of the top seven frequent HLA-DRB1 alleles have a significantly different distribution in patients and controls, while only one alleles for HLA-B and zero for HLA-A loci. These HLA-DRB1 alleles may be closely associated with uremia. This study sheds new lights on the composition and difference of HLA genotypes in uremia patients and healthy populations in Central China that can serve as a guide to HLA matching for kidney transplants and a resource for HLA typing-related studies. PMID:27780235

Basic emotion profiles in healthy, chronic pain, depressed and PTSD individuals.

PubMed

Finucane, Anne M; Dima, Alexandra; Ferreira, Nuno; Halvorsen, Marianne

2012-01-01

To compare self-reports of five basic emotions across four samples: healthy, chronic pain, depressed and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and to investigate the extent to which basic emotion reports discriminate between individuals in healthy or clinical groups. In total, 439 participants took part in this study: healthy (n = 131), chronic pain (n = 220), depressed (n = 24) and PTSD (n = 64). The participants completed the trait version of the Basic Emotion Scale. Basic emotion profiles were compared both within each group and between the healthy group and each of the three other groups. Discriminant analysis was used to assess the extent to which basic emotions can be used to classify the participants as belonging to the healthy group or one of the clinical groups. In the healthy group, happiness was experienced more than any other basic emotion. This was not found in the clinical groups. In comparison to the healthy participants, the chronic pain group experienced more fear, anger and sadness, the depressed group reported more sadness and the PTSD group experienced all of the negative emotions more frequently. Discriminant analysis revealed that happiness was the most important variable in determining whether an individual belonged to the healthy group or one of the clinical groups. Anger was found to further discriminate between depressed and chronic pain individuals. The findings demonstrate that basic emotion profile analysis can provide a useful foundation for the exploration of emotional experience both within and between healthy and clinical groups.  Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Diet low in advanced glycation end products increases insulin sensitivity in healthy overweight individuals: a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial.

PubMed

de Courten, Barbora; de Courten, Maximilian Pj; Soldatos, Georgia; Dougherty, Sonia L; Straznicky, Nora; Schlaich, Markus; Sourris, Karly C; Chand, Vibhasha; Scheijen, Jean Ljm; Kingwell, Bronwyn A; Cooper, Mark E; Schalkwijk, Casper G; Walker, Karen Z; Forbes, Josephine M

2016-06-01

The consumption of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has increased because of modern food processing and has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes in rodents. We determined whether changing dietary AGE intake could modulate insulin sensitivity and secretion in healthy, overweight individuals. We performed a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial of diets in 20 participants [6 women and 14 men; mean ± SD body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 29.8 ± 3.7]. Isoenergetic- and macronutrient-matched diets that were high or low in AGE content were alternately consumed for 2 wk and separated by a 4-wk washout period. At the beginning and end of each dietary period, a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and an intravenous glucose tolerance test were performed. Dietary, plasma and urinary AGEs N(€)-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), N(€)-(carboxyethyl)lysin (CEL), and methylglyoxal-derived hydroimadazolidine (MG-H1) were measured with the use of mass spectrometry. Participants consumed less CML, CEL, and MG-H1 during the low-AGE dietary period than during the high-AGE period (all P < 0.05), which was confirmed by changes in urinary AGE excretion. There was an overall difference in insulin sensitivity of -2.1 mg · kg(-1) · min(-1) between diets (P = 0.001). Insulin sensitivity increased by 1.3 mg · kg(-1) · min(-1) after the low-AGE diet (P = 0.004), whereas it showed a tendency to decrease by 0.8 mg · kg(-1) · min(-1) after the high-AGE diet (P = 0.086). There was no difference in body weight or insulin secretion between diets (P = NS). A diet that is low in AGEs may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity. Hence, a restriction in dietary AGE content may be an effective strategy to decrease diabetes and cardiovascular disease risks in overweight individuals. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00422253. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Pitch-matching accuracy in trained singers and untrained individuals: the impact of musical interference and noise.

PubMed

Estis, Julie M; Dean-Claytor, Ashli; Moore, Robert E; Rowell, Thomas L

2011-03-01

The effects of musical interference and noise on pitch-matching accuracy were examined. Vocal training was explored as a factor influencing pitch-matching accuracy, and the relationship between pitch matching and pitch discrimination was examined. Twenty trained singers (TS) and 20 untrained individuals (UT) vocally matched tones in six conditions (immediate, four types of chords, noise). Fundamental frequencies were calculated, compared with the frequency of the target tone, and converted to semitone difference scores. A pitch discrimination task was also completed. TS showed significantly better pitch matching than UT across all conditions. Individual performances for UT were highly variable. Therefore, untrained participants were divided into two groups: 10 untrained accurate and 10 untrained inaccurate. Comparison of TS with untrained accurate individuals revealed significant differences between groups and across conditions. Compared with immediate vocal matching of target tones, pitch-matching accuracy was significantly reduced, given musical chord and noise interference unless the target tone was presented in the musical chord. A direct relationship between pitch matching and pitch discrimination was revealed. Across pitch-matching conditions, TS were consistently more accurate than UT. Pitch-matching accuracy diminished when auditory interference consisted of chords that did not contain the target tone and noise. Copyright © 2011 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Ageing and endurance training effects on quantity and quality of pulmonary vascular bed in healthy men

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

It has recently been demonstrated that in healthy individuals, peak oxygen consumption is associated with a greater pulmonary capillary blood volume and a more distensible pulmonary circulation. Our cross-sectional study suggests that, in healthy men aged 20 to 60 years (n = 63), endurance sport practice (vigorous-intensity domain of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire) is associated with better quantity (pulmonary capillary blood volume) and quality (slope of increase in lung diffusion for carbon monoxide on exercise) of the pulmonary vascular bed, partly counterbalancing the deleterious effects of ageing, which remains to be demonstrated in a prospective longitudinal design. PMID:24460636

In-vivo patellar tracking in individuals with patellofemoral pain and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Esfandiarpour, Fateme; Lebrun, Constance M; Dhillon, Sukhvinder; Boulanger, Pierre

2018-02-28

Understanding of the exact cause of patellofemoral pain has been limited by methodological challenges to evaluate in-vivo joint motion. This study compared six degree-of-freedom patellar motion during a dynamic lunge task between individuals with patellofemoral pain and healthy individuals. Knee joints of eight females with patellofemoral pain and ten healthy females were imaged using a CT scanner in supine lying position, then by a dual-orthogonal fluoroscope while they performed a lunge. To quantify patellar motion, the three-dimensional models of the knee bones, reconstructed from CT scans, were registered on the fluoroscopy images using the Fluomotion registration software. At full knee extension, the patella was in a significantly laterally tilted (PFP: 11.77° ± 7.58° vs. healthy: 0.86° ± 4.90°; p = 0.002) and superiorly shifted (PFP: 17.49 ± 8.44 mm vs. healthy: 9.47 ± 6.16 mm, p = 0. 033) position in the patellofemoral pain group compared with the healthy group. There were also significant differences between the groups for patellar tilt at 45°, 60°, and 75° of knee flexion, and for superior-inferior shift of the patella at 30° flexion (p ≤ 0.031). In the non-weight-bearing knee extended position, the patella was in a significantly laterally tilted position in the patellofemoral pain group (7.44° ± 6.53°) compared with the healthy group (0.71° ± 4.99°). These findings suggest the critical role of passive and active patellar stabilizers as potential causative factors for patellar malalignment/maltracking. Future studies should investigate the associations between patellar kinematics with joint morphology, muscle activity, and tendon function in a same sample for a thorough understanding of the causes of patellofemoral pain. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regulation of myocardial blood flow response to mental stress in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Schöder, H; Silverman, D H; Campisi, R; Sayre, J W; Phelps, M E; Schelbert, H R; Czernin, J

2000-02-01

Mental stress testing has been proposed as a noninvasive tool to evaluate endothelium-dependent coronary vasomotion. In patients with coronary artery disease, mental stress can induce myocardial ischemia. However, even the determinants of the physiological myocardial blood flow (MBF) response to mental stress are poorly understood. Twenty-four individuals (12 males/12 females, mean age 49 +/- 13 yr, range 31-74 yr) with a low likelihood for coronary artery disease were studied. Serum catecholamines, cardiac work, and MBF (measured quantitatively with N-13 ammonia and positron emission tomography) were assessed. During mental stress (arithmetic calculation) MBF increased significantly from 0.70 +/- 0.14 to 0.92 +/- 0.21 ml x min(-1) x g(-1) (P < 0.01). Mental stress caused significant increases (P < 0.01) in serum epinephrine (26 +/- 16 vs. 42 +/- 17 pg/ml), norepinephrine (272 +/- 139 vs. 322 +/- 136 pg/ml), and cardiac work [rate-pressure product (RPP) 8,011 +/- 1,884 vs. 10,416 +/- 2,711]. Stress-induced changes in cardiac work were correlated with changes in MBF (r = 0.72; P < 0.01). Multiple-regression analysis revealed stress-induced changes in the RPP as the only significant (P = 0.0001) predictor for the magnitude of mental stress-induced increases in MBF in healthy individuals. Data from this group of healthy individuals should prove useful to investigate coronary vasomotion in individuals at risk for or with documented coronary artery disease.

Retinal oxygen extraction in individuals with type 1 diabetes with no or mild diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Fondi, Klemens; Wozniak, Piotr A; Howorka, Kinga; Bata, Ahmed M; Aschinger, Gerold C; Popa-Cherecheanu, Alina; Witkowska, Katarzyna J; Hommer, Anton; Schmidl, Doreen; Werkmeister, René M; Garhöfer, Gerhard; Schmetterer, Leopold

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare retinal oxygen extraction in individuals with diabetes with no or mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers. A total of 24 participants with type 1 diabetes and 24 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers were included in this cross-sectional study. Retinal oxygen extraction was measured by combining total retinal blood flow measurements using a custom-built bi-directional Doppler optical coherence tomography system with measurements of oxygen saturation using spectroscopic reflectometry. Based on previously published mathematical modelling, the oxygen content in retinal vessels and total retinal oxygen extraction were calculated. Total retinal blood flow was higher in diabetic participants (46.4 ± 7.4 μl/min) than in healthy volunteers (40.4 ± 5.3 μl/min, p = 0.002 between groups). Oxygen content in retinal arteries was comparable between the two groups, but oxygen content in retinal veins was higher in participants with diabetes (0.15 ± 0.02 ml O 2 /ml) compared with healthy control participants (0.13 ± 0.02 ml O 2 /ml, p < 0.001). As such, the arteriovenous oxygen difference and total retinal oxygen extraction were reduced in participants with diabetes compared with healthy volunteers (total retinal oxygen extraction 1.40 ± 0.44 vs 1.70 ± 0.47 μl O 2 /min, respectively, p = 0.03). Our data indicate early retinal hypoxia in individuals with type 1 diabetes with no or mild diabetic retinopathy as compared with healthy control individuals. Further studies are required to fully understand the potential of the technique in risk stratification and treatment monitoring. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01843114.

Individual Patient Diagnosis of AD and FTD via High-Dimensional Pattern Classification of MRI

PubMed Central

Davatzikos, C.; Resnick, S. M.; Wu, X.; Parmpi, P.; Clark, C. M.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of MRI-based high-dimensional pattern classification in differentiating between patients with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), and healthy controls, on an individual patient basis. MRI scans of 37 patients with AD and 37 age-matched cognitively normal elderly individuals, as well as 12 patients with FTD and 12 age-matched cognitively normal elderly individuals, were analyzed using voxel-based analysis and high-dimensional pattern classification. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of spatial patterns of regional brain atrophy found to be characteristic of AD and FTD were determined via cross-validation and via split-sample methods. Complex spatial patterns of relatively reduced brain volumes were identified, including temporal, orbitofrontal, parietal and cingulate regions, which were predominantly characteristic of either AD or FTD. These patterns provided 100% diagnostic accuracy, when used to separate AD or FTD from healthy controls. The ability to correctly distinguish AD from FTD averaged 84.3%. All estimates of diagnostic accuracy were determined via cross-validation. In conclusion, AD- and FTD-specific patterns of brain atrophy can be detected with high accuracy using high-dimensional pattern classification of MRI scans obtained in a typical clinical setting. PMID:18474436

Lifestyle determinants of healthy ageing in a Mediterranean population: The multinational MEDIS study.

PubMed

Foscolou, Alexandra; Magriplis, Emmanuella; Tyrovolas, Stefanos; Soulis, George; Bountziouka, Vassiliki; Mariolis, Anargiros; Piscopo, Suzanne; Valacchi, Giuseppe; Anastasiou, Foteini; Gotsis, Efthimios; Metallinos, George; Tyrovola, Dimitra; Polystipioti, Anna; Polychronopoulos, Evangelos; Matalas, Antonia-Leda; Lionis, Christos; Zeimbekis, Akis; Tur, Josep-Antoni; Sidossis, Labros S; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes

2018-05-12

To evaluate modifiable, lifestyle risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among older adults, across ageing, in the Mediterranean area. During 2005-2017, 3131 individuals from 26 Mediterranean islands of 5 countries, ≥65 years of age, were voluntarily enrolled. Anthropometrical, clinical and socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, lifestyle parameters were measured through standard procedures. Analyses were performed by year and across consecutive age groups of the participants. A decrease in the prevalence of current smoking (p < 0.001), engagement in physical activities (p = 0.001) and participation in social events (p = 0.001) for every year increase in age was found. Moderate alcohol drinking increased through ageing (p = 0.008), whereas adherence to Mediterranean diet remained stable, but adequate (p = 0.90). Trend analysis also revealed that a quadratic (U-shape) function better characterized the association between ageing and total cardiometabolic risk factors burden (p for trend <0.001). The gaps in the understanding of factors affecting longevity and healthy ageing remain; public health authorities and stakeholders should focus on the lifestyle determinants of healthy ageing, that seems to be an effective mean for improving older peoples' health. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Individualized behavioral assessments and maternal ratings of mastery motivation in mental age-matched toddlers with and without motor delay.

PubMed

Wang, Pei-Jung; Morgan, George A; Hwang, Ai-Wen; Liao, Hua-Fang

2013-01-01

Mastery motivation is a precursor of future developmental outcomes. Evidence about whether toddlers with motor delay have lower mastery motivation is inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine differences between mental age-matched toddlers with and without motor delay on various mastery motivation indicators. A mental age- and sex-matched case-control study was performed. Twenty-two children with motor delay, aged 23 to 47 months, and 22 children who were developing typically, aged 15 to 29 months, were recruited. Persistence and mastery pleasure were measured with behavioral tasks that were moderately challenging for each child and with maternal ratings using the Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ). The DMQ was rated by each child's mother based on her perception of her child's motivation. Two types of structured tasks (a puzzle and a cause-effect toy selected to be moderately challenging for each child) were administered in a laboratory setting and recorded on videos. Paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to examine group differences in persistence and mastery pleasure (α=.007, 2-tailed). Children with motor delay were rated lower on DMQ persistence than the typically developing group, but they did not show significantly lower persistence on the structured tasks. There were no significant differences in mastery pleasure between the 2 groups on either measure. Large within-sample variability on the tasks and small sample size makes subgroup analysis (eg, different severities) difficult. Toddlers with motor delay did not show lower persistence and pleasure when given tasks that were moderately challenging; however, their mothers tended to view them as having lower motivation. Clinicians and parents should provide appropriately challenging tasks to increase children's success and motivation.

Meals described as healthy or unhealthy match public health education in England.

PubMed

Laguna-Camacho, Antonio; Booth, David A

2015-04-01

Dietary guidelines for the general public aim to lower the incidence of nutrition-related diseases by influencing habitual food choices. Yet little is known about how well the guidelines are matched by the actual practices that people regard as healthy or unhealthy. In the present study, British residents were asked in a cognitive interview to write a description of an occasion when either they ate in an unhealthy way or the eating was healthy. The reported foods and drinks, as well as sort of occasion, location, people present and time of day, were categorised by verbal and semantic similarities. The number of mentions of terms in each category was then contrasted between groups in exact probability tests. Perceived unhealthy and healthy eating occasions differed reliably in the sorts of foods and the contexts reported. There was also full agreement with the national guidelines on eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, eating small amounts of foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar, drinking plenty of water, and cutting down on alcohol. There was a tendency to regard choices of bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods as healthy. Reported healthy and unhealthy eating did not differ in incidences of meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein or of dairy foods and milk. These results indicate that operationally clear recommendations by health professionals are well understood in this culture but members of the public do not make clear distinctions in the case of foods that can be included in moderate amounts in a healthy diet. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gait kinematics and kinetics are affected more by peripheral arterial disease than age

PubMed Central

Myers, Sara A.; Applequist, Bryon C.; Huisinga, Jessie M.; Pipinos, Iraklis I.; Johanning, Jason M.

2016-01-01

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) produces abnormal gait and disproportionately affects older individuals. The current study investigated PAD gait biomechanics in young and older subjects. Sixty-one (31 < 65 years, age: 57.4 ± 5.3 years and 30 ≥ 65 years; age: 72.2 ± 5.4 years) patients with PAD and 52 healthy age matched controls were included. Patients with PAD were tested during pain free walking and compared to matched healthy controls. Joint kinematics and kinetics (torques) were compared using a 2 × 2 ANOVA (Groups: PAD vs. Control, Age: Younger vs. Older). Patients with PAD had significantly increased ankle and decreased hip range of motion during the stance phase as well as decreased ankle dorsiflexor torque compared to controls. Gait changes in older individuals are largely constrained to time-distance parameters. Joint kinematics and kinetics are significantly altered in patients with PAD during pain free ambulation. Symptomatic PAD produces a consistent ambulatory deficit across ages definable by advanced biomechanical analysis. The most important finding of the current study is that gait, in the absence of PAD and other ambulatory comorbidities, does not decline significantly with age based on advanced biomechanical analysis. Therefore, previous studies must be examined in the context of potential PAD patients being present in the population and future ambulatory studies must include PAD as a confounding factor when assessing the gait function of elderly individuals. PMID:27149635

The effect of aging and cardiorespiratory fitness on the lung diffusing capacity response to exercise in healthy humans.

PubMed

Coffman, Kirsten E; Carlson, Alex R; Miller, Andrew D; Johnson, Bruce D; Taylor, Bryan J

2017-06-01

Aging is associated with deterioration in the structure and function of the pulmonary circulation. We characterized the lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DL CO ), alveolar-capillary membrane conductance (Dm CO ), and pulmonary-capillary blood volume (Vc) response to discontinuous incremental exercise at 25, 50, 75, and 90% of peak work (W peak ) in four groups: 1 ) Young [27 ± 3 yr, maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o 2max ): 110 ± 18% age predicted]; 2) Young Highly Fit (27 ± 3 yr, V̇o 2max : 147 ± 8% age predicted); 3 ) Old (69 ± 5 yr, V̇o 2max : 116 ± 13% age predicted); and 4 ) Old Highly Fit (65 ± 5 yr, V̇o 2max : 162 ± 18% age predicted). At rest and at 90% W peak , DL CO , Dm CO , and Vc were decreased with age. At 90% W peak , DL CO , Dm CO , and Vc were greater in Old Highly Fit vs. Old adults. The slope of the DL CO -cardiac output (Q̇) relationship from rest to end exercise at 90% W peak was not different between Young, Young Highly Fit, Old, and Old Highly Fit (1.35 vs. 1.44 vs. 1.10 vs. 1.35 ml CO ·mmHg -1 ·liter blood -1 , P = 0.388), with no evidence of a plateau in this relationship during exercise; this was also true for Dm CO -Q̇ and Vc-Q̇. V̇o 2max was positively correlated with 1 ) DL CO , Dm CO , and Vc at rest; and 2 ) the rest to end exercise change in DL CO , Dm CO , and Vc. In conclusion, these data suggest that despite the age-associated deterioration in the structure and function of the pulmonary circulation, expansion of the pulmonary capillary network does not become limited during exercise in healthy individuals regardless of age or cardiorespiratory fitness level. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Healthy aging is a crucial area of research. This article details how differences in age and cardiorespiratory fitness level affect lung diffusing capacity, particularly during high-intensity exercise. We conclude that highly fit older adults do not experience a limit in lung diffusing capacity during

Kinetics of human aging: I. Rates of senescence between ages 30 and 70 years in healthy people.

PubMed

Sehl, M E; Yates, F E

2001-05-01

A calculation of loss rates is reported for human structural and functional variables from a substantially larger data set than has been previously studied. Data were collected for healthy, nonsmoking human subjects of both sexes from a literature search of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and cross-sequential studies. The number of studies analyzed was 469, and the total number of subjects was 54,274. A linear model provided a fit of the data, for each variable, that was not significantly different from the best polynomial fit. Therefore, linear loss rates (as a percent decline per year from the reference value at age 30) were calculated for 445 variables from 13 organ systems, and additionally for 24 variables even more integrative, such as maximum oxygen consumption and exercise performance, that express effects of multiple contributing variables and systems. The frequency distribution of the 13 individual system linear loss rates (as percent loss per year) for a very healthy population has roughly a unimodal, right-skewed shape, with mean 0.65, median 0.5, and variance 0.32. (The actual underlying distribution could be a truncated Gaussian, an exponential, Poisson, gamma or some other). The linear estimates of loss rates were clustered between 0% and 2% per year for variables from most organ systems, with exceptions being the endocrine, thermoregulatory, and gastrointestinal systems, for which wider ranges (up to approximately 3% per year) of loss rates were found. We suggest that this set of linear losses over time, observed in healthy individuals between ages (approximately) 30 to 70 years, exposes the underlying kinetics of human senescence, independent of effects of substantial disease.

Relationships between self-reported health related quality of life and measures of standardized exercise capacity and metabolic efficiency in a middle-aged and aged healthy population.

PubMed

Lindholm, E; Brevinge, H; Bergh, C H; Körner, U; Lundholm, K

2003-08-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate to what extent self-reported health related quality of life (HRQL), assessed by the Swedish standard version of the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36), is related to measured exercise capacity and metabolic efficiency in a cohort of healthy subjects from the Gothenburg area of Sweden. Individuals were invited to take part in the evaluation where HRQL was compared with the maximal power output expressed in Watts assessed during a standardized treadmill test with incremental work loads. Whole body respiratory gas exchanges (CO2/O2) were simultaneously measured. Estimate of metabolic efficiency was derived from oxygen uptake per Watt produced (ml O2/min/W) near maximal work. The health status profile in the current population largely agreed with normative data from an age- and gender-matched reference group, although some measured scores were slightly better than reference scores. Males and females had a similar relationship between energy cost (ml O2/min) for production of maximal work (W), while the regressions for maximal exercise power and age were significantly different between males and females (p < 0.01). The overall metabolic efficiency was the same in individuals between 40 and 74 years of age (10.4 +/- 0.07 ml O2/min/ Watt). Maximal exercise power was only related to the SF-36 subscale physical functioning (PF), but unrelated to other physical subscales such as role limitations due to physical problems, good general health and vitality. There was also a discrepancy between measured maximal power and PF in many subjects, particularly in males who experienced either intact or severely reduced PF. Our results demonstrate that simultaneous measurements of self-reported and objective measures of PF should add a more integrated view for evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness, since the overall correlation was poor between objective and subjective scores among individuals.

Abnormal cortical sources of resting state electroencephalographic rhythms in single treatment-naïve HIV individuals: A statistical z-score index.

PubMed

Babiloni, Claudio; Pennica, Alfredo; Del Percio, Claudio; Noce, Giuseppe; Cordone, Susanna; Muratori, Chiara; Ferracuti, Stefano; Donato, Nicole; Di Campli, Francesco; Gianserra, Laura; Teti, Elisabetta; Aceti, Antonio; Soricelli, Andrea; Viscione, Magdalena; Limatola, Cristina; Andreoni, Massimo; Onorati, Paolo

2016-03-01

This study tested a simple statistical procedure to recognize single treatment-naïve HIV individuals having abnormal cortical sources of resting state delta (<4 Hz) and alpha (8-13 Hz) electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms with reference to a control group of sex-, age-, and education-matched healthy individuals. Compared to the HIV individuals with a statistically normal EEG marker, those with abnormal values were expected to show worse cognitive status. Resting state eyes-closed EEG data were recorded in 82 treatment-naïve HIV (39.8 ys.±1.2 standard error mean, SE) and 59 age-matched cognitively healthy subjects (39 ys.±2.2 SE). Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) estimated delta and alpha sources in frontal, central, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortical regions. Ratio of the activity of parietal delta and high-frequency alpha sources (EEG marker) showed the maximum difference between the healthy and the treatment-naïve HIV group. Z-score of the EEG marker was statistically abnormal in 47.6% of treatment-naïve HIV individuals with reference to the healthy group (p<0.05). Compared to the HIV individuals with a statistically normal EEG marker, those with abnormal values exhibited lower mini mental state evaluation (MMSE) score, higher CD4 count, and lower viral load (p<0.05). This statistical procedure permitted for the first time to identify single treatment-naïve HIV individuals having abnormal EEG activity. This procedure might enrich the detection and monitoring of effects of HIV on brain function in single treatment-naïve HIV individuals. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trapp, Georgina S. A.; Hickling, Siobhan; Christian, Hayley E.; Bull, Fiona; Timperio, Anna F.; Boruff, Bryan; Shrestha, Damber; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-01-01

Background: Few studies use comprehensive ecological approaches considering multilevel factors to understand correlates of healthy (and unhealthy) dietary intake. The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual, social, and environmental factors on composite measures of healthy and unhealthy dietary intake in adults.…

'Healthy Ageing' policies and anti-ageing ideologies and practices: on the exercise of responsibility.

PubMed

Cardona, Beatriz

2008-12-01

This paper explores how the exercise of the ethics of 'responsibility' for health care advanced through 'healthy ageing' and 'successful ageing' narratives in Western countries animates an array of 'authorities', including the 'anti-ageing medicine' movement as a strategy to address the anxieties of growing old in Western societies and as a tool to exercise the ethos of 'responsibility'. The choice of this type of authority as a source of guidance for self-constitution and the exercise of the 'responsible self', this paper will argue, enables the enactment of a type of late modernity notion of citizenship for ageing individuals based on principles of agelessness, health, independence and consumption power. Through interviews with anti-ageing consumers, however, it is also possible to argue the existence of tensions and contradictions that such a rigid model of self-constitution in later life produces, and the potential forms of resistance and contestations that may emerge as a result. In this way the current 'war on anti-ageing medicine' (Vincent 2003) becomes also symptomatic of bigger 'wars' taking place not only between institutions competing for control over knowledge and management of ageing, but between those in favour and against the homogenisation of life under the language of universal science, reason and market rationality.

Emotional Intelligence Components in Alcohol Dependent and Mentally Healthy Individuals

PubMed Central

Mohagheghi, Arash; Amiri, Shahrokh; Mousavi Rizi, Seyedreza; Safikhanlou, Salman

2015-01-01

Objective. Emotional intelligence might play an important role in the onset and persistence of different psychopathologies. This study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and alcohol dependence. Methods. In this case-control study, participants included alcohol dependent individuals and mentally healthy inpatients. Each group consisted of 40 individuals (male/female: 1). The diagnosis was based on the criteria of the DSM-IV-TR using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV). All the participants completed Bar-On emotional intelligence test. Results. 20 males and 20 females were included in each group. Mean age of alcohol dependent participants and controls was 31.28 ± 7.82 and 34.93 ± 9.83 years in that order. The analyses showed that the alcohol dependent individuals had a significant difference compared with the control group and received lower scores in empathy, responsibility, impulse control, self-esteem, optimism, emotional consciousness, stress tolerance, autonomy, problem-solving, and total score of emotional intelligence components. Conclusion. Patients with alcohol dependence have deficits in components of emotional intelligence. Identifying and targeted training of the individuals with lower scores in components of emotional intelligence may be effective in prevention of alcohol dependence. PMID:25893214

Intra-individual biological variation in sweat chloride concentrations in CF, CFTR dysfunction, and healthy pediatric subjects.

PubMed

Cirilli, Natalia; Raia, Valeria; Rocco, Ilaria; De Gregorio, Fabiola; Tosco, Antonella; Salvadori, Laura; Sepe, Angela Ornella; Buzzetti, Roberto; Minicuci, Nadia; Castaldo, Giuseppe

2018-04-02

The sweat test is one of the main diagnostic tools used in newborn screening programs and as a confirmatory test, in case of suspect of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Since sweat chloride (Cl) concentration is also considered an appropriate parameter to explore the efficacy of CFTR modulators in clinical trials, it is crucial to evaluate the biological variability of this test in healthy and pathological conditions. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the intra-individual biological variability of sweat Cl, both in healthy individuals and CF patients and to assess its correlation with diet, season, and menstrual cycle. Thirty-five out of 36 selected subjects (6-18 years) were enrolled by 2 CF care centers and assigned to 3 cohorts: CF, CFTR-related disorder (CFTR-RD) and healthy volunteers. Each participant was subjected to eight sweat tests in different conditions and time of the year. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects models for repeated measures, taking also into account intra-individual correlations. We observed a high intra-individual variability of sweat Cl, with the lowest mean CV% values among CF patients (20.21 in CF, 29.74 in CFTR-RD, and 31.15 in healthy subjects). Gender and diet had no influence on sweat Cl variability, nor had pubertal age and menstrual phase. Results of this pilot study confirmed that sweat Cl variability is high in CF patients, although non-CF individuals displayed even higher mean CV% values. Season significantly influenced sweat test values only in CF patients, likely due to changes in their hydration status. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Being Active, Engaged, and Healthy: Older Persons' Plans and Wishes to Age Successfully.

PubMed

Huijg, Johanna M; van Delden, A Lex E Q; van der Ouderaa, Frans J G; Westendorp, Rudi G J; Slaets, Joris P J; Lindenberg, Jolanda

2017-03-01

This study took an emic multidimensional approach on successful aging and examined what older people consider important to age successfully by asking them about their plans and wishes (PWs). Associations between participants' demographics, health status, working life, social contacts, life satisfaction, and their PWs were investigated. An online questionnaire was completed by 649 older individuals (55-90 years). Conceptual content analysis was performed to identify important categories in PWs. Quantitative analyses were conducted to examine associations between PWs and participants' characteristics. Most mentioned PWs were related to activities, engagement with life, and health. Seventy-four participants (11.4%) expressed no PWs. Multivariate analysis revealed that having PWs was most strongly related to participants' life satisfaction. Older individuals with a higher life satisfaction indicated significantly more often to have PWs than individuals with a lower life satisfaction. The majority of older people desire an active, engaged, and healthy life. PWs were variable and personal, which endorses an emic, multidimensional approach to successful aging. Knowledge on what older individuals find important in their lives and what they want to achieve can assist older individuals in setting and attaining their goals toward aging well. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Age related differences of selected Hatha yoga practices on anthropometric characteristics, muscular strength and flexibility of healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Halder, Kaushik; Chatterjee, Abhirup; Pal, Rameshwar; Tomer, Omveer S; Saha, Mantu

2015-01-01

Background: Physiological benefits of yoga on volunteers of a particular age group are available. However, reports on efficacy of a specific yoga package on the populace of different age groups from similar occupational background is still very limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to appraise the effect of a specific Hatha yoga package on anthropometric characteristics, flexibility and muscular strength of healthy individuals of different age groups from similar occupational trade. Materials and Methods: A total of 71 participants (Group All) from Indian Air Force ground personnel volunteered and age wise divided into 3 groups - (i) Group I (Gr. - I) (n1 = 27, 20-29 years), (ii) Group II (Gr. - II) (n2 = 21, 30-39 years) and (iii) Group III (Gr. - III) (n3 = 23, 40-49 years). All the participants undergone selected Hatha yoga training for 1 h daily for a period of 12 weeks. Parameters were recorded before and after the training. Pre and post training differences were assessed by Student's t-test. Results: Body weight (All, Gr. - II and Gr. - III [all P < 0.05]), body mass index (Gr. - II and Gr. - III [both P < 0.01]) and fat% (Gr. - II and III [both P < 0.05]) were decreased significantly. Neck circumference was increased significantly in Gr. - I (P < 0.05) but decreased significantly in Gr. - III (P < 0.05). Chest circumference (All (P < 0.001), in Gr. - I and II [both P < 0.05]), grip strength (All [left: P < 0.01 and right: P < 0.05], in Gr. - I [left: P < 0.05 and right: P < 0.01], in Gr. - II [right: P < 0.05] and in Gr. - III [left: P < 0.05 and right: P < 0.01]), back leg strength (group wise P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively) and flexibility (all P < 0.001) were increased significantly. Summary and Conclusion: Hatha yoga can improve anthropometric characteristics, muscular strength and flexibility among volunteers of different age group and can also be helpful in preventing and attenuating age related deterioration of

Effect of ageing on hypoxic exercise cardiorespiratory, muscle and cerebral oxygenation responses in healthy humans.

PubMed

Puthon, Lara; Bouzat, Pierre; Robach, Paul; Favre-Juvin, Anne; Doutreleau, Stéphane; Verges, Samuel

2017-04-01

What is the central question of this study? This study aimed to determine the effect of ageing on cardiorespiratory and tissue oxygenation responses to hypoxia during maximal incremental exercise. What is the main finding and its importance? Older healthy subjects had preserved hypoxic cardiorespiratory and tissue oxygenation responses at rest and during moderate exercise. At maximal exercise, they had a reduced hypoxic ventilatory response but similar maximal power output reduction compared with young individuals. This study suggests that until moderate exercise, hypoxic responses are preserved until the age of 70 years and therefore that ageing is not a contraindication for high-altitude sojourn. This study assessed the effects of ageing on cardiorespiratory and tissue oxygenation responses to hypoxia both at rest and during incremental maximal exercise. Sixteen young (20-30 years old) and 15 older healthy subjects (60-70 years old) performed two maximal incremental cycling tests in normoxia and hypoxia (inspiratory oxygen fraction 12%). Cardiorespiratory responses, prefrontal cortex and quadriceps tissue oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy) were measured during exercise as well as during hypercapnia at rest. The hypoxic ventilatory response was similar in young compared with older individuals at rest and during moderate-intensity exercise (50% maximal power output: young 0.9 ± 0.2 versus older 1.1 ± 0.8 l min -1  % -1 ; P > 0.05) but larger in young subjects during high-intensity exercise (maximal power output: 2.2 ± 0.8 versus 1.8 ± 1.1 l min -1  % -1 ; P < 0.05). The hypoxic cardiac response did not differ between groups both at rest and during exercise. During exercise in hypoxia, young subjects showed greater deoxygenation than older subjects, at both the prefrontal cortex and quadriceps levels. The hypoxia-induced reduction in maximal power output (young -32 ± 5% versus older -30 ± 6%; P > 0.05) and the hypercapnic

Quantitative measures of healthy aging and biological age

PubMed Central

Kim, Sangkyu; Jazwinski, S. Michal

2015-01-01

Numerous genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to aging. To facilitate the study of these factors, various descriptors of biological aging, including ‘successful aging’ and ‘frailty’, have been put forth as integrative functional measures of aging. A separate but related quantitative approach is the ‘frailty index’, which has been operationalized and frequently used. Various frailty indices have been constructed. Although based on different numbers and types of health variables, frailty indices possess several common properties that make them useful across different studies. We have been using a frailty index termed FI34 based on 34 health variables. Like other frailty indices, FI34 increases non-linearly with advancing age and is a better indicator of biological aging than chronological age. FI34 has a substantial genetic basis. Using FI34, we found elevated levels of resting metabolic rate linked to declining health in nonagenarians. Using FI34 as a quantitative phenotype, we have also found a genomic region on chromosome 12 that is associated with healthy aging and longevity. PMID:26005669

Bacterial diversity in the oral cavity of ten healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Bik, Elisabeth M.; Long, Clara Davis; Armitage, Gary C.; Loomer, Peter; Emerson, Joanne; Mongodin, Emmanuel F.; Nelson, Karen E.; Gill, Steven R.; Fraser-Liggett, Claire M.; Relman, David A.

2010-01-01

The composition of the oral microbiota from 10 individuals with healthy oral tissues was determined using culture-independent techniques. From each individual, 26 specimens, each from different oral sites at a single point in time, were collected and pooled. An eleventh pool was constructed using portions of the subgingival specimens from all 10 individuals. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified using broad-range bacterial primers, and clone libraries from the individual and subgingival pools were constructed. From a total of 11 368 high-quality, non-chimeric, near full-length sequences, 247 species-level phylotypes (using a 99% sequence identity threshold) and 9 bacteria phyla were identified. At least 15 bacterial genera were conserved among all 10 individuals, with significant interindividual differences at the species and strain level. Comparisons of these oral bacterial sequences to near full-length sequences found previously in the large intestines and feces of other healthy individuals suggest that the mouth and intestinal tract harbor distinct sets of bacteria. Co-occurrence analysis demonstrated significant segregation of taxa when community membership was examined at the level of genus, but not at the level of species, suggesting that ecologically-significant, competitive interactions are more apparent at a broader taxonomic level than species. This study is one of the more comprehensive, high-resolution analyses of bacterial diversity within the healthy human mouth to date, and highlights the value of tools from macroecology for enhancing our understanding of bacterial ecology in human health. PMID:20336157

The influence of age, gender and education on the performance of healthy individuals on a battery for assessing limb apraxia.

PubMed

Mantovani-Nagaoka, Joana; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2016-01-01

Apraxia is defined as a disorder of learned skilled movements, in the absence of elementary motor or sensory deficits and general cognitive impairment, such as inattention to commands, object-recognition deficits or poor oral comprehension. Limb apraxia has long been a challenge for clinical assessment and understanding and covers a wide spectrum of disorders, all involving motor cognition and the inability to perform previously learned actions. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and education can influence the performance of individuals on different neuropsychological tests. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of healthy subjects on a limb apraxia battery and to determine the influence of gender, age, and education on the praxis skills assessed. Forty-four subjects underwent a limb apraxia battery, which was composed of numerous subtests for assessing both the semantic aspects of gestural production as well as motor performance itself. The tasks encompassed lexical-semantic aspects related to gestural production and motor activity in response to verbal commands and imitation. We observed no gender effects on any of the subtests. Only the subtest involving visual recognition of transitive gestures showed a correlation between performance and age. However, we observed that education level influenced subject performance for all sub tests involving motor actions, and for most of these, moderate correlations were observed between education level and performance of the praxis tasks. We conclude that the education level of participants can have an important influence on the outcome of limb apraxia tests.

Individual and interpersonal emotion regulation among adults with substance use disorders and matched controls.

PubMed

Dingle, Genevieve A; Neves, Diana da Costa; Alhadad, Sakinah S J; Hides, Leanne

2018-06-01

Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders (SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal functions - including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35 adults in residential treatment diagnosed with a SUD compared to 35 demographically matched controls (both samples M age  = 25 years; 37% females). Participants completed a facial emotion expression flexibility task while viewing emotive images, as well as the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Social (Emotion) Expectancy Scale (SES). Adults in SUD treatment experienced significantly more emotion regulation difficulties on all DERS subscales than controls. They also reported higher levels of negative self-evaluation and social expectancies not to feel negative emotions (anxiety and depression) compared to controls. Moreover, when viewing emotive images, the treatment sample showed significantly less flexibility of their emotional expression compared to the control sample. These findings demonstrate that the awareness, expression, and regulation of emotions are particularly difficult for people with SUD and this may maintain their substance use and provide an important target for treatment. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders self-report significantly more difficulties with emotional awareness and regulation. Compared to matched controls, adults with substance use disorders report significantly greater expectancies not to show depression and anxiety. When viewing positive and negative images, adults with substance use

Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older subjects: implications for healthy aging.

PubMed

Lynch, D B; Jeffery, I B; Cusack, S; O'Connor, E M; O'Toole, P W

2015-01-01

With modern medicine and an awareness of healthy lifestyle practices, people are living longer and generally healthier lives than their ancestors. These successes of modern medicine have resulted in an increasing proportion of elderly in society. Research groups around the world have investigated the contribution of gut microbial communities to human health and well-being. It was established that the microbiota composition of the human gut is modulated by lifestyle factors, especially diet. The microbiota composition and function, acting in concert with direct and indirect effects of habitual diet, is of great importance in remaining healthy and active. This is not a new concept, but until now the scale of the potential microbiota contribution was not appreciated. There are an estimated ten times more bacteria in an individual than human cells. The bacterial population is relatively stable in adults, but the age-related changes that occur later in life can have a negative impact on host health. This loss of the adult-associated microbiota correlates with measures of markers of inflammation, frailty, co-morbidity and nutritional status. This effect may be greater than that of diet or in some cases genetics alone. Collectively, the recent studies show the importance of the microbiota and associated metabolites in healthy aging and the importance of diet in its modulation. 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Good Vibrations – Effects of Whole Body Vibration on Attention in Healthy Individuals and Individuals with ADHD

PubMed Central

Fuermaier, Anselm B. M.; Tucha, Lara; Koerts, Janneke; van Heuvelen, Marieke J. G.; van der Zee, Eddy A.; Lange, Klaus W.; Tucha, Oliver

2014-01-01

Objectives Most of the current treatment strategies of ADHD are associated with a number of disadvantages which strengthen the need for alternative or additional approaches for the treatment of ADHD. In this respect, Whole Body Vibration (WBV) might be interesting as it was found to have beneficial effects on a variety of physiological measures. The present study explored the effects of WBV on attention of healthy individuals and adults diagnosed with ADHD. Methods Eighty-three healthy individuals and seventeen adults diagnosed with ADHD participated in the study. WBV treatment was applied passively, while participants were sitting on a chair which was mounted on a vibrating platform. A repeated measure design was employed in order to explore potential effects of WBV treatment on attention within subjects. Attention (i.e. inhibitory control) was measured with a color-word interference paradigm. Results A period of two minutes of WBV treatment had significant beneficial effects of small to medium size on attention of both healthy individuals and adults with ADHD. The effect of WBV treatment on attention did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions WBV was demonstrated to improve cognitive performance of healthy individuals as well as of individuals with ADHD. WBV treatment is relatively inexpensive and easy to apply and might therefore be of potential relevance for clinical use. The application of WBV treatment as a cognitive enhancement strategy and as a potential treatment of cognitive impairments is discussed. PMID:24587412

Effects of growth and aging on the reference values of pulmonary nitric oxide dynamics in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Högman, M; Thornadtsson, A; Liv, P; Hua-Huy, T; Dinh-Xuan, A T; Tufvesson, E; Dressel, H; Janson, C; Koskela, K; Oksa, P; Sauni, R; Uitti, J; Moilanen, E; Lehtimäki, L

2017-09-13

The lung just like all other organs is affected by age. The lung matures by the age of 20 and age-related changes start around middle age, at 40-50 years. Exhaled nitric oxide (F E NO) has been shown to be age, height and gender dependent. We hypothesize that the nitric oxide (NO) parameters alveolar NO (C A NO), airway flux (J aw NO), airway diffusing capacity (D aw NO) and airway wall content (C aw NO) will also demonstrate this dependence. Data from healthy subjects were gathered by the current authors from their earlier publications in which healthy individuals were included as control subjects. Healthy subjects (n = 433) ranged in age from 7 to 78 years. Age-stratified reference values of the NO parameters were significantly different. Gender differences were only observed in the 20-49 age group. The results from the multiple regression models in subjects older than 20 years revealed that age, height and gender interaction together explained 6% of variation in F E NO at 50 ml s -1 (F E NO 50 ), 4% in J aw NO, 16% in C aw NO, 8% in D aw NO and 12% in C A NO. In conclusion, in this study we have generated reference values for NO parameters from an extended NO analysis of healthy subjects. This is important in order to be able to use these parameters in clinical practice.

Hemispheric metacontrol and cerebral dominance in healthy individuals investigated by means of chimeric faces.

PubMed

Urgesi, Cosimo; Bricolo, Emanuela; Aglioti, Salvatore M

2005-08-01

Cerebral dominance and hemispheric metacontrol were investigated by testing the ability of healthy participants to match chimeric, entire, or half faces presented tachistoscopically. The two hemi-faces compounding chimeric or entire stimuli were presented simultaneously or asynchronously at different exposure times. Participants did not consciously detect chimeric faces for simultaneous presentations lasting up to 40 ms. Interestingly, a 20 ms separation between each half-chimera was sufficient to induce detection of conflicts at a conscious level. Although the presence of chimeric faces was not consciously perceived, performance on chimeric faces was poorer than on entire- and half-faces stimuli, thus indicating an implicit processing of perceptual conflicts. Moreover, the precedence of hemispheric stimulation over-ruled the right hemisphere dominance for face processing, insofar as the hemisphere stimulated last appeared to influence the response. This dynamic reversal of cerebral dominance, however, was not caused by a shift in hemispheric specialization, since the level of performance always reflected the right hemisphere specialization for face recognition. Thus, the dissociation between hemispheric dominance and specialization found in the present study hints at the existence of hemispheric metacontrol in healthy individuals.

Movement Discordance between Healthy and Non-Healthy US Adults

PubMed Central

Swartz, Ann M.; Cho, Young; Welch, Whitney A.; Strath, Scott J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Physical activity is known to significantly impact cardiometabolic health. Accelerometer data, as a measure of physical activity, can be used to objectively identify a disparity in movement (movement discordance) between healthy and unhealthy adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the Movement Discordance between healthy and unhealthy adults in a large US population sample. Methods Demographic, health and accelerometer data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 cohorts were used for this study. Participants were classified as either having a “normal” or “abnormal” value for each cardiometabolic health parameter examined, based on published criteria. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine significance of each abnormal health parameter (risk factor) in its unique effect on the accelerometer counts, controlling for age and gender. Average accelerometer counts per minute (cpm) by gender and age categories were estimated separately for the groups of normal and abnormal cardiometabolic risk. Results Average cpm for those with healthy levels of each individual cardiometabolic health parameter range from 296 cpm (for C reactive protein) to 337 cpm (for waist circumference), while average cpm for those with abnormal levels of each individual cardiometabolic health parameter range from 216 cpm (for insulin) to 291 cpm (for LDL-cholesterol). After controlling for age and gender, waist circumference, HbA1c, Insulin, Homocysteine, and HDL-Cholesterol were the cardiometabolic health parameters that showed significant, unique and independent effects on cpm. Overall, individuals who have abnormal values for all significant cardiometabolic health parameters (“unhealthy”) averaged 267 cpm (SE = 15 cpm), while the healthy sample of this study averaged 428 cpm (SE = 10 cpm). The difference in cpm between the unhealthy and healthy groups is similar between males and females

Proteasome function is not impaired in healthy aging of the lung.

PubMed

Caniard, Anne; Ballweg, Korbinian; Lukas, Christina; Yildirim, Ali Ö; Eickelberg, Oliver; Meiners, Silke

2015-10-01

Aging is the progressive loss of cellular function which inevitably leads to death. Failure of proteostasis including the decrease in proteasome function is one hallmark of aging. In the lung, proteasome activity was shown to be impaired in age-related diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, little is known on proteasome function during healthy aging. Here, we comprehensively analyzed healthy lung aging and proteasome function in wildtype, proteasome reporter and immunoproteasome knockout mice. Wildtype mice spontaneously developed senile lung emphysema while expression and activity of proteasome complexes and turnover of ubiquitinated substrates was not grossly altered in lungs of aged mice. Immunoproteasome subunits were specifically upregulated in the aged lung and the caspase-like proteasome activity concomitantly decreased. Aged knockout mice for the LMP2 or LMP7 immunoproteasome subunits showed no alteration in proteasome activities but exhibited typical lung aging phenotypes suggesting that immunoproteasome function is dispensable for physiological lung aging in mice. Our results indicate that healthy aging of the lung does not involve impairment of proteasome function. Apparently, the reserve capacity of the proteostasis systems in the lung is sufficient to avoid severe proteostasis imbalance during healthy aging.

The impact of price reductions on individuals' choice of healthy meals away from home.

PubMed

Nordström, Jonas; Thunström, Linda

2015-06-01

Food high in energy but low in nutritional value is an important contributor to several serious illnesses, and one type of food that is particularly high in energy but low in nutrition is food consumed away from home. In this paper, we examine the demand and willingness to pay for healthy, Keyhole-labelled meals. A Keyhole-labelled meal is particularly low in energy, fat, sugar and salt, but particularly high in fibre. The results suggest that to get the majority of individuals to choose the healthy option regularly it would be necessary to alter the relative price between healthy and less healthy meals. Generally groups of individuals with a poor nutritional intake require a larger compensation (subsidy) before they choose the healthy alternative. About one third of respondents would choose the healthy option regularly if the prices for a healthy and less healthy meal were the same. In particular groups of individuals who already have a relatively good nutritional intake would select the healthy option. Groups with a generally poor nutritional intake (men and individuals with lower education and lower income) would gain health benefits from a subsidy of Keyhole-labelled meals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer survivorship and opioid prescribing rates: A population-based matched cohort study among individuals with and without a history of cancer.

PubMed

Sutradhar, Rinku; Lokku, Armend; Barbera, Lisa

2017-11-01

Little is known about opioid prescribing among individuals who have survived cancer. Our aim is to examine a predominantly socio-economically disadvantaged population for differences in opioid prescribing rates among cancer survivors compared with matched controls without a prior diagnosis of cancer. This was a retrospective population-wide matched cohort study. Starting in 2010, individuals residing in Ontario, Canada, who were 18 to 64 years of age and at least 5 years past their cancer diagnosis were matched to controls without a prior cancer diagnosis based on sex and calendar year of birth. Follow-up was terminated at any indication of cancer recurrence, second malignancy, or new cancer diagnosis. To examine the association between survivorship and the rate of opioid prescriptions, an Andersen-Gill recurrent event regression model was implemented, adjusting for numerous individual-level characteristics and also accounting for the matched design. The rate of opioid prescribing was 1.22 times higher among survivors than among their corresponding matched controls (adjusted relative rate, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.11-1.34). Individuals from lower income quintiles who were younger, were from rural neighborhoods, and had more comorbidities had significantly higher prescribing rates. Sex was not associated with prescribing rates. This increased rate of opioid prescribing was also seen among survivors who were 10 or more years past their cancer diagnosis (compared with their controls). This study demonstrates substantially higher opioid prescribing rates among cancer survivors, even long after attaining survivorship. This raises concerns about the diagnosis and management of chronic pain problems among survivors stemming from their cancer diagnosis or treatment. Cancer 2017;123:4286-4293. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Identifying transportation solutions that promote healthy aging for Texas : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-09-01

As the population of Texans who are aging continues to grow, the role that transportation plays in the promotion of healthy aging is useful information for policy makers to plan and provide for the safe and healthy aging of Texass population. Tran...

Individual signatures and environmental factors shape skin microbiota in healthy dogs.

PubMed

Cuscó, Anna; Belanger, Janelle M; Gershony, Liza; Islas-Trejo, Alma; Levy, Kerinne; Medrano, Juan F; Sánchez, Armand; Oberbauer, Anita M; Francino, Olga

2017-10-13

The individual, together with its environment, has been reported as the main force driving composition and structure of skin microbiota in healthy dogs. Therefore, one of the major concerns when analyzing canine skin microbiota is the likely influence of the environment. Despite the dense fur covering, certain skin diseases exhibit differential prevalence among skin sites, dog breeds, and individuals. We have characterized the normal variability of dog skin microbiota in a well-controlled cohort of a large number of Golden-Labrador Retriever crossed dogs (N = 35) with similar ages, related genetic background, and a shared environment. We found that the individual drives the skin microbiota composition and structure followed by the skin site. The main bacterial classes inhabiting dog skin in this cohort are Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli. We also detected bacteria associated to the environment on different dog skin sites that could be reflecting the different degrees of exposure of each skin site and each dog. Network analyses elucidated bacterial interactions within and between skin sites, especially in the chin, abdomen, axilla, and perianal region, with the highly shared interactions probably representing an anatomical, behavioral, or environmental component. When analyzing each skin site independently to assess host-specific factors, we found that temporality (season of birth and time spent in the kennel) affected all the skin sites and specially the inner pinna. The most abundant taxon driving this difference was Sphingomonas. We also found taxonomic differences among male and female dogs on the abdomen, axilla, and back. We observed a large inter-individual variability and differences among skin sites. Host-specific variables, such as temporality or sex, were also shaping skin microbiota of healthy dogs, even in an environmental homogenous cohort.

Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience: Innovations for Healthy Brain Aging.

PubMed

Zamroziewicz, Marta K; Barbey, Aron K

2016-01-01

Nutritional cognitive neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand nutrition's impact on cognition and brain health across the life span. Research in this burgeoning field demonstrates that many aspects of nutrition-from entire diets to specific nutrients-affect brain structure and function, and therefore have profound implications for understanding the nature of healthy brain aging. The aim of this Focused Review is to examine recent advances in nutritional cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on methods that enable discovery of nutrient biomarkers that predict healthy brain aging. We propose an integrative framework that calls for the synthesis of research in nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, incorporating: (i) methods for the precise characterization of nutritional health based on the analysis of nutrient biomarker patterns (NBPs), along with (ii) modern indices of brain health derived from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By integrating cutting-edge techniques from nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, nutritional cognitive neuroscience will continue to advance our understanding of the beneficial effects of nutrition on the aging brain and establish effective nutritional interventions to promote healthy brain aging.

Nutritional Cognitive Neuroscience: Innovations for Healthy Brain Aging

PubMed Central

Zamroziewicz, Marta K.; Barbey, Aron K.

2016-01-01

Nutritional cognitive neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand nutrition's impact on cognition and brain health across the life span. Research in this burgeoning field demonstrates that many aspects of nutrition—from entire diets to specific nutrients—affect brain structure and function, and therefore have profound implications for understanding the nature of healthy brain aging. The aim of this Focused Review is to examine recent advances in nutritional cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on methods that enable discovery of nutrient biomarkers that predict healthy brain aging. We propose an integrative framework that calls for the synthesis of research in nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, incorporating: (i) methods for the precise characterization of nutritional health based on the analysis of nutrient biomarker patterns (NBPs), along with (ii) modern indices of brain health derived from high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By integrating cutting-edge techniques from nutritional epidemiology and cognitive neuroscience, nutritional cognitive neuroscience will continue to advance our understanding of the beneficial effects of nutrition on the aging brain and establish effective nutritional interventions to promote healthy brain aging. PMID:27375409

Structural and Functional Changes in Human Kidneys with Healthy Aging.

PubMed

Hommos, Musab S; Glassock, Richard J; Rule, Andrew D

2017-10-01

Aging is associated with significant changes in structure and function of the kidney, even in the absence of age-related comorbidities. On the macrostructural level, kidney cortical volume decreases, surface roughness increases, and the number and size of simple renal cysts increase with age. On the microstructural level, the histologic signs of nephrosclerosis (arteriosclerosis/arteriolosclerosis, global glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy) all increase with age. The decline of nephron number is accompanied by a comparable reduction in measured whole-kidney GFR. However, single-nephron GFR remains relatively constant with healthy aging as does glomerular volume. Only when glomerulosclerosis and arteriosclerosis exceed that expected for age is there an increase in single-nephron GFR. In the absence of albuminuria, age-related reduction in GFR with the corresponding increase in CKD (defined by an eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ) has been shown to associate with a very modest to no increase in age-standardized mortality risk or ESRD. These findings raise the question of whether disease labeling of an age-related decline in GFR is appropriate. These findings also emphasize the need for a different management approach for many elderly individuals considered to have CKD by current criteria. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M.

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains. PMID:29326636

Uncovering the Mechanisms Responsible for Why Language Learning May Promote Healthy Cognitive Aging.

PubMed

Antoniou, Mark; Wright, Sarah M

2017-01-01

One of the great challenges facing humankind in the 21st century is preserving healthy brain function in our aging population. Individuals over 60 are the fastest growing age group in the world, and by 2050, it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will triple. The typical aging process involves cognitive decline related to brain atrophy, especially in frontal brain areas and regions that subserve declarative memory, loss of synaptic connections, and the emergence of neuropathological symptoms associated with dementia. The disease-state of this age-related cognitive decline is Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, which may cause older adults to lose their independence and rely on others to live safely, burdening family members and health care systems in the process. However, there are two lines of research that offer hope to those seeking to promote healthy cognitive aging. First, it has been observed that lifestyle variables such as cognitive leisure activities can moderate the risk of Alzheimer's disease, which has led to the development of plasticity-based interventions for older adults designed to protect against the adverse effects of cognitive decline. Second, there is evidence that lifelong bilingualism acts as a safeguard in preserving healthy brain function, possibly delaying the incidence of dementia by several years. In previous work, we have suggested that foreign language learning programs aimed at older populations are an optimal solution for building cognitive reserve because language learning engages an extensive brain network that is known to overlap with the regions negatively affected by the aging process. Here, we will outline potential future lines of research that may uncover the mechanism responsible for the emergence of language learning related brain advantages, such as language typology, bi- vs. multi-lingualism, age of acquisition, and the elements that are likely to result in the largest gains.

Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Avgerinos, Konstantinos I; Spyrou, Nikolaos; Bougioukas, Konstantinos I; Kapogiannis, Dimitrios

2018-07-15

Creatine is a supplement used by sportsmen to increase athletic performance by improving energy supply to muscle tissues. It is also an essential brain compound and some hypothesize that it aids cognition by improving energy supply and neuroprotection. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effects of oral creatine administration on cognitive function in healthy individuals. A search of multiple electronic databases was performed for the identification of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) examining the cognitive effects of oral creatine supplementation in healthy individuals. Six studies (281 individuals) met our inclusion criteria. Generally, there was evidence that short term memory and intelligence/reasoning may be improved by creatine administration. Regarding other cognitive domains, such as long-term memory, spatial memory, memory scanning, attention, executive function, response inhibition, word fluency, reaction time and mental fatigue, the results were conflicting. Performance on cognitive tasks stayed unchanged in young individuals. Vegetarians responded better than meat-eaters in memory tasks but for other cognitive domains no differences were observed. Oral creatine administration may improve short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning of healthy individuals but its effect on other cognitive domains remains unclear. Findings suggest potential benefit for aging and stressed individuals. Since creatine is safe, future studies should include larger sample sizes. It is imperative that creatine should be tested on patients with dementias or cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predictors of Long-Term Healthy Arterial Aging: Coronary Artery Calcium Nondevelopment in the MESA Study.

PubMed

Whelton, Seamus P; Silverman, Michael G; McEvoy, John W; Budoff, Matthew J; Blankstein, Ron; Eng, John; Blumenthal, Roger S; Szklo, Moyses; Nasir, Khurram; Blaha, Michael J

2015-12-01

This study sought to determine the predictors of healthy arterial aging. Long-term nondevelopment of coronary artery calcification (persistent CAC = 0) is a marker of healthy arterial aging. The predictors of this phenotype are not known. We analyzed 1,850 participants from MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) with baseline CAC = 0 who underwent a follow-up CAC scan at visit 5 (median 9.6 years after baseline). We examined the proportion with persistent CAC = 0 and calculated multivariable relative risks and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for prediction of this healthy arterial aging phenotype. We found that 55% of participants (n = 1,000) had persistent CAC = 0, and these individuals were significantly more likely to be younger, female, and have fewer traditional risk factors (RF). Participants with an ASCVD (Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score) risk score <2.5% were 53% more likely to have healthy arterial aging than were participants with an ASCVD score ≥7.5%. There was no significant association between the Healthy Lifestyle variables (body mass index, physical activity, Mediterranean diet, and never smoking) and persistent CAC = 0. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve incorporating age, sex, and ethnicity was 0.65, indicating fair to poor discrimination. No single traditional RF or combination of other risk factors increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve by more than 0.05. Whereas participants free of traditional cardiovascular disease RF were significantly more likely to have persistent CAC = 0, there was no single RF or specific low-risk RF phenotype that markedly improved the discrimination of persistent CAC = 0 over demographic variables. Therefore, we conclude that healthy arterial aging may be predominantly influenced by the long-term maintenance of a low cardiovascular disease risk profile or yet to be determined genetic factors rather than the absence of

Brain white matter structure and information processing speed in healthy older age.

PubMed

Kuznetsova, Ksenia A; Maniega, Susana Muñoz; Ritchie, Stuart J; Cox, Simon R; Storkey, Amos J; Starr, John M; Wardlaw, Joanna M; Deary, Ian J; Bastin, Mark E

2016-07-01

Cognitive decline, especially the slowing of information processing speed, is associated with normal ageing. This decline may be due to brain cortico-cortical disconnection caused by age-related white matter deterioration. We present results from a large, narrow age range cohort of generally healthy, community-dwelling subjects in their seventies who also had their cognitive ability tested in youth (age 11 years). We investigate associations between older age brain white matter structure, several measures of information processing speed and childhood cognitive ability in 581 subjects. Analysis of diffusion tensor MRI data using Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) showed that all measures of information processing speed, as well as a general speed factor composed from these tests (g speed), were significantly associated with fractional anisotropy (FA) across the white matter skeleton rather than in specific tracts. Cognitive ability measured at age 11 years was not associated with older age white matter FA, except for the g speed-independent components of several individual processing speed tests. These results indicate that quicker and more efficient information processing requires global connectivity in older age, and that associations between white matter FA and information processing speed (both individual test scores and g speed), unlike some other aspects of later life brain structure, are generally not accounted for by cognitive ability measured in youth.

Is a healthy city also an age-friendly city?

PubMed

Jackisch, Josephine; Zamaro, Gianna; Green, Geoff; Huber, Manfred

2015-06-01

Healthy Ageing is an important focus of the European Healthy Cities Network and has been supported by WHO since 2003 as a key strategic topic, since 2010 in cooperation with the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. Based on the methodology of realist evaluation, this article synthesizes qualitative evidence from 33 structured case studies (CS) from 32 WHO European Healthy Cities, 72 annual reports from Network cities and 71 quantitative responses to a General Evaluation Questionnaire. City cases are assigned to three clusters containing the eight domains of an age-friendly city proposed by WHO's Global Age-friendly City Guide published in 2007. The analysis of city's practice and efforts in this article takes stock of how cities have developed the institutional prerequisites and processes necessary for implementing age-friendly strategies, programmes and projects. A content analysis of the CS maps activities across age-friendly domains and illustrates how cities contribute to improving the social and physical environments of older people and enhance the health and social services provided by municipalities and their partners. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of individual shades on reliability and validity of observers in colour matching.

PubMed

Lagouvardos, P E; Diamanti, H; Polyzois, G

2004-06-01

The effect of individual shades in shade guides, on the reliability and validity of measurements in a colour matching process is very important. Observer's agreement on shades and sensitivity/specificity of shades, can give us an estimate of shade's effect on observer's reliability and validity. In the present study, a group of 16 students, matched 15 shades of a Kulzer's guide and 10 human incisors to Kulzer's and/or Vita's shade tabs, in 4 different tests. The results showed shades I, B10, C40, A35 and A10 were those with the highest reliability and validity values. In conclusion, a) the matching process with shades of different materials was not accurate enough, b) some shades produce a more reliable and valid match than others and c) teeth are matched with relative difficulty.

Community Nurses' Experiences Regarding the Meaning and Promotion of Healthy Aging in Northeastern Thailand.

PubMed

Manasatchakun, Pornpun; Choowattanapakorn, Tassana; Roxberg, Åsa; Asp, Margareta

2018-03-01

Describe community nurses' experiences regarding the meaning and promotion of healthy aging in northeastern Thailand. Data were collected through five focus group interviews with 36 community nurses in northeastern Thailand. Latent content analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Healthy aging was characterized by the interconnection of older persons, older persons' family members, and the community. Healthy aging was associated with two themes: "being strong" and "being a supporter and feeling supported." The nurses' experiences in promoting healthy aging were described by the themes "providing health assessment," "sharing knowledge," and "having limited resources." The findings of this study provide a deeper understanding of the meaning of healthy aging from a holistic viewpoint. Community nurses must pay attention to older persons and their surroundings when planning how to promote healthy aging. Person-centeredness should be applied in practice to promote healthy aging. The current findings contribute useful information that should help policy makers develop healthy aging strategies in Thailand.

Healthy Aging Among Older Black and White Men: What Is the Role of Mastery?

PubMed

Latham-Mintus, Kenzie; Vowels, Ashley; Huskins, Kyle

2018-01-11

This research explores black-white differences in healthy aging and investigates whether mastery acts as a buffer against poor health for older black and white men. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (2008-2012), a series of binary logit models were created to assess healthy aging over a 2-year period. Healthy aging was defined as good subjective health and free of disability at both waves. Mastery was lagged, and analyses (n = 4,892) controlled for social and health factors. Black-white disparities in healthy aging were observed, where older black men had lower odds of healthy aging. Mastery was associated with higher odds of healthy aging, and race moderated the relationship between mastery and healthy aging. The predicted probability of healthy aging was relatively flat across all levels of mastery among black men, yet white men saw consistent gains in the probability of healthy aging with higher levels of mastery. In race-stratified models, mastery was not a significant predictor of healthy aging among black men. High levels of mastery are linked to positive health-often acting as a buffer against stressful life events. However, among older black men, higher levels of mastery did not necessarily equate to healthy aging. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of Healthy Aging and Mild Cognitive Impairment on a Real-Life Decision-Making Task.

PubMed

Pertl, Marie-Theres; Benke, Thomas; Zamarian, Laura; Delazer, Margarete

2017-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of age and of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on decision making under risk by adopting a task representing real-life health-related situations and involving complex numerical information. Moreover, we assessed the relationship of real-life decision making to other cognitive functions such as number processing, executive functions, language, memory, and attention. For this reason, we compared the performance of 19 healthy, relatively younger adults with that of 18 healthy older adults and the performance of the 18 healthy older adults with that of 17 patients with MCI. Results indicated difficulties in real-life decision making for the healthy older adults compared with the healthy, relatively younger adults. Difficulties of patients with MCI relative to the healthy older adults arose in particular in difficult items requiring processing of frequencies and fractions. Significant effects of age and of MCI in processing frequencies were also evident in a ratio number comparison task. Decision-making performance of healthy participants and of the patient group correlated significantly with number processing. There was a further significant correlation with executive functions for the healthy participants and with reading comprehension for the patients. Our results suggest that healthy older individuals and patients with MCI make less advantageous decisions when the information is complex and high demands are put on executive functions and numerical abilities. Moreover, we show that executive functions and numerical abilities are not only essential in laboratory gambling tasks but also in more realistic and ecological decision situations within the health context.

Terminal differentiation of T cells is strongly associated with CMV infection and increased in HIV-positive individuals on ART and lifestyle matched controls

PubMed Central

Booiman, Thijs; Wit, Ferdinand W.; Girigorie, Arginell F.; Maurer, Irma; De Francesco, Davide; Sabin, Caroline A.; Harskamp, Agnes M.; Prins, Maria; Franceschi, Claudio; Deeks, Steven G.; Winston, Alan; Reiss, Peter

2017-01-01

HIV-1-positive individuals on successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) are reported to have higher rates of age-associated non-communicable comorbidities (AANCCs). HIV-associated immune dysfunction has been suggested to contribute to increased AANCC risk. Here we performed a cross-sectional immune phenotype analysis of T cells in ART-treated HIV-1-positive individuals with undetectable vireamia (HIV-positives) and HIV-1-negative individuals (HIV-negatives) over 45 years of age. In addition, two control groups were studied: HIV negative adults selected based on lifestyle and demographic factors (Co-morBidity in Relation to AIDS, or COBRA) and unselected age-matched donors from a blood bank. Despite long-term ART (median of 12.2 years), HIV-infected adults had lower CD4+ T-cell counts and higher CD8+ T-cell counts compared to well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. The proportion of CD38+HLA-DR+ and PD-1+ CD4+ T-cells was higher in HIV-positive cohort compared to the two HIV-negative cohorts. The proportion CD57+ and CD27−CD28− cells of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in HIV-positives was higher compared to unselected adults (blood bank) as reported before but this difference was not apparent in comparison with well-matched HIV-negative COBRA participants. Multiple regression analysis showed that the presence of an increased proportion of terminally differentiated T cells was strongly associated with CMV infection. Compared to appropriately selected HIV-negative controls, HIV-positive individuals on ART with long-term suppressed viraemia exhibited incomplete immune recovery and increased immune activation/exhaustion. CMV infection rather than treated HIV infection appears to have more consistent effects on measures of terminal differentiation of T cells. PMID:28806406

Premature infants display increased noxious-evoked neuronal activity in the brain compared to healthy age-matched term-born infants.

PubMed

Slater, Rebeccah; Fabrizi, Lorenzo; Worley, Alan; Meek, Judith; Boyd, Stewart; Fitzgerald, Maria

2010-08-15

This study demonstrates that infants who are born prematurely and who have experienced at least 40days of intensive or special care have increased brain neuronal responses to noxious stimuli compared to healthy newborns at the same postmenstrual age. We have measured evoked potentials generated by noxious clinically-essential heel lances in infants born at term (8 infants; born 37-40weeks) and in infants born prematurely (7 infants; born 24-32weeks) who had reached the same postmenstrual age (mean age at time of heel lance 39.2+/-1.2weeks). These noxious-evoked potentials are clearly distinguishable from shorter latency potentials evoked by non-noxious tactile sensory stimulation. While the shorter latency touch potentials are not dependent on the age of the infant at birth, the noxious-evoked potentials are significantly larger in prematurely-born infants. This enhancement is not associated with specific brain lesions but reflects a functional change in pain processing in the brain that is likely to underlie previously reported changes in pain sensitivity in older ex-preterm children. Our ability to quantify and measure experience-dependent changes in infant cortical pain processing will allow us to develop a more rational approach to pain management in neonatal intensive care. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How many genetic markers to tag an individual? An empirical assessment of false matching rates among close relatives.

PubMed

Rew, Mary Beth; Robbins, Jooke; Mattila, David; Palsbøll, Per J; Bérube, Martine

2011-04-01

Genetic identification of individuals is now commonplace, enabling the application of tagging methods to elusive species or species that cannot be tagged by traditional methods. A key aspect is determining the number of loci required to ensure that different individuals have non-matching multi-locus genotypes. Closely related individuals are of particular concern because of elevated matching probabilities caused by their recent co-ancestry. This issue may be addressed by increasing the number of loci to a level where full siblings (the relatedness category with the highest matching probability) are expected to have non-matching multi-locus genotypes. However, increasing the number of loci to meet this "full-sib criterion" greatly increases the laboratory effort, which in turn may increase the genotyping error rate resulting in an upward-biased mark-recapture estimate of abundance as recaptures are missed due to genotyping errors. We assessed the contribution of false matches from close relatives among 425 maternally related humpback whales, each genotyped at 20 microsatellite loci. We observed a very low (0.5-4%) contribution to falsely matching samples from pairs of first-order relatives (i.e., parent and offspring or full siblings). The main contribution to falsely matching individuals from close relatives originated from second-order relatives (e.g., half siblings), which was estimated at 9%. In our study, the total number of observed matches agreed well with expectations based upon the matching probability estimated for unrelated individuals, suggesting that the full-sib criterion is overly conservative, and would have required a 280% relative increase in effort. We suggest that, under most circumstances, the overall contribution to falsely matching samples from close relatives is likely to be low, and hence applying the full-sib criterion is unnecessary. In those cases where close relatives may present a significant issue, such as unrepresentative sampling, we

Colour influences perception of facial emotions but this effect is impaired in healthy ageing and schizophrenia.

PubMed

Silver, Henry; Bilker, Warren B

2015-01-01

Social cognition is commonly assessed by identification of emotions in facial expressions. Presence of colour, a salient feature of stimuli, might influence emotional face perception. We administered 2 tests of facial emotion recognition, the Emotion Recognition Test (ER40) using colour pictures and the Penn Emotional Acuity Test using monochromatic pictures, to 37 young healthy, 39 old healthy and 37 schizophrenic men. Among young healthy individuals recognition of emotions was more accurate and faster in colour than in monochromatic pictures. Compared to the younger group, older healthy individuals revealed impairment in identification of sad expressions in colour but not monochromatic pictures. Schizophrenia patients showed greater impairment in colour than monochromatic pictures of neutral and sad expressions and overall total score compared to both healthy groups. Patients showed significant correlations between cognitive impairment and perception of emotion in colour but not monochromatic pictures. Colour enhances perception of general emotional clues and this contextual effect is impaired in healthy ageing and schizophrenia. The effects of colour need to be considered in interpreting and comparing studies of emotion perception. Coloured face stimuli may be more sensitive to emotion processing impairments but less selective for emotion-specific information than monochromatic stimuli. This may impact on their utility in early detection of impairments and investigations of underlying mechanisms.

Evaluation of rotator cuff muscle strength in healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Cortez, Paulo José Oliveira; Tomazini, José Elias

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare the strength generated by the rotator muscles of the shoulder joint between the right upper limb and left upper limb among healthy individuals. METHODS: To evaluate the muscle strength of upper limbs from isometric contractions in the horizontal direction (rotation) an isometric dynamometer was used, equipped with transducers, signal conditioning, a data acquisition board, and finally, a computer. Study participants were 22 male military subjects, aged between 18 and 19 years old, body mass between 57.7 and 93.0 kg (71.8 ± 9.45 kg) and height between 1.67 and 1.90 m (1.75 ± 0.06 m), healthy and without clinical diseases or any type of orthopedic injury in the muscle skeletal system. RESULTS: The internal rotation in the right upper limb (RUL) was higher than the average strength of internal rotation in the left upper limb (LUL) (p = 0.723). The external rotation strength in RUL was lower than the average strength of external rotation in the LUL (p=0.788). No statistical difference was observed by comparing the strength values of all isometric strength tests. CONCLUSION: For the sample and methodology used to assess muscle strength, there was no statistical difference between the strength generated by the muscles of the rotator cuff of the right and left upper limbs. Experimental Study. PMID:26207091

Glomerular and tubular damage markers in individuals with progressive albuminuria.

PubMed

Nauta, Ferdau L; Scheven, Lieneke; Meijer, Esther; van Oeveren, Wim; de Jong, Paul E; Bakker, Stephan J L; Gansevoort, Ron T

2013-07-01

Albuminuria is associated with risk for renal and cardiovascular disease. It is difficult to predict which persons will progress in albuminuria. This study investigated whether assessment of urinary markers associated with damage to different parts of the nephron may help identify individuals that will progress in albuminuria. Individuals were selected from a prospective community-based cohort study with serial follow-up and defined as "progressors" if they belonged to the quintile of participants with the most rapid annual increase in albuminuria, and reached an albuminuria ≥150 mg/d during follow-up. Patients with known renal disease or macroalbuminuria at baseline were excluded. Each progressor was matched to two control participants, based on baseline albuminuria, age, and sex. Furthermore, damage markers were measured in a separate set of healthy individuals. After a median follow-up of 8.6 years, 183 of 8394 participants met the criteria for progressive albuminuria. Baseline clinical characteristics were comparable between progressors and matched controls (n=366). Both had higher baseline albuminuria than the overall population. Urinary excretion of the glomerular damage marker IgG was significantly higher in progressors, whereas urinary excretion of proximal tubular damage markers and inflammatory markers was lower in these individuals compared with controls. Healthy individuals (n=109) had the lowest values for all urinary damage markers measured. These data suggest that albuminuria associated with markers of glomerular damage is more likely to progress, whereas albuminuria associated with markers of tubulointerstitial damage is more likely to remain stable.

Nutritional Considerations for Healthy Aging and Reduction in Age-Related Chronic Disease.

PubMed

Shlisky, Julie; Bloom, David E; Beaudreault, Amy R; Tucker, Katherine L; Keller, Heather H; Freund-Levi, Yvonne; Fielding, Roger A; Cheng, Feon W; Jensen, Gordon L; Wu, Dayong; Meydani, Simin N

2017-01-01

A projected doubling in the global population of people aged ≥60 y by the year 2050 has major health and economic implications, especially in developing regions. Burdens of unhealthy aging associated with chronic noncommunicable and other age-related diseases may be largely preventable with lifestyle modification, including diet. However, as adults age they become at risk of "nutritional frailty," which can compromise their ability to meet nutritional requirements at a time when specific nutrient needs may be high. This review highlights the role of nutrition science in promoting healthy aging and in improving the prognosis in cases of age-related diseases. It serves to identify key knowledge gaps and implementation challenges to support adequate nutrition for healthy aging, including applicability of metrics used in body-composition and diet adequacy for older adults and mechanisms to reduce nutritional frailty and to promote diet resilience. This review also discusses management recommendations for several leading chronic conditions common in aging populations, including cognitive decline and dementia, sarcopenia, and compromised immunity to infectious disease. The role of health systems in incorporating nutrition care routinely for those aged ≥60 y and living independently and current actions to address nutritional status before hospitalization and the development of disease are discussed. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Biomechanical properties of low back myofascial tissue in younger adult ankylosing spondylitis patients and matched healthy control subjects.

PubMed

White, Allison; Abbott, Hannah; Masi, Alfonse T; Henderson, Jacqueline; Nair, Kalyani

2018-06-06

Ankylosing spondylitis is a degenerative and inflammatory rheumatologic disorder that primarily affects the spine. Delayed diagnosis leads to debilitating spinal damage. This study examines biomechanical properties of non-contracting (resting) human lower lumbar myofascia in ankylosing spondylitis patients and matched healthy control subjects. Biomechanical properties of stiffness, frequency, decrement, stress relaxation time, and creep were quantified from 24 ankylosing spondylitis patients (19 male, 5 female) and 24 age- and sex-matched control subjects in prone position on both sides initially and after 10 min rest. Concurrent surface electromyography measurements were performed to ensure resting state. Statistical analyses were conducted, and significance was set at p < 0.05. Decreased lumbar muscle elasticity (inverse of decrement) was primarily correlated with disease duration in ankylosing spondylitis subjects, whereas BMI was the primary correlate in control subjects. In ankylosing spondylitis and control groups, significant positive correlations were observed between the linear elastic properties of stiffness and frequency as well as between the viscoelastic parameters of stress relaxation time and creep. The preceding groups also showed significant negative correlations between the linear elastic and viscoelastic properties. Findings indicate that increased disease duration is associated with decreased tissue elasticity or myofascial degradation. Both ankylosing spondylitis and healthy subjects revealed similar correlations between the linear and viscoelastic properties which suggest that the disease does not directly alter their inherent interrelations. The novel results that stiffness is greater in AS than normal subjects, whereas decrement is significantly correlated with AS disease duration deserves further investigation of the biomechanical properties and their underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Serum Mannose-binding Lectin in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis Compared With Healthy Individuals.

PubMed

Akbari, Roghayeh; Najafi, Iraj; Maleki, Suzan; Alizadeh-Navaei, Reza

2016-01-01

The increased susceptibility to infection in patients with end-stage renal disease is probably secondary to the impaired immune defense in uremia. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) has an important role in host defense through activation of the lectin complement pathway. The aim of this study was to measure serum MBL level in peritoneal dialysis patients and compare it with a healthy group. Seventy peritoneal dialysis patients and 70 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Serum MBL levels were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit using the mannan molecule. In addition, serum C-reactive protein and albumin levels were measured to determine whether there is a correlation between serum MBL level and these two parameters. The mean serum MBL level was 2.32 ± 2.54 µg/mL (range, zero to 6.93 µg/mL) in the patients group and 1.80 ± 2.14 µg/mL (range, zero to 6.97µg/mL) in the control group (P = .19). No significant correlation was detected between age and serum MBL level in either the groups. In the patients group, no significant correlation was found between serum MBL and C-reactive protein levels or MBL and albumin levels. There were no correlation between duration of peritoneal dialysis and MBL or dialysis adequacy and MBL, either. This study did not find MBL deficiency in peritoneal dialysis patients as compared to the healthy individuals.

Behavioral determinants of healthy aging: good news for the baby boomer generation.

PubMed

Hartman-Stein, Paula E; Potkanowicz, Edward S

2003-01-01

The first of the Baby Boomer generation will officially enter the beginning of old age in 2011 by turning 65. Recent research findings suggest that if the members of this cohort group engage in certain healthy behaviors and thought patterns in their middle years, they will experience a vital, satisfying life in their 70s and beyond. This article reviews the existing literature, including the results of longitudinal studies showing variables that predicted successful aging. Focusing on a lifespan psychology perspective of aging, the authors provide behavioral recommendations for middle age individuals that are likely to prevent disease-related disability, cognitive impairment, and late life depression. These include regular physical exercise, engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, maintaining an optimistic mental outlook, and finding meaning in life. The good news for the Baby Boomers is that there is increasing evidence that their behavior at age 50 will impact how they feel at age 80.

The effect of dietary and physical activity pattern on metabolic profile in individuals with schizophrenia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ratliff, Joseph C; Palmese, Laura B; Reutenauer, Erin L; Liskov, Ellen; Grilo, Carlos M; Tek, Cenk

2012-10-01

With the rate of obesity on the rise worldwide, individuals with schizophrenia represent a particularly vulnerable population. The aim of this study was to assess the metabolic profile of individuals with schizophrenia in relation to dietary and physical activity habits compared with healthy controls. Dietary and physical activity habits of 130 individuals with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were compared with 250 body mass index-, age-, and sex-matched and racially matched controls from the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys using a 24-hour diet recall and a self-report physical activity questionnaire. Individuals with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and insulin compared with matched controls. In addition, these individuals had an increased waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure than did the comparison group. Daily energy intake was not different between groups; however, individuals with schizophrenia consumed significantly greater amounts of sugar and fat. Individuals with schizophrenia reported engaging in moderate physical activity less frequently compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys group, but there was no difference in reported vigorous physical activity. These findings suggest that the dietary and physical activity habits of individuals with schizophrenia contribute to an adverse metabolic profile. Increased opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy foods for individuals with schizophrenia may ease the burden of disease. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MLH1 Region Polymorphisms Show a Significant Association with CpG Island Shore Methylation in a Large Cohort of Healthy Individuals

PubMed Central

Savio, Andrea J.; Lemire, Mathieu; Mrkonjic, Miralem; Gallinger, Steven; Zanke, Brent W.; Hudson, Thomas J.; Bapat, Bharati

2012-01-01

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the most common form of genetic variation. We previously demonstrated that SNPs (rs1800734, rs749072, and rs13098279) in the MLH1 gene region are associated with MLH1 promoter island methylation, loss of MLH1 protein expression, and microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Recent studies have identified less CpG-dense “shore” regions flanking many CpG islands. These shores often exhibit distinct methylation profiles between different tissues and matched normal versus tumor cells of patients. To date, most epigenetic studies have focused on somatic methylation events occurring within solid tumors; less is known of the contributions of peripheral blood cell (PBC) methylation to processes such as aging and tumorigenesis. To address whether MLH1 methylation in PBCs is correlated with tumorigenesis we utilized the Illumina 450 K microarrays to measure methylation in PBC DNA of 846 healthy controls and 252 CRC patients from Ontario, Canada. Analysis of a region of chromosome 3p21 spanning the MLH1 locus in healthy controls revealed that a CpG island shore 1 kb upstream of the MLH1 gene exhibits different methylation profiles when stratified by SNP genotypes (rs1800734, rs749072, and rs13098279). Individuals with wild-type genotypes incur significantly higher PBC shore methylation than heterozygous or homozygous variant carriers (p<1.1×10−6; ANOVA). This trend is also seen in CRC cases (p<0.096; ANOVA). Shore methylation also decreases significantly with increasing age in cases and controls. This is the first study of its kind to integrate PBC methylation at a CpG island shore with SNP genotype status in CRC cases and controls. These results indicate that CpG island shore methylation in PBCs may be influenced by genotype as well as the normal aging process. PMID:23240038

Biology of Healthy Aging and Longevity.

PubMed

Carmona, Juan José; Michan, Shaday

2016-01-01

As human life expectancy is prolonged, age-related diseases are thriving. Aging is a complex multifactorial process of molecular and cellular decline that affects tissue function over time, rendering organisms frail and susceptible to disease and death. Over the last decades, a growing body of scientific literature across different biological models, ranging from yeast, worms, flies, and mice to primates, humans and other long-lived animals, has contributed greatly towards identifying conserved biological mechanisms that ward off structural and functional deterioration within living systems. Collectively, these data offer powerful insights into healthy aging and longevity. For example, molecular integrity of the genome, telomere length, epigenetic landscape stability, and protein homeostasis are all features linked to "youthful" states. These molecular hallmarks underlie cellular functions associated with aging like mitochondrial fitness, nutrient sensing, efficient intercellular communication, stem cell renewal, and regenerative capacity in tissues. At present, calorie restriction remains the most robust strategy for extending health and lifespan in most biological models tested. Thus, pathways that mediate the beneficial effects of calorie restriction by integrating metabolic signals to aging processes have received major attention, such as insulin/insulin growth factor-1, sirtuins, mammalian target of rapamycin, and 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. Consequently, small-molecule targets of these pathways have emerged in the impetuous search for calorie restriction mimetics, of which resveratrol, metformin, and rapamycin are the most extensively studied. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie age-related deterioration and repair, and how these pathways interconnect, remains a major challenge for uncovering interventions to slow human aging while extending molecular and physiological youthfulness

The influence of age, gender and education on the performance of healthy individuals on a battery for assessing limb apraxia

PubMed Central

Mantovani-Nagaoka, Joana; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: Apraxia is defined as a disorder of learned skilled movements, in the absence of elementary motor or sensory deficits and general cognitive impairment, such as inattention to commands, object-recognition deficits or poor oral comprehension. Limb apraxia has long been a challenge for clinical assessment and understanding and covers a wide spectrum of disorders, all involving motor cognition and the inability to perform previously learned actions. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and education can influence the performance of individuals on different neuropsychological tests. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of healthy subjects on a limb apraxia battery and to determine the influence of gender, age, and education on the praxis skills assessed. Methods: Forty-four subjects underwent a limb apraxia battery, which was composed of numerous subtests for assessing both the semantic aspects of gestural production as well as motor performance itself. The tasks encompassed lexical-semantic aspects related to gestural production and motor activity in response to verbal commands and imitation. Results: We observed no gender effects on any of the subtests. Only the subtest involving visual recognition of transitive gestures showed a correlation between performance and age. However, we observed that education level influenced subject performance for all sub tests involving motor actions, and for most of these, moderate correlations were observed between education level and performance of the praxis tasks. Conclusion: We conclude that the education level of participants can have an important influence on the outcome of limb apraxia tests. PMID:29213460

Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle

PubMed Central

Cartee, Gregory D.; Hepple, Russell T.; Bamman, Marcas M.; Zierath, Juleen R.

2016-01-01

Primary aging is the progressive and inevitable process of bodily deterioration during adulthood. In skeletal muscle, primary aging causes defective mitochondrial energetics, and reduced muscle mass. Secondary aging refers to additional deleterious structural and functional age-related changes caused by diseases and lifestyle factors. Secondary aging can exacerbate deficits in mitochondrial function and muscle mass, concomitant with the development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Exercise opposes deleterious effects of secondary aging by preventing the decline in mitochondrial respiration, mitigating aging-related loss of muscle mass and enhancing insulin sensitivity. This review focuses on mechanisms by which exercise promotes “healthy aging” by inducing modifications in skeletal muscle. PMID:27304505

Age-related Changes in the Alkaline Phosphatase Activity of Healthy and Inflamed Human Dental Pulp.

PubMed

Aslantas, Eda E; Buzoglu, Hatice Dogan; Karapinar, Senem Pinar; Cehreli, Zafer C; Muftuoglu, Sevda; Atilla, Pergin; Aksoy, Yasemin

2016-01-01

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) plays an important role in inducing mineralization events in the dental pulp. This study investigated and compared the ALP levels in healthy and inflamed pulp in young and old human pulp. Tissue samples were collected from young (<30 years) and old (>60 years) donors. In both age groups, healthy human pulp (n = 18) were collected from extracted wisdom teeth. For reversible and irreversible pulpitis, pulp samples (n = 18 each) were obtained during endodontic treatment. ALP activity was assessed by spectrophotometry and immunhistochemistry. Regardless of age, reversible pulpitis group samples showed a slight elevation in ALP activity compared with normal healthy pulp. In elderly patients, ALP expression with irreversible pulpitis was significantly higher than those with a healthy pulp (P < .05). In the hyperemic state, both the young and old pulp shows a slight increase in ALP activity, whereas in irreversible pulpitis, only the old pulp shows significantly elevated ALP levels. Such an increase may trigger calcification events, which may eventually cause difficulties in endodontic treatment procedures in elderly individuals. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exercise Promotes Healthy Aging of Skeletal Muscle.

PubMed

Cartee, Gregory D; Hepple, Russell T; Bamman, Marcas M; Zierath, Juleen R

2016-06-14

Primary aging is the progressive and inevitable process of bodily deterioration during adulthood. In skeletal muscle, primary aging causes defective mitochondrial energetics and reduced muscle mass. Secondary aging refers to additional deleterious structural and functional age-related changes caused by diseases and lifestyle factors. Secondary aging can exacerbate deficits in mitochondrial function and muscle mass, concomitant with the development of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Exercise opposes deleterious effects of secondary aging by preventing the decline in mitochondrial respiration, mitigating aging-related loss of muscle mass and enhancing insulin sensitivity. This review focuses on mechanisms by which exercise promotes "healthy aging" by inducing modifications in skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural processing of overt word generation in healthy individuals: the effect of age and word knowledge.

PubMed

Nagels, Arne; Kircher, Tilo; Dietsche, Bruno; Backes, Heidelore; Marquetand, Justus; Krug, Axel

2012-07-16

Verbal fluency is a classical and widely used neuropsychological instrument to assess cognitive abilities. Results of previous studies indicate an influence on verbal fluency performance of both, age and word knowledge. So far, no imaging study has investigated the neural mechanisms underlying an age and word knowledge related decline on the quantitative verbal output in a highly demanding overt and continuous semantic fluency task. Fifty healthy volunteers (age 22-56 years, verbal IQ 95-143) overtly and continuously articulated words in response to ten visually presented semantic categories while BOLD signal was measured with fMRI. Verbal responses were recorded with an MRI compatible microphone and transcribed after the scanning session. The number of produced words as well as age, word knowledge and level of education was implemented in the design matrix enabling a separate analysis of these factors on both, neural responses and behavioral differences. There was a significant correlation of level of education and number of generated words, but no significant correlations of generated words and age or word knowledge were observed. On the neural level, a widespread network was found for the word production task as contrasted with the resting condition, encompassing the bilateral superior temporal gyri, the cerebellum and the SMA. An age related positive correlation was found in the bilateral inferior and middle frontal gyri, the anterior cingulate gyrus, the left precentral gyrus and the right insula. A lower word knowledge resulted in enhanced BOLD responses in the right superior temporal gyrus and the left superior frontal gyrus. Results are interpreted in terms of compensation mechanisms countervailing potential age and word knowledge related effects. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personality Plasticity, Healthy Aging, and Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mroczek, Daniel K.

2014-01-01

This commentary on the special section on conscientiousness and healthy aging focuses on several topics brought up in this collection of articles. One is the promise of personality interventions. Despite skepticism on the part of some, such interventions may ultimately prove successful. This is in part because of similarities between personality…

Resting-state slow wave power, healthy aging and cognitive performance.

PubMed

Vlahou, Eleni L; Thurm, Franka; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Schlee, Winfried

2014-05-29

Cognitive functions and spontaneous neural activity show significant changes over the life-span, but the interrelations between age, cognition and resting-state brain oscillations are not well understood. Here, we assessed performance on the Trail Making Test and resting-state magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings from 53 healthy adults (18-89 years old) to investigate associations between age-dependent changes in spontaneous oscillatory activity and cognitive performance. Results show that healthy aging is accompanied by a marked and linear decrease of resting-state activity in the slow frequency range (0.5-6.5 Hz). The effects of slow wave power on cognitive performance were expressed as interactions with age: For older (>54 years), but not younger participants, enhanced delta and theta power in temporal and central regions was positively associated with perceptual speed and executive functioning. Consistent with previous work, these findings substantiate further the important role of slow wave oscillations in neurocognitive function during healthy aging.

Global form and motion processing in healthy ageing.

PubMed

Agnew, Hannah C; Phillips, Louise H; Pilz, Karin S

2016-05-01

The ability to perceive biological motion has been shown to deteriorate with age, and it is assumed that older adults rely more on the global form than local motion information when processing point-light walkers. Further, it has been suggested that biological motion processing in ageing is related to a form-based global processing bias. Here, we investigated the relationship between older adults' preference for form information when processing point-light actions and an age-related form-based global processing bias. In a first task, we asked older (>60years) and younger adults (19-23years) to sequentially match three different point-light actions; normal actions that contained local motion and global form information, scrambled actions that contained primarily local motion information, and random-position actions that contained primarily global form information. Both age groups overall performed above chance in all three conditions, and were more accurate for actions that contained global form information. For random-position actions, older adults were less accurate than younger adults but there was no age-difference for normal or scrambled actions. These results indicate that both age groups rely more on global form than local motion to match point-light actions, but can use local motion on its own to match point-light actions. In a second task, we investigated form-based global processing biases using the Navon task. In general, participants were better at discriminating the local letters but faster at discriminating global letters. Correlations showed that there was no significant linear relationship between performance in the Navon task and biological motion processing, which suggests that processing biases in form- and motion-based tasks are unrelated. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Individual, Social, and Environmental Correlates of Healthy and Unhealthy Eating.

PubMed

Trapp, Georgina S A; Hickling, Siobhan; Christian, Hayley E; Bull, Fiona; Timperio, Anna F; Boruff, Bryan; Shrestha, Damber; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-12-01

Few studies use comprehensive ecological approaches considering multilevel factors to understand correlates of healthy (and unhealthy) dietary intake. The aim of this study was to examine the association between individual, social, and environmental factors on composite measures of healthy and unhealthy dietary intake in adults. Participants (n = 565) of the Australian RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) project self-reported dietary intake, home food availability, and behavioral and perceived social and physical environmental influences on food choices. A geographic information system measured proximity of supermarkets from each participant's home. "Healthy" and "unhealthy" eating scores were computed based on adherence to dietary guidelines. Univariate and multivariate models were constructed using linear regression. After full adjustment, "healthy" eating (mean = 6.25, standard deviation [SD] = 1.95) was significantly associated with having confidence to prepare healthy meals (β = 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.13, 0.55]); having more healthy (β = 0.13; 95% CI = [0.09-0.16]) and fewer unhealthy (β = -0.04; 95% CI = [-0.06, -0.02]) foods available at home; and having a supermarket within 800 meters of home (β = 1.39; 95% CI = [0.37, 2.404]). "Unhealthy" eating (mean = 3.53, SD = 2.06) was associated with being male (β = 0.39; 95% CI = [0.02, 0.75]), frequently eating takeaway (β = 0.33; 95% CI = [0.21, 0.46]) and cafe or restaurant meals (β = 0.20; 95% CI = [0.06, 0.33]) and having fewer healthy (β = -0.07; 95% CI = [-0.10, -0.03]) and more unhealthy (β = 0.09; 95% CI = [0.07, 0.10]) foods available within the home. Initiatives to improve adherence to dietary guidelines and reduce the consumption of unhealthy foods needs to be multifaceted; addressing individual factors and access to healthy food choices in both the home and neighborhood food environment. Ensuring proximity to local supermarkets, particularly in new suburban developments, appears

Limited Association Between Aerobic Fitness and Pain in Healthy Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Jones, Matthew D; Booth, John; Taylor, Janet L; Barry, Benjamin K

2016-10-01

In healthy individuals and people with chronic pain, an inverse association between physical activity level and pain has been reported. Associations between objectively measured fitness and pain have also been found in people with chronic pain, but it is not clear whether the same relations are apparent in healthy individuals. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation between aerobic capacity and pain in healthy individuals. Pressure pain threshold, ischemic pain tolerance, and pain ratings during ischemia were assessed and analyzed in relation to aerobic capacity in 35 healthy individuals. Correlation and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Data from previous similar studies in healthy individuals and people with fibromyalgia were extracted and collated by literature review to support interpretation of the experimental data. No relation was found between aerobic capacity and any measure of pain, with the exception of a moderate inverse association between aerobic capacity and lower body pressure pain threshold in males (r = -0.58, P = 0.03) when data from male and female participants were analyzed separately. The limited association between aerobic capacity and quantitative sensory testing of pain was consistent with the data synthesis from previous studies of healthy individuals but differed from studies of people with fibromyalgia. Aerobic capacity is unrelated to pain in healthy young adults. For people with chronic pain, the negative relation between aerobic capacity and pain presumably arises from the underlying pathophysiology and/or associated behaviors of the disease process. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Left ventricular twisting mechanics and exercise in healthy individuals: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Drury, C Taylor; Bredin, Shannon SD; Phillips, Aaron A; Warburton, Darren ER

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to review systematically the effects of exercise on left ventricular (LV) twisting mechanics in healthy individuals. Literature searches were conducted in electronic databases for articles reporting measures of LV twisting mechanics in healthy individuals before and during/after exercise. Upon review, 18 articles were analyzed. Studies were separated by exercise type into the following four categories to allow for detailed comparisons: submaximal, prolonged endurance, maximal, and chronic endurance. Despite an overall methodological quality of low to moderate and within-group variations in exercise intensity, duration, and subject characteristics, important trends in the literature emerged. Most important, the coupling of LV systolic twisting and diastolic untwisting was present in all exercise types, as both were either improved or impaired concomitantly, highlighting the linkage between systole and diastole provided through LV twist. In addition, trends regarding the effects of age, training status, and cardiac loading also became apparent within different exercise types. Furthermore, a potential dose-response relationship between exercise duration and the degree of impairment to LV twisting mechanics was found. Although some disagreement existed in results, the observed trends provide important directions for future research. Future investigations should be of higher methodological quality and should include consistent exercise protocols and subject populations in order to minimize the variability between investigations. PMID:24198592

Serum levels of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and the decoy soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE) can identify non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in age-, sex- and BMI-matched normo-glycemic adults.

PubMed

Palma-Duran, Susana A; Kontogianni, Meropi D; Vlassopoulos, Antonis; Zhao, Shudong; Margariti, Aikaterini; Georgoulis, Michael; Papatheodoridis, George; Combet, Emilie

2018-06-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious health problem affecting ~25% of the global population. While NAFLD pathogenesis is still unclear, multiple NAFLD parameters, including reduced insulin sensitivity, impaired glucose metabolism and increased oxidative stress are hypothesised to foster the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Given the link of AGEs with end organ damage, there is scope to examine the role of the AGE/RAGE axis activation in liver injury and NAFLD. Age, sex and body mass index matched normo-glycemic NAFLD adults (n = 58) and healthy controls (n = 58) were enrolled in the study. AGEs were analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (CML, CEL), fluorescence (pentosidine, AGE fluorescence), colorimetry (fructosamine) and ELISA (sRAGE). Their association with liver function, inflammation, fibrosis and stage of NAFLD was examined. Early and advanced glycation end-products, except N ε -carboxymethyl-L-lysine (CML), were 10-30% higher, sRAGE levels 1.7-fold lower, and glycation/sRAGE ratios 4-fold higher in the NAFLD cases compared to controls. While AGEs presented weak to moderate correlations with indices of liver function and damage (AST/ALT, HOMA-IR, TNF-α and TGF-β1), including sRAGE to characterize the AGEs/sRAGE axis strengthened the associations observed. High glycation/sRAGE ratios were associated with 1.3 to 14-fold likelihood of lower AST/ALT ratios. The sum of AGEs/sRAGE ratios accurately distinguished between healthy controls and NAFLD patients (area under the curve of 0.85). Elevated AGEs/sRAGE (>7.8 mmol/pmol) was associated with a 12-fold likelihood of the presence of NAFLD. These findings strengthen the involvement of AGEs-RAGE axis in liver injury and the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards measurement of the Healthy Ageing Phenotype in lifestyle-based intervention studies.

PubMed

Lara, Jose; Godfrey, Alan; Evans, Elizabeth; Heaven, Ben; Brown, Laura J E; Barron, Evelyn; Rochester, Lynn; Meyer, Thomas D; Mathers, John C

2013-10-01

Given the biological complexity of the ageing process, there is no single, simple and reliable measure of how healthily someone is ageing. Intervention studies need a panel of measures which capture key features of healthy ageing. To help guide our research in this area, we have adopted the concept of the "Healthy Ageing Phenotype" (HAP) and this study aimed to (i) identify the most important features of the HAP and (ii) identify/develop tools for measurement of those features. After a comprehensive assessment of the literature we selected the following domains: physiological and metabolic health, physical capability, cognitive function, social wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing which we hoped would provide a reasonably holistic characterisation of the HAP. We reviewed the literature and identified systematic reviews and/or meta-analysis of cohort studies, and clinical guidelines on outcome measures of these domains relevant to the HAP. Selection criteria for these measures included: frequent use in longitudinal studies of ageing; expected to change with age; evidence for strong association with/prediction of ageing-related phenotypes such as morbidity, mortality and lifespan; whenever possible, focus on studies measuring these outcomes in populations rather than on individuals selected on the basis of a particular disease; (bio)markers that respond to (lifestyle-based) intervention. Proposed markers were exposed to critique in a Workshop held in Newcastle, UK in October 2012. We have selected a tentative panel of (bio)markers of physiological and metabolic health, physical capability, cognitive function, social wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing which we propose may be useful in characterising the HAP and which may have utility as outcome measures in intervention studies. In addition, we have identified a number of tools which could be applied in community-based intervention studies designed to enhance healthy ageing. We have proposed, tentatively, a panel

Vaccination and healthy aging.

PubMed

Maggi, Stefania

2010-03-01

The aging process in humans is associated with a decrease in immune function (immunosenescence) and an increase in comorbid disorders. When combined with environmental factors this can lead to an increased risk and severity of infectious diseases. Diseases in older adults (>/=70 years) tend to be more severe and have a greater impact on health outcomes such as morbidity, disability, quality of life and mortality. However, some of the more common infections such as influenza and pneumococcal infection are vaccine preventable, but the uptake of such preventive strategies in adults has been poor. In this review some of the key clinical findings supporting the benefits of adult immunization are highlighted. Vaccination of the adult population needs to be a key component of a healthy aging strategy, since there is already convincing evidence that this approach can have an important impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life.

Promoting Healthy Aging in Adults with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heller, Tamar; Sorensen, Amy

2013-01-01

This article reviews the research on health promotion for adults aging with developmental disabilities. First, it examines barriers to healthy aging, including health behaviors and access to health screenings and services. Second, it reviews the research on health promotion interventions, including physical activity interventions, health education…

Effects of short term water immersion on peripheral reflex excitability in hemiplegic and healthy individuals: A preliminary study

PubMed Central

Cronin, N.J.; Valtonen, A.M.; Waller, B.; Pöyhönen, T.; Avela, J.

2016-01-01

Background: Reflex excitability is increased in hemiplegic patients compared to healthy controls. One challenge of stroke rehabilitation is to decrease the effects of hyperreflexia, which may be possible with water immersion. Methods/Aims: The present study examined the effects of acute water immersion on electrically-evoked Hmax:Mmax ratios (a measure of reflex excitability) in 7 hyperreflexive hemiplegic patients and 7 age-matched healthy people. Hmax:Mmax ratios were measured from soleus on dry land (L1), immediately after (W1) and 5 minutes after immersion (W5), and again after five minutes on land (L5). Results: Water immersion led to an acute increase in Hmax:Mmax ratio in both groups. However, after returning to dry land, there was a non-significant decrease in the Hmax:Mmax ratio of 8% in the hemiplegic group and 10% in healthy controls compared to pre-immersion values. Interpretation: A short period of water immersion can decrease peripheral reflex excitability after returning to dry land in both healthy controls and post-stroke patients, although longer immersion periods may be required for sustainable effects. Water immersion may offer promise as a low-risk, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical method of decreasing hyperreflexivity, and could thus support aquatic rehabilitation following stroke. PMID:26944824

Effects of short term water immersion on peripheral reflex excitability in hemiplegic and healthy individuals: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Cronin, N J; Valtonen, A M; Waller, B; Pöyhönen, T; Avela, J

2016-03-01

Reflex excitability is increased in hemiplegic patients compared to healthy controls. One challenge of stroke rehabilitation is to decrease the effects of hyperreflexia, which may be possible with water immersion. Methods/Aims: The present study examined the effects of acute water immersion on electrically-evoked Hmax:Mmax ratios (a measure of reflex excitability) in 7 hyperreflexive hemiplegic patients and 7 age-matched healthy people. Hmax:Mmax ratios were measured from soleus on dry land (L1), immediately after (W1) and 5 minutes after immersion (W5), and again after five minutes on land (L5). Water immersion led to an acute increase in Hmax:Mmax ratio in both groups. However, after returning to dry land, there was a non-significant decrease in the Hmax:Mmax ratio of 8% in the hemiplegic group and 10% in healthy controls compared to pre-immersion values. A short period of water immersion can decrease peripheral reflex excitability after returning to dry land in both healthy controls and post-stroke patients, although longer immersion periods may be required for sustainable effects. Water immersion may offer promise as a low-risk, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical method of decreasing hyperreflexivity, and could thus support aquatic rehabilitation following stroke.

Phasic alertness cues modulate visual processing speed in healthy aging.

PubMed

Haupt, Marleen; Sorg, Christian; Napiórkowski, Natan; Finke, Kathrin

2018-05-31

Warning signals temporarily increase the rate of visual information in younger participants and thus optimize perception in critical situations. It is unclear whether such important preparatory processes are preserved in healthy aging. We parametrically assessed the effects of auditory alertness cues on visual processing speed and their time course using a whole report paradigm based on the computational Theory of Visual Attention. We replicated prior findings of significant alerting benefits in younger adults. In conditions with short cue-target onset asynchronies, this effect was baseline-dependent. As younger participants with high baseline speed did not show a profit, an inverted U-shaped function of phasic alerting and visual processing speed was implied. Older adults also showed a significant cue-induced benefit. Bayesian analyses indicated that the cueing benefit on visual processing speed was comparably strong across age groups. Our results indicate that in aging individuals, comparable to younger ones, perception is active and increased expectancy of the appearance of a relevant stimulus can increase the rate of visual information uptake. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An examination of healthy aging across a conceptual continuum: prevalence estimates, demographic patterns, and validity.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Sara J; Jette, Alan M; Connell, Cathleen M

2012-06-01

Although the notion of healthy aging has gained wide acceptance in gerontology, measuring the phenomenon is challenging. Guided by a prominent conceptualization of healthy aging, we examined how shifting from a more to less stringent definition of healthy aging influences prevalence estimates, demographic patterns, and validity. Data are from adults aged 65 years and older who participated in the Health and Retirement Study. We examined four operational definitions of healthy aging. For each, we calculated prevalence estimates and examined the odds of healthy aging by age, education, gender, and race-ethnicity in 2006. We also examined the association between healthy aging and both self-rated health and death. Across definitions, the prevalence of healthy aging ranged from 3.3% to 35.5%. For all definitions, those classified as experiencing healthy aging had lower odds of fair or poor self-rated health and death over an 8-year period. The odds of being classified as "healthy" were lower among those of advanced age, those with less education, and women than for their corresponding counterparts across all definitions. Moving across the conceptual continuum--from a more to less rigid definition of healthy aging--markedly increases the measured prevalence of healthy aging. Importantly, results suggest that all examined definitions identified a subgroup of older adults who had substantially lower odds of reporting fair or poor health and dying over an 8-year period, providing evidence of the validity of our definitions. Conceptualizations that emphasize symptomatic disease and functional health may be particularly useful for public health purposes.

Diet quality of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010.

PubMed

Berube, Lauren Thomas; Kiely, Mary; Yazici, Yusuf; Woolf, Kathleen

2017-03-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) afflicts approximately 1.5 million American adults and is a major cause of disability. As disease severity worsens, individuals with RA may experience functional decline that can impact dietary intake. The objective of this study is to assess the diet quality of individuals with RA using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010 and examine associations between diet quality and disease activity and functional status. This cross-sectional study assessed diet quality and disease activity and functional status in adults with RA. Participants completed seven-day weighed food records, which were scored using the HEI-2010. Participants had a fasting blood draw and completed the Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire to determine disease activity and functional status. The mean age of individuals with RA ( N = 84) was 53 ± 14 years, and 86.9% were female. The mean HEI-2010 total score was 58.7 ± 15.9, with 7.1% of participants scoring "good", 58.3% "fair", and 34.5% "poor". Most participants did not adhere to recommended intakes of total fruit, total vegetables, whole grains, fatty acids, refined grains, sodium, and empty calories. An unadjusted multiple linear regression model found duration of morning stiffness and C-reactive protein concentration to be significant variables to inversely predict HEI-2010 total score. The diet quality of many individuals with RA needs improvement and may be related to functional disability associated with RA. Healthcare providers should encourage individuals with RA to meet dietary guidelines and maintain a healthy diet. Moreover, healthcare providers should be aware of the potential impacts of functional disability on diet quality in individuals with RA.

Modeling practice effects in healthy middle-aged participants of the Alzheimer and Families parent cohort.

PubMed

Sánchez-Benavides, Gonzalo; Gispert, Juan D; Fauria, Karine; Molinuevo, José Luis; Gramunt, Nina

2016-01-01

Repetitive administration of neuropsychological tests can lead to performance improvement merely due to previous exposure. The magnitude of such practice effects (PEs) may be used as a marker of subtle cognitive impairment because they are diminished in healthy individuals subsequently developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). To explore the relationship between sociodemographic factors, AD family history (FH), and APOE ε4 status, and the magnitude of PE, four subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV were administered twice to 400 middle-aged healthy individuals, most of them first-degree descendants of AD patients. PEs were observed in all measures. Sociodemographic variables did not show a uniform effect on PE. Baseline score was the strongest predictor of change, being inversely related to PE magnitude. Significant effects of the interaction term APOE ε4 ∗ Age in processing speed and working memory were observed. PEs exert a relevant effect in cognitive outcomes at retest and, accordingly, they must be taken into consideration in clinical trials. The magnitude of PE in processing speed and working memory could be of special interest for the development of cognitive markers of preclinical AD.

[Healthy Aging at Work - Group Intervention in Middle Aged Nurses].

PubMed

Maatouk, Imad; Helaß, Madeleine

2018-05-30

Demographic change leads to shifting demands in patient care, not only due to older and sicker patients, but also due to ageing and potentially strained nursing staff. High job strain is known to be associated with an intention to leave the job. At the same time prevalence of mental distress is already high. The aim of our work was to develop a small group intervention to prevent mental strain and to enhance healthy ageing at work. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Age-associated Epstein–Barr virus-specific T cell responses in seropositive healthy adults

PubMed Central

Cárdenas Sierra, D; Vélez Colmenares, G; Orfao de Matos, A; Fiorentino Gómez, S; Quijano Gómez, S M

2014-01-01

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is present in 95% of the world's adult population. The immune response participates in immune vigilance and persistent infection control, and this condition is maintained by both a good quality (functionality) and quantity of specific T cells throughout life. In the present study, we evaluated EBV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte responses in seropositive healthy individuals younger and older than 50 years of age. The assessment comprised the frequency, phenotype, functionality and clonotypic distribution of T lymphocytes. We found that in both age groups a similar EBV-specific T cell response was found, with overlapping numbers of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α+ T lymphocytes (CD4+ and CD8+) within the memory and effector cell compartments, in addition to monofunctional and multi-functional T cells producing interleukin (IL)-2 and/or interferon (IFN)-γ. However, individuals aged more than 50 years showed significantly higher frequencies of IL-2-producing CD4+ T lymphocytes in association with greater production of soluble IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6 than subjects younger than 50 years. A polyclonal T cell receptor (TCR)-variable beta region (Vβ) repertoire exists in both age groups under basal conditions and in response to EBV; the major TCR families found in TNF-α+/CD4+ T lymphocytes were Vβ1, Vβ2, Vβ17 and Vβ22 in both age groups, and the major TCR family in TNF-α+/CD8+ T cells was Vβ13·1 for individuals younger than 50 years and Vβ9 for individuals aged more than 50 years. Our findings suggest that the EBV-specific T cell response (using a polyclonal stimulation model) is distributed throughout several T cell differentiation compartments in an age-independent manner and includes both monofunctional and multi-functional T lymphocytes. PMID:24666437

Natural Killer Cell Activity and Interleukin-12 in Metabolically Healthy versus Metabolically Unhealthy Overweight Individuals

PubMed Central

Kim, Minjoo; Kim, Minkyung; Yoo, Hye Jin; Lee, Jong Ho

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the immune system is involved in the different metabolic circumstances in healthy and unhealthy overweight individuals. We examined the metabolic and immune characteristics of 117 overweight individuals. Subjects were classified as metabolically healthy overweight (MHO, n = 72) or metabolically unhealthy overweight (MUO, n = 45). The immune response was measured by circulating levels of natural killer (NK) cell activity and cytokines. Both groups were comparable with regards to age, sex distribution, smoking and drinking status, and body mass index. When compared to the MHO group, the MUO group showed higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum levels of triglyceride, glucose, glucose-related markers, and lower levels of HDL cholesterol. Compared to the MHO group, the MUO group showed 39% lower interferon-γ levels (not significant) and 41% lower interleukin (IL)-12 levels (significant). The MUO group also showed lower NK cell activity at E:T ratios of 10:1, 5:1, 2.5:1, and 1.25:1 (all Ps < 0.05) than the MHO group. This study indicates that individuals displaying the MUO phenotype present an unfavorable immune system with lower NK cell activities under all assay conditions and lower serum levels of IL-12 than the activities and levels in similarly overweight MHO individuals. This result suggests that the immune system may be altered in overweight individuals who are at risk for overweight/obesity-related comorbidities. PMID:29238351

Accelerated biological ageing in HIV-infected individuals in South Africa: a case–control study

PubMed Central

Pathai, Sophia; Lawn, Stephen D.; Gilbert, Clare E.; McGuinness, Dagmara; McGlynn, Liane; Weiss, Helen A.; Port, Jennifer; Christ, Theresa; Barclay, Karen; Wood, Robin; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Shiels, Paul G.

2013-01-01

Objectives: Little is known about the impact of HIV infection on biological ageing in sub-Saharan Africa. The study aimed to assess biological ageing in South African HIV-infected adults and HIV-seronegative individuals using two validated biomarkers, telomere length and CDKN2A expression (a mediator of cellular senescence). Design: A case–control study. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-six HIV-infected adults aged at least 30 years and 250 age and sex frequency matched HIV-seronegative individuals were recruited from clinics in township communities in Cape Town. Biological ageing was evaluated by measurement of telomere length and CDKN2A expression in peripheral blood leukocytes. Results: The median ages of the HIV-infected and HIV-seronegative participants were 39 and 40 years, respectively. Among HIV-infected participants, 87.1% were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), their median CD4+ cell count was 468 cells/μl and 84.3% had undetectable viral load. Both biomarkers were validated against chronological age in HIV-seronegative individuals. Telomere length was significantly shorter in HIV-infected individuals than in HIV-seronegative individuals (mean relative T/S ratio ±SE:0.91 ± 0.007 vs. 1.07 ± 0.008, P < 0.0001). CD2NKA expression was higher in HIV-infected participants than in HIV-seronegative individuals (mean expression: 0.45 ± 0.02 vs. 0.36 ± 0.03, P = 0.003). Socioeconomic factors were not associated with biological ageing in HIV-infected participants. However, in participants on ART with undetectable viral load, biomarker levels indicated greater biological ageing in those with lower current CD4+ cell counts. Conclusion: Telomere length and CDKN2A expression were both consistent with increased biological ageing in HIV-infected individuals. Prospective studies of the impact of HIV on biological ageing in sub-Saharan Africa are warranted. PMID:23751258

A Smart Insole to Promote Healthy Aging for Frail Elderly Individuals: Specifications, Design, and Preliminary Results.

PubMed

Piau, Antoine; Charlon, Yoann; Campo, Eric; Vellas, Bruno; Nourhashemi, Fati

2015-05-25

Older individuals frequently experience reversible "frailty syndrome,", increasing incidence of disability. Although physical exercise interventions may delay functional decline, there are difficulties in implementing them and performing seamless follow-up at home. Very few technological solutions attempt to address this challenge and improve individual participation. Our objectives are to (1) develop a technological solution designed to support active aging of frail older persons, (2) conduct a first laboratory evaluation of the device, and (3) design a multidimensional clinical trial to validate our solution. We conducted a first phase of multidisciplinary meetings to identify real end users and health professional's unmet needs, and to produce specifications for the architecture of the solution. In a second phase, we performed laboratory tests of the first proposed prototype (a smart insole) with 3 healthy volunteers. We then designed an ongoing clinical trial to finalize the multidimensional evaluation and improvement of the solution. To respond to the needs expressed by the stakeholders (frailty monitoring and adherence improvement), we developed a prototype of smart shoe insole to monitor key parameters of frailty during daily life and promote walking. It is a noninvasive wireless insole, which automatically measures gait parameters and transmits information to a remote terminal via a secure Internet connection. To ensure the solution's autonomy and transparency, we developed an original energy harvesting system, which transforms mechanical energy produced by the user's walking movement into electrical energy. The first laboratory tests of this technological solution showed good reliability measures and also a good acceptability for the users. We have planned an original iterative medical research protocol to validate our solution in real life. Our smart insole could support preventive strategies against disability in primary care by empowering the older

Nutritional Considerations for Healthy Aging and Reduction in Age-Related Chronic Disease12

PubMed Central

Shlisky, Julie; Bloom, David E; Beaudreault, Amy R; Tucker, Katherine L; Keller, Heather H; Freund-Levi, Yvonne; Fielding, Roger A; Cheng, Feon W; Jensen, Gordon L; Wu, Dayong; Meydani, Simin N

2017-01-01

A projected doubling in the global population of people aged ≥60 y by the year 2050 has major health and economic implications, especially in developing regions. Burdens of unhealthy aging associated with chronic noncommunicable and other age-related diseases may be largely preventable with lifestyle modification, including diet. However, as adults age they become at risk of “nutritional frailty,” which can compromise their ability to meet nutritional requirements at a time when specific nutrient needs may be high. This review highlights the role of nutrition science in promoting healthy aging and in improving the prognosis in cases of age-related diseases. It serves to identify key knowledge gaps and implementation challenges to support adequate nutrition for healthy aging, including applicability of metrics used in body-composition and diet adequacy for older adults and mechanisms to reduce nutritional frailty and to promote diet resilience. This review also discusses management recommendations for several leading chronic conditions common in aging populations, including cognitive decline and dementia, sarcopenia, and compromised immunity to infectious disease. The role of health systems in incorporating nutrition care routinely for those aged ≥60 y and living independently and current actions to address nutritional status before hospitalization and the development of disease are discussed. PMID:28096124

Methylation analysis of multiple genes in blood DNA of Alzheimer's disease and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Tannorella, Pierpaola; Stoccoro, Andrea; Tognoni, Gloria; Petrozzi, Lucia; Salluzzo, Maria Grazia; Ragalmuto, Alda; Siciliano, Gabriele; Haslberger, Alexander; Bosco, Paolo; Bonuccelli, Ubaldo; Migliore, Lucia; Coppedè, Fabio

2015-07-23

We collected blood DNA from 120 late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and 115 healthy matched controls and analysed the methylation levels of genes involved in amyloid-beta peptide production (PSEN1 and BACE1), in DNA methylation (DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B), and in one-carbon metabolism (MTHFR), searching for correlation with age and gender, with biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism (plasma homocysteine, and serum folate and vitamin B12 levels), and with disease status (being healthy or having AD). We also evaluated the contribution of the APOE ϵ4 allele, the major late-onset AD genetic risk factor, to the studied gene methylation levels. All the genes showed low mean methylation levels (<5%) in both AD and control DNA, no difference between groups, and no correlation with the studied biomarkers, except for MTHFR that showed methylation levels ranging from 5% to 75%, and correlation with circulating biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism. However, mean MTHFR methylation levels were similar between groups (31.1% in AD and 30.7% in controls, P=0.58). Overall, present data suggest that none of the studied regions is differently methylated in blood DNA between AD and control subjects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Decreases in Human Semen Quality with Age Among Healthy Men

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eskenazi, B.; Wyrobek, A.J.; Kidd, S.A.

The objective of this report is to characterize the associations between age and semen quality among healthy active men after controlling for identified covariates. Ninety-seven healthy, nonsmoking men between 22 and 80 years without known fertility problems who worked for or retired from a large research laboratory. There was a gradual decrease in all semen parameters from 22-80 years of age. After adjusting for covariates, volume decreased 0.03 ml per year (p = 0.001); sperm concentration decreased 2.5% per year (p = 0.005); total count decreased 3.6% per year of age (p < 0.001); motility decreased 0.7% per year (Pmore » < 0.001); progressive motility decreased 3.1% per year (p < 0.001); and total progressively motile sperm decreased 4.8% per year (p < 0.001). In a group of healthy active men, semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, and sperm motility decrease continuously between 22-80 years of age, with no evidence of a threshold.« less

Attention bias for food is independent of restraint in healthy weight individuals-an eye tracking study.

PubMed

Werthmann, Jessica; Roefs, Anne; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Mogg, Karin; Bradley, Brendan P; Jansen, Anita

2013-08-01

Restrained eating style and weight status are highly correlated. Though both have been associated with an attentional bias for food cues, in prior research restraint and BMI were often confounded. The aim of the present study was to determine the existence and nature of an attention bias for food cues in healthy-weight female restrained and unrestrained eaters, when matching the two groups on BMI. Attention biases for food cues were measured by recordings of eye movements during a visual probe task with pictorial food versus non-food stimuli. Healthy weight high restrained (n = 24) and low restrained eaters (n = 21) were matched on BMI in an attempt to unconfound the effects of restraint and weight on attention allocation patterns. All participants showed elevated attention biases for food stimuli in comparison to neutral stimuli, independent of restraint status. These findings suggest that attention biases for food-related cues are common for healthy weight women and show that restrained eating (per se) is not related to biased processing of food stimuli, at least not in healthy weight participants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional neuroanatomy of sustained memory encoding performance in healthy aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Weis, Susanne; Leube, Dirk; Erb, Michael; Heun, Reinhard; Grodd, Wolfgang; Kircher, Tilo

2011-07-01

The aim of our study was to examine brain networks involved with sustaining memory encoding performance in healthy aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since different brain regions are affected by degradation in these two conditions, it might be conceivable that different compensation mechanisms occur to keep up memory performance in aging and in AD. Using an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) design and a correlation analysis, 8 patients suffering from AD and 29 elderly control subjects were scanned while they studied a list of words for a subsequent memory test. Individual performance was assessed on the basis of a subsequent recognition test, and brain regions were identified where functional activations during study correlated with memory performance. In both groups, successful memory encoding performance was significantly correlated with the activation of the right frontal cortex. Furthermore, in healthy controls, there was a significant correlation of memory performance and the activation of the left medial and lateral temporal lobe. In contrast, in AD patients, increasing memory performance goes along with increasing activation of the hippocampus and a bilateral brain network including the frontal and temporal cortices. Our data show that in healthy aging and in AD, common and distinct compensatory mechanisms are employed to keep up a certain level of memory performance. Both in healthy aging and in patients with AD, an increased level of monitoring and control processes mediated by the (right) frontal lobe seems to be necessary to maintain a certain level of memory performance. In addition, memory performance in healthy older subjects seems to rely on an increased effort in encoding item-specific semantic and contextual information in lateral areas of the (left) temporal lobe. In AD patients, on the other hand, the maintenance of memory performance is related to an increase of activation of the (left) hippocampus in conjunction

Glomerular and Tubular Damage Markers in Individuals with Progressive Albuminuria

PubMed Central

Nauta, Ferdau L.; Scheven, Lieneke; Meijer, Esther; van Oeveren, Wim; de Jong, Paul E.; Bakker, Stephan J.L.

2013-01-01

Summary Background and objectives Albuminuria is associated with risk for renal and cardiovascular disease. It is difficult to predict which persons will progress in albuminuria. This study investigated whether assessment of urinary markers associated with damage to different parts of the nephron may help identify individuals that will progress in albuminuria. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Individuals were selected from a prospective community-based cohort study with serial follow-up and defined as “progressors” if they belonged to the quintile of participants with the most rapid annual increase in albuminuria, and reached an albuminuria ≥150 mg/d during follow-up. Patients with known renal disease or macroalbuminuria at baseline were excluded. Each progressor was matched to two control participants, based on baseline albuminuria, age, and sex. Furthermore, damage markers were measured in a separate set of healthy individuals. Results After a median follow-up of 8.6 years, 183 of 8394 participants met the criteria for progressive albuminuria. Baseline clinical characteristics were comparable between progressors and matched controls (n=366). Both had higher baseline albuminuria than the overall population. Urinary excretion of the glomerular damage marker IgG was significantly higher in progressors, whereas urinary excretion of proximal tubular damage markers and inflammatory markers was lower in these individuals compared with controls. Healthy individuals (n=109) had the lowest values for all urinary damage markers measured. Conclusions These data suggest that albuminuria associated with markers of glomerular damage is more likely to progress, whereas albuminuria associated with markers of tubulointerstitial damage is more likely to remain stable. PMID:23539232

Transcriptome and ultrastructural changes in dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa resemble skin aging.

PubMed

Breitenbach, Jenny S; Rinnerthaler, Mark; Trost, Andrea; Weber, Manuela; Klausegger, Alfred; Gruber, Christina; Bruckner, Daniela; Reitsamer, Herbert A; Bauer, Johann W; Breitenbach, Michael

2015-06-01

The aging process of skin has been investigated recently with respect to mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. We have here observed striking phenotypic and clinical similarity between skin aging and recessive dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), which is caused by recessive mutations in the gene coding for collagen VII,COL7A1. Ultrastructural changes, defects in wound healing, and inflammation markers are in part shared with aged skin. We have here compared the skin transcriptomes of young adults suffering from RDEB with that of sex- and age-matched healthy probands. In parallel we have compared the skin transcriptome of healthy young adults with that of elderly healthy donors. Quite surprisingly, there was a large overlap of the two gene lists that concerned a limited number of functional protein families. Most prominent among the proteins found are a number of proteins of the cornified envelope or proteins mechanistically involved in cornification and other skin proteins. Further, the overlap list contains a large number of genes with a known role in inflammation. We are documenting some of the most prominent ultrastructural and protein changes by immunofluorescence analysis of skin sections from patients, old individuals, and healthy controls.

New and Improved T-wave Morphology Parameters to Differentiate Healthy Individuals from those with Cardiomyopathy and Coronary Artery Disease

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greco, E. C.; Schlegel, T. T.; Arenare, B.; DePalma, J. L.; Starc, V.; Rahman, M. A.; Delgado, R.

2007-01-01

We investigated the ability of several known as well as new ECG repolarization parameters to differentiate healthy individuals from patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiomyopathy (CM). Advanced high-fidelity 12-lead ECG tests (approx. 5-min supine) were first performed on a "training set" of 99 individuals: 33 with ischemic or dilated CM and low ejection fraction (EF less than 40%); 33 with catheterization-proven obstructive CAD but normal EF; and 33 age-/gender-matched healthy controls. The following multiple parameters of T-wave morphology (TWM) were derived via signal averaging and singular value decomposition (SVD, which yields 8 eigenvalues, rho(sub 1) greater than rho(sub 2)...greater than rho(sub 8) and studied for their retrospective accuracy in detecting underlying disease: 1) Principal component analysis ratio of the T wave (T-PCA) = 100*rho(sub 2)/rho(sub 1); 2) Relative T-wave residuum (rTWR) = 100* SIGMA (rho(sub 4)(sup 2) +...+ rho(sub 8)(sup 2)); 3) Modified complexity ratio of the T wave (T-mCR) = 100*SIGMA(rho(sub 3)(sup 2) +...+rho(sb 8) (sup 2)); and 4) Normalized 3-dimensional volume of the T wave (nTV) = 100*(rho(sub 2)*rho(sub 3)/rho(sub 1)(sup 2). All TWM parameters significantly differentiated CAD from controls (p less than 0.0001), and also CM from controls (p less than 0.0001). Retrospective areas under the ROC curve were 0.77, 0.81, 0.82, and 0.83 (CAD vs. controls) and 0.93, 0.89, 0.95 and 0.96 (CM vs. controls) for T-PCA, rTWR, T-mCR and nTV respectively. The newer TWM parameters (T-mCR and nTV) thus outperformed the more established parameters (T-PCA and rTWR), presumably by putting a greater emphasis on the third T-wave eigenvalue, which in most healthy subjects has little energy compared to the first two eigenvalues. Subsequent prospective analyses have also yielded similar results, such that we conclude that diagnostic differentiation of pathology from non-pathology may be especially aided by detecting

Age Effects on Upper Limb Kinematics Assessed by the REAplan Robot in Healthy School-Aged Children.

PubMed

Gilliaux, Maxime; Dierckx, Floriane; Vanden Berghe, Lola; Lejeune, Thierry M; Sapin, Julien; Dehez, Bruno; Stoquart, Gaëtan; Detrembleur, Christine

2015-05-01

The use of kinematics is recommended to quantitatively evaluate upper limb movements. The aims of this study were to determine the age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish norms in healthy children. Ninety-three healthy children, aged 3-12 years, participated in this study. Twenty-eight kinematic indices were computed from four tasks. Each task was performed with the REAplan, a distal effector robotic device that allows upper limb displacements in the horizontal plane. Twenty-four of the 28 indices showed an improvement during childhood. Indeed, older children showed better upper limb movements. This study was the first to use a robotic device to show the age effects on upper limb kinematics and establish norms in healthy children.

Development of the Thai healthy aging model: A grounded theory study.

PubMed

Thiamwong, Ladda; McManus, Michael S; Suwanno, Jom

2013-06-01

To develop a model of healthy aging from the perspective of Thais, a grounded theory approach, including in-depth interviews and focus groups, was used. A purposive sample of 39 community-dwelling adults aged 40-85 years old was interviewed. The Thai healthy aging model composed of three themes: normality, nature, and dharma. In Thai, they are called tham-ma-da, tham-ma-chat, and tham-ma, or "Thai 3Ts". The theme of normality encompasses subthemes of staying physically active by being involved in plenty of physical activities, and being mentally active with creative and thoughtful hobbies and work. The theme of nature encompasses subthemes of living simply and being careful with money. The theme of dharma encompasses subthemes of enjoyment through helping family and participating in community activities, staying away from stress and worries by talking openly and honestly with someone, making merit, and helping other people without expecting anything in return. A greater understanding of healthy aging is a benefit for older adults and healthcare providers in an intervention-design process. Research can contribute valuable information to shape policy for healthy aging as well. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Policy initiatives to promote healthy aging.

PubMed

Infeld, Donna Lind; Whitelaw, Nancy

2002-08-01

An overwhelming array of policies and programs can be used to help older people (and future older people) maintain healthy lifestyles. How can clinicians help ensure that their patients take advantage of these opportunities? How can these broad-scope policies, educational and information initiatives, and direct service programs be turned into tools to help older people maximize health and independence? First, physicians do not need to do it all themselves. They need to know where to send their patients. For example, case managers in local aging service organizations and social workers, nurses, and discharge planners in hospitals can help connect elderly patients to appropriate benefits and services. Physicians play a critical role in creating a bridge between patients and the array of programs and information that can help them change their individual patterns of behavior. A serious lack of integration exists between what is known about healthy behaviors and lifestyles and what is really happening and available to older people today. From the earlier articles in this issue we know that much can be done to prevent many types of age-related disease and disability. This article provides examples of mechanisms that can be used to broadly disseminate knowledge about effective behavior and treatment changes and create mechanisms to turn this knowledge into real and widespread client-level, practice-level, health system, and community-wide interventions. Second, physicians need to understand that they are not merely subject to these policies and initiatives. They can help formulate and shape them. This political involvement includes active participation in policy initiatives of professional associations, involvement in research and demonstration activities, keeping informed about policy proposals at the federal and state levels, and helping advance ideas for improving health behaviors by speaking up and working toward change. These changes go beyond health initiatives to

Differing Patterns of Altered Slow-5 Oscillations in Healthy Aging and Ischemic Stroke.

PubMed

La, Christian; Mossahebi, Pouria; Nair, Veena A; Young, Brittany M; Stamm, Julie; Birn, Rasmus; Meyerand, Mary E; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

The 'default-mode' network (DMN) has been investigated in the presence of various disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Autism spectrum disorders. More recently, this investigation has expanded to include patients with ischemic injury. Here, we characterized the effects of ischemic injury in terms of its spectral distribution of resting-state low-frequency oscillations and further investigated whether those specific disruptions were unique to the DMN, or rather more general, affecting the global cortical system. With 43 young healthy adults, 42 older healthy adults, 14 stroke patients in their early stage (<7 days after stroke onset), and 16 stroke patients in their later stage (between 1 to 6 months after stroke onset), this study showed that patterns of cortical system disruption may differ between healthy aging and following the event of an ischemic stroke. The stroke group in the later stage demonstrated a global reduction in the amplitude of the slow-5 oscillations (0.01-0.027 Hz) in the DMN as well as in the primary visual and sensorimotor networks, two 'task-positive' networks. In comparison to the young healthy group, the older healthy subjects presented a decrease in the amplitude of the slow-5 oscillations specific to the components of the DMN, while exhibiting an increase in oscillation power in the task-positive networks. These two processes of a decrease DMN and an increase in 'task-positive' slow-5 oscillations may potentially be related, with a deficit in DMN inhibition, leading to an elevation of oscillations in non-DMN systems. These findings also suggest that disruptions of the slow-5 oscillations in healthy aging may be more specific to the DMN while the disruptions of those oscillations following a stroke through remote (diaschisis) effects may be more widespread, highlighting a non-specificity of disruption on the DMN in stroke population. The mechanisms underlying those differing modes of network disruption need to be further explored to

Body-image, quality of life and psychological distress: a comparison between kidney transplant patients and a matching healthy sample.

PubMed

Yagil, Yaron; Geller, Shulamit; Levy, Sigal; Sidi, Yael; Aharoni, Shiri

2018-04-01

The purpose of the current study was to assess the uniqueness of the condition of kidney transplant recipients in comparison to a sample of matching healthy peers in relation to body-image dissatisfaction and identification, quality of life and psychological distress. Participants were 45 kidney transplant recipients who were under follow-up care at a Transplant Unit of a major Medical Center, and a sample of 45 matching healthy peers. Measures were taken using self-report questionnaires [Body-Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIIQ), Body Identification Questionnaire (BIQ), Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI), and the SF-12]. The major findings were the following: (i) kidney transplant recipients reported lower levels of quality of life and higher levels of PsD when compared to their healthy peers; (ii) no difference in body-image dissatisfaction was found between the two studied groups; (iii) significant correlations between body-image dissatisfaction quality of life and PsD were found only in the kidney transplant recipients. The kidney transplantation condition has a moderating effect in the association between body-image dissatisfaction PsD but not in the association between body-image dissatisfaction and quality of life; (iv) kidney transplant recipients experienced higher levels of body identification than did their healthy peers. Taken together, these findings highlight the unique condition of kidney transplant recipients, as well as the function that body-image plays within the self.

Temporal discrimination threshold with healthy aging.

PubMed

Ramos, Vesper Fe Marie Llaneza; Esquenazi, Alina; Villegas, Monica Anne Faye; Wu, Tianxia; Hallett, Mark

2016-07-01

The temporal discrimination threshold (TDT) is the shortest interstimulus interval at which a subject can perceive successive stimuli as separate. To investigate the effects of aging on TDT, we studied tactile TDT using the method of limits with 120% of sensory threshold in each hand for each of 100 healthy volunteers, equally divided among men and women, across 10 age groups, from 18 to 79 years. Linear regression analysis showed that age was significantly related to left-hand mean, right-hand mean, and mean of 2 hands with R-square equal to 0.08, 0.164, and 0.132, respectively. Reliability analysis indicated that the 3 measures had fair-to-good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.4-0.8). We conclude that TDT is affected by age and has fair-to-good reproducibility using our technique. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Protective Effect of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Allele DRB1*13:02 on Age-Related Brain Gray Matter Volume Reduction in Healthy Women.

PubMed

James, Lisa M; Christova, Peka; Lewis, Scott M; Engdahl, Brian E; Georgopoulos, Angeliki; Georgopoulos, Apostolos P

2018-03-01

Reduction of brain volume (brain atrophy) during healthy brain aging is well documented and dependent on genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Here we investigated the possible dependence of brain gray matter volume reduction in the absence of the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) allele DRB1*13:02 which prevents brain atrophy in Gulf War Illness (James et al., 2017). Seventy-one cognitively healthy women (32-69years old) underwent a structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI) scan to measure the volumes of total gray matter, cerebrocortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter. Participants were assigned to two groups, depending on whether they lacked the DRB1*13:02 allele (No DRB1*13:02 group, N=60) or carried the DRB1*13:02 allele (N=11). We assessed the change of brain gray matter volume with age in each group by performing a linear regression where the brain volume (adjusted for total intracranial volume) was the dependent variable and age was the independent variable. In the No DRB1*13:02 group, the volumes of total gray matter, cerebrocortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter were reduced highly significantly. In contrast, none of these volumes showed a statistically significant reduction with age in the DRB1*13:02 group. These findings document the protective effect of DRB1*13:02 on age-dependent reduction of brain gray matter in healthy individuals. Since the role of this allele is to connect to matching epitopes of external antigens for the subsequent production of antibodies and elimination of the offending antigen, we hypothesize that its protective effect may be due to the successful elimination of such antigens to which we are exposed during the lifespan, antigens that otherwise would persist causing gradual brain atrophy. In addition, we consider a possible beneficial role of DRB1*13:02 attributed to its binding to cathepsin S, a known harmful substance in brain aging (Wendt et al., 2008). Of course, other factors covarying with the

Maximising the Opportunity for Healthy Ageing: Online Mental Health Measurement and Targeted Interventions.

PubMed

Iasiello, Matthew; Bartholomaeus, Jonathan; Jarden, Aaron; van Agteren, Joseph

2018-01-01

Longevity is a valuable resource for society, as older people are increasingly looking for new ways to contribute after retirement. Their contribution is however dependent upon their physical health, mental health and wellbeing. The potential role that mental health and wellbeing, two separate but interrelated constructs, play often are both under-recognised and insufficiently targeted. Positive ageing is a positive and constructive view of ageing, where older people actively work on maintaining a positive attitude, work towards keeping fit and healthy, and strive to maximize their wellbeing. Interventions stimulating positive ageing show promising results for both mental health and wellbeing, and telehealth can play an important role in improving the reach and effectiveness of positive ageing interventions. Telehealth solutions can also help researchers reliably measure and better understand the drivers of wellbeing at individual and population levels; results that can both form the basis for advancing the field of positive ageing and help inform public policy.

Evaluating aging in cats: How to determine what is healthy and what is disease.

PubMed

Bellows, Jan; Center, Sharon; Daristotle, Leighann; Estrada, Amara H; Flickinger, Elizabeth A; Horwitz, Debra F; Lascelles, B Duncan X; Lepine, Allan; Perea, Sally; Scherk, Margie; Shoveller, Anna K

2016-07-01

Many of the changes that occur with aging are not considered pathologic and do not negatively affect overall wellness or quality of life. Ruling out disease is essential, however, when attempting to determine whether an aged cat can be considered 'healthy'. A clear understanding of the normal and abnormal changes that are associated with aging in cats can help practitioners make decisions regarding medical management, feeding interventions and additional testing procedures for their aged patients. It can be difficult to determine if a cat is displaying changes that are appropriate for age. For example, healthy aged cats may have hematologic or serum biochemistry changes that differ from those of the general feline population. Assessment of behavioral health and cognitive changes, as well as auditory, olfactory and visual changes, can also be challenging in the aged patient. This is the second of two review articles in a Special Issue devoted to feline healthy aging. The goals of the project culminating in these publications included developing a working definition for healthy aging in feline patients and identifying clinical methods that can be used to accurately classify healthy aged cats. This second review proposes criteria for assessing 'healthy aged cats'. There is a paucity of research in feline aging. The authors draw on expert opinion and available data in both the cat and other species. © The Author(s) 2016.

Adaptation of postural recovery responses to a vestibular sensory illusion in individuals with Parkinson disease and healthy controls.

PubMed

Lester, Mark E; Cavanaugh, James T; Foreman, K Bo; Shaffer, Scott W; Marcus, Robin; Dibble, Leland E

2017-10-01

The ability to adapt postural responses to sensory illusions diminishes with age and is further impaired by Parkinson disease. However, limited information exists regarding training-related adaptions of sensory reweighting in these populations. This study sought to determine whether Parkinson disease or age would differentially affect acute postural recovery or adaptive postural responses to novel or repeated exposure to sensory illusions using galvanic vestibular stimulation during quiet stance. Acutely, individuals with Parkinson disease demonstrated larger center of pressure coefficient of variation compared to controls. Unlike individuals with Parkinson disease and asymptomatic older adults, healthy young adults acutely demonstrated a reduction in Sample Entropy to the sensory illusion. Following a period of consolidation Sample Entropy increased in the healthy young group, which coincided with a decreased center of pressure coefficient of variation. Similar changes were not observed in the Parkinson disease or older adult groups. Taken together, these results suggest that young adults learn to adapt to vestibular illusion in a more robust manner than older adults or those with Parkinson disease. Further investigation into the nature of this adaptive difference is warranted. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Healthy Aging Program for Older Adults: Effects on Self-Efficacy and Morale

PubMed Central

Scult, Matthew; Haime, Vivian; Jacquart, Jolene; Takahashi, Jonathan; Moscowitz, Barbara; Webster, Ann; Denninger, John W.; Mehta, Darshan H.

2015-01-01

Context As of 2012, 810 million people were over the age of 60 worldwide, accounting for 11 percent of the population. That number is expected to rise to 2 billion by 2050 or to 22 percent of the overall population. As a result, a growing need exists to understand the factors that promote mental and physical health in older populations. Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop a healthy aging program for older adults and to measure the changes from baseline to the end of the program in participants’ relevant psychosocial outcomes; ie, self-efficacy and morale. Design The study’s Healthy Aging Mind Body Intervention (MBI) was adapted from the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine (BHI), which incorporates elements from the fields of stress management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and positive psychology. That program was modified with examples and exercises targeted to an older population, and evaluated in the current, single-arm, pilot study. Setting The program took place at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Participants The 9-week Healthy Aging MBI was developed for participants aged 65 and over. Fifty-one older adults from the surrounding community participated in the study’s groups. Intervention A new intervention group began the program every 3 months, with a maximum of 12 individuals per group. For each group, the MBI consisted of weekly, 90-minute sessions for 9 consecutive weeks, directed by a psychologist. The program included sessions that taught participants: (1) a variety of methods to elicit the relaxation response (RR), (2) the practice of adaptive coping and cognitions, (3) behaviors necessary to create a healthy lifestyle, and (4) methods of building social support. Outcome Measures The research team chose to focus on 2 psychological variables of interest for aging populations: morale and self-efficacy. The study used 2 questionnaires to measure those outcomes, the

Sensitivity of self-reported opioid use in case-control studies: Healthy individuals versus hospitalized patients.

PubMed

Rashidian, Hamideh; Hadji, Maryam; Marzban, Maryam; Gholipour, Mahin; Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin; Kamangar, Farin; Malekzadeh, Reza; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Rezaianzadeh, Abbas; Moradi, Abdolvahab; Babhadi-Ashar, Nima; Ghiasvand, Reza; Khavari-Daneshvar, Hossein; Haghdoost, Ali Akbar; Zendehdel, Kazem

2017-01-01

Several case-control studies have shown associations between the risk of different cancers and self-reported opium use. Inquiring into relatively sensitive issues, such as the history of drug use, is usually prone to information bias. However, in order to justify the findings of these types of studies, we have to quantify the level of such a negative bias. In current study, we aimed to evaluate sensitivity of self-reported opioid use and suggest suitable types of control groups for case-control studies on opioid use and the risk of cancer. In order to compare the validity of the self-reported opioid use, we cross-validated the response of two groups of subjects 1) 178 hospitalized patients and 2) 186 healthy individuals with the results of their tests using urine rapid drug screen (URDS) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The questioners were asked by trained interviewers to maximize the validity of responses; healthy individuals were selected from the companions of patients in hospitals. Self-reported regular opioid use was 36.5% in hospitalized patients 19.3% in healthy individuals (p-value> 0.001).The reported frequencies of opioid use in the past 72 hours were 21.4% and 11.8% in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals respectively. Comparing their responses with the results of urine tests showed a sensitivity of 77% and 69% among hospitalized patients and healthy individuals for self-reports (p-value = 0.4). Having corrected based on the mentioned sensitivities; the frequency of opioid regular use was 47% and 28% in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals, respectively. Regular opioid use among hospitalized patients was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (p-value> 0.001). Our findings showed that the level of opioid use under-reporting in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals was considerable but comparable. In addition, the frequency of regular opioid use among hospitalized patients was significantly higher than that in the

Sensitivity of self-reported opioid use in case-control studies: Healthy individuals versus hospitalized patients

PubMed Central

Rashidian, Hamideh; Hadji, Maryam; Marzban, Maryam; Gholipour, Mahin; Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin; Kamangar, Farin; Malekzadeh, Reza; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Rezaianzadeh, Abbas; Moradi, Abdolvahab; Babhadi-Ashar, Nima; Ghiasvand, Reza; Khavari-Daneshvar, Hossein; Haghdoost, Ali Akbar; Zendehdel, Kazem

2017-01-01

Background Several case-control studies have shown associations between the risk of different cancers and self-reported opium use. Inquiring into relatively sensitive issues, such as the history of drug use, is usually prone to information bias. However, in order to justify the findings of these types of studies, we have to quantify the level of such a negative bias. In current study, we aimed to evaluate sensitivity of self-reported opioid use and suggest suitable types of control groups for case-control studies on opioid use and the risk of cancer. Methods In order to compare the validity of the self-reported opioid use, we cross-validated the response of two groups of subjects 1) 178 hospitalized patients and 2) 186 healthy individuals with the results of their tests using urine rapid drug screen (URDS) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The questioners were asked by trained interviewers to maximize the validity of responses; healthy individuals were selected from the companions of patients in hospitals. Results Self-reported regular opioid use was 36.5% in hospitalized patients 19.3% in healthy individuals (p-value> 0.001).The reported frequencies of opioid use in the past 72 hours were 21.4% and 11.8% in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals respectively. Comparing their responses with the results of urine tests showed a sensitivity of 77% and 69% among hospitalized patients and healthy individuals for self-reports (p-value = 0.4). Having corrected based on the mentioned sensitivities; the frequency of opioid regular use was 47% and 28% in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals, respectively. Regular opioid use among hospitalized patients was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (p-value> 0.001). Conclusion Our findings showed that the level of opioid use under-reporting in hospitalized patients and healthy individuals was considerable but comparable. In addition, the frequency of regular opioid use among hospitalized patients was

Variability of soccer referees' match performances.

PubMed

Weston, M; Drust, B; Atkinson, G; Gregson, W

2011-03-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the between-match variability in soccer referees' match performances. 1 269 individual match observations were undertaken on 59 referees (range 2-79 games per referee) officiating in the English Premier League and Championship from 2003/2004 to 2007/2008 using a computerised tracking system (Prozone (®), Leeds, England). Between-match coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated for all games and then compared between referee age and experience groups. High mean CVs were observed for high-speed running distance (25.9±10.1%), recovery time (32.7±13.8%), explosive sprints (34.3±16.6%), total number of sprints (54.0±20.7%) and number of match fouls (28±4.6%). Smaller CVs were observed for total distance covered (3.8±1.5%), top sprinting speed (5.6±10.9%), distance from the ball (4.2±1.9%) and the distance from fouls (9.9±4.3%). Variability in match activities was not influenced by referee age or experience. The present study's findings demonstrate that variability in soccer referees' match performances is high in some variables and not dependent on referee age or experience. Such variability means that research requires large sample sizes to detect real systematic changes in a number of performance characteristics when studied during matches. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Centenarians' offspring as a model of healthy aging: a reappraisal of the data on Italian subjects and a comprehensive overview.

PubMed

Bucci, Laura; Ostan, Rita; Cevenini, Elisa; Pini, Elisa; Scurti, Maria; Vitale, Giovanni; Mari, Daniela; Caruso, Calogero; Sansoni, Paolo; Fanelli, Flaminia; Pasquali, Renato; Gueresi, Paola; Franceschi, Claudio; Monti, Daniela

2016-03-01

Within the scenario of an increasing life expectancy worldwide it is mandatory to identify determinants of healthy aging. Centenarian offspring (CO) is one of the most informative model to identify trajectories of healthy aging and their determinants (genetic and environmental), being representative of elderly in their 70th whose lifestyle can be still modified to attain a better health. This study is the first comprehensive investigation of the health status of 267 CO (mean age: 70.2 years) and adopts the innovative approach of comparing CO with 107 age-matched offspring of non-long-lived parents (hereafter indicated as NCO controls), recruited according to strict inclusion demographic criteria of Italian population. We adopted a multidimensional approach which integrates functional and cognitive assessment together with epidemiological and clinical data, including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, lipid profile, and insulin resistance. CO have a lower prevalence of stroke, cerebral thrombosis-hemorrhage, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and other minor diseases, lower BMI and waist circumference, a better functional and cognitive status and lower plasma level of FT4 compared to NCO controls. We conclude that a multidimensional approach is a reliable strategy to identify the health status of elderly at an age when interventions to modify their health trajectory are feasible.

NutrimiRAging: Micromanaging Nutrient Sensing Pathways through Nutrition to Promote Healthy Aging.

PubMed

Micó, Víctor; Berninches, Laura; Tapia, Javier; Daimiel, Lidia

2017-04-26

Current sociodemographic predictions point to a demographic shift in developed and developing countries that will result in an unprecedented increase of the elderly population. This will be accompanied by an increase in age-related conditions that will strongly impair human health and quality of life. For this reason, aging is a major concern worldwide. Healthy aging depends on a combination of individual genetic factors and external environmental factors. Diet has been proved to be a powerful tool to modulate aging and caloric restriction has emerged as a valuable intervention in this regard. However, many questions about how a controlled caloric restriction intervention affects aging-related processes are still unanswered. Nutrient sensing pathways become deregulated with age and lose effectiveness with age. These pathways are a link between diet and aging. Thus, fully understanding this link is a mandatory step before bringing caloric restriction into practice. MicroRNAs have emerged as important regulators of cellular functions and can be modified by diet. Some microRNAs target genes encoding proteins and enzymes belonging to the nutrient sensing pathways and, therefore, may play key roles in the modulation of the aging process. In this review, we aimed to show the relationship between diet, nutrient sensing pathways and microRNAs in the context of aging.

Normative data for the Clock Drawing Test for French-Quebec mid- and older aged healthy adults.

PubMed

Turcotte, Valérie; Gagnon, Marie-Eve; Joubert, Sven; Rouleau, Isabelle; Gagnon, Jean-François; Escudier, Frédérique; Koski, Lisa; Potvin, Olivier; Macoir, Joël; Hudon, Carol

2018-05-09

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is frequently used to screen for cognitive impairment, however, normative data for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system are scarce. The present study aims to provide norms for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system that are tailored to Quebec French-speaking mid- and older aged healthy adults. Six researchers from various research centers across the Province of Quebec (Canada) sent anonymous data for 593 (391 women) healthy community-dwelling volunteers (age range: 43-93 years; education range: 5-23 years) who completed the CDT 'drawing on command' version. This command version (setting the clock hands to 11:10, without a pre-drawn circle) was administrated as part of a more extensive neuropsychological assessment, or along with cognitive screening instruments. Each drawn clock was scored according to the quantitative criteria set by Rouleau et al.'s scoring system. CDT scores were significantly correlated with age (r(592) = -.132, p = .001) and years of education (r(592) = .116, p = .005), but not with sex (r(592) = .065, p = .112). Since data were skewed towards higher test scores, the percentiles method was used for analysis. Percentile ranks stratified by age and education are presented. These normative data for Rouleau et al.'s scoring system will contribute towards adequately screening for cognitive decline in Quebec French-speaking healthy adults, by also taking into account individual characteristics such as age and education.

BDNF polymorphism predicts the rate of decline in skilled task performance and hippocampal volume in healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Sanchez, M Millan; Das, D; Taylor, J L; Noda, A; Yesavage, J A; Salehi, A

2011-01-01

Numerous studies have indicated a link between the presence of polymorphism in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive and affective disorders. However, only a few have studied these effects longitudinally along with structural changes in the brain. This study was carried out to investigate whether valine-to-methionine substitution at position 66 (val66met) of pro-BDNF could be linked to alterations in the rate of decline in skilled task performance and structural changes in hippocampal volume. Participants consisted of 144 healthy Caucasian pilots (aged 40–69 years) who completed a minimum of 3 consecutive annual visits. Standardized flight simulator score (SFSS) was measured as a reliable and quantifiable indicator for skilled task performance. In addition, a subset of these individuals was assessed for hippocampal volume alterations using magnetic resonance imaging. We found that val66met substitution in BDNF correlated longitudinally with the rate of decline in SFSS. Structurally, age-dependent hippocampal volume changes were also significantly altered by this substitution. Our study suggests that val66met polymorphism in BDNF can be linked to the rate of decline in skilled task performance. Furthermore, this polymorphism could be used as a predictor of the effects of age on the structure of the hippocampus in healthy individuals. Such results have implications for understanding possible disabilities in older adults performing skilled tasks who are at a higher risk for cognitive and affective disorders. PMID:22833197

Intake of key micronutrients and food groups in patients with late-stage age-related macular degeneration compared with age-sex-matched controls.

PubMed

Gopinath, Bamini; Liew, Gerald; Russell, Joanna; Cosatto, Victoria; Burlutsky, George; Mitchell, Paul

2017-08-01

Knowledge of the risk factor profile of patients presenting with late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could help identify the most frequent modifiable AMD precursors among people who are referred for treatment. We aimed to assess dietary behaviours by comparing adjusted mean intakes of micronutrients and major food groups (fruits, vegetables, fish) among patients with AMD and a sample of age-sex-matched controls. Cross-sectional analysis of 480 late AMD cases and 518 population-based age-sex-matched controls with no AMD signs. AMD cases (aged 60+ years) were those presenting for treatment to a hospital eye clinic in Sydney, Australia, during 2012-2015. The comparator group were obtained from a cohort study (Blue Mountains Eye Study; Sydney, Australia) during 2002-2009. Dietary intake was assessed using a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. AMD lesions were assessed from retinal photographs. After multivariable adjustment, patients with late-stage AMD compared with controls had significantly lower intakes of vitamin E (7.4 vs 9.8 mg/day; p<0.0001), beta-carotene (6232 vs 7738 μg/day; p<0.0001), vitamin C (161 vs 184 mg/day; p=0.0002) and folate (498.3 vs 602 μg/day; p<0.0001); but had higher intakes of zinc (13.0 vs 11.9 mg/day; p<0.0001). A significantly lower proportion of patients with late AMD met the recommended intake of vegetables than controls: 52.9% versus 64.5%; p=0.0002. This study showed significant differences in intakes of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, folate and vegetables between patients with late-stage AMD and healthy controls, and thus has provided a better understanding of the nutritional intake of patients presenting with advanced AMD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Grandparenting predicts late-life cognition: Results from the Women's Healthy Ageing Project.

PubMed

Burn, Katherine; Szoeke, Cassandra

2015-06-01

Social engagement provides dynamic stimulation for older individuals that influences cognition. Grandparenting is an increasingly popular form of childcare that provides social activity for older adults. To investigate the relationship between grandparenting, as a form of social engagement, and cognitive function in adults aged over 65, a decade after our previous work. Participants were 224 Australian women (mean age=70) from the longitudinal prospective Women's Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP). Cognitive function was assessed using a neuropsychological battery consisting of previously validated measures including the California Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span task, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test. Individual test scores were combined using factor analysis into executive function and episodic memory scores. Grandmothers minding grandchildren had higher executive function than those who were not minding grandchildren or who did not have grandchildren (p<0.05). Minding grandchildren for one day per week predicted better executive function performance than more frequent grandparenting (p<0.05), consistent with previous findings. While grandparenting is associated with better executive function overall, highly frequent grandparenting is associated with lower executive function, which may be due to demands. Social engagement comprises various aspects which need to be taken into consideration when studying cognition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance in highly trained under-15 soccer players.

PubMed

Buchheit, Martin; Mendez-Villanueva, Alberto

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare, in 36 highly trained under-15 soccer players, the respective effects of age, maturity and body dimensions on match running performance. Maximal sprinting (MSS) and aerobic speeds were estimated. Match running performance was analysed with GPS (GPSport, 1 Hz) during 19 international friendly games (n = 115 player-files). Total distance and distance covered >16 km h(-1) (D > 16 km h(-1)) were collected. Players advanced in age and/or maturation, or having larger body dimensions presented greater locomotor (Cohen's d for MSS: 0.5-1.0, likely to almost certain) and match running performances (D > 16 km h(-1): 0.2-0.5, possibly to likely) than their younger, less mature and/or smaller teammates. These age-, maturation- and body size-related differences were of larger magnitude for field test measures versus match running performance. Compared with age and body size (unclear to likely), maturation (likely to almost certainly for all match variables) had the greatest impact on match running performance. The magnitude of the relationships between age, maturation and body dimensions and match running performance were position-dependent. Within a single age-group in the present player sample, maturation had a substantial impact on match running performance, especially in attacking players. Coaches may need to consider players' maturity status when assessing their on-field playing performance.

Determination of physical health status and healthy lifestyle behaviors of individuals with mental illness.

PubMed

Erginer, Derya Kayar; Günüşen, Neslihan Partlak

2018-02-23

The aim of this study is to determine the physical health status and healthy lifestyle behaviors of individuals with mental illness. A descriptive research design was used. The sample of the study consisted of 115 individuals with mental illness. The Health Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II was used to assess the healthy lifestyle behaviors of the participants. Of the individuals, 49.6% were found to have metabolic syndrome. Individuals with mental illness obtained the lowest score from the physical activity dimension of the scale. Individuals with mental illness need to receive education and support, especially in terms of nutrition and exercise. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Digestive Symptoms in Healthy People and Subjects With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

PubMed Central

Guyonnet, Denis; Donazzolo, Yves; Gendre, David; Tanguy, Jérôme; Guarner, Francisco

2015-01-01

Goals: The aim of this study was to validate the ability of symptom frequency questionnaire to differentiate between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy subjects. Background: A digestive symptom frequency questionnaire (DSFQ) was previously used in a food efficacy trial in a non-IBS population with mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Study: We compared 2 well-defined populations: 100 IBS patients fulfilling Rome III criteria (mean age 32 y; range, 18 to 59 y), and 100 sex-matched and age-matched healthy subjects. Frequency of individual digestive symptoms (abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, flatulence, borborygmi) was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (from none to everyday of the week) and the IBS severity with the IBS-SSS questionnaire. Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the Food and Benefits Assessment (FBA) and Functional Digestive Disorders Quality of Life (FDDQL) questionnaires. The digestive (dis)comfort dimension of these questionnaires was considered as the main dimension for HRQoL. Results: The DSFQ discriminated IBS from healthy subjects with a significant difference (P<0.001) between groups (estimated mean difference=5.58; 95% CI, 4.91-6.28). On the basis of the ROC curve (AUC=0.9479), a cutoff value of 5 gives a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 84%, with a positive likelihood ratio of 5.75. Composite score of symptoms correlated strongly (P<0.0001) with digestive discomfort measured by FDDQL (−0.816), digestive comfort measured by FBA (−0.789), and the IBS-SSS score (0.762). Conclusions: Measurement of digestive symptom frequency by means of the DSFQ can differentiate IBS from healthy subjects, and shows a good correlation with other validated questionnaires (clinical trial #NCT01457378). PMID:25014236

Healthy lifestyle behaviors among individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in urban and rural communities in China: a large community-based epidemiological study

PubMed Central

Yan, Ruohua; Wang, Yang; Bo, Jian; Li, Wei

2017-01-01

Background Lifestyle modification is one of the most cost-effective strategies in self-management and secondary prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the prevalence of healthy lifestyle behaviors in COPD patients in China remains unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the rates of healthy lifestyle behaviors including smoking cessation, regular exercise, and healthy diet in community population with COPD in China. Methods We recruited 46,285 individuals aged 35–70 years from 115 urban and rural communities in 12 provinces of China from 2005 to 2009. We recorded the smoking status, physical activity intensity, and quality of diet for all spirometry-diagnosed COPD patients by standardized questionnaires. Results Among 3,690 individuals with COPD, 18.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.0–24.9) quitted smoking, 27.1% (95% CI, 24.7–29.7) exercised often, and 34.8% (95% CI, 31.8–38.0) ate high-quality diet. More than half of the individuals followed one or less key healthy lifestyle, and only 8.4% (95% CI, 7.0–10.0) followed all of the three healthy behaviors. Urban residents had significant higher rates of smoking cessation (23.5% [95% CI, 17.3–31.1] vs 14.4% [95% CI, 9.9–20.5], p=0.0008), regular exercise (45.6% [95% CI, 42.4–48.8] vs 14.0% [95% CI, 12.1–16.2], p<0.0001), and healthy diet (38.5% [95% CI, 35.5–41.6] vs 32.2% [95% CI, 29.2–35.4], p=0.0013) than rural residents. Age, sex, education level, body mass index, respiratory symptoms, and family income were associated with healthy living, and the strength of associations varied between urban and rural areas. Conclusion There is a large gap between the anticipated rate and the real participation in healthy lifestyle behaviors in Chinese adults with COPD, especially in rural communities. Simple and effective strategies are warranted to improve patients’ lifestyle in China. PMID:29180861

A healthy aging program for older adults: effects on self-efficacy and morale.

PubMed

Scult, Matthew; Haime, Vivian; Jacquart, Jolene; Takahashi, Jonathan; Moscowitz, Barbara; Webster, Ann; Denninger, John W; Mehta, Darshan H

2015-01-01

As of 2012, 810 million people worldwide were older than 60 y, accounting for 11% of the population. That number is expected to rise to 2 billion by 2050 or to 22% of the overall population. As a result, a growing need exists to understand the factors that promote mental and physical health in older populations. The purpose of this study was to develop a healthy aging program for older adults and to measure the changes from baseline to the end of the program in participants' relevant psychosocial outcomes (ie, self-efficacy and morale). The study's healthy aging mind-body intervention (MBI) was adapted from the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (3RP) at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, which incorporates elements from the fields of stress management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and positive psychology. That program was modified with examples and exercises targeted to an older population and evaluated in the current single-arm pilot study. The program took place at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The 9-wk healthy aging MBI was developed for participants aged 65 y and older. Fifty-one older adults from the surrounding community participated in the study's groups. A new intervention group began the program every 3 mo, with a maximum of 12 individuals per group. For each group, the MBI consisted of weekly 90-min sessions for 9 consecutive wk, directed by a psychologist. The program included sessions that taught participants (1) a variety of methods to elicit the relaxation response (RR), (2) the practice of adaptive coping and cognitions, (3) behaviors necessary to create a healthy lifestyle, and (4) methods of building social support. The research team chose to focus on 2 psychological variables of interest for aging populations: morale and self-efficacy. The study used 2 questionnaires to measure those outcomes, the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS), a multidimensional measure of the psychological state of older

Changes in healthy food habits after transition to old age retirement.

PubMed

Helldán, Anni; Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero

2012-08-01

Retirement is one of the major transitions in the life course. However, it is poorly understood how health behaviours, such as food habits, might change after retirement. This study aimed to examine whether healthy food habits change after the transition to old age retirement and whether socio-demographic or health-related factors explain the association between retirement, being continuously employed and healthy food habits at follow-up. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study cohort on the staff of the City of Helsinki, Finland. The baseline questionnaire survey data were collected in 2000-02 and the follow-up in 2007. We included only participants who were aged 55-60 years at baseline and entered old age retirement during the follow-up (n = 1156, 76% women) or remained continuously employed (n = 1269, 79% women). Food habits from a food frequency questionnaire included eight items formed according to the Finnish and Nordic dietary recommendations. Logistic regression models were fitted to examine the associations between retirement, being continuously employed and healthy food habits at follow-up. Healthy food habits increased more among retired women than those continuously employed (P = 0.03). At follow-up retired women had healthier food habits than continuously employed women after adjusting for baseline food habits [OR = 1.36 (1.12-1.65)]. Among men, healthy food habits were unassociated with retirement. Transition to old age retirement is likely to have beneficial effects on food habits among women. This helps prevent major diseases and supports better public health among ageing people.

Healthy aging and dementia: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Snowdon, David A

2003-09-02

The Nun Study is a longitudinal study of 678 Catholic sisters 75 to 107 years of age who are members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame congregation. Data collected for this study include early and middle-life risk factors from the convent archives, annual cognitive and physical function evaluations during old age, and postmortem neuropathologic evaluations of the participants' brains. The case histories presented include a centenarian who was a model of healthy aging, a 92-year-old with dementia and clinically significant Alzheimer disease neuropathology and vascular lesions, a cognitively and physically intact centenarian with almost no neuropathology, and an 85-year-old with well-preserved cognitive and physical function despite a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer disease and an abundance of Alzheimer disease lesions. These case histories provide examples of how healthy aging and dementia relate to the degree of pathology present in the brain and the level of resistance to the clinical expression of the neuropathology.

Early-Life Stress Affects Stress-Related Prefrontal Dopamine Activity in Healthy Adults, but Not in Individuals with Psychotic Disorder

PubMed Central

Kasanova, Zuzana; Hernaus, Dennis; Vaessen, Thomas; van Amelsvoort, Thérèse; Winz, Oliver; Heinzel, Alexander; Pruessner, Jens; Mottaghy, Felix M.

2016-01-01

Early life stress may have a lasting impact on the developmental programming of the dopamine (DA) system implicated in psychosis. Early adversity could promote resilience by calibrating the prefrontal stress-regulatory dopaminergic neurotransmission to improve the individual’s fit with the predicted stressful environment. Aberrant reactivity to such match between proximal and distal environments may, however, enhance psychosis disease risk. We explored the combined effects of childhood adversity and adult stress by exposing 12 unmedicated individuals with a diagnosis of non-affective psychotic disorder (NAPD) and 12 healthy controls (HC) to psychosocial stress during an [18F]fallypride positron emission tomography. Childhood trauma divided into early (ages 0–11 years) and late (12–18 years) was assessed retrospectively using a questionnaire. A significant group x childhood trauma interaction on the spatial extent of stress-related [18F]fallypride displacement was observed in the mPFC for early (b = -8.45, t(1,23) = -3.35, p = .004) and late childhood trauma (b = -7.86, t(1,23) = -2.48, p = .023). In healthy individuals, the spatial extent of mPFC DA activity under acute psychosocial stress was positively associated with the severity of early (b = 7.23, t(11) = 3.06, p = .016) as well as late childhood trauma (b = -7.86, t(1,23) = -2.48, p = .023). Additionally, a trend-level main effect of early childhood trauma on subjective stress response emerged within this group (b = -.7, t(11) = -2, p = .07), where higher early trauma correlated with lower subjective stress response to the task. In the NAPD group, childhood trauma was not associated with the spatial extent of the tracer displacement in mPFC (b = -1.22, t(11) = -0.67), nor was there a main effect of trauma on the subjective perception of stress within this group (b = .004, t(11) = .01, p = .99). These findings reveal a potential mechanism of neuroadaptation of prefrontal DA transmission to early life

CACNA1C risk variant affects facial emotion recognition in healthy individuals.

PubMed

Nieratschker, Vanessa; Brückmann, Christof; Plewnia, Christian

2015-11-27

Recognition and correct interpretation of facial emotion is essential for social interaction and communication. Previous studies have shown that impairments in this cognitive domain are common features of several psychiatric disorders. Recent association studies identified CACNA1C as one of the most promising genetic risk factors for psychiatric disorders and previous evidence suggests that the most replicated risk variant in CACNA1C (rs1006737) is affecting emotion recognition and processing. However, studies investigating the influence of rs1006737 on this intermediate phenotype in healthy subjects at the behavioral level are largely missing to date. Here, we applied the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test, a facial emotion recognition paradigm in a cohort of 92 healthy individuals to address this question. Whereas accuracy was not affected by genotype, CACNA1C rs1006737 risk-allele carries (AA/AG) showed significantly slower mean response times compared to individuals homozygous for the G-allele, indicating that healthy risk-allele carriers require more information to correctly identify a facial emotion. Our study is the first to provide evidence for an impairing behavioral effect of the CACNA1C risk variant rs1006737 on facial emotion recognition in healthy individuals and adds to the growing number of studies pointing towards CACNA1C as affecting intermediate phenotypes of psychiatric disorders.

Transcriptome and ultrastructural changes in dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa resemble skin aging

PubMed Central

Trost, Andrea; Weber, Manuela; Klausegger, Alfred; Gruber, Christina; Bruckner, Daniela; Reitsamer, Herbert A.; Bauer, Johann W.; Breitenbach, Michael

2015-01-01

The aging process of skin has been investigated recently with respect to mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. We have here observed striking phenotypic and clinical similarity between skin aging and recessive dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), which is caused by recessive mutations in the gene coding for collagen VII, COL7A1. Ultrastructural changes, defects in wound healing, and inflammation markers are in part shared with aged skin. We have here compared the skin transcriptomes of young adults suffering from RDEB with that of sex‐ and age‐matched healthy probands. In parallel we have compared the skin transcriptome of healthy young adults with that of elderly healthy donors. Quite surprisingly, there was a large overlap of the two gene lists that concerned a limited number of functional protein families. Most prominent among the proteins found are a number of proteins of the cornified envelope or proteins mechanistically involved in cornification and other skin proteins. Further, the overlap list contains a large number of genes with a known role in inflammation. We are documenting some of the most prominent ultrastructural and protein changes by immunofluorescence analysis of skin sections from patients, old individuals, and healthy controls. PMID:26143532

Sleep bruxism in individuals with and without attrition-type tooth wear: An exploratory matched case-control electromyographic study.

PubMed

Jonsgar, Christine; Hordvik, Paul-Arne; Berge, Morten E; Johansson, Ann-Katrin; Svensson, Peter; Johansson, Anders

2015-12-01

To examine if there is a difference in possible sleep bruxism activity (SB) in subjects with or without attrition-type tooth wear. Sixteen individuals with pronounced attritional-type tooth wear were compared with sex and aged matched controls without tooth wear by means of measurement of electromyographic (EMG) activity during a minimum of four consecutive nights of sleep. Mean age and range for the study- and control- group was 23.7 years (range 19.9-28.5) and 23.6 years (range 20.3-27.9), respectively. There were 11 females and five males in each of the two groups. The attrition group presented incisal/occlusal attrition wear into dentin and matching wear facets between opposing anterior teeth. The controls had negligible signs of incisal/occlusal wear and a minimal number of matching wear facets. The prevalence of both self-reported and partner-reported SB was significantly more common in the attrition group compared to the controls (P=0.04 and P=0.007, respectively). Self-reported morning facial pain was similarly more common in the attrition group (P=0.014). Maximum opening capacity, number of muscles painful to palpation, salivary flow rate and buffering capacity were not significantly different between the groups. Interestingly, none of the measures of jaw muscle EMG activity during sleep, as recorded by the portable EMG equipment, differed significantly between the attrition group and the matched controls (P>0.05). The results from this exploratory study suggest that there is no difference in EMG activity between subjects with and without attrition-type tooth wear. Further research is needed in order to substantiate these preliminary findings. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Graphic Pattern Generation Test in Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Psychometric Properties and Normative Data

PubMed Central

Sunderaraman, Preeti; Sokolov, Elisaveta; Cines, Sarah; Sullo, Elizabeth; Orly, Aidan; Lerer, Bianca; Karlawish, Jason; Huey, Edward; Cosentino, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Design fluency tests, commonly used in both clinical and research contexts to evaluate nonverbal concept generation, have the potential to offer useful information in the differentiation of healthy versus pathological aging. While normative data for older adults are available for multiple timed versions of this test, similar data have been unavailable for a previously published untimed task, the Graphic Pattern Generation Task (GPG). Time constraints common to almost all of the available design fluency tests may cloud interpretation of higher level executive abilities, for example in individuals with slow processing speed. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the GPG and presents normative data in a sample of 167 healthy older adults (OAs) and 110 individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results suggest that a brief version of the GPG can be administered reliably, and that this short form has high test-retest and inter-rater reliability. Number of perseverations was higher in individuals with AD as compared to OAs. A cut-off score of 4 or more perseverations showed a moderate degree of sensitivity (76%) and specificity (37%) in distinguishing individuals with AD and OAs. Finally, perseverations were associated with nonmemory indices, underscoring the nonverbal nature of this error in OAs and individuals with AD. PMID:25679880

Quantitative and semi-quantitative histopathological examination of renal biopsies in healthy individuals, and associations with kidney function.

PubMed

Bar, Yael; Barregard, Lars; Sallsten, Gerd; Wallin, Maria; Mölne, Johan

2016-05-01

This study assesed the prevalence of histopathological changes in renal biopsies from healthy individuals, and the association with age, sex and smoking. Donor biopsies from 109 subjects were obtained from living kidney donors, and blood and urine samples were collected together with medical history. All biopsies were scored according to the Banff '97 classification with some modifications. The parameters included in this study were tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, arteriolohyalinosis and a sclerosis score. An alternative scoring system for tubular atrophy was examined (using ≤5% rather than <1% as a cut-off for grade 0). Glomerular filtration rate was measured in most cases as chromium ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (Cr-EDTA) clearance. Age was a significant predictor for tubular atrophy, fibrosis and sclerosis. Pack-years of smoking increased the risk of tubular atrophy, fibrosis and arteriolohyalinosis. The alternative scoring of tubular atrophy showed a stronger association with smoking, but a weaker association with age, compared with the original one. Limited histopathological changes are common in healthy kidney donors around 50 years of age with normal kidney function. We propose that a cut-off of ≤5% yields a better definition of grade 0 tubular atrophy compared with the established cut-off of >0%. © 2016 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Thematic Matching as Remedial Teaching for Symbolic Matching for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Lionello-DeNolf, Karen M.; Farber, Rachel; Jones, B. Max; Dube, William V.

2014-01-01

Matching-to-sample (MTS) is often used to teach symbolic relationships between spoken or printed words and their referents to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, many children have difficulty learning symbolic matching, even though they may demonstrate generalized identity matching. The current study investigated whether training on symbolic MTS tasks in which the stimuli are physically dissimilar but members of familiar categories (i.e., thematic matching) can remediate an individual’s difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks involving non-representative stimuli. Three adolescent males diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were first trained on symbolic MTS tasks with unfamiliar, non-representative form stimuli. Thematic matching was introduced after the participants failed to learn 0, 2 or 4 symbolic MTS tasks and before additional symbolic MTS tasks were introduced. After exposure to thematic matching, accuracy on symbolic MTS tasks with novel stimuli increased to above chance for all participants. For two participants, high accuracy (> 90%) was achieved on a majority of these sessions. Thus, thematic matching may be an effective intervention for students with limited verbal repertoires and who have difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks. Possible explanations for the facilitative effect of thematic matching are considered and warrant further investigation. PMID:24634695

Sleep-dependent memory consolidation in healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Pace-Schott, Edward F; Spencer, Rebecca M C

2015-01-01

Sleep quality and architecture as well as sleep's homeostatic and circadian controls change with healthy aging. Changes include reductions in slow-wave sleep's (SWS) percent and spectral power in the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG), number and amplitude of sleep spindles, rapid eye movement (REM) density and the amplitude of circadian rhythms, as well as a phase advance (moved earlier in time) of the brain's circadian clock. With mild cognitive impairment (MCI) there are further reductions of sleep quality, SWS, spindles, and percent REM, all of which further diminish, along with a profound disruption of circadian rhythmicity, with the conversion to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sleep disorders may represent risk factors for dementias (e.g., REM Behavior Disorder presages Parkinson's disease) and sleep disorders are themselves extremely prevalent in neurodegenerative diseases. Working memory , formation of new episodic memories, and processing speed all decline with healthy aging whereas semantic, recognition, and emotional declarative memory are spared. In MCI, episodic and working memory further decline along with declines in semantic memory. In young adults, sleep-dependent memory consolidation (SDC) is widely observed for both declarative and procedural memory tasks. However, with healthy aging, although SDC for declarative memory is preserved, certain procedural tasks, such as motor-sequence learning, do not show SDC. In younger adults, fragmentation of sleep can reduce SDC, and a normative increase in sleep fragmentation may account for reduced SDC with healthy aging. Whereas sleep disorders such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and narcolepsy can impair SDC in the absence of neurodegenerative changes, the incidence of sleep disorders increases both with normal aging and, further, with neurodegenerative disease. Specific features of sleep architecture, such as sleep spindles and SWS are strongly linked to SDC. Diminution of these features with healthy aging

Musculoskeletal system in the old age and the demand for healthy ageing biomarkers.

PubMed

Collino, Sebastiano; Martin, François-Pierre; Karagounis, Leonidas G; Horcajada, Marie Noelle; Moco, Sofia; Franceschi, Claudio; Kussmann, Martin; Offord, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Population ageing has emerged as a major demographic trend worldwide due to improved health and longevity. This global ageing phenomenon will have a major impact on health-care systems worldwide due to increased morbidity and greater needs for hospitalization/institutionalization. As the ageing population increases worldwide, there is an increasing awareness not only of increased longevity but also of the importance of "healthy ageing" and "quality of life". Yet, the age related chronic inflammation is believed to be pathogenic with regards to its contribution to frailty and degenerative disorders. In particular, the frailty syndrome is increasingly being considered as a key risk indicator of adverse health outcomes. In addition, elderly may be also prone to be resistant to anabolic stimuli which is likely a key factor in the loss of skeletal muscle mass with ageing. Vital to understand these key biological processes is the development of biological markers, through system biology approaches, aiding at strategies for tailored therapeutic and personalized nutritional program. Overall aim is to prevent or attenuate decline of key physiological functions required to live an active, independent life. This review focus on core indicators of health and functions in older adults, where nutrition and tailored personalized programs could exhibit preventive roles, and where the aid of metabolomics technologies are increasingly displaying potential in revealing key molecular mechanisms/targets linked to specific ageing and/or healthy ageing processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age- and sex-related differences in body composition in healthy subjects aged 18 to 82 years.

PubMed

He, Xue; Li, Zishuai; Tang, Xunhui; Zhang, Lijun; Wang, Li; He, Yongjun; Jin, Tianbo; Yuan, Dongya

2018-06-01

Significant changes in body composition are known to occur with aging. The aim of the present study was to provide a normative reference of body composition and to investigate age and sex-related differences in healthy subjects by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA).A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 3451 healthy Chinese adults, 1611 males and 1840 females. The volunteers were enrolled in 5 different age bands (18-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 60+). All subjects were measured for weight and height and submitted to BIA, to determine body composition. Body composition measures accounted for differences between men and women.A decrease in fat-free mass and increase in percent body fat was observed with aging, although the phenomenon was proved to be attenuated in women. The central and visceral redistribution of fat mass was also shown along lifetime.This study is a report on body composition of healthy subjects, to be used as an important data for future investigations and differences between nationalities and countries.

Relationship between control beliefs, strategy use, and memory performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and healthy aging.

PubMed

Hutchens, Rachel L; Kinsella, Glynda J; Ong, Ben; Pike, Kerryn E; Clare, Linda; Ames, David; Saling, Michael M; Storey, Elsdon; Mullaly, Elizabeth; Rand, Elizabeth; Parsons, Samuel

2013-11-01

Little information is available regarding the extent of strategy use and factors that affect strategy use in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). This study aimed to compare spontaneous strategy use and beliefs about the controllability of memory between aMCI and healthy older adult (HOA) samples and to explore the relationships between beliefs, strategy use, and memory performance for both groups. The aMCI and HOA groups each composed of 60 individuals matched for age and education. The Memory Controllability Inventory was used to assess control beliefs, and the extent of semantic clustering on a list-learning task provided a measure of spontaneous strategy use. The aMCI group endorsed lower control beliefs and demonstrated poorer semantic clustering and memory performance compared with the HOA group. Although strategy use partially mediated the control beliefs-memory performance relationship for the HOA group, this was not replicated for the aMCI group. Despite the weak relationship between control beliefs and strategy use, and control beliefs and memory performance for the aMCI group, the strong relationship between strategy use and memory performance provides impetus for further research into factors that can be used as a means of enhancing strategy use in interventions for aMCI.

Triglyceride to HDL-C ratio and increased arterial stiffness in apparently healthy individuals.

PubMed

Wen, Jiang-Hua; Zhong, Yu-Yu; Wen, Zhi-Gang; Kuang, Chao-Qun; Liao, Jie-Rong; Chen, Li-Hua; Wang, Pei-Shen; Wu, Yue-Xia; Ouyang, Chu-Jun; Chen, Zhi-Jin

2015-01-01

High triglycerides and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol are important cardiovascular risk factors. Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been reported to be useful in predicting cardiovascular disease. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a valid and reproducible measurement by which to assess arterial stiffness and a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. However, there is limited evidence about the relationship between them. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that TG/HDL-C is associated with baPWV in healthy individuals. Fasting lipid profiles, baPWV and clinical data were measured in 1498 apparently healthy, medication-free subjects (926 men, 572 women) who participated in a routine health screening from 2011 to 2013. Participants were stratified into quartiles of TG/HDL-C ratio. BaPWV > 1400 cm/s was defined as abnormal baPWV, Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associations of TG/HDL-C quartiles and baPWV, after adjusting for the presence of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. In both genders, we observed positive relationships between TG/HDL-C quartiles and BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, uric acid, and percentages of high baPWV. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that baPWV abnormality OR value of the highest TG/HDL-C quartiles was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.11-3.30, P < 0.05) and 2.91 (95% CI: 1.02-8.30, P < 0.05) in male and female after adjusting for age, systolic BP, diastolic BP, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, LDL-C, uric acid and estimated glomerular filtration rate when compared with the lowest TG/HDL-C quartiles. Increased TG/HDL-C was independently associated with baPWV abnormality in apparently healthy individuals.

Triglyceride to HDL-C ratio and increased arterial stiffness in apparently healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Wen, Jiang-Hua; Zhong, Yu-Yu; Wen, Zhi-Gang; Kuang, Chao-Qun; Liao, Jie-Rong; Chen, Li-Hua; Wang, Pei-Shen; Wu, Yue-Xia; Ouyang, Chu-Jun; Chen, Zhi-Jin

2015-01-01

Objectives: High triglycerides and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol are important cardiovascular risk factors. Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been reported to be useful in predicting cardiovascular disease. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a valid and reproducible measurement by which to assess arterial stiffness and a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. However, there is limited evidence about the relationship between them. Therefore, we tested the hypotheses that TG/HDL-C is associated with baPWV in healthy individuals. Methods: Fasting lipid profiles, baPWV and clinical data were measured in 1498 apparently healthy, medication-free subjects (926 men, 572 women) who participated in a routine health screening from 2011 to 2013. Participants were stratified into quartiles of TG/HDL-C ratio. BaPWV > 1400 cm/s was defined as abnormal baPWV, Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associations of TG/HDL-C quartiles and baPWV, after adjusting for the presence of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Results: In both genders, we observed positive relationships between TG/HDL-C quartiles and BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, triglycerides, uric acid, and percentages of high baPWV. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that baPWV abnormality OR value of the highest TG/HDL-C quartiles was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.11-3.30, P < 0.05) and 2.91 (95% CI: 1.02-8.30, P < 0.05) in male and female after adjusting for age, systolic BP, diastolic BP, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, LDL-C, uric acid and estimated glomerular filtration rate when compared with the lowest TG/HDL-C quartiles. Conclusion: Increased TG/HDL-C was independently associated with baPWV abnormality in apparently healthy individuals. PMID:26064351

Healthy Eating Habits among the Population of Serbia: Gender and Age Differences

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to examine healthy eating habits of the population of Serbia through three dimensions: knowledge, problems, and feelings as well as to determine whether there are any differences between genders and among different age-groups. The research instrument was an Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) which consisted of 35 items. There were 382 respondents involved in the study. The reliability and factor structure of the questionnaire were verified by using factor analysis. The results of MANOVA showed that there is a significant difference in the habits concerning healthy eating between men and women [F (3,378)=4.26, p=0.006; Wilks’ Lambda=0.97]. When the results for the dependent variables (knowledge, problems, and feelings) were considered separately, it was determined that there is no significant difference between men and women, which confirms the results of the t-test. The effect of age on the three dimensions of healthy eating habits was examined within three age-groups, by using ANOVA. The results showed that knowledge about healthy eating increases with age [F (2,379)=6.14, p=0.002] as well as positive feelings which occur as a result of healthy eating [F (2,379)=3.66, p=0.027]. Unlike ANOVA, MANOVA showed difference among the age-groups only when it came to the ‘knowledge’ variable. This study is important as it shows the current state of awareness on healthy eating habits in the researched populace and may be the basis for further research in this field in Serbia. PMID:25995724

Healthy eating habits among the population of Serbia: gender and age differences.

PubMed

Jovičić, Ana Đ

2015-03-01

The purpose of the study is to examine healthy eating habits of the population of Serbia through three dimensions: knowledge, problems, and feelings as well as to determine whether there are any differences between genders and among different age-groups. The research instrument was an Eating Habits Questionnaire (EHQ) which consisted of 35 items. There were 382 respondents involved in the study. The reliability and factor structure of the questionnaire were verified by using factor analysis. The results of MANOVA showed that there is a significant difference in the habits concerning healthy eating between men and women [F (3,378)=4.26, p=0.006; Wilks' Lambda=0.97]. When the results for the dependent variables (knowledge, problems, and feelings) were considered separately, it was determined that there is no significant difference between men and women, which confirms the results of the t-test. The effect of age on the three dimensions of healthy eating habits was examined within three age-groups, by using ANOVA. The results showed that knowledge about healthy eating increases with age [F (2,379)=6.14, p=0.002] as well as positive feelings which occur as a result of healthy eating [F (2,379)=3.66, p=0.027]. Unlike ANOVA, MANOVA showed difference among the age-groups only when it came to the 'knowledge' variable. This study is important as it shows the current state of awareness on healthy eating habits in the researched populace and may be the basis for further research in this field in Serbia.

Prediction Error Representation in Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder During Passive Avoidance

PubMed Central

White, Stuart F.; Geraci, Marilla; Lewis, Elizabeth; Leshin, Joseph; Teng, Cindy; Averbeck, Bruno; Meffert, Harma; Ernst, Monique; Blair, James R.; Grillon, Christian; Blair, Karina S.

2017-01-01

Objective Deficits in reinforcement-based decision-making have been reported in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. However, the pathophysiology of these deficits is largely unknown, extant studies have mainly examined youth and the integrity of core functional processes underpinning decision-making remain undetermined. In particular, it is unclear whether the representation of reinforcement prediction error (PE: the difference between received and expected reinforcement) is disrupted in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The current study addresses these issues in adults with the disorder. Methods Forty-six un-medicated individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and 32 healthy controls group-matched on IQ, gender and age, completed a passive avoidance task while undergoing functional MRI. Results Behaviorally, individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder showed impaired reinforcement-based decision-making. Imaging results revealed that during feedback, individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder relative to healthy controls showed a reduced correlation between PE and activity within ventromedial prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum and other structures implicated in decision-making. In addition, individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder relative to healthy participants showed a reduced correlation between punishment, but not reward, PEs and activity within bilateral lentiform nucleus/putamen. Conclusions This is the first study to identify computational impairments during decision-making in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. PE signaling is significantly disrupted in individuals with the disorder and may underpin the decision-making deficits observed in patients with GAD. PMID:27631963

Differential associations between types of verbal memory and prefrontal brain structure in healthy aging and late life depression.

PubMed

Lamar, Melissa; Charlton, Rebecca; Zhang, Aifeng; Kumar, Anand

2012-07-01

Verbal memory deficits attributed to late life depression (LLD) may result from executive dysfunction that is more detrimental to list-learning than story-based recall when compared to healthy aging. Despite these behavioral dissociations, little work has been done investigating related neuroanatomical dissociations across types of verbal memory performance in LLD. We compared list-learning to story-based memory performance in 24 non-demented individuals with LLD (age ~ 66.1 ± 7.8) and 41 non-demented/non-depressed healthy controls (HC; age ~ 67.6 ± 5.3). We correlated significant results of between-group analyses across memory performance variables with brain volumes of frontal, temporal and parietal regions known to be involved with verbal learning and memory. When compared to the HC group, the LLD group showed significantly lower verbal memory performance for spontaneous recall after repeated exposure and after a long-delay but only for the list-learning task; groups did not differ on story-based memory performance. Despite equivalent brain volumes across regions, only the LLD group showed brain associations with verbal memory performance and only for the list-learning task. Specifically, frontal volumes important for subjective organization and response monitoring correlated with list-learning performance in the LLD group. This study is the first to demonstrate neuroanatomical dissociations across types of verbal memory performance in individuals with LLD. Results provide structural evidence for the behavioral dissociations between list-learning and story-based recall in LLD when compared to healthy aging. More specifically, it points toward a network of predominantly anterior brain regions that may underlie the executive contribution to list-learning in older adults with depression. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibit difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level.

PubMed

Katagiri, Masatoshi; Kasai, Tetsuko; Kamio, Yoko; Murohashi, Harumitsu

2013-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibit difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level. Eleven participants with Asperger's disorder and 11 age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed a level-repetition switching task using Navon-type hierarchical stimuli. In both groups, level-repetition was beneficial at both levels. Furthermore, individuals with Asperger's disorder exhibited difficulty in switching attention from a local level to a global level compared to control individuals. These findings suggested that there is a problem with the inhibitory mechanism that influences the output of enhanced local visual processing in Asperger's disorder.

Reproducibility of dynamically represented acoustic lung images from healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Maher, T M; Gat, M; Allen, D; Devaraj, A; Wells, A U; Geddes, D M

2008-01-01

Background and aim: Acoustic lung imaging offers a unique method for visualising the lung. This study was designed to demonstrate reproducibility of acoustic lung images recorded from healthy individuals at different time points and to assess intra- and inter-rater agreement in the assessment of dynamically represented acoustic lung images. Methods: Recordings from 29 healthy volunteers were made on three separate occasions using vibration response imaging. Reproducibility was measured using quantitative, computerised assessment of vibration energy. Dynamically represented acoustic lung images were scored by six blinded raters. Results: Quantitative measurement of acoustic recordings was highly reproducible with an intraclass correlation score of 0.86 (very good agreement). Intraclass correlations for inter-rater agreement and reproducibility were 0.61 (good agreement) and 0.86 (very good agreement), respectively. There was no significant difference found between the six raters at any time point. Raters ranged from 88% to 95% in their ability to identically evaluate the different features of the same image presented to them blinded on two separate occasions. Conclusion: Acoustic lung imaging is reproducible in healthy individuals. Graphic representation of lung images can be interpreted with a high degree of accuracy by the same and by different reviewers. PMID:18024534

Pathological Correlates of Cognitive Impairment in The University of Manchester Longitudinal Study of Cognition in Normal Healthy Old Age.

PubMed

Robinson, Andrew C; Davidson, Yvonne S; Horan, Michael A; Pendleton, Neil; Mann, David M A

2018-01-01

The neuropathological changes responsible for cognitive impairment and dementia remain incompletely understood. Longitudinal studies with a brain donation end point allow the opportunity to examine relationships between cognitive status and neuropathology. We report on the first 97 participants coming to autopsy with sufficient clinical information from The University of Manchester Longitudinal Study of Cognition in Normal Healthy Old Age. This study began in 1983 and recruited 6,542 healthy individuals between 1983 and 1994, 312 of whom consented to brain donation. Alzheimer-type pathology was common throughout the cohort and generally correlated well with cognitive status. However, there was some overlap between cognitive status and measures of Alzheimer pathology with 26% of cognitively intact participants reaching either CERAD B or C, 11% reaching Thal phase 4 or 5, and 29% reaching Braak stage III- VI. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA), α-synuclein, and TDP-43 pathology was less common, but when present correlated well with cognitive status. Possession of APOEɛ4 allele(s) was associated with more severe Alzheimer-type and CAA pathology and earlier death, whereas possession of APOEɛ2 allele(s) had no effect on pathology but was more common in cognitively intact individuals. The University of Manchester Longitudinal Study of Cognition in Normal Healthy Old Age cohort is pathologically representative when compared with similar studies. Cognitive impairment in life correlates strongly with all pathologies examined and the APOE status of an individual can affect pathology severity and longevity.

LINE-1 methylation is positively associated with healthier lifestyle but inversely related to body fat mass in healthy young individuals

PubMed Central

Marques-Rocha, José Luiz; Milagro, Fermin I.; Mansego, Maria Luisa; Mourão, Denise Machado; Martínez, J. Alfredo; Bressan, Josefina

2016-01-01

Abstract With the goal of investigating if epigenetic biomarkers from white blood cells (WBC) are associated with dietary, anthropometric, metabolic, inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters in young and apparently healthy individuals. We evaluated 156 individuals (91 women, 65 men; age: 23.1±3.5 years; body mass index: 22.0±2.9 kg/m2) for anthropometric, biochemical and clinical markers, including some components of the antioxidant defense system and inflammatory response. DNA methylation of LINE-1, TNF-α and IL-6 and the expression of some genes related to the inflammatory process were analyzed in WBC. Adiposity was lower among individuals with higher LINE-1 methylation. On the contrary, body fat-free mass was higher among those with higher LINE-1 methylation. Individuals with higher LINE-1 methylation had higher daily intakes of calories, iron and riboflavin. However, those individuals who presented lower percentages of LINE-1 methylation reported higher intakes of copper, niacin and thiamin. Interestingly, the group with higher LINE-1 methylation had a lower percentage of current smokers and more individuals practicing sports. On the other hand, TNF-α methylation percentage was negatively associated with waist girth, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-stature ratio. Plasma TNF-α levels were lower in those individuals with higher TNF-α methylation. This study suggests that higher levels of LINE-1 and TNF-α methylation are associated with better indicators of adiposity status in healthy young individuals. In addition, energy and micronutrient intake, as well as a healthy lifestyle, may have a role in the regulation of DNA methylation in WBC and the subsequent metabolic changes may affect epigenetic biomarkers. PMID:26786189

Long-Term Effects of Acute Stress on the Prefrontal-Limbic System in the Healthy Adult

PubMed Central

Wei, Dongtao; Du, Xue; Zhang, Qinglin; Liu, Guangyuan; Qiu, Jiang

2017-01-01

Most people are exposed to at least one traumatic event during the course of their lives, but large numbers of people do not develop posttraumatic stress disorders. Although previous studies have shown that repeated and chronic stress change the brain’s structure and function, few studies have focused on the long-term effects of acute stressful exposure in a nonclinical sample, especially the morphology and functional connectivity changes in brain regions implicated in emotional reactivity and emotion regulation. Forty-one months after the 5/12 Wenchuan earthquake, we investigated the effects of trauma exposure on the structure and functional connectivity of the brains of trauma-exposed healthy individuals compared with healthy controls matched for age, sex, and education. We then used machine-learning algorithms with the brain structural features to distinguish between the two groups at an individual level. In the trauma-exposed healthy individuals, our results showed greater gray matter density in prefrontal-limbic brain systems, including the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus, than in the controls. Further analysis showed stronger amygdala-hippocampus functional connectivity in the trauma-exposed healthy compared to the controls. Our findings revealed that survival of traumatic experiences, without developing PTSD, was associated with greater gray matter density in the prefrontal-limbic systems related to emotional regulation. PMID:28045980

Cognitive emotion regulation strategies in patients with functional dyspepsia and healthy controls - A comparative study

PubMed Central

Mazaheri, Mina; Afshar, Hamid; Nikneshan, Shekoufeh; Adibi, Peyman

2016-01-01

Background: Patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) may use specific coping strategies. Hence, the aim of the present study was to compare cognitive emotion regulation strategies in FD patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive observational study. The sample consisted of 86 individuals, 43 of whom were patients diagnosed with FD. The patients referred to the psychosomatic disorders clinic, Isfahan, Iran. The comparative sample included 43 healthy controls (without digestive diagnoses) matched with the patients by age and gender. Subjects completed data on demographic factors and cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire. Results: The results indicated that there are significant differences between patients with FD and healthy controls according to using cognitive strategies. Scores of healthy controls in positive reappraisal and acceptance were significantly more than FD patients, and inversely, scores of FD patients in rumination and other-blame were meaningfully more than healthy controls. Conclusion: FD patients apply less adaptive strategies and more maladaptive strategies. It is seemed psychological interventions that focus on reducing maladaptive strategies and increasing adaptive strategies could be effective for FD patients. PMID:28217634

The computer-based Symbol Digit Modalities Test: establishing age-expected performance in healthy controls and evaluation of pediatric MS patients.

PubMed

Bigi, Sandra; Marrie, R A; Till, C; Yeh, E A; Akbar, N; Feinstein, A; Banwell, B L

2017-04-01

Decreased information processing speed (IPS) is frequently reported in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The computerized version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (c-SDMT) measures IPS over eight consecutive trials per session and additionally captures changes in performance within the session. Here, we establish normative c-SDMT performance and test-retest reliability in healthy children (HC) and explore differences in the overall c-SDMT-performance between HC and MS patients. This cross-sectional study included 478 HC (237 female, 49.5%) divided into five age groups (2 years each), and 27 MS patients (22 female, 81.5%) aged 8-18 years. The average time to complete the c-SDMT increased with age (|r| 0.70, 95% CI -0.74, -0.64). Test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.91) in HC. The total time to complete the c-SDMT did not differ between children with MS and sex- and age- matched HC (p = 0.23). However, MS patients were less likely to show faster performance across all the successive eight trials compared to HC (p = 0.0001). Healthy children demonstrate faster IPS with increasing age, as well as during successive trials of the c-SDMT. The inability of pediatric MS patients to maintain the increase in processing speed over successive trials suggests a reduced capacity for procedural learning, possibly resulting from cognitive fatigue.

Interaction of older donor age and survival after weight-matched pediatric heart transplantation.

PubMed

Westbrook, Thomas C; Morales, David L S; Khan, Muhammad S; Bryant, Roosevelt; Castleberry, Chesney; Chin, Clifford; Zafar, Farhan

2017-05-01

Donors are matched for weight in pediatric heart transplantation (PHT), yet age differences are not considered in this decision. In this study we attempt to identify the effect of age differences in weight-matched patients and the effect these differences have on post-transplant survival. The United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for the period from October 1987 to March 2014 for all pediatric heart transplant patients. Transplants with donor-to-recipient (D-R) weight ratios of 0.8 to 1.5 were identified (weight-matched). D-R age differences were categorized as: donors 5 years younger than recipients (DR+5). A total of 4,408 patients were identified as weight-matched transplants. Of these transplants, 681 were D>R+5, 3,596 were D=R±5 and 131 were DR+5 transplants were found to be associated with decreased post-transplant survival compared with D=R±5 (p = 0.002). Rates of acute rejection were similar among all groups but post-transplant coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) was more prevalent in D>R+5 than D=R±5 patients (28% and 18%, respectively; p < 0.001). Increasing age difference by each year was associated with decreasing median post-transplant survival time (p < 0.001; hazard ratio 1.018, range 1.011 to 1.025). The overall negative association with mortality was due to the adolescent cohort (11 to 17 years), specifically D>R+5 transplants, utilizing organs from donors >25 of age. In PHT, increasing D-R age difference decreases survival; however, this effect is driven by recipients 11 to 17 years old and donors >25 years old. Allocation of younger donor organs to adolescent recipients should be a priority. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study designs to enhance identification of genetic factors in healthy aging.

PubMed

Manolio, Teri A

2007-12-01

The sequencing of the human genome and the growing understanding of its function are providing powerful new research tools for identifying genetic variants that are associated with complex diseases and traits. Somewhat less emphasis has been given to genes related to healthy aging, although the approaches for studying health-related traits are analogous to those used for disease-related studies. A critical step prior to the design of such studies is to define a healthy aging phenotype, which should be standardized to permit comparisons across studies and should involve more than simple longevity. Phenotypes of particular value for genetic research are those with high heritability and close relationships to gene products or pathways, preferably with minimal or at least measurable environmental influences. Appropriate study designs to identify genotype-phenotype associations include family-based linkage studies, candidate gene association analyses, and genome-wide association studies. Advances in genotyping and sequencing technologies, and the generation of the human haplotype map database, now permit the cost-effective investigation of the very large sample sizes needed for genome-wide association studies in unrelated individuals. Challenges in interpretation and translation of such studies include assessing the potential for bias and confounding, as well as determining the clinical validity and utility of findings proposed for wider application. Many such studies are currently supported or being planned across the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and lend themselves to the kind of coordinated clinical research envisioned in programs such as the NIH Roadmap.

Mobile Health Applications to Promote Active and Healthy Ageing.

PubMed

Helbostad, Jorunn L; Vereijken, Beatrix; Becker, Clemens; Todd, Chris; Taraldsen, Kristin; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Aminian, Kamiar; Mellone, Sabato

2017-03-18

The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology can be used to encourage an active lifestyle, and discusses the way forward in order further to advance development and practice in the field of mobile technology for active, healthy ageing.

Cannabis-related episodic memory deficits and hippocampal morphological differences in healthy individuals and schizophrenia subjects.

PubMed

Smith, Matthew J; Cobia, Derin J; Reilly, James L; Gilman, Jodi M; Roberts, Andrea G; Alpert, Kathryn I; Wang, Lei; Breiter, Hans C; Csernansky, John G

2015-09-01

Cannabis use has been associated with episodic memory (EM) impairments and abnormal hippocampus morphology among both healthy individuals and schizophrenia subjects. Considering the hippocampus' role in EM, research is needed to evaluate the relationship between cannabis-related hippocampal morphology and EM among healthy and clinical groups. We examined differences in hippocampus morphology between control and schizophrenia subjects with and without a past (not current) cannabis use disorder (CUD). Subjects group-matched on demographics included 44 healthy controls (CON), 10 subjects with a CUD history (CON-CUD), 28 schizophrenia subjects with no history of substance use disorders (SCZ), and 15 schizophrenia subjects with a CUD history (SCZ-CUD). Large-deformation, high-dimensional brain mapping with MRI produced surface-based representations of the hippocampus that were compared across all four groups and correlated with EM and CUD history. Surface maps of the hippocampus were generated to visualize morphological differences. CON-CUD and SCZ-CUD were characterized by distinct cannabis-related hippocampal shape differences and parametric deficits in EM performance. Shape differences observed in CON-CUD were associated with poorer EM performance, while shape differences observed in SCZ-CUD were associated with a longer duration of CUD and shorter duration of CUD remission. A past history of CUD may be associated with notable differences in hippocampal morphology and EM impairments among adults with and without schizophrenia. Although the results may be compatible with a causal hypothesis, we must consider that the observed cannabis-related shape differences in the hippocampus could also be explained as biomarkers of a neurobiological susceptibility to poor memory or the effects of cannabis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cannabis-related episodic memory deficits and hippocampal morphological differences in healthy individuals and schizophrenia subjects

PubMed Central

Smith, Matthew J.; Cobia, Derin J.; Reilly, James L.; Gilman, Jodi; Roberts, Andrea G.; Alpert, Kathryn I.; Wang, Lei; Breiter, Hans C.; Csernansky, John G.

2015-01-01

Cannabis use has been associated with episodic memory (EM) impairments and abnormal hippocampus morphology among both healthy individuals and schizophrenia subjects. Considering the hippocampus' role in EM, research is needed to evaluate the relationship between cannabis-related hippocampal morphology and EM among healthy and clinical groups. We examined differences in hippocampus morphology between control and schizophrenia subjects with and without a past (not current) cannabis use disorder (CUD). Subjects group-matched on demographics included 44 healthy controls (CON), 10 subjects with a CUD history (CON-CUD), 28 schizophrenia subjects with no history of substance use disorders (SCZ), and 15 schizophrenia subjects with a CUD history (SCZ-CUD). Large- deformation, high-dimensional brain mapping with MRI produced surface-based representations of the hippocampus that were compared across all four groups and correlated with EM and CUD history. Surface maps of the hippocampus were generated to visualize morphological differences. CON-CUD and SCZ- CUD were characterized by distinct cannabis-related hippocampal shape differences and parametric deficits in EM. Shape differences observed in CON-CUD were associated with poorer EM, while shape differences observed in SCZ-CUD were associated with a longer duration of CUD and shorter duration of CUD abstinence. A past history of CUD may be associated with notable differences in hippocampal morphology and EM impairments among adults with and without schizophrenia. Although the results may be compatible with a causal hypothesis, we must consider that the observed cannabis-related shape differences in the hippocampus could also be explained as biomarkers of a neurobiological susceptibility to poor memory or the effects of cannabis. PMID:25760303

Influence of the Self-Perception of Old Age on the Effect of a Healthy Aging Program

PubMed Central

Mendoza-Núñez, Víctor Manuel; Sarmiento-Salmorán, Elia; Marín-Cortés, Regulo; Martínez-Maldonado, María de la Luz; Ruiz-Ramos, Mirna

2018-01-01

It has been shown that health programs are useful for the prevention and control of chronic diseases in community-dwelling older people; however, a negative self-perception of old age could have an effect on the results. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the effect of a healthy aging program linked to self-perception of old age in Mexican community-dwelling older people. A pre-test/post-test single-group design study was conducted in a convenience sample of 64 older people who undertook the entire healthy aging program workshop (five months’ duration). We measured self-perception of old age, efficacy of self-care, blood glucose concentration, anthropometric measures, and blood pressure before and after the workshop. A statistically significant decrease in blood glucose concentration was observed (baseline 136 ± 50 vs. post-intervention, 124 ± 45 ± 29 mg/dL, p < 0.01), LDL (baseline 153 ± 47 vs. post-intervention, 130 ± 36 mg/dL, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (130 ± 20 vs. 119 ± 11 mm/Hg, p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (75 ± 9 vs. 72 ± 7 mm/Hg, p < 0.05) after community intervention. However, when we analyzed the data regarding self-perception, we found that this difference was only maintained in the subgroup of older adults with a positive self-perception of old age. Our findings suggest that the self-perception of old age influences the effect of healthy aging programs on the health of community-dwelling older people. PMID:29735915

Influence of the Self-Perception of Old Age on the Effect of a Healthy Aging Program.

PubMed

Mendoza-Núñez, Víctor Manuel; Sarmiento-Salmorán, Elia; Marín-Cortés, Regulo; Martínez-Maldonado, María de la Luz; Ruiz-Ramos, Mirna

2018-05-07

It has been shown that health programs are useful for the prevention and control of chronic diseases in community-dwelling older people; however, a negative self-perception of old age could have an effect on the results. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the effect of a healthy aging program linked to self-perception of old age in Mexican community-dwelling older people. A pre-test/post-test single-group design study was conducted in a convenience sample of 64 older people who undertook the entire healthy aging program workshop (five months’ duration). We measured self-perception of old age, efficacy of self-care, blood glucose concentration, anthropometric measures, and blood pressure before and after the workshop. A statistically significant decrease in blood glucose concentration was observed (baseline 136 ± 50 vs. post-intervention, 124 ± 45 ± 29 mg/dL, p < 0.01), LDL (baseline 153 ± 47 vs. post-intervention, 130 ± 36 mg/dL, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (130 ± 20 vs. 119 ± 11 mm/Hg, p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (75 ± 9 vs. 72 ± 7 mm/Hg, p < 0.05) after community intervention. However, when we analyzed the data regarding self-perception, we found that this difference was only maintained in the subgroup of older adults with a positive self-perception of old age. Our findings suggest that the self-perception of old age influences the effect of healthy aging programs on the health of community-dwelling older people.

Muscle artifacts in single trial EEG data distinguish patients with Parkinson's disease from healthy individuals.

PubMed

Weyhenmeyer, Jonathan; Hernandez, Manuel E; Lainscsek, Claudia; Sejnowski, Terrence J; Poizner, Howard

2014-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is known to lead to marked alterations in cortical-basal ganglia activity that may be amenable to serve as a biomarker for PD diagnosis. Using non-linear delay differential equations (DDE) for classification of PD patients on and off dopaminergic therapy (PD-on, PD-off, respectively) from healthy age-matched controls (CO), we show that 1 second of quasi-resting state clean and raw electroencephalogram (EEG) data can be used to classify CO from PD-on/off based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC). Raw EEG is shown to classify more robustly (AROC=0.59-0.86) than clean EEG data (AROC=0.57-0.72). Decomposition of the raw data into stereotypical and non-stereotypical artifacts provides evidence that increased classification of raw EEG time series originates from muscle artifacts. Thus, non-linear feature extraction and classification of raw EEG data in a low dimensional feature space is a potential biomarker for Parkinson's disease.

Healthy Ageing in People with Intellectual Disabilities from Managers' Perspective: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Johansson, Maria; Björne, Petra; Runesson, Ingrid; Ahlström, Gerd

2017-08-18

An increasing number of people with intellectual disability (ID) are reaching older ages today although they experience more health problems than the older population without ID. Leaders in intellectual disability services can greatly influence the conditions for a healthy ageing, and the aim of the present study was to explore healthy ageing in this group from the perspective of the leaders. Interviews with 20 leaders were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The findings gave rise to the overall theme ageing in dependence, which emerged from the following six categories: Supporting self-determination; Inaccessible activities after retirement; Signs of decline; Increased and specific needs for support and care; A non-question of gender; Aspects concerning the end of life and death. A prerequisite for healthy ageing in the case of people with ID is, according to the leaders, that they can live the life according to their preferences and make independent choices whilst at the same time receiving adequate support. With the shrinking of their social network after retirement, they become increasingly dependent on staff and leaders in the group home, who need to know what healthy ageing implies.

Healthy Ageing in People with Intellectual Disabilities from Managers’ Perspective: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Björne, Petra; Runesson, Ingrid

2017-01-01

An increasing number of people with intellectual disability (ID) are reaching older ages today although they experience more health problems than the older population without ID. Leaders in intellectual disability services can greatly influence the conditions for a healthy ageing, and the aim of the present study was to explore healthy ageing in this group from the perspective of the leaders. Interviews with 20 leaders were subjected to qualitative content analysis. The findings gave rise to the overall theme ageing in dependence, which emerged from the following six categories: Supporting self-determination; Inaccessible activities after retirement; Signs of decline; Increased and specific needs for support and care; A non-question of gender; Aspects concerning the end of life and death. A prerequisite for healthy ageing in the case of people with ID is, according to the leaders, that they can live the life according to their preferences and make independent choices whilst at the same time receiving adequate support. With the shrinking of their social network after retirement, they become increasingly dependent on staff and leaders in the group home, who need to know what healthy ageing implies. PMID:28820435

Conceptions of Healthy Aging Held by Relatives of Older Persons in Isan-Thai Culture: A Phenomenographic Study.

PubMed

Manasatchakun, Pornpun; Roxberg, Åsa; Asp, Margareta

2018-01-01

In Thailand, family nurses are expected to provide support for older persons and their family members to promote healthy aging. Family bonds are strong, and relatives are expected to take care of their older family members. However, there is limited research on how older persons' family members perceive healthy aging. This study aimed to describe the conceptions of healthy aging held by the children and grandchildren of older persons in northeast Thailand. In a phenomenographic study, 14 interviews were performed to qualitatively analyze different conceptions of healthy aging. Four descriptive categories emerged: being independent, not being afflicted by diseases or illnesses, being a giver and a receiver, and being wise. The conceptions of healthy aging entail both autonomy and interdependence. The relative's perspective needs to be considered when policies relating to healthy aging are implemented in the community and when family nurses provide support to families to promote healthy aging.

Metabolically healthy obese individuals present similar chronic inflammation level but less insulin-resistance than obese individuals with metabolic syndrome

PubMed Central

Penas Steinhardt, Alberto; López, Ariel Pablo; González, Claudio Daniel; Vilariño, Jorge; Frechtel, Gustavo Daniel; Cerrone, Gloria Edith

2017-01-01

The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors, usually accompanied by the presence of insulin resistance (IR) and a systemic subclinical inflammation state. Metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals seem to be protected against cardiometabolic complications. The aim of this work was to characterize phenotypically the low-grade inflammation and the IR in MHO individuals in comparison to obese individuals with MetS and control non obese. We studied two different populations: 940 individuals from the general population of Buenos Aires and 518 individuals from the general population of Venado Tuerto; grouped in three groups: metabolically healthy non-obese individuals (MHNO), MHO and obese individuals with MetS (MSO). Inflammation was measured by the levels of hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C reactive protein), and we found that MHO presented an increase in inflammation when compared with MHNO (Buenos Aires: p<0.001; Venado Tuerto: p<0.001), but they did not differ from MSO. To evaluate IR we analyzed the HOMA (Homoeostatic Model Assessment) values, and we found differences between MHO and MSO (Buenos Aires: p<0.001; Venado Tuerto: p<0.001), but not between MHNO and MHO. In conclusion, MHO group would be defined as a subgroup of obese individuals with an intermediate phenotype between MHNO and MSO individuals considering HOMA, hs-CRP and central obesity. PMID:29284058

Gut flora profiling and fecal metabolite composition of colorectal cancer patients and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoxue; Wang, Jianping; Rao, Benqiang; Deng, Li

2017-06-01

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and its morbidity and mortality rates are increasing due to alterations to human lifestyle and dietary habits. The relationship between human gut flora and colorectal cancer has attracted increasing attention. In the present study, a metabolic fingerprinting technique that combined pyrosequencing with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was utilized to compare the differences in gut flora profiling and fecal metabolites between healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer. The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences in the abundance and diversity of gut flora between healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer (P>0.05) and the dominant bacterial phyla present in the gut of both groups included Firmicutes , Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia . At the bacterial strain/genus level, significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of 18 species of bacteria (P<0.05). Analysis of fecal metabolites demonstrated that the metabolic profiles of healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer were distinct. The levels of short-chain fatty acid metabolites, including acetic acid, valeric acid, isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid, and of nine amino acids in patients with colorectal cancer were significantly higher than those in healthy individuals (P<0.05). However, the levels of butyrate, oleic acid, trans-oleic acid, linoleic acid, glycerol, monoacyl glycerol, myristic acid, ursodesoxycholic acid and pantothenic acid in patients with colorectal cancer were significantly lower than those in healthy individuals (P<0.05). Pearson rank correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a correlation between gut flora profiling and metabolite composition. These findings suggest that gut flora disorder results in the alteration of bacterial metabolism, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. The results of the

Challenges in measuring individual differences in functional connectivity using fMRI: The case of healthy aging

PubMed Central

Tsvetanov, Kamen A.; Cam‐CAN; Henson, Richard N.

2017-01-01

Abstract Many studies report individual differences in functional connectivity, such as those related to age. However, estimates of connectivity from fMRI are confounded by other factors, such as vascular health, head motion and changes in the location of functional regions. Here, we investigate the impact of these confounds, and pre‐processing strategies that can mitigate them, using data from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing & Neuroscience (www.cam-can.com). This dataset contained two sessions of resting‐state fMRI from 214 adults aged 18–88. Functional connectivity between all regions was strongly related to vascular health, most likely reflecting respiratory and cardiac signals. These variations in mean connectivity limit the validity of between‐participant comparisons of connectivity estimates, and were best mitigated by regression of mean connectivity over participants. We also showed that high‐pass filtering, instead of band‐pass filtering, produced stronger and more reliable age‐effects. Head motion was correlated with gray‐matter volume in selected brain regions, and with various cognitive measures, suggesting that it has a biological (trait) component, and warning against regressing out motion over participants. Finally, we showed that the location of functional regions was more variable in older adults, which was alleviated by smoothing the data, or using a multivariate measure of connectivity. These results demonstrate that analysis choices have a dramatic impact on connectivity differences between individuals, ultimately affecting the associations found between connectivity and cognition. It is important that fMRI connectivity studies address these issues, and we suggest a number of ways to optimize analysis choices. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4125–4156, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:28544076

Postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture have reduced physical function and quality of life compared to a matched, healthy control group with no fracture

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Fractures lead to reduced physical function and quality of life (QOL), but little is known about postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture. The purpose was to evaluate physical function in terms of quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture compared to a matched, healthy control group with no previous fracture. Methods Eighteen postmenopausal women with osteopenia (patients) (mean age 59.1 years, range 54 – 65) and a healed wrist fracture were matched to 18 healthy control subjects on age (mean age 58.5 years, range 51 – 65), height, weight and body mass index (BMI). We measured quadriceps strength at 60°/sec and at 180°/sec with Biodex 6000, dynamic balance with the Four Square Step Test (FSST), physical capacity with the six-minute walk test (6MWT) followed by the Borg’s scale (BS), and QOL with the Short Form 36 (SF-36), bone mineral density (BMD) with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and physical activity level with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Results The patients had 17.6% lower quadriceps strength at 60°/sec (p = 0.025) at left limb and 18.5% at 180°/sec (p = 0.016) at right limb, and 21% lower at 180°/sec (p = 0.010) at left limb compared to the controls. Impaired performance for the patients was found with 2.4 seconds (p = 0.002) on the FSST, 74 metres (p < 0.001) on the 6MWT, and 1.4 points (p = 0.003) on the BS compared to the controls. The patients scored lower on the sub-scales on the SF-36 role limitations-physical (p = 0.014), bodily pain (p = 0.025) and vitality (p = 0.015) compared to the controls. Conclusions The patients with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture scored significantly lower on quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL compared to the matched controls. Greater focus should be put on this patient group in terms of

Conceptions of Healthy Aging Held by Relatives of Older Persons in Isan-Thai Culture: A Phenomenographic Study

PubMed Central

Roxberg, Åsa; Asp, Margareta

2018-01-01

In Thailand, family nurses are expected to provide support for older persons and their family members to promote healthy aging. Family bonds are strong, and relatives are expected to take care of their older family members. However, there is limited research on how older persons' family members perceive healthy aging. This study aimed to describe the conceptions of healthy aging held by the children and grandchildren of older persons in northeast Thailand. In a phenomenographic study, 14 interviews were performed to qualitatively analyze different conceptions of healthy aging. Four descriptive categories emerged: being independent, not being afflicted by diseases or illnesses, being a giver and a receiver, and being wise. The conceptions of healthy aging entail both autonomy and interdependence. The relative's perspective needs to be considered when policies relating to healthy aging are implemented in the community and when family nurses provide support to families to promote healthy aging. PMID:29593905

A Comparison of the Metalinguistic Performance and Spelling Development of Children With Inconsistent Speech Sound Disorder and Their Age-Matched and Reading-Matched Peers.

PubMed

McNeill, Brigid C; Wolter, Julie; Gillon, Gail T

2017-05-17

This study explored the specific nature of a spelling impairment in children with speech sound disorder (SSD) in relation to metalinguistic predictors of spelling development. The metalinguistic (phoneme, morphological, and orthographic awareness) and spelling development of 28 children ages 6-8 years with a history of inconsistent SSD were compared to those of their age-matched (n = 28) and reading-matched (n = 28) peers. Analysis of the literacy outcomes of children within the cohort with persistent (n = 18) versus resolved (n = 10) SSD was also conducted. The age-matched peers outperformed the SSD group on all measures. Children with SSD performed comparably to their reading-matched peers on metalinguistic measures but exhibited lower spelling scores. Children with persistent SSD generally had less favorable outcomes than children with resolved SSD; however, even children with resolved SSD performed poorly on normative spelling measures. Children with SSD have a specific difficulty with spelling that is not commensurate with their metalinguistic and reading ability. Although low metalinguistic awareness appears to inhibit these children's spelling development, other factors should be considered, such as nonverbal rehearsal during spelling attempts and motoric ability. Integration of speech-production and spelling-intervention goals is important to enhance literacy outcomes for this group.

Faecal carriage rate of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in hospitalised patients and healthy asymptomatic individuals coming for health check-up.

PubMed

Babu, Rachana; Kumar, Anil; Karim, Shamsul; Warrier, Sruthi; Nair, Suresh G; Singh, Sanjeev K; Biswas, Raja

2016-09-01

The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) in hospitalised and community patients is of significant public health concern. The aim of this study was to estimate the faecal carriage rate of ESBL-PE in hospitalised patients and healthy asymptomatic individuals coming for health check-up. Non-repetitive, consecutive stool samples from 480 adults (260 healthy individuals and 220 hospitalised patients) aged ≥18 years from November 2011 to July 2013 were screened using MacConkey agar supplemented with ceftazidime. All screen-positive isolates were identified to species level and were tested for ESBL production. Representative ESBL-PE isolates were subjected to susceptibility testing and multiplex ESBL PCR. The faecal carriage rate of ESBL-PE was found to be 62.7% among hospitalised patients and 33.8% among healthy asymptomatic individuals. The most common ESBL-PE was Escherichia coli (70.3% and 78.4% in hospitalised patients and healthy individuals, respectively), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (26.8% and 17.0%). ESBL-PE showed the highest sensitivity to carbapenems (85% and 100%, respectively), followed by amikacin (67.2% and 98%), cefoperazone/sulbactam (27.8% and 88.2%) and piperacillin/tazobactam (18% and 74.5%). Ciprofloxacin exhibited a high level of resistance among both groups. Molecular analysis for ESBL genes showed a predominance of the CTX-M gene. In conclusion, the faecal carriage rate of ESBL-PE among hospitalised patients was almost double that of healthy individuals. Carriage of carbapenem-resistant isolates is emerging among hospitalised patients. The spread of these organisms in the community merits radical measures to improve sanitation and implement antibiotic stewardship. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Future perspective and healthy lifestyle choices in adulthood.

PubMed

Tasdemir-Ozdes, Aylin; Strickland-Hughes, Carla M; Bluck, Susan; Ebner, Natalie C

2016-09-01

Regardless of age, making healthy lifestyle choices is prudent. Despite that, individuals of all ages sometimes have difficulty choosing the healthy option. We argue that individuals' view of the future and position in the life span affects their current lifestyle choices. We capture the multidimensionality of future thinking by assessing 3 types of future perspective. Younger and older men and women (N = 127) reported global future time perspective, future health perspective, and perceived importance of future health-related events. They also rated their likelihood of making healthy lifestyle choices. As predicted, older participants indicated greater intention to make healthy choices in their current life than did younger participants. Compared to younger participants, older participants reported shorter global future time perspective and anticipated worse future health but perceived future health-related events as more important. Having a positive view of one's future health and seeing future health-related events as important were related to greater intention to make healthy lifestyle choices, but greater global future time perspective was not directly related to healthy choices. However, follow-up analyses suggested that greater global future time perspective indirectly affected healthy choices via a more positive view of future health. None of these relations were moderated by age. Individuals' perspective on the future is shown to be an important multidimensional construct affecting everyday healthy lifestyle choices for both younger and older adults. Implications for encouraging healthy choices across the adult life span are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Cognitive reserve and emotional stimuli in older individuals: level of education moderates the age-related positivity effect.

PubMed

Bruno, Davide; Brown, Adam D; Kapucu, Aycan; Marmar, Charles R; Pomara, Nunzio

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: A frequently observed age-related effect is a preference in older individuals for positive stimuli. The cognitive control model proposes that this positivity effect may be mediated by executive functions. We propose that cognitive reserve, operationally defined as years of education, which tempers cognitive decline and has been linked to executive functions, should also influence the age-related positivity effect, especially as age advances. An emotional free recall test was administered to a group of 84 cognitively intact individuals aged 60 to 88, who varied in years of education. As part of a larger test battery, data were obtained on measures of executive functioning and depression. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were performed, controlling for general cognitive function, severity of depressive symptoms, and executive function. In our data, years of education appeared to moderate the effect of age on the positivity effect; age was negatively associated with recall of positive words in participants with fewer years of education, whereas a nonsignificant positive correlation was observed between age and positivity in participants with more education. Cognitive reserve appears to play a role in explaining individual differences in the positivity effect in healthy older individuals. Future studies should investigate whether cognitive reserve is also implicated in the ability to process a wide range of emotional stimuli and whether greater reserve is reflected in improved emotional regulation.

Iron-related gene variants and brain iron in multiple sclerosis and healthy individuals.

PubMed

Hagemeier, Jesper; Ramanathan, Murali; Schweser, Ferdinand; Dwyer, Michael G; Lin, Fuchun; Bergsland, Niels; Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca; Zivadinov, Robert

2018-01-01

Brain iron homeostasis is known to be disturbed in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet little is known about the association of common gene variants linked to iron regulation and pathological tissue changes in the brain. In this study, we investigated the association of genetic determinants linked to iron regulation with deep gray matter (GM) magnetic susceptibility in both healthy controls (HC) and MS patients. Four hundred (400) patients with MS and 150 age- and sex-matched HCs were enrolled and obtained 3 T MRI examination. Three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with iron regulation were genotyped: two SNPs in the human hereditary hemochromatosis protein gene HFE : rs1800562 (C282Y mutation) and rs1799945 (H63D mutation), as well as the rs1049296 SNP in the transferrin gene (C2 mutation). The effects of disease and genetic status were studied using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) voxel-based analysis (VBA) and region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of the deep GM. The general linear model framework was used to compare groups. Analyses were corrected for age and sex, and adjusted for false discovery rate. We found moderate increases in susceptibility in the right putamen of participants with the C282Y (+ 6.1 ppb) and H63D (+ 6.9 ppb) gene variants vs. non-carriers, as well as a decrease in thalamic susceptibility of progressive MS patients with the C282Y mutation (left: - 5.3 ppb, right: - 6.7 ppb, p < 0.05). Female MS patients had lower susceptibility in the caudate (- 6.0 ppb) and putamen (left: - 3.9 ppb, right: - 4.6 ppb) than men, but only when they had a wild-type allele (p < 0.05). Iron-gene linked increases in putamen susceptibility (in HC and relapsing remitting MS) and decreases in thalamus susceptibility (in progressive MS), coupled with apparent sex interactions, indicate that brain iron in healthy and disease states may be influenced by genetic factors.

Mobile Health Applications to Promote Active and Healthy Ageing

PubMed Central

Helbostad, Jorunn L.; Vereijken, Beatrix; Becker, Clemens; Todd, Chris; Taraldsen, Kristin; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Aminian, Kamiar; Mellone, Sabato

2017-01-01

The European population is ageing, and there is a need for health solutions that keep older adults independent longer. With increasing access to mobile technology, such as smartphones and smartwatches, the development and use of mobile health applications is rapidly growing. To meet the societal challenge of changing demography, mobile health solutions are warranted that support older adults to stay healthy and active and that can prevent or delay functional decline. This paper reviews the literature on mobile technology, in particular wearable technology, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and wristbands, presenting new ideas on how this technology can be used to encourage an active lifestyle, and discusses the way forward in order further to advance development and practice in the field of mobile technology for active, healthy ageing. PMID:28335475

An adaptive semantic matching paradigm for reliable and valid language mapping in individuals with aphasia.

PubMed

Wilson, Stephen M; Yen, Melodie; Eriksson, Dana K

2018-04-17

Research on neuroplasticity in recovery from aphasia depends on the ability to identify language areas of the brain in individuals with aphasia. However, tasks commonly used to engage language processing in people with aphasia, such as narrative comprehension and picture naming, are limited in terms of reliability (test-retest reproducibility) and validity (identification of language regions, and not other regions). On the other hand, paradigms such as semantic decision that are effective in identifying language regions in people without aphasia can be prohibitively challenging for people with aphasia. This paper describes a new semantic matching paradigm that uses an adaptive staircase procedure to present individuals with stimuli that are challenging yet within their competence, so that language processing can be fully engaged in people with and without language impairments. The feasibility, reliability and validity of the adaptive semantic matching paradigm were investigated in sixteen individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia and fourteen neurologically normal participants, in comparison to narrative comprehension and picture naming paradigms. All participants succeeded in learning and performing the semantic paradigm. Test-retest reproducibility of the semantic paradigm in people with aphasia was good (Dice coefficient = 0.66), and was superior to the other two paradigms. The semantic paradigm revealed known features of typical language organization (lateralization; frontal and temporal regions) more consistently in neurologically normal individuals than the other two paradigms, constituting evidence for validity. In sum, the adaptive semantic matching paradigm is a feasible, reliable and valid method for mapping language regions in people with aphasia. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Attention and Working Memory-Related EEG Markers of Subtle Cognitive Deterioration in Healthy Elderly Individuals.

PubMed

Deiber, Marie-Pierre; Meziane, Hadj Boumediene; Hasler, Roland; Rodriguez, Cristelle; Toma, Simona; Ackermann, Marine; Herrmann, François; Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon

2015-01-01

Future treatments of Alzheimer's disease need the identification of cases at high risk at the preclinical stage of the disease before the development of irreversible structural damage. We investigated here whether subtle cognitive deterioration in a population of healthy elderly individuals could be predicted by EEG signals at baseline under cognitive activation. Continuous EEG was recorded in 97 elderly control subjects and 45 age-matched mild cognitive impairment (MCI) cases during a simple attentional and a 2-back working memory task. Upon 18-month neuropsychological follow-up, the final sample included 55 stable (sCON) and 42 deteriorated (dCON) controls. We examined the P1, N1, P3, and PNwm event-related components as well as the oscillatory activities in the theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), and beta (14-25 Hz) frequency ranges (ERD/ERS: event-related desynchronization/synchronization, and ITC: inter-trial coherence). Behavioral performance, P1, and N1 components were comparable in all groups. The P3, PNwm, and all oscillatory activity indices were altered in MCI cases compared to controls. Only three EEG indices distinguished the two control groups: alpha and beta ERD (dCON >  sCON) and beta ITC (dCON <  sCON). These findings show that subtle cognitive deterioration has no impact on EEG indices associated with perception, discrimination, and working memory processes but mostly affects attention, resulting in an enhanced recruitment of attentional resources. In addition, cognitive decline alters neural firing synchronization at high frequencies (14-25 Hz) at early stages, and possibly affects lower frequencies (4-13 Hz) only at more severe stages.

EFFECTS OF AGE AND ACUTE MUSCLE FATIGUE ON REACTIVE POSTURAL CONTROL IN HEALTHY ADULTS

PubMed Central

Papa, Evan V.; Foreman, K. Bo; Dibble, Lee E.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head trauma in older adults. While declines in muscle strength and sensory function contribute to increased falls in older adults, skeletal muscle fatigue is often overlooked as an additional contributor to fall risk. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of acute lower extremity muscle fatigue and age on reactive postural control in healthy adults. METHODS A sample of 16 individuals participated in this study (8 healthy older adults and 8 healthy young persons). Whole body kinematic and kinetic data were collected during anterior and posterior reproducible fall tests before (T0) and immediately after (T1) eccentric muscle fatiguing exercise, as well as after 15-minutes (T15) and 30-minutes (T30) of rest. FINDINGS Lower extremity joint kinematics of the stepping limb during the support (landing) phase of the anterior fall were significantly altered by the presence of acute muscle fatigue. Step velocity was significantly decreased during the anterior falls. Statistically significant main effects of age were found for step length in both fall directions. Effect sizes for all outcomes were small. No statistically significant interaction effects were found. INTERPRETATION Muscle fatigue has a measurable effect on lower extremity joint kinematics during simulated falls. These alterations appear to resolve within 15 minutes of recovery. The above deficits, coupled with a reduced step length, may help explain the increased fall risk in older adults. PMID:26351001

Effects of age and acute muscle fatigue on reactive postural control in healthy adults.

PubMed

Papa, Evan V; Foreman, K Bo; Dibble, Leland E

2015-12-01

Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries such as hip fractures and head trauma in older adults. While declines in muscle strength and sensory function contribute to increased falls in older adults, skeletal muscle fatigue is often overlooked as an additional contributor to fall risk. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of acute lower extremity muscle fatigue and age on reactive postural control in healthy adults. A sample of 16 individuals participated in this study (8 healthy older adults and 8 healthy young persons). Whole body kinematic and kinetic data were collected during anterior and posterior reproducible fall tests before (T0) and immediately after (T1) eccentric muscle fatiguing exercise, as well as after 15-min (T15) and 30-min (T30) of rest. Lower extremity joint kinematics of the stepping limb during the support (landing) phase of the anterior fall were significantly altered by the presence of acute muscle fatigue. Step velocity was significantly decreased during the anterior falls. Statistically significant main effects of age were found for step length in both fall directions. Effect sizes for all outcomes were small. No statistically significant interaction effects were found. Muscle fatigue has a measurable effect on lower extremity joint kinematics during simulated falls. These alterations appear to resolve within 15 min of recovery. The above deficits, coupled with a reduced step length, may help explain the increased fall risk in older adults. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies.

PubMed

Seinfeld, Sofia; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V

2015-09-28

To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted.

Healthy Aging Promotion through Neuroscientific Information-Based Strategies

PubMed Central

Seinfeld, Sofia; Sanchez-Vives, Maria V.

2015-01-01

To ensure the well-being of a rapidly growing elderly population, it is fundamental to find strategies to foster healthy brain aging. With this intention, we designed a program of scientific-based lectures aimed at dissemination by established neuroscientists about brain function, brain plasticity and how lifestyle influences the brain. We also carried out a pilot study on the impact of the lectures on attendees. The objective was to provide information to elderly people in order to encourage them to identify unhealthy and healthy daily habits, and more importantly, to promote behavioral changes towards healthy brain aging. Here we report on our experience. In order to determine the impact of the lectures in the daily routine of the attendees, we asked them to fill out questionnaires. Preliminary results indicate that neuroscientific information-based strategies can be a useful method to have a positive impact on the lives of elderly, increase their awareness on how to improve brain function and promote positive lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, based on self-reported data, we also found that through this strategy it is possible to promote behavioral changes related to nutrition, sleep, and realization of physical and cognitively stimulating activities. Finally, based on the results obtained, the importance of promoting self-efficacy and the empowerment of the older populations is highlighted. PMID:26426029

Evaluating the effects of caffeine and sodium bicarbonate, ingested individually or in combination, and a taste-matched placebo on high-intensity cycling capacity in healthy males.

PubMed

Higgins, Matthew F; Wilson, Susie; Hill, Cameron; Price, Mike J; Duncan, Mike; Tallis, Jason

2016-04-01

This study evaluated the effects of ingesting sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or caffeine individually or in combination on high-intensity cycling capacity. In a counterbalanced, crossover design, 13 healthy, noncycling trained males (age: 21 ± 3 years, height: 178 ± 6 cm, body mass: 76 ± 12 kg, peak power output (Wpeak): 230 ± 34 W, peak oxygen uptake: 46 ± 8 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) performed a graded incremental exercise test, 2 familiarisation trials, and 4 experimental trials. Trials consisted of cycling to volitional exhaustion at 100% Wpeak (TLIM) 60 min after ingesting a solution containing either (i) 0.3 g·kg(-1) body mass sodium bicarbonate (BIC), (ii) 5 mg·kg(-1) body mass caffeine plus 0.1 g·kg(-1) body mass sodium chloride (CAF), (iii) 0.3 g·kg(-1) body mass sodium bicarbonate plus 5 mg·kg(-1) body mass caffeine (BIC-CAF), or (iv) 0.1 g·kg(-1) body mass sodium chloride (PLA). Experimental solutions were administered double-blind. Pre-exercise, at the end of exercise, and 5-min postexercise blood pH, base excess, and bicarbonate ion concentration ([HCO3(-)]) were significantly elevated for BIC and BIC-CAF compared with CAF and PLA. TLIM (median; interquartile range) was significantly greater for CAF (399; 350-415 s; P = 0.039; r = 0.6) and BIC-CAF (367; 333-402 s; P = 0.028; r = 0.6) compared with BIC (313: 284-448 s) although not compared with PLA (358; 290-433 s; P = 0.249, r = 0.3 and P = 0.099 and r = 0.5, respectively). There were no differences between PLA and BIC (P = 0.196; r = 0.4) or between CAF and BIC-CAF (P = 0.753; r = 0.1). Relatively large inter- and intra-individual variation was observed when comparing treatments and therefore an individual approach to supplementation appears warranted.

Match running performance and skill execution improves with age but not the number of disposals in young Australian footballers.

PubMed

Gastin, Paul B; Tangalos, Christie; Torres, Lorena; Robertson, Sam

2017-12-01

This study investigated age-related differences in maturity, physical and functional characteristics and playing performance in youth Australian Football (AF). Young male players (n = 156) were recruited from 12 teams across 6 age groups (U10-U15) of a recreational AF club. All players were tested for body size, maturity and fitness. Player performance was assessed during a match in which disposals (kicks and handballs) and their effectiveness were coded from a video recording and match running performance measured using Global Positioning System. Significant main effects (P < 0.01) for age group were observed for age, years to peak height velocity, body mass, height, 20 m sprint, maximal speed over 20 m, vertical jump, 20 m multistage shuttle run, match distance, high-speed running distance, peak speed, number of effective disposals and percentage of effective disposals. Age-related differences in fitness characteristics (speed, lower body power and endurance) appeared to transfer to match running performance. The frequency in which players disposed of the football did not differ between age groups, however the effectiveness of each disposal (i.e., % effective disposals) improved with age. Match statistics, particularly those that evaluate skill execution outcome (i.e., effectiveness), are useful to assess performance and to track player development over time. Differences between age groups, and probably variability within age groups, are strongly associated with chronological age and maturity.

Matching motivation enhancement treatment to client motivation: re-examining the Project MATCH motivation matching hypothesis.

PubMed

Witkiewitz, Katie; Hartzler, Bryan; Donovan, Dennis

2010-08-01

The current study was designed to re-examine the motivation matching hypothesis from Project MATCH using growth mixture modeling, an analytical technique that models variation in individual drinking patterns. Secondary data analyses of data from Project MATCH (n = 1726), a large multi-site alcoholism treatment-matching study. Percentage of drinking days was the primary outcome measure, assessed from 1 month to 12 months following treatment. Treatment assignment, alcohol dependence symptoms and baseline percentage of drinking days were included as covariates. The results provided support for the motivation matching hypothesis in the out-patient sample and among females in the aftercare sample: the majority of individuals with lower baseline motivation had better outcomes if assigned to motivation enhancement treatment (MET) compared to those assigned to cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT). In the aftercare sample there was a moderating effect of gender and alcohol dependence severity, whereby males with lower baseline motivation and greater alcohol dependence drank more frequently if assigned to MET compared to those assigned to CBT. Results from the current study lend partial support to the motivation-matching hypothesis and also demonstrated the importance of moderating influences on treatment matching effectiveness. Based upon these findings, individuals with low baseline motivation in out-patient settings and males with low levels of alcohol dependence or females in aftercare settings may benefit more from motivational enhancement techniques than from cognitive-behavioral techniques.

Prevalence of Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) and its relation with incidence of metabolic syndrome, hypertension and type 2 Diabetes amongst individuals aged over 20 years in Ahvaz: A 5 Year cohort Study (2009-2014).

PubMed

Latifi, Seyed Mahmoud; Karandish, Majid; Shahbazian, Hajieh; Taha, Jalaly Mohammad; Cheraghian, Bahman; Moradi, Mitra

2017-12-01

Today, obesity epidemic is one of the major health problems of the present century. One of the phenotypes of obesity is metabolically healthy obesity. It seems that these obese individuals suffer less from cardiovascular disease and metabolically unhealthy obesity. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and its relationship with incidence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and hypertension in individuals over 20 years in the city of Ahvaz. This study was a 5-year cohort study, which was conducted on adults between years 2009 to 2014.Participants who were randomly selected from individuals covered by the health centers in the city of Ahvaz in baseline population, were again recalled by these centers. The subjects completed the question aires, and anthropometric measurements and blood samples were prepared for performing tests based on Phase 1. A total of 591 individuals Participated in this study, 281 (47.5%) were males and 310 (52.5%) females with mean age of 42.2±13.3 years. The prevalence of MHO was 19.5% in the baseline population. The cumulative incidence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and hypertension in MHO individuals were 29.6%, 24.3% and 13%, respectively. The prevalence of MHO was 19.5% in the baseline population. There was a specific relationship between MHO and incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes; however, there was a less significant relationship between MHO and hypertension. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Disentangling the Contribution of Spatial Reference Frames to Executive Functioning in Healthy and Pathological Aging: An Experimental Study with Virtual Reality.

PubMed

Serino, Silvia; Morganti, Francesca; Colombo, Desirée; Pedroli, Elisa; Cipresso, Pietro; Riva, Giuseppe

2018-06-01

A growing body of evidence pointed out that a decline in effectively using spatial reference frames for categorizing information occurs both in normal and pathological aging. Moreover, it is also known that executive deficits primarily characterize the cognitive profile of older individuals. Acknowledging this literature, the current study was aimed to specifically disentangle the contribution of the cognitive abilities related to the use of spatial reference frames to executive functioning in both healthy and pathological aging. 48 healthy elderly individuals and 52 elderly suffering from probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD) took part in the study. We exploited the potentiality of Virtual Reality to specifically measure the abilities in retrieving and syncing between different spatial reference frames, and then we administrated different neuropsychological tests for evaluating executive functions. Our results indicated that allocentric functions contributed significantly to the planning abilities, while syncing abilities influenced the attentional ones. The findings were discussed in terms of previous literature exploring relationships between cognitive deficits in the first phase of AD.

Development of a Healthy Aging Score in the Population-Based Rotterdam Study: Evaluating Age and Sex Differences.

PubMed

Jaspers, Loes; Schoufour, Josje D; Erler, Nicole S; Darweesh, Sirwan K L; Portegies, Marileen L P; Sedaghat, Sanaz; Lahousse, Lies; Brusselle, Guy G; Stricker, Bruno H; Tiemeier, Henning; Ikram, M Arfan; Laven, Joop S E; Franco, Oscar H; Kavousi, Maryam

2017-03-01

To develop a healthy aging score (HAS), to assess age and sex differences in HAS, and to evaluate the association of the HAS with survival. Prospective population-based cohort. Inhabitants of Ommoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. A total of 1405 men and 2122 women, mean (standard deviation) age 75.9 (6.4) years. We included 7 domains in the total score of HAS: chronic diseases, mental health, cognitive function, physical function, pain, social support, and quality of life; each scored 0, 1, or 2 in each domain. A total score (range 0-14) was constructed and was assessed continuously and in tertiles (13-14: healthy aging, 11-12: intermediate aging, 0-10: poor aging). Sex-specific change in the mean HAS was computed for the age categories of 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and ≥85 years. The association between HAS and mortality was assessed with Cox proportional hazards models. Mean follow-up was 8.6 (3.4) years. Men had poorer scores in the chronic disease domain than women. However, women had poorer mental health, worse physical function, more pain, and lower quality of life compared with men. The prevalence of healthy aging was higher in men (n = 396, 28.2%), than in women (n = 526, 24.8%). The mean (standard deviation) HAS was 11.1 (2.2) in men and 10.7 (2.3) in women. Mean HAS was higher in men than in women for all age categories. The β for change in mean HAS across the 5 increasing age categories was -0.55 (-0.65 to -0.45) in men and -0.65 (-0.73 to -0.57) in women. The age-adjusted hazard ratio per unit increase in HAS with mortality was 0.86 (0.83-0.89) in men, and 0.89 (0.87-0.91) in women. Levels of HAS were lower in women compared with men, in all age categories. The HAS declined with increasing age for both sexes, albeit slightly steeper in women. The HAS was strongly associated with mortality in both sexes. A better understanding of population healthy aging and sex differences in this regard could aid to implement strategies for sustainable

Oral cavity infection: an adverse effect after the treatment of oral cancer in aged individuals.

PubMed

Pan, Jie; Zhao, Jun; Jiang, Ning

2014-01-01

The immune compromised patients after treatment of oral cancer may have a chance of infection by drug-resistant opportunistic microbes. We investigated the occurrence of opportunistic microorganisms in aged individuals receiving follow-up examinations after treatment of oral cancer in China. These patients were used as test group and the respective age grouped healthy individuals as control group. In this study, the oral cavity microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast were taken for the analysis. After the screening of representative microorganisms, their aptitude of pervasiveness against drugs was studied. Here, we used antimicrobial agents which are common in clinical practice. We also performed studies to investigate the presence of toxin genes in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The results indicate that the prevalence of drug-resistant microbes was more pronounced in oral cancer patients after initial treatment above 70 years old. The oxacillin resistance of S. aureus isolate confirms that the prevalence of MRSA is increasing in accordance to age-factor and immune compromise in elderly patients. This study reveals the occurrence of drug-resistant opportunistic microorganisms in oral cavity after treatment for oral cancer in aged individuals. Special attention should be directed to MRSA during the treatment of oral cancer, and to realize the fact of immune compromise in elderly patients.

Disrupted Stimulus Control but Not Reward Sensitivity in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Matching Law Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Phil; Hawthorn, Rose; Bolger, Sam; Meredith, Katie; Bishop, Ruth

2012-01-01

The matching law suggests that behavior is emitted in proportion to the level of reinforcement available. The current study investigated this effect in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and focused on the effects of magnitude of reinforcement (Study 1), and rate of reinforcement (Studies 2 and 3), on matching performance. Studies 1…

A common copy number variation polymorphism in the CNTNAP2 gene: sexual dimorphism in association with healthy aging and disease.

PubMed

Iakoubov, Leonid; Mossakowska, Malgorzata; Szwed, Malgorzata; Puzianowska-Kuznicka, Monika

2015-01-01

New therapeutic targets are needed to fight aging-related diseases and increase life span. A new female-specific association with diseases and limited survival past 80 years was recently reported for a copy number variation (CNV) in the CNTNAP4 gene from the neurexin superfamily. We asked whether there are CNVs that are associated with aging phenotypes within other genes from the neurexin superfamily and whether this association is sex specific. Select CNV polymorphisms were genotyped with proprietary TaqMan qPCR assays. A case/control study, in which a group of 81- to 90-year-old community-dwelling Caucasians with no chronic diseases (case) was compared to a similar control group of 65- to 75-year-olds, revealed a negative association with healthy aging for the ins allele of common esv11910 CNV in the CNTNAP2 gene (n = 388; OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.14-0.59, p = 0.0004 for males, and OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.42-1.57, p = 0.625 for females). This male-specific association was validated in a study of an independent group of 76- to 80-year-olds. To look for a corresponding positive association of the allele with aging-related diseases, two case subgroups of 81- to 90-year-olds, one composed of individuals with cognitive impairment and the other with various diseases not directly related to the nervous system, such as cardiovascular diseases, etc., were compared to a healthy control subgroup of the same age. A positive male-specific association was found for both cases (OR = 2.75, p = 0.008 for association with cognitive impairment, and OR = 3.18, p = 0.002 for other diseases combined). A new male-specific association with aging is reported for a CNV in the CNTNAP2 gene. The polymorphism might be useful for diagnosing individual genetic predispositions to healthy aging versus aging complicated by chronic diseases. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Structural Covariance of the Default Network in Healthy and Pathological Aging

PubMed Central

Turner, Gary R.

2013-01-01

Significant progress has been made uncovering functional brain networks, yet little is known about the corresponding structural covariance networks. The default network's functional architecture has been shown to change over the course of healthy and pathological aging. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal datasets to reveal the structural covariance of the human default network across the adult lifespan and through the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We used a novel approach to identify the structural covariance of the default network and derive individual participant scores that reflect the covariance pattern in each brain image. A seed-based multivariate analysis was conducted on structural images in the cross-sectional OASIS (N = 414) and longitudinal Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (N = 434) datasets. We reproduced the distributed topology of the default network, based on a posterior cingulate cortex seed, consistent with prior reports of this intrinsic connectivity network. Structural covariance of the default network scores declined in healthy and pathological aging. Decline was greatest in the AD cohort and in those who progressed from mild cognitive impairment to AD. Structural covariance of the default network scores were positively associated with general cognitive status, reduced in APOEε4 carriers versus noncarriers, and associated with CSF biomarkers of AD. These findings identify the structural covariance of the default network and characterize changes to the network's gray matter integrity across the lifespan and through the progression of AD. The findings provide evidence for the large-scale network model of neurodegenerative disease, in which neurodegeneration spreads through intrinsically connected brain networks in a disease specific manner. PMID:24048852

Healthy life-style promoting behaviour in Turkish women aged 18-64.

PubMed

Sonmezer, Hacer; Cetinkaya, Fevziye; Nacar, Melis

2012-01-01

In this study we aimed to investigate the healthy life-style behaviour of Turkish women and establish influencing features. This descriptive study performed by a questionnaire method was conducted in a primary health care centre, in an urban region in Kayseri, Turkey. Every midwife region belonging to the health care centre was accepted as a cluster, and a sample of 450 women between ages 18-64, was gathered from 9 midwife regions. The Health Promotion Life-style Profile (HPLP) was applied to evaluated the healthy life- style behaviour of 421 women that could be reached. T test, Tukey HSD with ANOVA, and chi square tests were used for analysis. The mean total HPLP was 126.8 ± 19.2 (interpersonal support subscale, 74.3 ± 14.1; nutrition subscale, 73.6 ± 12.6; self-actualisation subscale, 70.6 ± 11.9; stress management subscale, 63.4 ± 13.0; health responsibility subscale, 61.2 ± 13.2; and exercise subscale, 47.1 ± 15.0). There was no statistically significant variation when evaluated for age, marital state, family type, economic status, and perception of self-health, smoking, and BMI. HPLP was high in people with an education of primary school and lower in university graduates, in people who lived mostly in the city centre and in individuals with chronic diseases. In conclusion, it was established that the health promoting behaviour in Turkish women is, in general, at a medium level, and women should be enlightened in order to develop and increase the habit of health preservation and promotion.

Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet.

PubMed

Willcox, Donald Craig; Scapagnini, Giovanni; Willcox, Bradley J

2014-01-01

The traditional diet in Okinawa is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed. Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, including the traditional Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and Portfolio diet. All these dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, among other age-associated diseases. Overall, the important shared features of these healthy dietary patterns include: high intake of unrefined carbohydrates, moderate protein intake with emphasis on vegetables/legumes, fish, and lean meats as sources, and a healthy fat profile (higher in mono/polyunsaturated fats, lower in saturated fat; rich in omega-3). The healthy fat intake is likely one mechanism for reducing inflammation, optimizing cholesterol, and other risk factors. Additionally, the lower caloric density of plant-rich diets results in lower caloric intake with concomitant high intake of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Other shared features include low glycemic load, less inflammation and oxidative stress, and potential modulation of aging-related biological pathways. This may reduce risk for chronic age-associated diseases and promote healthy aging and longevity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: A Focus on the Okinawan Diet

PubMed Central

Willcox, Donald Craig; Scapagnini, Giovanni; Willcox, Bradley J.

2014-01-01

The traditional diet in Okinawa is anchored by root vegetables (principally sweet potatoes), green and yellow vegetables, soybean-based foods, and medicinal plants. Marine foods, lean meats, fruit, medicinal garnishes and spices, tea, alcohol are also moderately consumed. Many characteristics of the traditional Okinawan diet are shared with other healthy dietary patterns, including the traditional Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, and Portfolio diet. All these dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, among other age-associated diseases. Overall, the important shared features of these healthy dietary patterns include: high intake of unrefined carbohydrates, moderate protein intake with emphasis on vegetables/legumes, fish, and lean meats as sources, and a healthy fat profile (higher in mono/polyunsaturated fats, lower in saturated fat; rich in omega-3). The healthy fat intake is likely one mechanism for reducing inflammation, optimizing cholesterol, and other risk factors. Additionally, the lower caloric density of plant-rich diets results in lower caloric intake with concomitant high intake of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Other shared features include low glycemic load, less inflammation and oxidative stress, and potential modulation of aging-related biological pathways. This may reduce risk for chronic age-associated diseases and promote healthy aging and longevity. PMID:24462788

Quantitative analysis of the cutaneous Malassezia microbiota in 770 healthy Japanese by age and gender using a real-time PCR assay.

PubMed

Sugita, Takashi; Suzuki, Miho; Goto, Seiko; Nishikawa, Akemi; Hiruma, Masataro; Yamazaki, Takashi; Makimura, Koichi

2010-03-01

Although the lipophilic yeasts of the genus Malassezia are part of the cutaneous microbiota in healthy individuals, they are also associated with several skin diseases, such as seborrheic dermatitis. However, the effects of age and gender on the Malassezia microbiota have not been completely elucidated. We analyzed the cutaneous Malassezia microbiota of 770 healthy Japanese using the highly accurate real-time PCR with a TaqMan probe to investigate the effects of age and gender on the Malassezia population. The numbers of Malassezia cells increased in males up to 16-18 years of age and in females to 10-12 years old, and subsequently decreased gradually in both genders until senescence. Malassezia restricta overwhelmingly predominated at ages over 16-18 years in males and 23-29 years in females. M. globosa and M. restricta together accounted for more than 70% of Malassezia spp. recovered regardless of gender. The total colonization of Malassezia and the ratio of the two major species change with age and gender in humans.

Individually modifiable risk factors to ameliorate cognitive aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Lehert, Philippe; Villaseca, Paulina; Hogervorst, Eef; Maki, Pauline M.; Henderson, Victor W.

2016-01-01

A number of health and lifestyle factors are thought to contribute to cognitive decline associated with age but cannot be easily modified by the individual patient. We identified 12 individually-modifiable interventions that can be implemented during midlife or later with the potential to ameliorate cognitive aging. For 10 of these, we used PubMed databases for a systematic review of long-duration (at least six months), randomized controlled trials in midlife and older adults without dementia or mild cognitive impairment with objective measures of neuropsychological performance. Using network meta-analysis, we performed a quantitative synthesis for global cognition (primary outcome) and episodic memory (secondary outcome). Of 1038 publications identified by our search strategy, 24 eligible trials were included in the network meta-analysis. Results suggested that the Mediterranean diet supplemented by olive oil and tai chi exercise may improve global cognition, and the Mediterranean diet plus olive oil and soy isoflavone supplements may improve memory. Effect sizes were no more than small (standardized mean differences 0.11 to 0.22). Cognitive training may have cognitive benefit as well. Most individually modifiable risk factors have not yet been adequately studied. We conclude that some interventions that can be self-initiated by healthy midlife and older adults may ameliorate cognitive aging. PMID:26361790

Individually modifiable risk factors to ameliorate cognitive aging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lehert, P; Villaseca, P; Hogervorst, E; Maki, P M; Henderson, V W

2015-10-01

A number of health and lifestyle factors are thought to contribute to cognitive decline associated with age but cannot be easily modified by the individual patient. We identified 12 individually modifiable interventions that can be implemented during midlife or later with the potential to ameliorate cognitive aging. For ten of these, we used PubMed databases for a systematic review of long-duration (at least 6 months), randomized, controlled trials in midlife and older adults without dementia or mild cognitive impairment with objective measures of neuropsychological performance. Using network meta-analysis, we performed a quantitative synthesis for global cognition (primary outcome) and episodic memory (secondary outcome). Of 1038 publications identified by our search strategy, 24 eligible trials were included in the network meta-analysis. Results suggested that the Mediterranean diet supplemented by olive oil and tai chi exercise may improve global cognition, and the Mediterranean diet plus olive oil and soy isoflavone supplements may improve memory. Effect sizes were no more than small (standardized mean differences 0.11-0.22). Cognitive training may have cognitive benefit as well. Most individually modifiable risk factors have not yet been adequately studied. We conclude that some interventions that can be self-initiated by healthy midlife and older adults may ameliorate cognitive aging.

Assessment of Functional Change and Cognitive Correlates in the Progression from Healthy Cognitive Aging to Dementia

PubMed Central

Schmitter-Edgecombe, Maureen; Parsey, Carolyn M.

2014-01-01

Objective There is currently limited understanding of the course of change in everyday functioning that occurs with normal aging and dementia. To better characterize the nature of this change, we evaluated the types of errors made by participants as they performed everyday tasks in a naturalistic environment. Method Participants included cognitively healthy younger adults (YA; N = 55) and older adults (OA; N =88), and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI: N =55) and dementia (N = 18). Participants performed eight scripted everyday activities (e.g., filling a medication dispenser) while under direct observation in a campus apartment. Task performances were coded for the following errors: inefficient actions, omissions, substitutions, and irrelevant actions. Results Performance accuracy decreased with age and level of cognitive impairment. Relative to the YAs, the OA group exhibited more inefficient actions which were linked to performance on neuropsychological measures of executive functioning. Relative to the OAs, the MCI group committed significantly more omission errors which were strongly linked to performance on memory measures. All error types were significantly more prominent in individuals with dementia. Omission errors uniquely predicted everyday functional status as measured by both informant-report and a performance-based measure. Conclusions These findings suggest that in the progression from healthy aging to MCI, everyday task difficulties may evolve from task inefficiencies to task omission errors, leading to inaccuracies in task completion that are recognized by knowledgeable informants. Continued decline in cognitive functioning then leads to more substantial everyday errors, which compromise ability to live independently. PMID:24933485

Can Training Enhance Face Cognition Abilities in Middle-Aged Adults?

PubMed Central

Dolzycka, Dominika; Herzmann, Grit; Sommer, Werner; Wilhelm, Oliver

2014-01-01

Face cognition is a crucial skill for social interaction and shows large individual differences in healthy adults, suggesting a possibility for improvement in some. We developed and tested specific training procedures for the accuracy of face memory and the speed of face cognition. Two groups each of 20 healthy middle-aged trainees practiced for 29 daily sessions of 15 minutes duration with different computerized home-based training procedures. In addition, 20 matched and 59 non-matched controls were included. Face cognition speed training enhanced performance during the training and transferred to the latent factor level as measured in a pre-post comparison. Persistence of the training effect was evidenced at the manifest level after three months. However, the training procedure influenced the speed of processing object stimuli to the same extent as face stimuli and therefore seems to have affected a more general ability of processing complex visual stimuli and not only faces. No effects of training on the accuracy of face memory were found. This study demonstrates that face-specific abilities may be hard to improve but also shows the plasticity of the speed of processing complex visual stimuli – for the first time in middle-aged, normal adults. PMID:24632743

Type A behaviour and the healthy individual.

PubMed

Ivancevich, J M; Matteson, M T

1988-03-01

The Type A behaviour pattern (TABP) is an interesting and controversial construct that has generated debate, empirical testing, and behavioural modification attempts. TABP is depicted as consisting of impatient or hurried behaviour, a strong orientation toward work responsibilities and task completion, and intensive competitive behaviour in situations that involve evaluation. Recently, the importance of what is called the anger/hostility dimension has been emphasized in research studies. After more than two decades of debate, testing, and attempting to modify the entire TABP there is now a growing acceptance of the proposition that a major overhaul or change in the TABP is not necessary or even feasible. The Type A person is also now being presented as possessing many desirable characteristics and healthy behaviours that are worth reinforcing. The present paper provides a brief review of the contradictory research evidence surrounding the Type A syndrome. Theorists, researchers, and organizational practitioners are encouraged to seek improvements in understanding the TABP through improved assessment and how it can be modified in generally healthy individuals. A theoretical model to guide improvement efforts in measurement and intervention is provided as a viable framework to examine causal pathways between antecedents, Type A core behaviours, responses, and consequences.

DNA methylation and healthy human aging.

PubMed

Jones, Meaghan J; Goodman, Sarah J; Kobor, Michael S

2015-12-01

The process of aging results in a host of changes at the cellular and molecular levels, which include senescence, telomere shortening, and changes in gene expression. Epigenetic patterns also change over the lifespan, suggesting that epigenetic changes may constitute an important component of the aging process. The epigenetic mark that has been most highly studied is DNA methylation, the presence of methyl groups at CpG dinucleotides. These dinucleotides are often located near gene promoters and associate with gene expression levels. Early studies indicated that global levels of DNA methylation increase over the first few years of life and then decrease beginning in late adulthood. Recently, with the advent of microarray and next-generation sequencing technologies, increases in variability of DNA methylation with age have been observed, and a number of site-specific patterns have been identified. It has also been shown that certain CpG sites are highly associated with age, to the extent that prediction models using a small number of these sites can accurately predict the chronological age of the donor. Together, these observations point to the existence of two phenomena that both contribute to age-related DNA methylation changes: epigenetic drift and the epigenetic clock. In this review, we focus on healthy human aging throughout the lifetime and discuss the dynamics of DNA methylation as well as how interactions between the genome, environment, and the epigenome influence aging rates. We also discuss the impact of determining 'epigenetic age' for human health and outline some important caveats to existing and future studies. © 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Influence of dyadic matching of affect on infant self-regulation.

PubMed

Noe, Daniela; Schluckwerder, Sabine; Reck, Corinna

2015-01-01

Affective behavioural matching during face-to-face interaction fosters the transition from mutual regulation to infant self-regulation. Optimum midrange models of mother-infant interaction hold that moderate degrees of dyadic matching facilitate infant socio-emotional development. The aim of this study was to examine which degree of dyadic matching is most beneficial for infant self-regulation. To evaluate this model, 3 groups of highly, midrange and poorly matched dyads were created from a mixed sample of 68 dyads with healthy and post-partum depressed mothers and their infants (age range = 1-8 months, mean age = 3.9 months). Mother-infant interactions were videotaped in the face-to-face still-face paradigm (FFSF) and micro-analytically coded. Specifically, the relation between affective behavioural matching in FFSF play and infant positive and negative affect in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion was explored. Contrary to our expectation, we found a monotonous trend for all groups: the more matching in FFSF play, the more positive and less negative affect the infant showed in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion, respectively. The present findings further illuminate the association between different degrees of dyadic matching in early mother-infant interaction and infant self-regulation. Further research should focus on the integration and replication of findings and conceptual approaches to further evaluate and refine the concept of midrange matching and make it applicable to therapeutic work with mothers and their infants.

Evidence and age-related distribution of mtDNA D-loop point mutations in skeletal muscle from healthy subjects and mitochondrial patients.

PubMed

Del Bo, Roberto; Bordoni, Andreina; Martinelli Boneschi, Filippo; Crimi, Marco; Sciacco, Monica; Bresolin, Nereo; Scarlato, Guglielmo; Comi, Giacomo Pietri

2002-10-15

The progressive accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) alterations, ranging from single mutations to large-scale deletions, in both the normal ageing process and pathological conditions is a relevant phenomenon in terms of frequency and heteroplasmic degree. Recently, two point mutations (A189G and T408A) within the Displacement loop (D-loop) region, the control region for mtDNA replication, were shown to occur in skeletal muscles from aged individuals. We evaluated the presence and the heteroplasmy levels of these two mutations in muscle biopsies from 91 unrelated individuals of different ages (21 healthy subjects and 70 patients affected by mitochondrial encephalomyopathies). Overall, both mutations significantly accumulate with age. However, a different relationship was discovered among the different subgroups of patients: a higher number of A189G positive subjects younger than 53 years was detected in the subgroup of multiple-deleted patients; furthermore, a trend towards an increased risk for the mutations was evidenced among patients carrying multiple deletions when compared to healthy controls. These findings support the idea that a common biological mechanism determines the accumulation of somatic point mutations in the D-loop region, both in healthy subjects and in mitochondrial myopathy patients. At the same time, it appears that disorders caused by mutations of nuclear genes controlling mtDNA replication (the "mtDNA multiple deletions" syndromes) present a temporal advantage to mutate in the D-loop region. This observation may be relevant to the definition of the molecular pathogenesis of these latter syndromes. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.

Gut flora profiling and fecal metabolite composition of colorectal cancer patients and healthy individuals

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoxue; Wang, Jianping; Rao, Benqiang; Deng, Li

2017-01-01

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and its morbidity and mortality rates are increasing due to alterations to human lifestyle and dietary habits. The relationship between human gut flora and colorectal cancer has attracted increasing attention. In the present study, a metabolic fingerprinting technique that combined pyrosequencing with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was utilized to compare the differences in gut flora profiling and fecal metabolites between healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer. The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences in the abundance and diversity of gut flora between healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer (P>0.05) and the dominant bacterial phyla present in the gut of both groups included Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia. At the bacterial strain/genus level, significant differences were observed in the relative abundance of 18 species of bacteria (P<0.05). Analysis of fecal metabolites demonstrated that the metabolic profiles of healthy individuals and patients with colorectal cancer were distinct. The levels of short-chain fatty acid metabolites, including acetic acid, valeric acid, isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid, and of nine amino acids in patients with colorectal cancer were significantly higher than those in healthy individuals (P<0.05). However, the levels of butyrate, oleic acid, trans-oleic acid, linoleic acid, glycerol, monoacyl glycerol, myristic acid, ursodesoxycholic acid and pantothenic acid in patients with colorectal cancer were significantly lower than those in healthy individuals (P<0.05). Pearson rank correlation analysis demonstrated that there was a correlation between gut flora profiling and metabolite composition. These findings suggest that gut flora disorder results in the alteration of bacterial metabolism, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. The results of the present