A survey of World Wide Web use in middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Morrell, R W; Mayhorn, C B; Bennett, J

2000-01-01

We conducted a survey to document World Wide Web use patterns in middle-aged (ages 40-59), young-old (ages 60-74), and old-old adults (ages 75-92). We conducted this survey of 550 adults 40 years old and over in southeastern Michigan, and the overall response rate was approximately 71%. The results suggested that (a) there are distinct age and demographic differences in individuals who use the Web; (b) middle-aged and older Web users are similar in their use patterns; (c) the two primary predictors for not using the Web are lack of access to a computer and lack of knowledge about the Web; (d) old-old adults have the least interest in using the Web compared with middle-aged and young-old adults; and (e) the primary content areas in learning how to use the Web are learning how to use electronic mail and accessing health information and information about traveling for pleasure. This research may serve as a preliminary attempt to ascertain the issues that must be faced in order to increase use of the World Wide Web in middle-aged and older adults.

Is age a risk factor for depression among the oldest old with cancer?

PubMed

Goldzweig, Gil; Baider, Lea; Rottenberg, Yakir; Andritsch, Elisabeth; Jacobs, Jeremy M

2018-04-09

Age is negatively related to depression among young and middle age patients with cancer. Nevertheless the relationship between age and depression among older patients with cancer is unclear. The goal of the current study is to assess the association of depression with increasing age among older patients with cancer. Participants were 243 oncology out-patients, aged ≥65, either receiving treatment for active disease or within 6 months of completing treatment for active disease, with a Karnofsky score ≥70. Participants were grouped by age: "Younger-Old" - age 65-74 (N = 125); "Old" - age 75-84 (N = 49); and "Oldest-Old" -age ≥ 85 years (N = 69). Background data included: socio-demography; cancer type/staging/treatment; Charlson comorbidity index (CCI); Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance. Psychological data included: the 5-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS); "Distress Thermometer" (single item); and Cancer Perceived Agents of Social Support (12-item). Depression levels were significantly higher among oldest-old participants in comparison to the old and younger-old groups: mean GDS scores were 0.93 ± 1.13, 1.27 ± 1.41 and 3.91 ± 1.35 respectively. After controlling for all potential confounders in a hierarchical logistic regression model, age-group significantly predicted both depression and distress. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined age 86 as the optimal cutoff for both clinical depression and distress. Depression among older patients with cancer rises with increasing age, being extremely common among the oldest old. Age independently predicted depression, irrespective of medical variables, social support, or functional status. Findings highlight the importance of addressing the potentially unmet psychological needs of this rapidly growing patient population. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Corrective osteotomy for cubitus varus in middle-aged patients.

PubMed

Lim, Tae Kang; Koh, Kyoung Hwan; Lee, Do Kyung; Park, Min Jong

2011-09-01

We reviewed the results of corrective osteotomy for cubitus varus in middle-aged patients to investigate whether it is recommended in this age group. We studied 20 consecutive patients who underwent 3-dimensional corrective osteotomy at an average age of 47.9 years (range, 41-55 years). The osteotomy was fixed with single plating in 8 patients and with double plating in 12. The average follow-up was 23 months (range, 18-109 months). The average humerus-elbow-wrist angle improved from 21.4° (range, 15°-35°) varus to 8.7° (range, -4°-20°) valgus. Osseous union was radiographically demonstrated in all patients at an average of 17.5 weeks (range, 8-36 weeks). Delayed union of longer than 12 weeks was observed in 15 patients (75%). The average time to union in the single-plating group was 21.0 weeks compared with 15.1 weeks in the double-plating group (P = .012). Failure of fixation occurred in 2 patients who had single plating. The preoperative and postoperative arc of motion was similar. According to Oppenheim criteria, results were excellent in 10, good in 8, and poor in 2. The average final Mayo Elbow Performance Score was 90.3 points (range, 70-100 points). Cubitus varus in middle-aged patients can be treated by a closing wedge osteotomy and fixation with double plating. This provides satisfactory deformity correction, maintenance of the elbow motion, and good functional outcome, although healing of the osteotomy tends to be delayed. Copyright © 2011 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicide in older adults: differences between the young-old, middle-old, and oldest old.

PubMed

Koo, Yu Wen; Kõlves, Kairi; De Leo, Diego

2017-08-01

In the limited research into suicides in older adults, they have been treated as a homogenous group without distinguishing between different age groups. This study aimed to compare differences in sociodemographic variables, recent life events, and mental and physical illnesses between three age groups within older adults who died by suicide: young-old (65-74 years), middle-old (75-84 years), and oldest old (85 years and over) in Queensland, Australia, during the years 2000-2012 (N = 978). The Queensland Suicide Register was utilized for the analysis. Annual suicide rates were calculated. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and χ 2 tests for trend were calculated to examine differences between the three groups. Suicide rates were increasing with age for males, but not for females. Hanging and firearms were the predominant methods of suicides. However, suffocation by plastic bag and drowning as suicide methods increased with age, in contrast firearms and explosives decreased with age. Overall, psychiatric problems, suicidal behavior, legal and financial stressors, and relationship problems decreased significantly with age, meanwhile physical conditions and bereavement increased with age. Suicide across older adulthood is not a homogenous phenomenon. Our findings showed significant differences in the prevalence of potential risk factors within the three different age groups considered. To prevent suicide in older adults would require targeting specific factors for each subgroup while using holistic and comprehensive approaches.

The Effects of Age at Cleft Palate Repair on Middle Ear Function and Hearing Level.

PubMed

Lou, Qun; Zhu, Hongping; Luo, Yi; Zhou, Zhibo; Ma, Lian; Ma, Xiaoran; Fu, Yuan

2018-05-01

To investigate the age effects of cleft palate repair on middle ear function and hearing level in patients who underwent cleft palate repair at different ages by audiologic examination. Medical histories were gathered in detail, and audiologic tests (ie, tympanometry and pure tone hearing threshold) were conducted in 126 patients after palatoplasty. The patients were divided into the following 4 groups according to their ages when they underwent cleft palate repair: group I (0-3 years, 73 patients), group II (4-7 years, 29 patients), group III (8-11 years, 16 patients), and group IV (12 years and older, 8 patients). The data regarding tympanograms, hearing levels, and the average hearing thresholds of each group were analyzed using chi-square tests. The prevalence of middle ear dysfunction and hearing loss in the patients who underwent palatoplasty before 3 years old (27.4% and 2.0% respectively) was significantly lower than that in patients who underwent palatopalsty at 12 years or older (75.0% and 43.7%, respectively). Linear-by-linear association revealed that the prevalences of middle ear dysfunction and hearing loss among the 4 groups were significantly different ( P < .05). The prevalence of middle ear dysfunction and hearing loss tended to increase with advancing age at the time of cleft palate repair. From an audiologist's perspective, palatoplasty at an early age is very beneficial in helping children with cleft palates acquire better middle ear function and hearing level.

Preparing for an "Insured" Old Age: Insurance Purchase and Self-Support in Old Age in Rural China.

PubMed

Shi, Lihong

2018-05-21

This article explores an emerging trend among young and middle-aged rural couples in Northeast China who have purchased recently marketized commercial insurance as a way to prepare for self-support in old age. It discusses how the commercial insurance industry has created a rural elder-care market among a population that traditionally relied on family for support in old age. It also delves into the ways in which the transformations of intergenerational exchange and family structure and a lack of health care access have contributed to the preparation for self-support in old age and have thus fostered the creation of a rural elder-care market for the insurance industry. This emerging trend reveals a transition from traditional family support to a combination of multiple ways of elder care, in particular self-support in old age. It also suggests that while the Chinese state is facing a pressing issue of supporting an increasing aging population and the Chinese family is coping with the burden of elder care, the insurance industry is playing an increasing role in elder care in China.

The relationship between stressors and mental health among Japanese middle-aged women in urban areas.

PubMed

Suzuki, Junko; Takeda, Fumi; Kishi, Kaori; Monma, Takafumi

2017-04-27

In middle age, some people may become mentally or emotionally unstable. Additionally, in Japan, mood disorders, such as depressive symptoms, occur mostly among middle-aged women (i.e., aged 40-49 years). However, few studies have examined stressors related to mental health. In the present study, we developed a stressor scale for middle-aged women and examined stressors correlated with middle-aged women's mental health. In January 2015, an anonymous, self-administered survey was mailed to 1,000 randomly selected women aged 45 through 64 years living in Tokyo, Japan. Completed questionnaires were obtained from 329 women (32.9 percent). Factor analysis identified the following stressor categories: "relationship with my husband," "uneasiness about old age," "health concerns," "work-life balance," and "relationship with my friends." "Uneasiness about old age" and "health concerns" were correlated negatively with participants' mental health. Improving middle-aged women's health requires interventions that relieve stressors resulting from age-related problems and promote a positive image of old age.

How Old Am I? Perceived Age in Middle and Later Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Russell A.

2010-01-01

Literatures on perceived age and developmental issues in middle and later life are joined in analyzing perceived age and its implications for well-being. Respondents aged 40-74 (N = 2,696) are drawn from the national MIDUS survey, containing developmental variables such as personal growth and insight into past. People generally "feel" ("felt age")…

Association Between Random Measured Glucose Levels in Middle and Old Age and Risk of Dementia-Related Death.

PubMed

Rosness, Tor Atle; Engedal, Knut; Bjertness, Espen; Strand, Bjørn Heine

2016-01-01

To investigate the association between random measured glucose levels in middle and old age and dementia-related death. Population-based cohort study. Norwegian Counties Study (middle-aged individuals; 35-49) and Cohort of Norway participants (older individuals; 65-80). Individuals without (n=74,630) and with (n=3,095) known diabetes mellitus (N=77,725); 67,865 without and 2,341 with diabetes mellitus were included in the complete case analyses (nonmissing for all included covariates), of whom 1,580 without and 131 with diabetes mellitus died from dementia-related causes. Dementia-related death was ascertained according to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. Cox regression was used to assess the relationship between random glucose levels (nonfasting) in individuals without and with diabetes mellitus and dementia-related death. Education, smoking, cardiovascular disease, body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure, and physical activity were adjusted for. Individuals without diabetes mellitus at midlife with glucose levels between 6.5 and 11.0 mmol/L had a significantly greater risk of dementia-related death than those with levels less than 5.1 mmol/L (hazard ratio=1.32, 95% confidence interval=1.04-1.67) in a fully adjusted model. A dose-response relationship (P=.02) was observed. No significant association between high glucose levels in individuals aged 65 to 80 and dementia-related death was detected. High random glucose levels measured in middle-aged but not older age persons without known diabetes mellitus were associated with greater risk of dementia-related death up to four decades later. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Perspectives, preferences, care practices, and outcomes among older and middle-aged patients with late-stage cancer.

PubMed

Rose, Julia Hannum; O'Toole, Elizabeth E; Dawson, Neal V; Lawrence, Renee; Gurley, Diana; Thomas, Charles; Hamel, Mary Beth; Cohen, Harvey J

2004-12-15

To evaluate relationships among physician and cancer patient survival estimates, patients' perceived quality of life, care preferences, and outcomes, and how they vary across middle-aged and older patient groups. Subjects were from the Study to Understand Prognoses and Preferences for Risks of Treatments (SUPPORT) prospective cohort studied in five US teaching hospitals (from 1989 to 1994), and included 720 middle-aged (45 to 64 years) and 696 older (> or = 65 years) patients receiving care for advanced cancer. Perspectives were assessed in physician and patient/surrogate interviews; care practices and outcomes were determined from hospital records and the National Death Index. General linear models were used within age groups to obtain adjusted estimates. Although most patients had treatment goals to relieve pain, treatment preferences and care practices were linked only in the older group. For older patients, preference for life-extending treatment was associated with more therapeutic interventions and more documented discussions; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preference was linked to more therapeutic interventions and longer survival. For middle-aged patients, better perceived quality of life was associated with preferring CPR. In both groups, patients' higher survival estimates were associated with preferences for life-prolonging treatment and CPR; physicians' higher survival estimates were associated with patients' preferences for CPR, fewer documented treatment limitation discussions about care, and actual 6-month survival. More discussions were associated with readmissions and earlier death. More aggressive care was not related to outcomes. Fewer older patients preferred CPR or life-prolonging treatments. Although older patients' goals for aggressive treatment were related to care, this was not so for middle-aged patients. Aggressive care was not related to prolonged life in either group.

In middle-aged and old obese patients, training intervention reduces leptin level: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Rostás, Ildikó; Pótó, László; Mátrai, Péter; Hegyi, Péter; Tenk, Judit; Garami, András; Illés, Anita; Solymár, Margit; Pétervári, Erika; Szűcs, Ákos; Párniczky, Andrea; Pécsi, Dániel; Rumbus, Zoltán; Zsiborás, Csaba; Füredi, Nóra; Balaskó, Márta

2017-01-01

Background Leptin is one of the major adipokines in obesity that indicates the severity of fat accumulation. It is also an important etiological factor of consequent cardiometabolic and autoimmune disorders. Aging has been demonstrated to aggravate obesity and to induce leptin resistance and hyperleptinemia. Hyperleptinemia, on the other hand, may promote the development of age-related abnormalities. While major weight loss has been demonstrated to ameliorate hyperleptinemia, obese people show a poor tendency to achieve lasting success in this field. The question arises whether training intervention per se is able to reduce the level of this adipokine. Objectives We aimed to review the literature on the effects of training intervention on peripheral leptin level in obesity during aging, in order to evaluate the independent efficacy of this method. In the studies that were included in our analysis, changes of adiponectin levels (when present) were also evaluated. Data sources 3481 records were identified through searching of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library Database. Altogether 19 articles were suitable for analyses. Study eligibility criteria Empirical research papers were eligible provided that they reported data of middle-aged or older (above 45 years of age) overweight or obese (body mass index above 25) individuals and included physical training intervention or at least fitness status of groups together with corresponding blood leptin values. Statistical methods We used random effect models in each of the meta-analyses calculating with the DerSimonian and Laird weighting methods. I-squared indicator and Q test were performed to assess heterogeneity. To assess publication bias Egger’s test was applied. In case of significant publication bias, the Duval and Tweedie's trim and fill algorithm was used. Results Training intervention leads to a decrease in leptin level of middle-aged or older, overweight or obese male and female groups, even without major weight

So You Think You Look Young? Matching Older Adults' Subjective Ages with Age Estimations Provided by Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotter-Gruhn, Dana; Hess, Thomas M.

2012-01-01

Perceived age plays an important role in the context of age identity and social interactions. To examine how accurate individuals are in estimating how old they look and how old others are, younger, middle-aged, and older adults rated photographs of older target persons (for whom we had information about objective and subjective age) in terms of…

Three-year-old child with middle aortic syndrome treated by endovascular stent implantation.

PubMed

Moszura, Tomasz; Goreczny, Sebastian; Dryzek, Pawel; Niwald, Marek

2013-04-01

Middle aortic syndrome (MAS) is an extremely rare anomaly and represents both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, particularly in young children. A case of a 3.5 year-old child with MAS and arterial hypertension is reported, where owing to the patient's young age and the length of the hypoplastic aortic segment, surgical correction with end-to-end anastomosis was not feasible. Instead of palliative bypass grafting between the thoracic and abdominal aorta, successful percutaneous balloon angioplasty and stenting of the lesion was performed with the assistance of three-dimensional rotational angiography.

Age differences in loneliness from late adolescence to oldest old age.

PubMed

Luhmann, Maike; Hawkley, Louise C

2016-06-01

Contrary to common stereotypes, loneliness is not restricted to old age but can occur at any life stage. In this study, we used data from a large, nationally representative German study (N = 16,132) to describe and explain age differences in loneliness from late adolescence to oldest old age. The age distribution of loneliness followed a complex nonlinear trajectory, with elevated loneliness levels among young adults and among the oldest old. The late-life increase in loneliness could be explained by lower income levels, higher prevalence of functional limitations, and higher proportion of singles in this age group. Consistent with an age-normative perspective, the association of income, relationship status, household size, and work status with loneliness differed between different age groups. In contrast, indicators of the quantity of social relationships (social engagement, number of friends, contact frequency) were universally associated with loneliness regardless of age. Overall, these findings show that sources of loneliness in older adults are well understood. Future research should focus on understanding the specific sources of loneliness in middle-aged adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Alphabetizing in old age.

PubMed

Sullivan, Barbara Stevens

2007-02-01

A long term, intensive analysis with a woman in old old age is reported. An attempt is made to answer the question, 'What, in analytic work, is healing?'. The patient's previous classical Jungian work is contrasted with the author's developmental perspective. It is suggested that an enactment, representing what Neville Symington has called an analyst's act of freedom, was crucial in effecting a profound transformation in the patient's psyche.

Medial Meniscus Root Tear in the Middle Aged Patient: A Case Based Review

PubMed Central

Carreau, Joseph H.

2017-01-01

Abstract Biomechanical studies have shown that medial meniscal root tears result in meniscal extrusion and increased tibiofemoral joint contact pressures, which can accelerate the progression of arthritis. Repair is generally recommended for acute injuries in the young, active patient population. The far more common presentation however, is a subacute root tear with medial meniscal extrusion in a middle aged patient. Coexisting arthritis is common in this population and complicates decision making. Treatment should be based on the severity of the underlying arthritis. In cases of early or minimal arthritis, root repair is ideal to improve symptoms and restore meniscal function. In patients with moderate or severe medial compartment arthritis, medial unloader bracing or injections can be tried initially. When non-operative treatment fails, high tibial osteotomy or arthroplasty is recommended. Long term clinical studies are needed to determine the natural history of medial meniscal root tears in middle aged patients and the best surgical option. PMID:28852346

Trust in health information sources differs between young/middle and oldest old.

PubMed

Le, Thai; Chaudhuri, Shomir; White, Cathy; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2014-01-01

Examine differences in trust of health information sources between the oldest old and young/middle old. Cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling. Eleven retirement communities. Older adults ≥65 years (N = 353). Self-rated trust in health information sources. Mann-Whitney U-test or Fisher exact test to compare trust between age groups; multinomial ordered logistic regression analyses to model trust in Internet information sources. The overall survey response rate was 26.6%. Differences in trust were identified between oldest old (n = 108) and young/middle old (n = 245) for pharmacist (p < .05), Internet (p < .001), television (p < .05), radio (p < .001), and newspaper (p < .05) sources. In the oldest old, we found associations between levels of trust in Internet sources and frequency of Internet use (β = 4.13, p < .001). Understanding where differences in trust arise can inform the design of resources to support the information-seeking process. When planning widespread distribution of health information to these distinct groups, program developers need to consider these differences.

[Correlation between body fat percentage and general obesity indexes in middle aged and old people in Guangzhou].

PubMed

Hu, Q; Jiang, C Q; Zhang, W S; Cheng, J J; Xu, L; Jin, Y L; Rao, S L; Zheng, H Q; Lam, D Q

2016-10-10

Objective: To examine the correlation between body fat percentage (BFP) and general obesity indexes, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) and calculate the corresponding BFP cutoff values in the middle aged and old people in Guangzhou. The corresponding cut-point of optimal body fat percentage for Guangzhou older population. Methods: Based on the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS), 3 490 relatively healthy Guangzhou residents aged ≥50 years were selected and were randomly divided into 2 groups. The equations between BFP and BMI, WC, WHR were set up with Curve fitting analysis in one group. The multiple regression analysis was undertaken to establish predictive equations between BFP and BMI, WC, WHR with stepwise model for adding gender, age, physical activity, drinking and smoking. Then, the optimal cut-points of BFP corresponding to BMI, WC and WHR to reflect the degree of obesity were calculated. The equations were then validated with another group. Results: BFP increased with the increase of WHR, WC and BMI. BMI was a better predictor of body fat percentage than WC and WHR. The final regression equation was BFP=(-23.47 -8.87×sex) +2.94× (BMI) - 0.024 × (BMI) 2 ,the coefficient of determination was 0.805. Based on the equation, the BFP corresponding to overweight/obesity (24 kg/m 2 ≤BMI<28 kg/m 2 ) were 24.3 % ≤BFP<31.1 % in men and 33.2 % ≤BFP<40.0 % in women, respectively. BMI had a better consistency with BFP in identify obesity compared with WC and WHR, obtained the area of ROC 0.909 in men and 0.919 in women respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 70.3 % and 85.5 % in men; and 75.2 % and 93.0 % in women respectively. Conclusion: BFP has a better correlation with BMI. The study results indicated that BFP for middle aged and old males and females in Guangzhou corresponding to overweight/obesity (BMI≥24 kg/m 2 ) were <24.0 % and <33.0 % respectively.

Sex Differences in Preschoolers' Perceptions of Young, Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downs, A. Chris; Walz, Patricia J.

This study examines the sex differences in preschool children's perception of male and female adults of different ages (young, middle-aged and elderly) and the degree to which physical attractiveness plays a role in children's attributions concerning adults. Forty 3- and 4-year-old children (20 boys, 20 girls) from middle-income families served as…

Contrasting outcomes of older versus middle-aged and younger adult chemical dependency patients in a managed care program.

PubMed

Satre, Derek D; Mertens, Jennifer; Areán, Patricia A; Weisner, Constance

2003-07-01

This study examined how well older chemical dependency patients succeed in treatment relative to middle-aged and younger patients in a mixed-age private HMO outpatient program. To predict successful outcome, we tested a model incorporating age group differences in individual, treatment and extratreatment factors. The sample included 89 patients aged 55 and over, 379 patients aged 40 to 54, and 736 patients aged 18-39 (N = 1,204). Baseline measures included DSM-IV substance misuse diagnoses, Addiction Severity Index (ASI), psychiatric symptom checklist, sources of suggestion to enter treatment, treatment history and motivation. Outcome measures were abstinence rates and ASI score 6 months posttreatment. At baseline, older adults showed higher levels of alcohol dependence, lower rates of drug dependence and lower psychiatric symptoms relative to younger individuals. Source of suggestions to enter treatment differed by age. Older and middle-aged patients were more likely to have an abstinence goal and to stay in treatment longer than younger adults. At 6 months posttreatment, 55% of older adults reported abstinence in the preceding 30 days, versus 59% of middle-aged adults and 50% of younger adults (p = .035). Lower rates of dependence and hostility, and greater abstinence motivation and length of stay in treatment--all of which were associated with greater age--positively affect prognosis of older adults in treatment.

Age Stereotypes in Middle-Aged through Old-Old Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Neil Carter; Friedrich, Douglas

2010-01-01

The primary goal of the study was to compare adult age groups on aging bias, with measures of knowledge of aging in the physical, psychological, and social domains and life satisfaction. The study sample, consisting of 752 men and women, 40 to 95 years of age, was tested using Neugarten, Havighurst, and Tobin's (1961) Life Satisfaction Index (LSI)…

Creativity in Adulthood and Old Age: Relations to Intelligence, Sex and Mode of Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruth, Jan-Erik; Birren, James E.

1985-01-01

Young adults, middle-aged, and old persons (n=150) participated in a study of creativity and age. Results showed age differences in creativity to the disadvantage of the old. Reduced speed of information processing, lower level of complexity, and decreased willingness to risk original solutions by age are offered as explanations. (Author/AS)

Inflammatory markers and physical performance in middle-aged and older people in Indonesia.

PubMed

Sujarwoto, Sujarwoto; Tampubolon, Gindo

2015-07-01

although recent studies have suggested that inflammation may play an important role in the process of ageing and in the development of disabilities, knowledge about the role of inflammation in physical performance decline among middle-aged and older people in the context of developing countries is limited. to examine the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and the activities of daily living (ADL) among middle-aged (40-54 years old) and older (55-96 years old) people in Indonesia. data from a population-based sample, the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) 2007, were analysed. The data consist of 1,702 respondents of middle age (40-54 years old) and 2,017 older respondents who had completed information on ADL and CRP. CRP concentrations in Dried Blood Spot (DBS) specimens were measured, using the validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Thirteen items of ADL were used to measure physical performance. A three-level linear model was applied to take advantage of the nested structure of data at the individual level within the household and community levels. high levels of CRP were significantly associated with lower ADL for middle-aged and older people (P < 0.001). The model was adjusted for co-morbid conditions, health risk factors, medications, depressive symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics. the significant association between the high level of CRP and lower ADL among older people in Indonesia is in line with earlier studies in the context of developed countries. This study provides an extension in which the significant association was also found in middle-aged people (40-54 years old). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cancer-Related Distress in Young Adults Compared to Middle-Aged and Senior Adults.

PubMed

Burgoyne, Mary Jo; Bingen, Kristin; Leuck, Julianne; Dasgupta, Mahua; Ryan, Polly; Hoffmann, Raymond G

2015-06-01

Little is known about cancer-related distress during young adulthood. Results from the few studies that have directly assessed this age group have indicated that young adults (YAs) may be at greater risk of developing psychosocial difficulties due to their unique challenges of coping with cancer. This study's objective was to investigate cancer-related distress in YAs compared to older adults. This retrospective cross-sectional study compared the distress level of YAs (18-39 years old) with that of middle-aged (40-64 years old) and senior adults (65-90 years old) using the Distress Thermometer (DT) and associated Problem List (PL). Factors that may be associated with distress by age group were examined, including demographics, cancer type, and PL items endorsed. YAs had higher cancer-related distress than senior adults but similar distress levels to middle-aged adults. Findings from distress comparisons across demographics, cancer types, and PL items endorsed suggest that YAs and middle-aged adults had similar distress patterns when compared to senior adults, who had the lowest DT scores. Multivariable analyses indicated age-related risk factors for high distress, including gynecologic cancers for YAs; divorced, single, or unemployed statuses for middle-aged adults; and being of Hispanic ethnicity for senior adults. Female gender and practical, emotional, and physical problems were associated with distress for all age groups. There is a differential impact of cancer by age. It is important to screen for cancer-related distress, paying attention to risk factors by age to determine age-appropriate supportive care needs.

Short-term effect of ECT in middle-aged and elderly patients with intractable catatonic schizophrenia.

PubMed

Suzuki, Kazumasa; Awata, Shuichi; Matsuoka, Hiroo

2003-06-01

The management of middle-aged and elderly patients with catatonic schizophrenia has long been a major problem in clinical geriatric psychiatry. Most cases are intractable because of medication resistance, medication intolerance, or severe medical conditions. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is recognized as one of the most efficacious therapies for catatonic schizophrenia. Thus, we conducted a prospective study of the short-term effect of acute ECT on middle-aged and elderly patients with intractable catatonic schizophrenia. Subjects were nine consecutive patients older than 45 years who had fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for catatonic-type schizophrenia and had been referred for first-time acute ECT after other treatments had failed. The patients were treated at Tohoku University Hospital between January 1998 and March 2002. We evaluated the clinical response of these patients to acute ECT by means of the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS). We also evaluated adverse effects of acute ECT. The response rate was 100%. The total BPRS score was improved in all nine subjects at the end of the ECT course and 1 week after the final session in comparison with the total pre-ECT BPRS score (11.9 +/- 7.5 and 9.3 +/- 9.2 versus 57.1 +/- 13.1, respectively, p = 0.008, p = 0.008). The total Global Assessment of Functioning score was also improved significantly (from 10.8 +/- 9.4 just before ECT to 61.6 +/- 18.9 1 week after ECT, p = 0.008). Guy's five factors (thought disturbance, activation, anxiety-depression, hostility-suspiciousness, and anergia) improved significantly (p = 0.008, p = 0.008, p = 0.018, p = 0.012, p = 0.008, respectively). One patient showed supraventricular premature contractions (SVPCs) during an ECT seizure. After some ECT sessions, three patients exhibited mild to moderate delirium that disappeared within 3 days. However, no patient experienced a severe cognitive or physical adverse effect during the course of ECT. Acute ECT has a good short-term effect

Movement Control in Older Adults: Does Old Age Mean Middle of the Road?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raw, Rachael K.; Kountouriotis, Georgios K.; Mon-Williams, Mark; Wilkie, Richard M.

2012-01-01

Old age is associated with poorer movement skill, as indexed by reduced speed and accuracy. Nevertheless, reductions in speed and accuracy can also reflect compensation as well as deficit. We used a manual tracing and a driving task to identify generalized spatial and temporal compensations and deficits associated with old age. In Experiment 1,…

Polypharmacy in the oldest old (≥80 years of age) patients in China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lai, Xiaoxing; Zhu, Hongwei; Huo, Xiaopeng; Li, Zheng

2018-03-02

The oldest old generally have worse health and more comorbidities than the general population of older adults, and they are more likely to be exposed to polypharmacy. Reliable investigation of polypharmacy among the oldest old (≥80 years of age) in China are lacking. So this study aims to describe the polypharmacy status of oldest old patients ≥80 years of age and to assess the factors influencing medication compliance. This was a cross-sectional study of 258 oldest old patients ≥ 80 years of age and hospitalized at a tertiary hospital in Beijing between December 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. They completed three validated questionnaires to assess their pre-admission status (general demographics, medication knowledge, and medication adherence). Potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) use was evaluated by physicians. The majority of the patients (55.4%) took < 10 types of drugs. The numbers of drugs taken ranged from 8 to 60 drugs (median of 22.9). Patients taking 11-20 drugs accounted for 46.1% of the patients. Subjects with a history of adverse drug reactions accounted for 40.3%. The proportion of PIMs was 27.1%. Compliance was only 32.6% among the oldest old patients with polypharmacy. Age and medication classes were independently negatively associated with compliance, and medication knowledge was independently positively associated with compliance. Oldest old patients (≥ 80 years of age) had a poor medication knowledge. Age, medication classes, and medication knowledge were independently associated with medication compliance.

Early life determinants of frailty in old age: the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Haapanen, M J; Perälä, M M; Salonen, M K; Kajantie, E; Simonen, M; Pohjolainen, P; Eriksson, J G; von Bonsdorff, M B

2018-04-12

there is evidence suggesting that several chronic diseases have their origins in utero and that development taking place during sensitive periods may affect the aging process. We investigated whether early life determinants would be associated with frailty in old age. at a mean age of 71 years, 1,078 participants belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were assessed for frailty according to the Fried frailty criteria. Early life measurements (birth weight, length, mother body mass index [BMI] and parity) were obtained from birth, child welfare and school health records. Multinomial regression analysis was used to assess the association between early life determinants and frailty in old age. weight, length and BMI at birth were all inversely associated with frailty in old age. A 1 kg increase in birth weight was associated with a lower relative risk ratio (RRR) of frailty (age and sex-adjusted RRR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.82) compared to non-frailty. Associations persisted after adjusting for several confounding factors. Compared to cohort members in the upper middle class, those who as adults worked as manual workers or belonged to the lower middle class, were at an increased risk of frailty. those who were small at birth were at an increased risk of developing frailty in old age, suggesting that frailty is at least partly programmed in early life. A less privileged socioeconomic status in adulthood was associated with an increased risk of frailty in old age.

Preservation of blood glucose homeostasis in slow-senescing somatotrophism-deficient mice subjected to intermittent fasting begun at middle or old age.

PubMed

Arum, Oge; Saleh, Jamal K; Boparai, Ravneet K; Kopchick, John J; Khardori, Romesh K; Bartke, Andrzej

2014-06-01

Poor blood glucose homeostatic regulation is common, consequential, and costly for older and elderly populations, resulting in pleiotrophically adverse clinical outcomes. Somatotrophic signaling deficiency and dietary restriction have each been shown to delay the rate of senescence, resulting in salubrious phenotypes such as increased survivorship. Using two growth hormone (GH) signaling-related, slow-aging mouse mutants we tested, via longitudinal analyses, whether genetic perturbations that increase survivorship also improve blood glucose homeostatic regulation in senescing mammals. Furthermore, we institute a dietary restriction paradigm that also decelerates aging, an intermittent fasting (IF) feeding schedule, as either a short-term or a sustained intervention beginning at either middle or old age, and assess its effects on blood glucose control. We find that either of the two genetic alterations in GH signaling ameliorates fasting hyperglycemia; additionally, both longevity-inducing somatotrophic mutations improve insulin sensitivity into old age. Strikingly, we observe major and broad improvements in blood glucose homeostatic control by IF: IF improves ad libitum-fed hyperglycemia, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity, and reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis, in aging mutant and normal mice. These results on correction of aging-resultant blood glucose dysregulation have potentially important clinical and public health implications for our ever-graying global population, and are consistent with the Longevity Dividend concept.

Psychological determinants of erectile dysfunction among middle-aged men.

PubMed

Aghighi, A; Grigoryan, V H; Delavar, A

2015-01-01

We describe psychological determinants of erectile dysfunction (ED) among middle-aged men with no identifiable medical risk factors and compare them with a sample of young individuals. Two groups of young (⩽ 30 years, n = 59) and middle-aged men (⩾ 40 years, n = 63) who scored ⩽ 25 on the erectile functioning domain of the International Index of Erectile Functioning were enrolled. Patients were included if they had no metabolic diseases, prostate problems or external genitalia abnormalities. Patients were not included if they were smokers, excessive drinkers or took medications known to cause ED. To assess psychopathology, symptom check list 90-revised (SCL-90-R) was administered. Structural equation modeling was performed to assess the relationship between psychopathology and ED. One in five men had severe ED, and the proportion was not different between the two groups. Middle-aged men had lower scores on different SCL-90-R domains. In both age groups, somatization and interpersonal sensitivity contributed to ED. Among younger individuals, anxiety and psychosis-related domains were also associated with ED. Unique contributors to ED in middle-aged men were depression and additional questions. In conclusion, among middle-aged men, psychological factors significantly contribute to ED when no medical risk factors are present. The pattern and composition of distress depicts distinct features, not seen in young age.

Disrupted trabecular bone micro-architecture in middle-aged male HIV-infected treated patients.

PubMed

Sellier, P; Ostertag, A; Collet, C; Trout, H; Champion, K; Fernandez, S; Lopes, A; Morgand, M; Clevenbergh, P; Evans, J; Souak, S; de Vernejoul, M-C; Bergmann, J-F

2016-08-01

HIV-infected individuals are at increased risk of incident fractures. Evaluation of trabecular bone micro-architecture is an important tool to assess bone strength, but its use has not yet been reported in middle-aged HIV-infected male individuals. The aim of the study was to compare bone micro-architecture between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men. In this cross-sectional study, 53 HIV-infected male individuals with a mean (± standard deviation) age of 49 ± 9 years who had been receiving antiretroviral therapy including tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) for at least 60 months were compared with 50 HIV-uninfected male controls, matched for age and ethnic origin. We studied the volumetric bone density and micro-architecture of the radius and tibia using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-p QCT). Volumetric trabecular bone density was 17% lower in the tibia (P < 10(-4) ) and 16% lower in the radius (P < 10(-3) ) in HIV-infected patients compared with controls. By contrast, the cortical bone density was normal at both sites. The tibial trabecular micro-architecture differed markedly between patients and controls: bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) and trabecular number were each 13% lower (P < 10(-4) for both). Trabecular separation and inhomogeneity of the network were 18% and 24% higher in HIV-infected patients than in controls, respectively. The radial BV/TV and trabecular thickness were each 13% lower (P < 10(-3) and 10(-2) , respectively). Cortical thickness was not different between the two groups. The findings of lower volumetric trabecular bone density and disrupted trabecular micro-architectural parameters in middle-aged male HIV-infected treated patients help to explain bone frailty in these patients. © 2016 British HIV Association.

Private Prayer and Optimism in Middle-Aged and Older Patients Awaiting Cardiac Surgery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ai, Amy L.; Peterson, Christopher; Bolling, Steven F.; Koenig, Harold

2002-01-01

Purpose: This study investigated the use of private prayer among middle-aged and older patients as a way of coping with cardiac surgery and prayer's relationship to optimism. Design and Methods: The measure of prayer included three aspects: (a) belief in the importance of private prayer, (b) faith in the efficacy of prayer on the basis of previous…

Interactive effects of age and gender on EEG power and coherence during a short-term memory task in middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Kober, Silvia Erika; Reichert, Johanna Louise; Neuper, Christa; Wood, Guilherme

2016-04-01

The effects of age and gender on electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during a short-term memory task were assessed in a group of 40 healthy participants aged 22-63 years. Multi-channel EEG was recorded in 20 younger (mean = 24.65-year-old, 10 male) and 20 middle-aged participants (mean = 46.40-year-old, 10 male) during performance of a Sternberg task. EEG power and coherence measures were analyzed in different frequency bands. Significant interactions emerged between age and gender in memory performance and concomitant EEG parameters, suggesting that the aging process differentially influences men and women. Middle-aged women showed a lower short-term memory performance compared to young women, which was accompanied by decreasing delta and theta power and increasing brain connectivity with age in women. In contrast, men showed no age-related decline in short-term memory performance and no changes in EEG parameters. These results provide first evidence of age-related alterations in EEG activity underlying memory processes, which were already evident in the middle years of life in women but not in men. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of the Aged Patients at a Large Cardiac Rehabilitation Center in the Southern Brazil and Some Aspects of Their Dropout from the Therapeutic Programs.

PubMed

Nesello, Pietro Felice Tomazini; Tairova, Olga; Tairova, Maria; Graciolli, Lucas; Baroni, Allan; Comparsi, Eduardo; Marchi, Thiago De

2016-12-15

This paper aims to assess the dropout rate in different age groups through the example of the large cardiac rehabilitation centre affiliated with the Institute of Sports Medicine, University of Caxias do Sul. A historic cohort study comprising the following groups: Non-Old < 65 (n = 141); Young-Old 65-74 (n = 128); and Middle-Old 75-84 years old (n = 57). The exercise program lasted 48 sessions and dropout was defined as attendance of 50% of sessions or less. Logistic binominal regression was performed to assess the risk of dropout. For all analyses, a two-tailed P value of < 0.05 was used. The total dropout rate was 38.6%. The Young-Old and Middle-Old groups showed lower dropouts compared to Non-Old patients (p = 0.01). Young-Old has 96% less risk for dropout compared to Non-Old group (adjusted odds ratios = 1.96 [1.16-3.29]). Furthermore, patients underwent the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft showed a lower rate of dropout (p = 0.001). The absence of CABG involved three times more risk of dropout (p = 0.001). The Non-Old and the Middle-Old patients showed higher dropout rates compared to Young-Old. To ensure the best possible rehabilitation and to improve patients´ participation in CR, these programs should be adjusted to the needs of patients in terms of their age.

Age-related changes in behavior in C57BL/6J mice from young adulthood to middle age.

PubMed

Shoji, Hirotaka; Takao, Keizo; Hattori, Satoko; Miyakawa, Tsuyoshi

2016-01-28

Aging is considered to be associated with progressive changes in the brain and its associated sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. A large number of studies comparing young and aged animals have reported differences in various behaviors between age-cohorts, indicating behavioral dysfunctions related to aging. However, relatively little is known about behavioral changes from young adulthood to middle age, and the effect of age on behavior during the early stages of life remains to be understood. In order to investigate age-related changes in the behaviors of mice from young adulthood to middle age, we performed a large-scale analysis of the behavioral data obtained from our behavioral test battery involving 1739 C57BL/6J wild-type mice at 2-12 months of age. Significant behavioral differences between age groups (2-3-, 4-5-, 6-7-, and 8-12-month-old groups) were found in all the behavioral tests, including the light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, rotarod, social interaction, prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, tail suspension, Barnes maze, and fear conditioning tests, except for the hot plate test. Compared with the 2-3-month-old group, the 4-5- and 6-7-month-old groups exhibited decreased locomotor activity to novel environments, motor function, acoustic startle response, social behavior, and depression-related behavior, increased prepulse inhibition, and deficits in spatial and cued fear memory. For most behaviors, the 8-12-month-old group showed similar but more pronounced changes in most of these behaviors compared with the younger age groups. Older groups exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the light/dark transition test whereas those groups showed seemingly decreased anxiety-like behavior measured by the elevated plus maze test. The large-scale analysis of behavioral data from our battery of behavioral tests indicated age-related changes in a wide range of behaviors from young adulthood to middle age in C57BL/6J mice, though

Logistic regression analysis of factors associated with avascular necrosis of the femoral head following femoral neck fractures in middle-aged and elderly patients.

PubMed

Ai, Zi-Sheng; Gao, You-Shui; Sun, Yuan; Liu, Yue; Zhang, Chang-Qing; Jiang, Cheng-Hua

2013-03-01

Risk factors for femoral neck fracture-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head have not been elucidated clearly in middle-aged and elderly patients. Moreover, the high incidence of screw removal in China and its effect on the fate of the involved femoral head require statistical methods to reflect their intrinsic relationship. Ninety-nine patients older than 45 years with femoral neck fracture were treated by internal fixation between May 1999 and April 2004. Descriptive analysis, interaction analysis between associated factors, single factor logistic regression, multivariate logistic regression, and detailed interaction analysis were employed to explore potential relationships among associated factors. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was found in 15 cases (15.2 %). Age × the status of implants (removal vs. maintenance) and gender × the timing of reduction were interactive according to two-factor interactive analysis. Age, the displacement of fractures, the quality of reduction, and the status of implants were found to be significant factors in single factor logistic regression analysis. Age, age × the status of implants, and the quality of reduction were found to be significant factors in multivariate logistic regression analysis. In fine interaction analysis after multivariate logistic regression analysis, implant removal was the most important risk factor for avascular necrosis in 56-to-85-year-old patients, with a risk ratio of 26.00 (95 % CI = 3.076-219.747). The middle-aged and elderly have less incidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head following femoral neck fractures treated by cannulated screws. The removal of cannulated screws can induce a significantly high incidence of avascular necrosis of the femoral head in elderly patients, while a high-quality reduction is helpful to reduce avascular necrosis.

Serum thyrotropin and thyroid hormone levels in elderly and middle-aged euthyroid persons.

PubMed

Hershman, J M; Pekary, A E; Berg, L; Solomon, D H; Sawin, C T

1993-08-01

To determine whether serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels are altered in euthyroid older persons compared with middle-aged adults. Serum TSH and thyroid hormone levels were measured in a large group of older persons (> 70 years old, n = 216) and their middle-aged offspring (40-60 years old, n = 211) after excluding those with clinical or historical evidence of thyroid disease or abnormal thyroid function. Serum TSH, thyroxine (T4), free T4 index, estimated free T4, triiodothyronine (T3), estimated free T3, and ferritin levels were measured on the Abbott IMx instrument. Peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies were measured by radioimmunoassay using Kronus kits. Overall, serum TSH showed a log-normal distribution. The geometric mean TSH (mU/L) and 95% confidence limits in the older persons, 1.24 (0.29-5.4), did not differ significantly from that in the middle-aged, 1.45 (0.54-3.9). The mean TSH in the 264 women, 1.37 (0.34-5.5), was similar to that of the 163 men, 1.30 (0.48-3.5). The mean TSH in older women, 1.21 (0.22-6.6), was slightly but significantly lower than that in middle-aged women, 1.52 (0.55-4.2). However, when euthyroid women with positive antibodies were excluded, this difference was not significant. Four of the 123 older women had TSH < 0.1 mU/L, but none of the men or middle-aged women had a suppressed serum TSH. The mean TSH in older men, 1.28 (0.43-3.8), was similar to that in middle-aged men, 1.32 (0.55-3.2). Free T4 was slightly higher in older women than middle-aged women. There were no significant correlations between TSH and any thyroid hormone level. Serum ferritin, measured as a potential marker for the action of thyroid hormone, did not correlate with any measure of thyroid function. At least one antibody level was > 10 U/mL in 14.6% of older women, 15.6% of middle-aged women, 4.3% of older men, and no middle-aged men. When those with milder elevations of antibody levels were included (at least one level > 1 U/mL), the prevalence was 32% of older

[Brain Perfusion, Cognitive Functions, and Vascular Age in Middle Aged Patients With Essential Arterial Hypertension].

PubMed

Parfenov, V A; Ostroumova, T M; Pеrepelova, E M; Perepelov, V A; Kochetkov, A I; Ostroumova, O D

2018-05-01

This study aimed to assess the cognitive functions and cerebral blood flow measured with arterial spin labeling (ASL) and their possible correlations with vascular age in untreated middle-aged patients with grade 1-2 essential arterial hypertension (EAH). We examined 73 subjects aged 40-59 years (33 with EAH and 40 healthy volunteers [controls]). Neuropsychological assessment included Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Trail Making test (part A and part B), Stroop Color and Word Test, verbal fluency test (phonemic verbal fluency and semantic verbal fluency), 10‑item word list learning task. All subjects underwent brain MRI. MRI protocol included ASL. Vascular age was calculated by two techniques - using Framingham Heart Study risk tables and SCORE project scales. Patients with EAH had lower performance on phonemic verbal fluency test and lower mean MoCA score (29.2±1.4 vs. 28.1±1.7 points) compared to controls (13.4±3.2, р=0.002; 29.2±1.4, p=0.001, respectively). White matter hyperintensities (WMH) were present in 7.5 % controls and in 51.5 % EAH patients (р=0.0002). Cerebral blood flow (CBF) in EAH patients was lower in both right (39.1±5.6 vs. 45.8±3.2 ml / 100 g / min) and left frontal lobes of the brain (39.2±6.2 и 45.2±3.6 ml / 100 g / min, respectively) compared to controls (р.

Four weeks of running sprint interval training improves cardiorespiratory fitness in young and middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Willoughby, Taura N; Thomas, Matthew P L; Schmale, Matthew S; Copeland, Jennifer L; Hazell, Tom J

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 4-week running sprint interval training protocol to improve both aerobic and anaerobic fitness in middle-aged adults (40-50 years) as well as compare the adaptations to younger adults (20-30 years). Twenty-eight inactive participants - 14 young 20-30-year-olds (n = 7 males) and 14 middle-aged 40-50-year-olds (n = 5 males) - completed 4 weeks of running sprint interval training (4 to 6, 30-s "all-out" sprints on a curved, self-propelled treadmill separated by 4 min active recovery performed 3 times per week). Before and after training, all participants were assessed for maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), 2000 m time trial performance, and anaerobic performance on a single 30-s sprint. There were no interactions between group and time for any tested variable, although training improved relative VO2max (young = 3.9, middle-aged = 5.2%; P < 0.04), time trial performance (young = 5.9, middle-aged = 8.2%; P < 0.001), peak sprint speed (young = 9.3, middle-aged = 2.2%; P < 0.001), and average sprint speed (young = 6.8, middle-aged = 11.6%; P < 0.001) in both young and middle-aged groups from pre- to post-training on the 30-s sprint test. The current study demonstrates that a 4-week running sprint interval training programme is equally effective at improving aerobic and anaerobic fitness in younger and middle-aged adults.

Treatment of the Aged Patients at a Large Cardiac Rehabilitation Center in the Southern Brazil and Some Aspects of Their Dropout from the Therapeutic Programs

PubMed Central

Nesello, Pietro Felice Tomazini; Tairova, Olga; Tairova, Maria; Graciolli, Lucas; Baroni, Allan; Comparsi, Eduardo; Marchi, Thiago De

2016-01-01

AIM: This paper aims to assess the dropout rate in different age groups through the example of the large cardiac rehabilitation centre affiliated with the Institute of Sports Medicine, University of Caxias do Sul. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A historic cohort study comprising the following groups: Non-Old < 65 (n = 141); Young-Old 65-74 (n = 128); and Middle-Old 75-84 years old (n = 57). The exercise program lasted 48 sessions and dropout was defined as attendance of 50% of sessions or less. Logistic binominal regression was performed to assess the risk of dropout. For all analyses, a two-tailed P value of < 0.05 was used. RESULTS: The total dropout rate was 38.6%. The Young-Old and Middle-Old groups showed lower dropouts compared to Non-Old patients (p = 0.01). Young-Old has 96% less risk for dropout compared to Non-Old group (adjusted odds ratios = 1.96 [1.16–3.29]). Furthermore, patients underwent the Coronary Artery Bypass Graft showed a lower rate of dropout (p = 0.001). The absence of CABG involved three times more risk of dropout (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Non-Old and the Middle-Old patients showed higher dropout rates compared to Young-Old. To ensure the best possible rehabilitation and to improve patients´ participation in CR, these programs should be adjusted to the needs of patients in terms of their age. PMID:28028408

King Lear and some anxieties of old age.

PubMed

Hess, N

1987-09-01

The experience of ageing and the resulting emotional difficulties of elderly patients have only recently begun to be understood from a psychodynamic perspective. This paper draws on two sources, literary (Shakespeare's King Lear) and clinical (consultations with elderly patients in primary care) to highlight a fundamental anxiety of old age: the dread of being abandoned to a state of utter helplessness. This state is felt to be caused by the catastrophes of old age, such as stroke and dementia. The defence against this anxiety is often a narcissistic tyranny.

[Thromboembolism prophylaxis in old age].

PubMed

Röhrig, Gabriele; Kolb, Gerald

2018-04-01

Anticoagulation in geriatric patients is challenging regarding the risk of bleeding complications and thromboembolic problems. Age, comorbidities, such as renal insufficiency and polymedication have a vital impact on bleeding and thromboembolic risks; however, age is not an exclusion criterion for withholding anticoagulation. Age is the main risk factor for deep vein thrombosis and atrial fibrillation becomes more relevant with aging. Older patients with atrial fibrillation have a particularly high risk of having a stroke. Therefore, very old patients benefit particularly from oral anticoagulation because the risk of bleeding is outweighed by the clinical benefit of stroke prevention. Risk of bleeding and thromboembolic problems can be easily assessed by established diagnostic tools. This article reviews the epidemiology of thromboembolic problems in the aged as well as current diagnostic and therapeutic steps for primary and secondary prevention.

Middle Jurassic strata link Wallowa, Olds Ferry, and Izee terranes in the accreted Blue Mountains island arc, northeastern Oregon

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

White, J.D.L.; Vallier, T.; Stanley, G.D. Jr.

1992-08-01

Middle Jurassic strata atop the Wallowa terrane in northeastern Oregon link the Wallowa, Izee, and Olds Ferry terranes as related elements of a single long-lived and complex oceanic feature, the Blue Mountains island arc. Middle Jurassic strata in the Wallowa terrane include a dacitic ash-flow deposit and contain fossil corals and bivalves of North American affinity. Plant fossils in fluvial sandstones support a Jurassic age and indicate a seasonal temperate climate. Corals in a transgressive sequence traditionally overlying the fluvial units are of Bajocian age and are closely related to endemic varieties of the Western Interior embayment. They are unlikemore » Middle Jurassic corals in other Cordilleran terranes; their presence suggests that the Blue Mountains island arc first approached the North American craton at high paleolatitudes in Middle Jurassic time. The authors consider the Bajocian marine strata and underlying fluvial volcaniclastic units to be a basin-margin equivalent of the Izee terrane, a largely Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) succession of basinal volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks known to overlie the Olds Ferry and Baker terranes.« less

[Thyroid diseases in old age. Clinical aspects and therapy. Part 1: Hyperthyroidism].

PubMed

Rudorff, K H; Fahrenkrog, U; Jahnke, K

1981-08-27

The clinical signs of thyroid disease in older people may differ considerably from those in younger patients. The symptoms are often incorrectly interpreted and attributed to old age. The age is also important to the kind of therapy. The normal clinical hyperthyroidism-indices are not relevant in the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism in older patients. Organic symptoms predominate in old age (loss of weight, muscular asthenia, tremor, cardiac arrhythmia, stenocardia, congestive cardiomyopathy). Most of the time they are wrongly interpreted as additional symptoms of old age. Probably it is not the age that causes the difficulties in hyperthyroidism-diagnostics in old age, but the atypical symptoms of solitary or multilocular adenomas, which increase with advancing age. A special symptom of hyperthyroidism in old age, often misinterpreted, is "apathetic" hyperthyroidism. Radioiodotherapy is indicated in older patients with hyperthyroidism.

Acute prostatitis in middle-aged men: a prospective study.

PubMed

Kravchick, S; Cytron, S; Agulansky, L; Ben-Dor, D

2004-01-01

To determine the clinical outcome of middle-aged men with acute prostatitis, the optimum time for re-assessing their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and to detect any possible echotextural and vascular changes that remain as a consequence of acute inflammation. Persistent fever prompted a re-evaluation for prostatic abscess formation in 28 middle-aged men, using transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) colour Doppler imaging, undertaken at the 3-, 6- and 12-month visits. The results of TRUS were compared with laboratory data and clinical outcome. Two abscesses were detected; 19 (68%) of the patients remained infection-free at the 3-month visit. Serum PSA levels were elevated in 11 (39%) of the patients at this visit; three prostate carcinomas were diagnosed. Increased intraprostatic colour flow was detected in 68% and there were hypoechoic areas in 46% of the patients. The re-evaluation for abscess formation should not be postponed for > 48 h. Patients with acute prostatitis tend to have persistent infection. PSA levels could be high even up to 3 months after an acute episode. Middle-aged men with carcinoma could be missed during the acute phase of inflammation. PSA and TRUS monitoring are strongly recommended.

Education and Learning in the Early Middle Ages: New Perspectives and Old Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreni, John J.

1989-01-01

Discusses various scholarly views of education and learning in the early middle ages and identifies some problems confronting scholars investigating this period. Points out new perspectives relative to the role of education during this time. Asserts that future study of early medieval education will benefit from focusing on the minds of masters…

B vitamin supplementation improves cognitive function in the middle aged and elderly with hyperhomocysteinemia.

PubMed

Cheng, Daomei; Kong, Haiyan; Pang, Wei; Yang, Hongpeng; Lu, Hao; Huang, Chengyu; Jiang, Yugang

2016-12-01

An intervention study was performed to determine if supplement containing folic acid, vitamin B 6 , and vitamin B 12 could improve cognitive function and lower homocysteine in middle-aged and elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia. One hundred and four participants with hyperhomocysteinemia were recruited in Tianjin, China, aged 55-94 years old. Fifty-seven individuals with hyperhomocysteinemia were included in the intervention group (vitamin B group, which received 800 µg/day of folate, with 10 mg of vitamin B 6 and 25 µg of vitamin B 12 ) and 47 patients in the placebo group. The endpoint was the improvement in cognitive function as evaluated by Basic Cognitive Aptitude Tests (BCATs). All parameters were measured before and after the treatment period of 14 weeks. The BCAT total score and four sub-tests scores (digit copy, Chinese character rotation, digital working memory, and recognition of meaningless figure) of BCAT at 14 weeks significantly increased only for the vitamin B group. Serum total homocysteine (tHcy) levels significantly decreased in the intervention group, while serum concentrations of folate, vitamin B 6 , and vitamin B 12 significantly increased in the intervention group. The results demonstrated that supplement containing folate, vitamin B 6 , and vitamin B 12 in middle-aged and elderly patients with hyperhomocysteinemia could improve their cognitive function partly and reduce serum tHcy levels.

An Update on Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction in Old Age and Its Relevance to Old Age Psychiatry

PubMed Central

Wood, Alison; Runciman, Ross; Wylie, Kevan R.; McManus, Ross

2012-01-01

Numerous studies have now demonstrated that many older women retain an interest in their sexual lives. Yet, how many old age psychiatrists commonly check with older women about whether the depression they are treating, or the SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) they have prescribed, have adversely affected their patient’s sexual lives? We consider the latest evidence regarding cultural, social and medical influences on older women’s sexual lives and some specific issues which affect lesbian and transsexual people. We examine how mental illness and psychotropic medication in particular can adversely affect older women’s sexual functioning and at how difficult it often proves to be for women to seek help. We also focus on why doctors and in particular psychiatrists may not take a sexual history, look for sexual side effects or refer for appropriate treatment, especially when interviewing older women patients. Most published information about psychiatric training and sexual issues focuses on the younger male patient. We therefore aimed to provide a broad-ranging review of the literature regarding female sexual functioning in old age, the difficulties that can arise and the role that old age psychiatrists have an opportunity to fulfil, in this often neglected aspect of their patients’ treatment. From our review it was clear that, in the light of the increasing cultural acceptability of discussions regarding sexuality and older women, the training of student doctors and trainee psychiatrists needs to reflect this change so that old age psychiatrists can enhance the quality of their patient care. PMID:23185718

Progressive shoulder-neck exercise on cervical muscle functions in middle-aged and senior patients with chronic neck pain.

PubMed

Lin, I-Hsien; Chang, Kwang-Hwa; Liou, Tsan-Hon; Tsou, Chih-Min; Huang, Yi-Ching

2018-02-01

Although neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder, there is no consensus on suitable exercise methods for middle-aged and senior patients with chronic neck pain. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of a 6-week shoulder-neck exercise intervention program on cervical muscle function improvement in patients aged 45 years or older with chronic neck pain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of progressive shoulder-neck exercise on cervical muscle functions of middle-aged and senior patients with chronic neck pain. A randomized controlled single-blind trial. Rehabilitation department of a hospital. A total of 72 subjects aged ≥45 years with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to either an experimental group (N.=36; age 57.3±8.74 years) or a control group (N.=36; age 58.15±8.17 years). The control group received only traditional physiotherapy, whereas the experimental group participated in a 6-week shoulder-neck exercise program consisting of cranio-cervical flexion and progressive resistance exercises in addition to receiving traditional physiotherapy. The muscle functions of subjects in both groups were tested before the experiment and also after the intervention program. The pretest and posttest measured the cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT) and the superficial cervical muscle strength. After the intervention, the experimental group had a 56.48 point improvement in the performance index of the CCFT (P<0.001), a 1.71-kg improvement in superficial neck flexor strength (P<0.001), and a 2.52-kg improvement in superficial neck extensor strength (P<0.001), indicating that in 6-week intervention significantly influenced the improvement of cervical muscle functions. This study confirmed that the 6-week progressive shoulder-neck exercise program can effectively improve cervical muscle function in middle-aged and senior patients with chronic neck pain. Progressive shoulder-neck exercise might provide positive effect on deep

Can the health insurance reforms stop an increase in medical expenditures for middle- and old-aged persons in Japan?

PubMed

Matsuura, Tamie; Sasaki, Masaru

2012-06-01

Using two-period panel data from the Nippon Life Insurance Research Institute, this paper tests the hypothesis that an increase in the self-pay ratio of medical expenditures associated with the Japanese health insurance reforms of April 2003 reduced household medical expenditures. We find that the increase in the self-pay ratio had a positive but insignificant effect on the share of medical expenses in household expenditure. However, when we employ the data as repeated cross-sectional observations to increase the sample size, the increase in the self-pay ratio has a significantly positive effect on the share of medical expenditures. This provides corroborating evidence that middle- and old-aged persons were unable to reduce their demand for medical services with the increase in the self-pay ratio. An additional finding is that medical services are a necessary good, particularly for those aged 61 years or older and those with medical expenditures accounting for a relatively high share of medical expenditures in high household expenditure.

Impact of a community-based exercise programme on physical fitness in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Mendes, Romeu; Sousa, Nelson; Themudo-Barata, José; Reis, Victor

2016-01-01

Physical fitness is related to all-cause mortality, quality of life and risk of falls in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to analyse the impact of a long-term community-based combined exercise program (aerobic+resistance+agility/balance+flexibility) developed with minimum and low-cost material resources on physical fitness in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. This was a non-experimental pre-post evaluation study. Participants (N=43; 62.92±5.92 years old) were engaged in a community-based supervised exercise programme (consisting of combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance and flexibility exercises; three sessions per week; 70min per session) of 9 months' duration. Aerobic fitness (6-Minute Walk Test), muscle strength (30-Second Chair Stand Test), agility/balance (Timed Up and Go Test) and flexibility (Chair Sit and Reach Test) were assessed before (baseline) and after the exercise intervention. Significant improvements in the performance of the 6-Minute Walk Test (Δ=8.20%, p<0.001), 30-Second Chair Stand Test (Δ=28.84%, p<0.001), Timed Up and Go Test (Δ=14.31%, p<0.001), and Chair Sit and Reach Test (Δ=102.90%, p<0.001) were identified between baseline and end-exercise intervention time points. A long-term community-based combined exercise programme, developed with low-cost exercise strategies, produced significant benefits in physical fitness in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. This supervised group exercise programme significantly improved aerobic fitness, muscle strength, agility/balance and flexibility, assessed with field tests in community settings. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Electroconvulsive therapy and age: Age-related clinical features and effectiveness in treatment resistant major depressive episode.

PubMed

Socci, Chiara; Medda, Pierpaolo; Toni, Cristina; Lattanzi, Lorenzo; Tripodi, Beniamino; Vannucchi, Giulia; Perugi, Giulio

2018-02-01

This study was aimed to compare clinical features, treatments outcomes and tolerability between young (18-45 years), middle age (46-64 years) and old (≥ 65 years) patients treated with bilateral ECT for treatment resistant major depressive episode. 402 patients were evaluated 1 day prior to ECT and a week after the treatment termination using the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 items (HAM-D-17), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Response was defined as a reduction of at least 50% from baseline on the HAM-D-17 score. Remission was defined as a score ≤ 7 on the HAM-D-17 at the final evaluation. Rates of response were not statistically different in the three groups (69.6% in old versus 63.5% in young and 55.5% in middle age groups). No significant differences were also observed in the proportions of remitters between the age groups (31.4% in young group, 27.7% in middle age group and 29.3% in old group). One week after the end of the ECT course the middle and old age groups showed a statistically significant increase in the MMSE score compared to baseline. We did not find significant differences between the three age groups in rates of premature drops-out due to ECT-related side effects. Our data support the use of ECT in elderly patients with treatment-resistant major depressive episode, with rates of response around 70% and effectiveness being independent from age. In the old age group the baseline cognitive impairment improved after ECT and no life-threatening adverse event was detected. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Age-Friendliness and Life Satisfaction of Young-Old and Old-Old in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Au, Alma M. L.; Yip, H. M.; Kwok, Jackie Y. C.; Lai, K. Y.; Leung, K. M.; Lee, Anita L. F.; Lai, Daniel W. L.; Tsien, Teresa; Lai, Simon M. K.

2017-01-01

Age-friendliness, promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to enable and support individuals in different aspects of life for fostering life satisfaction and personal well-being as they age. We identified specific aspect(s) of age-friendliness associated with life satisfaction and examined similarities and differences in age-friendliness and life satisfaction in young-old and old-old adults. Six hundred and eighty-two ageing adults were asked to complete a survey questionnaire consisting of the Age-friendly City Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and sociodemographic variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of various domains of age-friendliness on life satisfaction among the young-old adults (aged 65 to 74, n = 351) and the old-old adults (aged 75 to 97, n = 331). Common domains associated with life satisfaction in both young-old and old-old groups were transportation and social participation. Community and health services were associated with life satisfaction for the young-old group only. On the other hand, civic participation and employment was significantly associated with the old-old group only. Social participation is important for the young-old and the old-old. Ageing older adults can be a resource to the society. Implications for promoting and implementing age-friendliness were discussed in the context of successful and productive ageing and the need for a more refined taxonomy of social activities. PMID:28348584

Cannabis Use Patterns and Motives: A Comparison of Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Medical Cannabis Dispensary Patients

PubMed Central

Haug, Nancy A.; Padula, Claudia B.; Sottile, James E.; Vandrey, Ryan; Heinz, Adrienne J.; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O.

2017-01-01

Introduction Medical cannabis is increasingly being used for a variety of health conditions as more states implement legislation permitting medical use of cannabis. Little is known about medical cannabis use patterns and motives among adults across the lifespan. Methods The present study examined data collected at a medical cannabis dispensary in San Francisco, California. Participants included 217 medical cannabis patients who were grouped into age-defined cohorts (younger: 18–30, middle-aged: 31–50, and older: 51–72). The age groups were compared on several measures of cannabis use, motives and medical conditions using one-way ANOVAs, chi-square tests and linear regression analyses. Results All three age groups had similar frequency of cannabis use over the past month; however, the quantity of cannabis used and rates of problematic cannabis use were higher among younger users relative to middle-aged and older adults. The association between age and problematic cannabis use was moderated by age of regular use initiation such that earlier age of regular cannabis use onset was associated with more problematic use in the younger users, but not among older users. Middle-aged adults were more likely to report using medical cannabis for insomnia, while older adults were more likely to use medical cannabis for chronic medical problems such as cancer, glaucoma and HIV/AIDS. Younger participants reported cannabis use when bored at a greater rate than middle-aged and older adults. Conclusions Findings suggest that there is an age-related risk for problematic cannabis use among medical cannabis users, such that younger users should be monitored for cannabis use patterns that may lead to deleterious consequences. PMID:28340421

Cannabis use patterns and motives: A comparison of younger, middle-aged, and older medical cannabis dispensary patients.

PubMed

Haug, Nancy A; Padula, Claudia B; Sottile, James E; Vandrey, Ryan; Heinz, Adrienne J; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O

2017-09-01

Medical cannabis is increasingly being used for a variety of health conditions as more states implement legislation permitting medical use of cannabis. Little is known about medical cannabis use patterns and motives among adults across the lifespan. The present study examined data collected at a medical cannabis dispensary in San Francisco, California. Participants included 217 medical cannabis patients who were grouped into age-defined cohorts (younger: 18-30, middle-aged: 31-50, and older: 51-72). The age groups were compared on several measures of cannabis use, motives and medical conditions using one-way ANOVAs, chi-square tests and linear regression analyses. All three age groups had similar frequency of cannabis use over the past month; however, the quantity of cannabis used and rates of problematic cannabis use were higher among younger users relative to middle-aged and older adults. The association between age and problematic cannabis use was moderated by age of regular use initiation such that earlier age of regular cannabis use onset was associated with more problematic use in the younger users, but not among older users. Middle-aged adults were more likely to report using medical cannabis for insomnia, while older adults were more likely to use medical cannabis for chronic medical problems such as cancer, glaucoma and HIV/AIDS. Younger participants reported cannabis use when bored at a greater rate than middle-aged and older adults. Findings suggest that there is an age-related risk for problematic cannabis use among medical cannabis users, such that younger users should be monitored for cannabis use patterns that may lead to deleterious consequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The age of the hominin fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and the origins of the Middle Stone Age.

PubMed

Richter, Daniel; Grün, Rainer; Joannes-Boyau, Renaud; Steele, Teresa E; Amani, Fethi; Rué, Mathieu; Fernandes, Paul; Raynal, Jean-Paul; Geraads, Denis; Ben-Ncer, Abdelouahed; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; McPherron, Shannon P

2017-06-07

The timing and location of the emergence of our species and of associated behavioural changes are crucial for our understanding of human evolution. The earliest fossil attributed to a modern form of Homo sapiens comes from eastern Africa and is approximately 195 thousand years old, therefore the emergence of modern human biology is commonly placed at around 200 thousand years ago. The earliest Middle Stone Age assemblages come from eastern and southern Africa but date much earlier. Here we report the ages, determined by thermoluminescence dating, of fire-heated flint artefacts obtained from new excavations at the Middle Stone Age site of Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, which are directly associated with newly discovered remains of H. sapiens. A weighted average age places these Middle Stone Age artefacts and fossils at 315 ± 34 thousand years ago. Support is obtained through the recalculated uranium series with electron spin resonance date of 286 ± 32 thousand years ago for a tooth from the Irhoud 3 hominin mandible. These ages are also consistent with the faunal and microfaunal assemblages and almost double the previous age estimates for the lower part of the deposits. The north African site of Jebel Irhoud contains one of the earliest directly dated Middle Stone Age assemblages, and its associated human remains are the oldest reported for H. sapiens. The emergence of our species and of the Middle Stone Age appear to be close in time, and these data suggest a larger scale, potentially pan-African, origin for both.

The gut microbiota in young and middle-aged rats showed different responses to chicken protein in their diet.

PubMed

Zhu, Yingying; Li, He; Xu, Xinglian; Li, Chunbao; Zhou, Guanghong

2016-11-25

Meat protein in the diet has been shown to be beneficial for the growth of Lactobacillus in the caecum of growing rats; however, it is unknown whether gut microbiota in middle-aged animals have the same responses to meat protein diets. This study compared the composition of the gut microbiota between young and middle-aged rats after being fed 17.7% chicken protein diet for 14 days. Feces were collected on day 0 and day 14 from young rats (4 weeks old) and middle-aged rats (64 weeks old) fed with 17.7% chicken protein diets. The composition of the gut bacteria was analyzed by sequencing the V4-V5 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The results showed that the composition of the gut microbiota was significantly different between young and middle-aged rats on both day 0 and day 14. The percentage of Firmicutes decreased for middle-aged rats (72.1% versus 58.1% for day 0 and day 14, respectively) but increased for young rats (41.5 versus 57.7% for day 0 and day 14, respectively). The percentage of Bacteroidetes increased to 31.2% (20.5% on day 0) for middle-aged rats and decreased to 29.6% (41.3% on day 0) for young rats. The relative abundance of the beneficial genus Lactobacillus increased in response to the intake of chicken protein in the young group, while it had the opposite effect in the middle-aged group. The results of our study demonstrated that 17.7% chicken protein diet promoted the beneficial genus Lactobacillus in young rats, but the opposite effect were found in the middle-aged group. To evaluate the linkage between diet and host health, age effect should be considered in the future studies.

"I will never be the granny with rosy cheeks": perceptions of aging in precarious and financially secure middle-aged Germans.

PubMed

Craciun, Catrinel; Flick, Uwe

2014-04-01

Nowadays people are growing old in a context where youth culture is the norm and where self-initiative is required in order to prepare for a good old age. However, planning old age may be more difficult for certain social groups with insecure work and living conditions. Precariousness, defined as bad financial conditions but also as having an insecure, unpredictable existence, has been little studied in the context of aging. This study brings its contribution by exploring how middle-aged adults with different social security backgrounds (insurance versus no insurance) think about aging. Episodic interviews were conducted to explore their concepts of aging, contexts of thinking about aging and perceptions of aging. These were compared between groups who have a secure old age ahead of them (N=10) versus those who have to struggle with an uncertain present and future (N=10). Also, differences between men (N=11) and women (N=9) were addressed. Results of the thematic analysis showed the predominance of fears related to aging as well as an emerging meaninglessness attached to old age. Starting from the different images of aging found in the two studied groups, the need for tailored interventions and policy are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

[Association between sleep and leukocyte telomere length in middle-aged and older adults].

PubMed

Liu, H F; Li, F; Wang, Y H; Chen, J H; Peng, D X; Chen, J; Tan, L H; Mi, X; Zhao, B H

2017-07-10

Objective: To understand the association between peripheral leukocytes telomere length (TL) and sleep in middle-aged and old adults. Methods: A total of 176 middle-aged and old adults were investigated by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and questionnaire. TL was measured by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The correlation and regression analysis between sleep and telomere length was performed. Results: TL had a mean T/S ratio of 0.995±0.23. There was a negative correlation between TL and age ( r =-0.241, P =0.003). With increasing age, sleep quality became worse ( r =-0.230, P <0.01), the time to fall asleep became longer ( r =0.227, P <0.01), sleep duration was shorter ( r =-0.486, P <0.01), sleep efficiency became worse ( r =-0.226, P <0.01). After controlling for the effects of gender, age, marital status, income level, residence, smoking, drinking, physical exercise and disease status, multiple linear regression analysis indicated that sleep quality ( β =0.057, P <0.01), time to fall asleep ( β =-0.046, P <0.01), sleep duration ( β =0.086, P <0.01) were independent influencing factors of telomere length, suggesting that the people who had better sleep quality, the shorter time to fall asleep, the longer sleep time would have longer telomere length. Conclusions: Sleep is a relevant factor affecting TL in middle-aged and elderly population. Good sleep may delay aging by slowing TL. We encourage to conduct health education about the importance of sleep quality in community.

The association between tinnitus and the risk of ischemic cerebrovascular disease in young and middle-aged patients: A secondary case-control analysis of a nationwide, population-based health claims database.

PubMed

Huang, Yung-Sung; Koo, Malcolm; Chen, Jin-Cherng; Hwang, Juen-Haur

2017-01-01

Tinnitus and ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) may share common pathophysiologic mechanisms. Nevertheless, no studies have investigated whether tinnitus is associated with a higher risk of ICVD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of ICVD among young and middle-aged patients with tinnitus. Using the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 3,474 patients 20-45 years old with incident ICVD diagnosed between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2010 and 17,370 controls, frequency matched on age interval, sex, and year of the index date. Risk of ICVD associated with tinnitus was assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. Tinnitus was significantly associated with a higher risk of incident ICVD among young and middle-aged patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-2.04), adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities. In addition, sex-stratified analysis showed that the associations were significant in both male (adjusted OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16-2.07) and female patients (adjusted OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.30-2.41). Furthermore, tinnitus was significantly associated with a higher risk of ICVD in the 20.0-29.9 years (adjusted OR 4.11, 95% CI 1.98-8.52) and 30.0-39.9 years (adjusted OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.57-3.05) age groups, but not in the 40.0-45.0 years age group. Tinnitus could be a novel risk factor or clinical indicator for young ischemic stroke, and further investigations are warranted.

Orchidectomy of middle-aged rats decreases liver deiodinase 1 and pituitary deiodinase 2 activity.

PubMed

Sosic-Jurjevic, Branka; Filipovic, Branko; Renko, Kostja; Ajdzanovic, Vladimir; Manojlovic-Stojanoski, Milica; Milosevic, Verica; Köhrle, Josef

2012-11-01

Endogenous androgens are involved in regulation of thyroid function and metabolism of thyroid hormones. As serum testosterone level progressively declines with age, this regulation may change. We tested how androgen deprivation, achieved by orchidectomy, affects thyroid homeostasis in middle-aged rats. Fifteen-month-old Wistar rats were orchidectomized (Orx) or sham-operated under ketamine anesthesia (15 mg/kg body weight). Five weeks after the surgery, animals were decapitated. Thyroids were used for histomorphometric and ultrastructural examinations and together with livers and pituitaries for real-time quantitative PCR and deiodinase (DIO) activity measurements. Serum testosterone, TSH, l-thyroxine (T(4)), and cholesterol (Chol) levels were determined. As expected, middle-aged control rats had lower (P<0.05) testosterone and T(4) compared with 3-month-old males. In the Orx middle-aged group, we detected diminished serum testosterone (P<0.05), no change in TSH and T(4) levels, and higher Chol level (P<0.05), in comparison with age-matched controls. Histomorphometric analysis of thyroid tissue revealed decreased relative volume densities of follicles and colloid (P<0.05). Relevant gene expressions and DIO1 enzyme activity were not changed in the thyroids of Orx rats. Liver Dio1 gene expression and DIO1 activity were decreased (P<0.05) in comparison with the control values. Pituitary levels of TSHβ, Dio1, and Dio2 mRNAs did not change, while DIO2 activity decreased (P<0.05). In conclusion, orchidectomy of middle-aged rats affected thyroid structure with no effect on serum T(4) and TSH. However, decreased liver DIO1 and pituitary DIO2 enzyme activities indicate compensatory-adaptive changes in local T(3) production.

Multimorbidity in Middle-Aged Adults with Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Cremer, Nicole; Hurvitz, Edward A.; Peterson, Mark D.

2017-01-01

Background Individuals with cerebral palsy have less lean body mass, greater relative adiposity, and lower fitness and physical activity participation; and yet, the prevalence of age-related multimorbidity in this population has yet to be established. Purpose To examine the prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic conditions and multimorbidity in a sample of middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy. Methods A clinic-based sample of middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy was examined using Electronic Medical Records Search Engine (EMERSE) software. Our cohort included n= 435 individuals aged 40–60 years old, with an ICD-9/10-CM Diagnosis Code for cerebral palsy. Prevalence of 12 chronic conditions were evaluated, including existing diagnoses or historical record of: osteopenia/osteoporosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery disease, impaired glucose tolerance/type 2 diabetes, other cardiovascular conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, emphysema, pre-hypertension/hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Multivariate logistic models were used to estimate adjusted mulitmorbidity (i.e., ≥2 chronic conditions), adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, obesity, and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results There were 137 unique multimorbidity combinations. Multimorbidity was significantly more prevalent among obese versus non-obese individuals for both GMFCS I–III (75.8% vs. 53.6%) and GMFCS IV–V (79.0% vs 64.2%), but was also significantly higher in non-obese individuals with GMFCS IV–V (64.2%) compared to individuals with non-obese individuals with GMFCS I–III (53.6%). Both obesity status (OR: 2.20; 95% CI 1.32–2.79) and the GMFCS IV–V category (OR: 1.81; 95% CI 1.32–3.68) were independently associated with multimorbidity. Conclusion Middle-aged adults with cerebral palsy have high estimates of multimorbidity, and both obesity and higher GMFCS levels are independently associated with greater risk. PMID:28065772

[Clinical psychophysiological markers of maladaptive neuropsychic conditions in polyclinic doctors of old and middle age with professional burnout syndrome].

PubMed

Parfenov, Iu A

2012-01-01

The article presents the actual in modern medicine problem of professional burnout of polyclinic doctors of middle and elderly age. It is shown that the specificity of the polyclinic doctors' activity provokes the formation of professional burnout syndrome, paired with maladaptive neuro-psychic conditions. We studied the prevalence of this syndrome in polyclinic doctors of middle age and older; its specific versions among the middle-aged doctors were defined, where the level of burnout is associated with aggressive tendencies, and the elderly doctors, where professional burnout is associated with the instability of affective response. Pathogenic markers of compensatory redistribution of information saturation of indicators of electroencephalography to the occipital cortex at professional burnout in polyclinic doctors of the elderly age, reflecting the involution processes in prefrontal areas of the cerebral cortex of the brain were identified.

Physical activity and hippocampal volume in middle-aged patients with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Nunley, Karen A; Leckie, Regina L; Orchard, Trevor J; Costacou, Tina; Aizenstein, Howard J; Jennings, J Richard; Erickson, Kirk I; Rosano, Caterina

2017-04-18

To examine the cross-sectional association between physical activity (PA) and hippocampal volume in middle-aged adults with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D), and whether hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity contribute to this relationship. We analyzed neuroimaging and self-reported PA data from 79 adults with T1D from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study (mean age 50 years, mean duration 41 years) and 122 similarly aged adults without T1D (mean age 48 years). Linear regression models, controlling for intracranial volume, sex, education, and age, tested associations between PA and gray matter volumes of hippocampi and total brain in the 2 groups. For the T1D group, models further controlled for hyperglycemia and glucose disposal rate, a measure of insulin sensitivity. PA was significantly lower in the T1D than in the non-T1D group (median [interquartile range] 952 kcal [420-2,044] vs 1,614 kcal [588-3,091], respectively). Higher PA was significantly associated with larger hippocampi for T1D, but not for non-T1D (standardized β [ p values] from regression models adjusted for intracranial volume, sex, age, and education: 0.270 [ p < 0.001] and 0.098 [ p = 0.12], respectively). Neither hyperglycemia nor glucose disposal rate substantially modified this association. Relationships between PA and total brain gray matter volume were similar. A cross-sectional association between higher PA and larger hippocampi is already detectable by middle age for these patients with T1D, and it appears robust to chronic hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity. Proof-of-concept studies should investigate whether increasing PA preserves hippocampal volume and the mechanisms underlying the effects of PA on hippocampal volume. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Changing the choice architecture of ageing: live different and 'catch old'.

PubMed

Gale, Deborah

2014-01-01

Physical ageing and being old are broadly feared or denied, particularly by the young (Chittister 2008: 53). The future is viewed in terms of vague, looming, disabilities, despite the fact that no one can know their personal, ageing fate. As physical and functional limitations become more apparent over time, expected validation occurs in support of the conventional narrative of decline. It is necessary to understand the traditional negative perceptions about ageing if we are to alter them. At present, they do not match the unfolding realities of what it means to grow old, in the early twenty-first century.The challenge of the new longevity is learning to navigate the unexplored life terrain between middle and extreme age. How, then, can we redefine this life stage, navigate new pathways for growing old in order to maximize the untapped contributions of the largest and longest ever living cohort? The baby boomers (born 1946-1964) are not homogenous but they are in position to become the standard bearers for a new narrative and an alternative way to live differently, while ageing.This will require changes to choice architecture and decision making about personal ageing that will challenge long held attitudes, perceptions and mindsets. Hence, changing the narrative about living long and well is the void addressed here.Life is ultimately terminal. In the interim, the process of catching old by living different is the ultimate, life enhancing skill. It is all in the choosing.

Otopolyposis With Middle Ear Allergic Mucin in a Patient With Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Kumar, Manvinder S; Panella, Nicholas J; Magliocca, Kelly R; Vivas, Esther X

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study is to report a case of otopolyposis and middle ear allergic mucin in a patient with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) and no history of middle ear disease and introduce these as possible otologic manifestations of the AFRS. A case of a 31-year-old female with the aforementioned findings is reported. A review of the pertinent literature was performed. We report a case of a 31-year-old female with a history of AFRS but no history of middle ear disease or hearing loss who presented to our institution complaining of aural fullness. Physical exam was significant for middle ear masses of unknown etiology. Surgical exploration revealed the presence of allergic mucin and middle ear polyposis histologically identical to tissue sampled during prior sinonasal surgeries at the same institution. Aspiration of the middle ear space did not resolve the otologic symptoms. Otopolyposis and middle ear allergic mucin are extremely rare but possible otologic manifestations of AFRS. We encourage otolaryngologists to consider this in the clinical differential diagnosis of patients with a history of AFRS with new onset otologic symptoms. © The Author(s) 2016.

Acquired Brachial Cutaneous Dyschromatosis in a Middle Aged Male

PubMed Central

Choi, Min Jung; Byun, Ji Yeon; Choi, Hae Young

2018-01-01

Acquired brachial cutaneous dyschromatosis (ABCD) is an acquired disorder of pigmentary change that presents as chronic, asymptomatic, geographic-shaped, gray-brown patches, consisting of mixed hyper and hypopigmented macules on the dorsal aspect of the forearms. We report a case of a 40-year-old male who presented with asymptomatic, multiple brown-colored macules on the outer aspects of both arms. He had no history of hypertension and had never taken angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. He also denied chronic sun exposure history. Histologic examination demonstrated epidermal atrophy, increased basal layer pigmentation, and several telangiectatic vessels in the upper dermis. Solar elastosis was not remarkable. The patient's clinical and histopathologic features were consistent with a diagnosis of ABCD. Poikiloderma of Civatte, melasma, acquired bilateral telangiectatic macules and other pigmentary disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis of ABCD. Herein, we report a case of ABCD in a middle-aged male without hypertension and medication. PMID:29853750

[The social construction of the "oldest old" in a young-old society].

PubMed

Amrhein, L

2013-01-01

In gerontology and public discourse, old age is often described as a double reality--the potentials and resources of older people contrast with the deficits and burdens of the oldest old. The polarisation into a desired higher age and a feared old age mirrors society's treatment of age and ageing: everybody wants to get old, but nobody wants to be old. Very old age in a young-old society is defined as the "other" that deviates from the ideals of activity, productivity and youthfulness and thus acts as a cultural anti-model. Whereas higher age is conceived as the fulfilment of middle age, "real" age begins with high age. Based on a multilevel model of the social construction of age categories, this article depicts the institutional, cultural, interactive and individual production of the "oldest old".

Multiple Comorbid Conditions among Middle-Aged and Elderly Hemophilia Patients: Prevalence Estimates and Implications for Future Care

PubMed Central

Khleif, Aroub A.; Rodriguez, Nidra; Brown, Deborah; Escobar, Miguel A.

2011-01-01

Introduction. Advances in hemophilia care and treatment have led to increases in the life expectancy among hemophiliacs. As a result, persons with hemophilia are reaching an older age and experiencing various age-related health conditions never seen before in this population. Aim. To determine the prevalence of comorbidities among middle-aged and elderly hemophilia A and hemophilia B patients. Methods. Retrospective chart review among all hemophilia patients, who attended the Gulf States Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Center. Results. All patients had at least one comorbid condition other than hemophilia, and the majority had between 3 and 6 comorbidities. The most common conditions identified were chronic hepatitis C, hypertension, HIV, chronic arthropathy, and overweight/obesity. Conclusions. Since persons with comorbidities are more likely to have poorer health outcomes and require greater care in managing their health needs, caring for aging hemophiliacs is likely to pose various social and economic challenges for both patients and providers. PMID:21912745

Brain Aging in the Oldest-Old

PubMed Central

von Gunten, A.; Ebbing, K.; Imhof, A.; Giannakopoulos, P.; Kövari, E.

2010-01-01

Nonagenarians and centenarians represent a quickly growing age group worldwide. In parallel, the prevalence of dementia increases substantially, but how to define dementia in this oldest-old age segment remains unclear. Although the idea that the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) decreases after age 90 has now been questioned, the oldest-old still represent a population relatively resistant to degenerative brain processes. Brain aging is characterised by the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and senile plaques (SPs) as well as neuronal and synaptic loss in both cognitively intact individuals and patients with AD. In nondemented cases NFTs are usually restricted to the hippocampal formation, whereas the progressive involvement of the association areas in the temporal neocortex parallels the development of overt clinical signs of dementia. In contrast, there is little correlation between the quantitative distribution of SP and AD severity. The pattern of lesion distribution and neuronal loss changes in extreme aging relative to the younger-old. In contrast to younger cases where dementia is mainly related to severe NFT formation within adjacent components of the medial and inferior aspects of the temporal cortex, oldest-old individuals display a preferential involvement of the anterior part of the CA1 field of the hippocampus whereas the inferior temporal and frontal association areas are relatively spared. This pattern suggests that both the extent of NFT development in the hippocampus as well as a displacement of subregional NFT distribution within the Cornu ammonis (CA) fields may be key determinants of dementia in the very old. Cortical association areas are relatively preserved. The progression of NFT formation across increasing cognitive impairment was significantly slower in nonagenarians and centenarians compared to younger cases in the CA1 field and entorhinal cortex. The total amount of amyloid and the neuronal loss in these regions were also

Recombinant growth differentiation factor 11 influences short-term memory and enhances Sox2 expression in middle-aged mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Jadavji, Nafisa M; Yoo, Hyung-Suk; Smith, Patrice D

2018-04-02

Previous evidence suggests that a significant decline in cognitive ability begins during middle-age and continues to deteriorate with increase in age. Recent work has demonstrated the potential rejuvenation impact of growth differentiation factor-11 (GDF-11) in aged mice. We carried out experiments to evaluate the impact of a single dose of recombinant (rGDF-11) on short-term visual and spatial memory in middle-aged male mice. On the novel object recognition task, we observed middle-aged mice treated rGDF-11 showed improved performance on the novel object recognition task. However, middle-aged mice did not show increased expression of phosphorylated-Smad2/3, a downstream effector of GDF-11. We noted however that the expression of the transcription factor, Sox2 was increased within the dentate gyrus. Our data suggest that a single injection of rGDF-11 contributes to improvements in cognitive function of middle-aged animals, which may be critical in the preservation of short-term memory capacity in old age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antidepressant pharmacotherapy in old-age depression-a review and clinical approach.

PubMed

Pruckner, Nathalie; Holthoff-Detto, Vjera

2017-06-01

Depression in old age is a disabling disease associated with functional and cognitive decline severely affecting quality of life. Studies specifically investigating antidepressant treatment for this special cohort of patients remain scarce and results are often conflicting. A narrative literature review was undertaken, synthesizing findings from published studies, systematic reviews, and treatment guidelines specifically conducted in elderly depressed patients to summarize implications and current recommendations as well as gaps in evidence for old-age pharmacologic treatment. PubMed and Medline databases were searched for articles from July 2011 to July 2016. Only RCTs, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and treatment guidelines focussing on the effect of antidepressant pharmacotherapy in old-aged participants were extracted, analysed, and discussed. The search resulted in a total of 26 articles. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other second-generation antidepressants are recommended for first-line treatment of old-age depression. The differences in efficacy and tolerability within different substances and substance classes are minimal or non-existent. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are only considered for second-line treatment, due to their cardiac risk profile and anticholinergic effects. In treatment-resistant depression, augmentation therapy options include lithium and atypical antipsychotics. There is convincing evidence that antidepressants are efficacious in the treatment of old-age depression and that rationales are necessary for treatment planning. However, evidence-based data on recovery and remission rates in old-age depression specific to certain antidepressant drugs are still missing in trials and are of great importance for pharmacological treatment of old-age depression in daily clinical practice.

Intellectual functioning in old and very old age: cross-sectional results from the Berlin Aging Study.

PubMed

Lindenberger, U; Baltes, P B

1997-09-01

This study documents age trends, interrelations, and correlates of intellectual abilities in old and very old age (70-103 years) from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516). Fourteen tests were used to assess 5 abilities: reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed from the mechanic (broad fluid) domain and knowledge and fluency from the pragmatic (broad crystallized) domain. Intellectual abilities had negative linear age relations, with more pronounced age reductions in mechanic than in pragmatic abilities. Interrelations among intellectual abilities were highly positive and did not follow the mechanic-pragmatic distinction. Sociobiographical indicators were less closely linked to intellectual functioning than sensory-sensorimotor variables, which predicted 59% of the total reliable variance in general intelligence. Results suggest that aging-induced biological factors are a prominent source of individual differences in intelligence in old and very old age.

The impact of young age on locoregional recurrence after doxorubicin-based breast conservation therapy in patients 40 years old or younger: How young is 'young'?

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

Oh, Julia L.; Bonnen, Mark; Outlaw, Elesyia D.

2006-08-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients <35 years old have similar risk of locoregional recurrence after breast conservation therapy compared with patients 35 to 40 years old. Methods and materials: We retrospectively reviewed records of 196 consecutive patients {<=}40 years old who received breast conservation therapy (BCT) from 1987 to 2000 for breast cancer and compared outcomes between patients <35 years old with patients 35 to 40 years old. The majority of patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess risk factors for locoregional recurrence. Results: After amore » median follow-up of 64 months, 22 locoregional recurrences (LRR) were observed. Twenty patients developed locoregional recurrence as their first site of relapse. Two patients had bone-only metastases before their locoregional recurrence. On multivariate analysis, age <35 years was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of locoregional recurrence. The 5-year rate of locoregional control was 87.9% in patients <35 years old compared with 91.7% in patients 35 to 40 years old (p = 0.042). Conclusions: Our finding supports an increased risk of locoregional recurrence as a function of younger age after breast conservation therapy, even among young patients 40 years old and younger.« less

Looking for the Silver Lining: Benefit Finding after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults.

PubMed

Stanko, Katie E; Cherry, Katie E; Ryker, Kyle S; Mughal, Farra; Marks, Loren D; Brown, Jennifer Silva; Gendusa, Patricia F; Sullivan, Marisa C; Bruner, John; Welsh, David A; Su, L Joseph; Jazwinski, S Michal

2015-09-01

Looking for potentially positive outcomes is one way that people cope with stressful events. In two studies, we examined perceived "silver linings" after the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita among indirectly affected adults. In Study 1, middle-aged (ages 47-64 years), older (ages 65-89 years), and oldest-old (ages 90-95 years) adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS) responded to an open-ended question on perceived silver linings in a longitudinal assessment carried out during the immediate impact (1 to 4 months after landfall) and post-disaster recovery phase (6 to 14 months post-storm). Qualitative grounded theory methods were employed to analyze these narrative data. Team-based coding yielded three core themes: (1) learning experience and better preparedness for future disasters, (2) having improved cities (Baton Rouge and New Orleans), and (3) an increase in "Good Samaritan" acts such as strangers helping one another. Responses were similar across age groups, although older adults were the least likely to report positive outcomes. Study 2 was a conceptual replication using a different sample of adults (ages 31 to 82 years) tested at least five years after the storms. A learning experience and preparedness core theme replicated Study 1's findings while improved social cohesion amongst family and friends emerged as a new core theme in Study 2. These data indicate that identifying lessons learned and potentially positive outcomes are psychological reactions that may facilitate post-disaster coping and foster resilience for indirectly affected adults in the years after disaster.

Influences of age and maxillary anterior teeth status on patient's satisfaction with dental appearance and tooth colour.

PubMed

Lajnert, Vlatka; Pavičić, Daniela K; Gržić, Renata; Kovač, Zoran; Pahor, Dana; Kuis, Davor; Simonić-Kocijan, Sunčana; Antonić, Robert; Bakarčić, Danko

2012-06-01

To study the impact of age, gender, tooth colour and maxillary anterior teeth status on patient's satisfaction with their dental appearance. A total of 259 Caucasian subjects participated in the study (119 men, mean age 56 years; 140 women, mean age 61 years) divided into three age groups (young <35 age; middle aged 35-54 age; old ≥55 age). Their maxillary anterior teeth status was classified into three groups: (1) natural teeth (NTG) group; (2) composite filling group (CFG) and (3) porcelain-fused-to-metal fixed prosthodontic restoration group (FPDG). The participants judged appearance and tooth colour using a scale with three categories: completely dissatisfied, moderately dissatisfied and completely satisfied. Almost half of the participants were completely satisfied with their dental appearance and tooth colour. Half of the 'young' and 'middle-aged' participants with natural maxillary anterior teeth were completely satisfied and half of the 'old' participants were moderately satisfied with their dental appearance and tooth colour. The majority of participants with composite restorations (45-51%) were moderately satisfied with their dental appearance, one-third of 'young' and 'middle-aged' participants were moderately satisfied or dissatisfied with their tooth colour and more than 70% of older participants were dissatisfied with their tooth colour (p > 0.05). Satisfaction with the appearance of the maxillary anterior teeth differed both between individuals of different age and different dental status. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The effect of educational intervention on health promoting lifestyle: Focusing on middle-aged women.

PubMed

Mahdipour, Nosaybeh; Shahnazi, Hossein; Hassanzadeh, Akbar; Sharifirad, Gholamreza

2015-01-01

Lifestyle affects people's health and life length, however, no sufficient studies have been done on the effect of lifestyle on middle-ageing, as the transitional period from adulthood to old-ageing, this study has been conducted to study the effect of educational intervention on health promoting lifestyle of middle-aged women in Lenjan city of Isfahan Province, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 88 middle-aged women were selected through randomized sampling from two health centers in Lenjan, and then were categorized into experimental and control groups. To collect data, a researcher-made demographic and life style questionnaire was used. The educational intervention was performed in five sessions. Data were collected from both groups in two stages: Before the intervention and 3 months after the education. Data were analyzed with using SPSS-20 and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The results showed that educational program had a positive significant effect on increasing the mean scores in the intervention group, considering the physical activity, mental health, and interpersonal relationship, P < 0.001. However, regarding the nutrition, the mean increase was not significant (P = 0.113). According to the findings, it is evident that educational intervention is beneficial for various aspects of middle-aged women's lifestyle. Therefore, applying a healthy lifestyle seems essential for having a healthy aging period, and educational intervention can be effective.

Psychiatric Co-Occurring Symptoms and Disorders in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lever, Anne G.; Geurts, Hilde M.

2016-01-01

Although psychiatric problems are less prevalent in old age within the general population, it is largely unknown whether this extends to individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We examined psychiatric symptoms and disorders in young, middle-aged, and older adults with and without ASD (N[subscript max] = 344, age 19-79 years, IQ > 80).…

Implementing Low-Cost, Community-Based Exercise Programs for Middle-Aged and Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Benefits for Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk?

PubMed

Mendes, Romeu; Sousa, Nelson; Reis, Victor Machado; Themudo-Barata, Jose Luis

2017-09-13

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Participants ( n = 124; 63.25 ± 7.20 years old) engaged in either a 9-month supervised exercise program ( n = 39; consisting of combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance, and flexibility exercise; three sessions per week; 70 min per session) or a control group ( n = 85) who maintained their usual care. Glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease were assessed before and after the 9-month intervention. A significant time * group interaction effect ( p < 0.001) was identified in the values of the glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease. A long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies was effective in inducing significant benefits on glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Clinical Trial Identification Number: ISRCTN09240628.

Implementing Low-Cost, Community-Based Exercise Programs for Middle-Aged and Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: What Are the Benefits for Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk?

PubMed Central

Reis, Victor Machado; Themudo-Barata, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Participants (n = 124; 63.25 ± 7.20 years old) engaged in either a 9-month supervised exercise program (n = 39; consisting of combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance, and flexibility exercise; three sessions per week; 70 min per session) or a control group (n = 85) who maintained their usual care. Glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease were assessed before and after the 9-month intervention. Results: A significant time * group interaction effect (p < 0.001) was identified in the values of the glycated hemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease. Conclusions: A long-term, community-based, combined exercise program developed with low-cost exercise strategies was effective in inducing significant benefits on glycemic control, lipid profile, blood pressure, anthropometric profile, and the 10-year risk of coronary artery disease in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Clinical Trial Identification Number: ISRCTN09240628. PMID:28902144

Ethanolic extract Ocimum sanctum. Enhances cognitive ability from young adulthood to middle aged mediated by increasing choline acetyl transferase activity in rat model.

PubMed

Kusindarta, Dwi Liliek; Wihadmadyatami, Hevi; Jadi, Arvendi R; Karnati, Srikanth; Lochnit, Guenter; Hening, Puspa; Haryanto, Aris; Auriva, Made B; Purwaningrum, Medania

2018-06-01

Patients with dementia are increasing steadily, cognitive impairment by dementia not only exclusively suffers by old people but also young to middle aged individuals. However, the mechanism of cognitive impairment occurs in young people is not understood. Further, current medication to impairment did not provide satisfactory results. Therefore, we investigated the potential role of Ocimum sanctum ethanolic extract to enhance cognitive ability in the rat in vivo model. Young to middle aged rats were divided into 3 groups (3, 6, 9 months old) were treated with (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg b.w.) O. sanctum for 45 days. We employed a behavioral assay to assess cognitive ability. Further, Nissl staining was performed to analyze hippocampus formation in dentate gyrus (DG), cornu ammonis 1 (CA1), cornu ammonis 3 (CA3). The expression and activity of ChAT in brain was analyzed by RT-PCR and ELISA. Our results showed that treatment of O. sanctum with a dosage of 100 mg/kg b.w. for 45 days induced the cognitive ability in nine months old rats. Further, we observed a significant increase in density of granular and pyramidal cells in DG, CA1, and CA3. These results were corroborated by an increase in the ChAT activity and gene expression in the rat model as well as HEK 293 cell culture model. Taken together, the administration of 100 mg/kg b.w. O.sanctum induced the expression of ChAT. The increased ChAT expression and activity may enhance the cognitive ability in 9 months old rats mimicking young and middle aged condition in humans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Middle Ages: Family Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Library Media Activities Monthly, 1996

1996-01-01

Describes a four-volume reference set for elementary and middle school students called "The Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia for Students" edited by William Chester Jordan. Provides a sample lesson which includes library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, activity and procedures for…

New Discovery About Middle-Age Weight Gain

MedlinePlus

... Middle-Age Weight Gain Follow us Photo: AdobeStock New Discovery About Middle-Age Weight Gain A TEAM ... findings could lead to the development of a new type of weight-loss medication. SOURCE: NIH Research ...

Xerostomia is associated with old age and poor appetite in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

PubMed

Bossola, Maurizio; Di Stasio, Enrico; Giungi, Stefania; Vulpio, Carlo; Papa, Valerio; Rosa, Fausto; Tortorelli, Antonio; Tazza, Luigi

2013-11-01

The objective of this study was to assess variables associated with xerostomia in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD). This was a cross-sectional study of 75 HD patients at an outpatient HD service. Demographic, clinical (renal disease, HD regimen/duration, Charlson comorbidity index, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living [IADL], body mass index), and laboratory (hemoglobin, albumin, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and parathyroid hormone) parameters were recorded. We assessed the appetite through the Hemodialysis Study Appetite questionnaire and xerostomia through the Xerostomia Inventory (XI). A single question ("How often does your mouth feel dry?"; never = Class 1, almost never = Class 2, occasionally = Class 3, often = Class 4, very often = Class 5) was also included in the study questionnaire. The main outcome measure was factors correlated with XI. The median XI score was 18 (min-max = 11-33). Forty patients had an XI score of 18 or less (Group 1) and between 18 and 35 (Group 2). In Group 2, age, Charlson comorbidity index score, and number of patients with poor/very poor appetite were significantly higher. At the univariate analysis, the score of the XI was significantly associated with age, appetite, IADL, Charlson comorbidity index, and serum IL-6 levels. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the XI was independently associated with age and appetite. Thirty-one patients were in Class 1 to 2, 23 were in Class 3, and 21 were in Class 4 to 5. In Classes 4 to 5, age and the number of patients with poor/very poor appetite were higher (P = .012 and .09, respectively). Xerostomia is associated with old age and poor appetite in patients on chronic HD. Copyright © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Intensive Nutrition Education on Late Middle-Aged Adults with Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Li, Ye; Xu, Meihong; Fan, Rui; Ma, Xiaotao; Gu, Jiaojiao; Cai, Xiaxia; Liu, Rui; Chen, Qihe; Ren, Jinwei; Mao, Ruixue; Bao, Lei; Zhang, Zhaofeng; Wang, Junbo; Li, Yong

2016-09-08

Many patients with type 2 diabetes find it difficult to maintain good glycemic control. Undesirable glycemic control occurs greatly due to deficiencies of nutritional knowledge and difficulty in obtaining dietary prescriptions. The late middle-aged and elder individuals are the main populations that are affected by type 2 diabetes. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether intensive nutrition education would make benefits for late middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes. 196 patients between 50 to 65 years old meeting type 2 diabetes criteria and eligible for the program were included in a single-blinded, 30-day centralized management of an education program in China. Participants in the program were randomly divided into a usual nutrition education group or an intensive nutrition education group. The usual nutrition education group was used as a control group and received only basic health advice and principles of diabetic diets at the beginning and the end of the study. Participants in the intensive nutrition education group were arranged to receive intensive nutritional lectures about diabetes for 30 days. The primary outcomes were the changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (PG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total glycerin (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). After 30 days of intervention, FPG, PG, and HbA1c in the treatment group decreased significantly than the control group (p < 0.05). HbA1c reduced significantly by 0.6% in the intervention group. No significant differences in the change of blood lipids were observed between groups. However, TG, TC, and HDL-c made improvements compared with the baseline in the experimental group. Both groups had a reduction in weight and BMI within groups, especially in intensive nutrition education group. However, there was no statistical significance

Tympanogram findings in patients with cleft palates aged six months to seven years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanti, A.; Widiarni, D.; Alviandi, W.; Tamin, S.; Mansyur, M.

2017-08-01

Cleft palate is one of the most common congenital craniofacial deformities. Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a middle ear disease having a prevalence of almost 90% in patients with cleft palates. Tympanometry is a fast, safe, non-invasive, and easy tool for diagnosing middle ear disease qualitatively and quantitatively. Studies have been conducted using tympanometry to detect middle ear conditions in patients with cleft palates, but no research has studied tympanogram findings in patients with cleft palates in Indonesia. The aim of this study is to determine the tympanogram findings in Indonesian children aged six months to seven years with cleft palates. This is a cross-sectional study of 30 patients (17 males and 13 females) with Veau classification of palatal clefts aged six months to seven years (median 26.5 months) who underwent tympanometry examinations using a 226 Hztympanometer. Tympanograms were classified using the Jerger/Liden classification. Examinations of 58 ears found that type B tympanograms occurred most frequently (70.7%). The quantitative values of tympanometry analyzed included SAA (0.1-0.2 cm3), TPP value (-197.2-(-146.8 daPa)), Vec value (0.5-0.6 cm3), and gradient value (0.03-0.07 cm3). Using the Fisher test, a significant relationship was found between age and type of tympanogram (p = 0.0039) with the risk of type B and C tympanograms in infants (6-60 months) as high as 4.8 times that of children without cleft palates. The type B tympanogram was most frequently seen in patients with cleft palates aged six months to seven years old with the quantitative values of tympanometry lower than the normal values. Therefore, there was a significant difference in the type of tympanogram seen with age.

Fatherhood and Men's Lives at Middle Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eggebeen, David J.; Dew, Jeffrey; Knoester, Chris

2010-01-01

This article uses data on 2,024 men who were followed through the third wave of the National Survey of Families and Households to examine the implications of fatherhood experiences for men's involvement in altruistic social activities at middle age. We find that middle-aged men (ages 45-65) who at some point in their lives become fathers are…

Restoration of long-term potentiation in middle-aged hippocampus after induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

PubMed

Rex, Christopher S; Lauterborn, Julie C; Lin, Ching-Yi; Kramár, Eniko A; Rogers, Gary A; Gall, Christine M; Lynch, Gary

2006-08-01

Restoration of neuronal viability and synaptic plasticity through increased trophic support is widely regarded as a potential therapy for the cognitive declines that characterize aging. Previous studies have shown that in the hippocampal CA1 basal dendritic field deficits in the stabilization of long-term potentiation (LTP) are evident by middle age. The present study tested whether increasing endogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could reverse this age-related change. We report here that in middle-aged (8- to 10-mo-old) rats, in vivo treatments with a positive AMPA-type glutamate receptor modulator both increase BDNF protein levels in the cortical telencephalon and restore stabilization of basal dendritic LTP as assessed in acute hippocampal slices 18 h after the last drug treatment. These effects were not attributed to enhanced synaptic transmission or to facilitation of burst responses used to induce LTP. Increasing extracellular levels of BDNF by exogenous application to slices of middle-aged rats was also sufficient to rescue the stabilization of basal dendritic LTP. Finally, otherwise stable LTP in ampakine-treated middle-aged rats can be eliminated by infusion of the extracellular BDNF scavenger TrkB-Fc. Together these results indicate that increases in endogenous BDNF signaling can offset deficits in the postinduction processes that stabilize LTP.

[Comparative ophthalmology in the Middle Ages].

PubMed

Norn, M; Norn, O

2001-01-01

Descriptions of animal eyes in the Middle Ages in the learned work Physiologus from the 4th century, based on Aristoteles, Plutarc, the Bible etc. are commented on. The modern biologist is horrified, the historian understands the ethical - religious aspects behind the edifying stories concerning the lion, gazelle, eagle, snake, lizard, swallow etc. Medical science and theology were not separated in the Middle Ages.

Development and psychometric properties of a new social support scale for self-care in middle-aged patients with type II diabetes (S4-MAD)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Social support has proved to be one of the most effective factors on the success of diabetic self-care. This study aimed to develop a scale for evaluating social support for self-care in middle-aged patients (30–60 years old) with type II diabetes. Methods This was a two-phase qualitative and quantitative study. The study was conducted during 2009 to 2011 in Tehran, Iran. In the qualitative part, a sample of diabetic patients participated in four focus group discussions in order to develop a preliminary item pool. Consequently, content and face validity were performed to provide a pre-final version of the questionnaire. Then, in a quantitative study, reliability (internal consistency and test-retest analysis), validity and factor analysis (both exploratory and confirmatory) were performed to assess psychometric properties of the scale. Results A 38-item questionnaire was developed through the qualitative phase. It was reduced to a 33-item after content validity. Exploratory factor analysis loaded a 30-item with a five-factor solution (nutrition, physical activity, self monitoring of blood glucose, foot care and smoking) that jointly accounted for 72.3% of observed variance. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit to the data. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient showed excellent internal consistency (alpha=0.94), and test-retest of the scale with 2-weeks intervals indicated an appropriate stability for the scale (ICC=0.87). Conclusion The findings showed that the designed questionnaire was a valid and reliable instrument for measuring social support for self-care in middle-aged patients with type II diabetes. It is an easy to use questionnaire and contains the most significant diabetes related behaviors that need continuous support for self-care. PMID:23190685

CHANGES IN SOMATOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE MIDDLE-AGED BULGARIAN MEN.

PubMed

Andreenko, Emiliya; Mladenova, Silviya

2015-12-01

the objective of this cross-sectional research was to outline the different somatotypes and the trends in the changes of the three basic components (endomorphy, mesomorphy and ectomorphy) among the middle-aged Bulgarian men. the Heath-Carter method was used to identify the anthropometric somatotypes of 860 adult men, aged 30-50 years old, from the city of Plovdiv, located in Central Bulgaria. The men were divided into 4 age groups, in five-year intervals. In each case body height, weight and a series of skinfolds, circumferences and diameters were measured to calculate the somatotype. The SPSS package was used for the statistical analysis. the results show a prominent endo-mesomorphic model in the study sample of male population. We found age-related increase of the values of the musclebone component, retention of the level of the fatty component and a decline in the ectomorphy. Regardless the quantitative changes of the three components, the correlation between them remains constant and the mean somatotype is preserved. A greater variety of morphotypes is found in the group of men aged 30-35. The most homogeneous group is that of the 45-50 year old men. This group is entirely dominated by the mesomorphic component (strength), and the endomorphic component (obesity) is greater than the ectomorphic one (linearity). the study finds that in the years between 30 and 50 the men tend to build muscle rather than fat. The 50 year-old men are more mesomorphic than the men at the age of 30, but they are shorter and with less elongated body segments. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Age and sex differences in the taste sensitivity of young adult, young-old and old-old Japanese.

PubMed

Yoshinaka, Masaki; Ikebe, Kazunori; Uota, Masahiro; Ogawa, Taiji; Okada, Tadashi; Inomata, Chisato; Takeshita, Hajime; Mihara, Yusuke; Gondo, Yasuyuki; Masui, Yukie; Kamide, Kei; Arai, Yasumichi; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Maeda, Yoshinobu

2016-12-01

The present study examined sex and age differences in taste sensitivity among young adult, young-old and old-old Japanese. Participants were divided into three groups comprising 477 men and 519 women in the young-old group (aged 69-71 years), 449 men and 500 women in the old-old group (aged 79-81 years), and 35 men and 35 women in the young adult group (aged 24-32 years). Recognition thresholds for the four basic tastes were measured using the 1-mL whole mouth gustatory test, in which taste solutions of the four basic tastes were tested in five concentrations. Young adults showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than the young-old group, and the young-old group showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than the old-old group. Among the young-old and old-old groups, women showed significantly lower recognition thresholds than males for sour, salty and bitter tastes, but there was no sex difference in the sweet taste threshold between the two groups. The present study confirmed that there are age and sex differences in taste sensitivity for the four basic tastes among young adult, young-old, and old-old Japanese, and that the sensitivity of sweet taste is more robust than the other tastes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1281-1288. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Cognitive Remediation in Middle-Aged or Older Inpatients with Chronic Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Korea.

PubMed

Choi, Kee-Hong; Kang, Jinsook; Kim, Sun-Min; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Won-Hye; Choi, Sun; Park, Kiho; Hwang, Tae-Yeon

2017-01-01

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that cognitive remediation (CR) is effective for improving various cognitive deficits in adult patients with schizophrenia. Although reports of brain plasticity in older adults and the service needs for chronic patients with schizophrenia are increasing, very few randomized controlled trials of CR have been conducted in middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia. We investigated the efficacy of individualized CR on the cognitive impairments of middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia within the context of comprehensive psychiatric rehabilitation (PR) by comparing the results obtained with PR only and treatment as usual (TAU). Method: Fifty-seven middle-aged and older individuals with chronic schizophrenia and mild to moderate cognitive deficits were enrolled. Thirty-eight who were undergoing PR were randomly assigned to CR + PR ( N = 19) or PR-only ( N = 19) groups. Nineteen participants who were undergoing TAU without CR or PR were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. Results: CR was easily provided and well received (drop-out rates = 5.3%) by middle-aged or older psychiatric inpatients. Compared to the PR-Only or TAU patients, patients in the CR + PR group showed greater improvement in executive functioning. Compared to TAU patients, CR + PR and PR-only patients showed greater improvement in logical memory. More patients in the CR + PR group improved clinically significantly in executive functioning and logical memory, compared with the PR-only and TAU patients. Conclusions: These results suggested that CR improved some cognitive deficits in middle-aged or older inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and that it was effective as an adjunctive treatment to the usual PR services provided in inpatient settings. Clinical Registration: KCT0002609.

Executive functions and sustained attention: Comparison between age groups of 19-39 and 40-59 years old.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Camila Rosa; Pedron, Ana Cristina; Gurgel, Léia Gonçalves; Reppold, Caroline Tozzi; Fonseca, Rochele Paz

2012-01-01

Few studies involving the cognition of middle-aged adults are available in the international literature, particularly investigating the process of cognitive aging, executive components and attention. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in performance on neuropsychological tasks of executive functions and sustained attention between two age groups. The sample consisted of 87 adults aged from 19 to 59 years old, divided into two groups according to the age variable (younger adults and middle-aged adults). All participants were Brazilian and had no sensory, psychiatric or neurological disorders; subjects also had no history of alcohol abuse, and no self-reported use of illicit drugs or antipsychotics. The neuropsychological instruments administered were the Hayling Test, Trail Making Test, Bells Test and verbal fluency tasks. Groups showed no significant differences in relation to sociodemographic variables, educational level or frequency of reading and writing habits. The younger adult group performed better than the middle-aged group on tasks that involved mainly processing speed, cognitive flexibility and lexical search. These findings serve as a valuable reference for cognitive processing in middle-aged adults, since a large number of comparative studies focus only on the younger and later phases of adulthood. Additional studies are needed to investigate possible interaction between different factors such as age and education.

Executive functions and sustained attention: Comparison between age groups of 19-39 and 40-59 years old

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Camila Rosa; Pedron, Ana Cristina; Gurgel, Léia Gonçalves; Reppold, Caroline Tozzi; Fonseca, Rochele Paz

2012-01-01

Few studies involving the cognition of middle-aged adults are available in the international literature, particularly investigating the process of cognitive aging, executive components and attention. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in performance on neuropsychological tasks of executive functions and sustained attention between two age groups. Methods The sample consisted of 87 adults aged from 19 to 59 years old, divided into two groups according to the age variable (younger adults and middle-aged adults). All participants were Brazilian and had no sensory, psychiatric or neurological disorders; subjects also had no history of alcohol abuse, and no self-reported use of illicit drugs or antipsychotics. The neuropsychological instruments administered were the Hayling Test, Trail Making Test, Bells Test and verbal fluency tasks. Results Groups showed no significant differences in relation to sociodemographic variables, educational level or frequency of reading and writing habits. The younger adult group performed better than the middle-aged group on tasks that involved mainly processing speed, cognitive flexibility and lexical search. Conclusions These findings serve as a valuable reference for cognitive processing in middle-aged adults, since a large number of comparative studies focus only on the younger and later phases of adulthood. Additional studies are needed to investigate possible interaction between different factors such as age and education. PMID:29213769

[Relationship between body weight status in early adulthood and body weight change to middle age and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in middle aged Chinese people].

PubMed

Zhao, L C; Zhou, L; Li, Y; Guo, M; Wu, Y F

2016-08-24

To explore the relationship between early adulthood weight status and body weight changes from early adulthood to middle age and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level. Data were obtained from China Multicenter Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Epidemiology Study, which was conducted in 1998, 15 participants population samples aged from 35-59 years old from 12 provinces were selected by random cluster sampling. Approximately 1 000 men and women in each sample population were surveyed for cardiovascular disease risk factors, body weight at age 25 from all participants were also obtained. Body mass index (BMI) at the age of 25 years was calculated with the weight at 25 years and the height measured during the survey, participants were divided into underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2), n=1 331), normal-weight (18.5 kg/m(2)≤BMI <24 kg/m(2), n=10 400), overweight (24 kg/m(2)≤BMI<28 kg/m(2), n=2 019) and obesity (BMI≥28 kg/m(2), n=133) groups. Weight change was defined as the difference between the body weight at the age of 25 and at the survey and was grouped into<-7.5 kg (n=903), -7.5--2.6 kg (n=1 883), -2.5-2.5 kg (n=2 573), 2.6-7.5 kg (n=2 786), 7.6-12.5 kg (n=2 674) and>12.5 kg (n=3 064). The association of body weight status in early adulthood and body weight change from early adulthood to middle age with HDL-C level was examined by logistic regression model. The prevalence of low HDL-C in underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity groups at age of 25 years were 10.7%(143/1 331), 15.5%(1 612/10 400), 16.3%(330/2 019) and 24.8%(33/133), respectively(P for trend <0.01). The prevalence of low HDL-C for adult weight change were 8.8%(79/903), 8.0%(151/1 883), 10.5%(269/2 573), 13.4%(373/2 786), 19.1%(511/2 674), and 24.0%(735/3 064)(P for trend <0.01)for weight change of <-7.5 kg, -7.5--2.6 kg, -2.5-2.5 kg, 2.6-7.5 kg, 7.6-12.5 kg and>12.5 kg, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that overweight and obesity at age of 25 years and

Sex-dependent effects of letrozole on anxiety in middle-aged rats.

PubMed

Borbélyová, Veronika; Domonkos, Emese; Csongová, Melinda; Kačmárová, Mária; Ostatníková, Daniela; Celec, Peter; Hodosy, Július

2017-12-01

Aromatase catalyzes the conversion of testosterone to estradiol and is involved in the physiological effects of sex hormones on brain function. Animal experiments have shown that the aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, can induce anxiety in young ovariectomized females that are used as a model of aging. Whether or not these effects would be similar in intact middle-aged animals is unknown. The aim of our study was to analyze the effects of letrozole on anxiety in middle-aged rats of both sexes. Fifteen month old male and female rats were treated daily with either letrozole or vehicle for 2 weeks. The elevated plus maze was used to test anxiety-like behaviour. Sex differences were found not only in plasma concentrations of testosterone but also in the effects of letrozole treatment on plasma testosterone (P<.05). The interaction between sex and treatment was also proven in locomotor activity (P<.05) and time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze (P<.05). Letrozole-treated male rats spent 95% less time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze than the control rats did (P<.05) suggesting an anxiogenic effect of aromatase inhibition. This difference was not found between letrozole-treated and vehicle-treated females. In contrast to previous experiments on young animals, letrozole seems to induce anxiety in male but not in female middle-aged rats. This sex-specific effect might be related to sex differences of oestrogen and androgen signalling in aging brains. These results should be taken into account in clinical applications of letrozole, especially in men. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Syphilis among middle-aged female sex workers in China: a three-site cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liu, Hongjie; Dumenci, Levent; Morisky, Donald E; Xu, Yongfang; Li, Xiaojing; Jiang, Baofa

2016-05-10

This study addresses the lack of empirical studies about the epidemic of syphilis among middle-aged female sex workers (FSWs). The objectives of this study were to investigate prevalence of syphilis, and its potential risk factors among middle-aged FSWs in China. A cross-sectional study with respondent-driven sampling (RDS). A multisite study conducted at three Chinese cites (Nanning, Hefei, and Qingdao) with different levels of sexually transmitted diseases in 2014. 1245 middle-aged female sex workers who were over 35 years old (about 400 per study site). Unprotected commercial sex, and syphilis and HIV infection were biologically tested and measured. The RDS-adjusted prevalence of active syphilis was 17.3% in Hefei, 9.9% in Qingdao, and 5.4% in Nanning. The RDS-adjusted prevalence of prevalent syphilis was between 6.8% and 33.6% in the three cities. The proportion of unprotected sex in the past 48 h verified by the prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) was between 27.8% and 42.4%. Multiple log-binomial regression analyses indicate that middle-aged FSWs who had 5 or more clients in the past week prior to interviews and engaged in unprotected sex were more likely to be active syphilitic cases. Middle-aged FSWs who had rural residency were less likely to be active syphilitic cases. In contrast with previous studies that reported low prevalence of syphilis and high prevalence of protected sex among FSWs in China, both the prevalence of syphilis and unprotected sex were high among middle-aged FSWs. Evidence-based intervention programmes should be developed and evaluated among this vulnerable population in China and other countries with similar settings. 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/

Isolated Systolic Hypertension in Young and Middle-Aged Adults.

PubMed

Yano, Yuichiro; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M

2016-11-01

Young and middle-aged adults (ages ≤50 years) are increasingly prone to stroke, kidney disease, and worsening cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. An alarming increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) may underlie the adverse trend. However, there is often uncertainty in BP management for young and middle-aged adults. Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is one such example. Whether ISH in young and middle-aged adults represents "pseudo" or "spurious" hypertension is still being debated. ISH in young and middle-aged adults is a heterogeneous entity; some individuals appear to have increased stroke volume, whereas others have stiffened aortae, or both. One size does not seem to fit all in the clinical management of ISH in young and middle-aged adults. Rather than treating ISH as a monolithic condition, detailed phenotyping of ISH based on (patho)physiology and in the context of individual global cardiovascular risks would seem to be most useful to assess an individual expected net benefit from therapy. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of ISH in young and middle-aged adults, including the prevalence, pathophysiology, and treatment.

Depression and Retirement in Late Middle-Aged U.S. Workers

PubMed Central

Doshi, Jalpa A; Cen, Liyi; Polsky, Daniel

2008-01-01

Objective To determine whether late middle-aged U.S. workers with depression are at an increased risk for retirement. Data Source Six biennial waves (1992–2002) of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative panel survey of noninstitutionalized 51–61-year-olds and their spouses started in 1992. Study Design Workers aged 53–58 years in 1994 were followed every 2 years thereafter, through 2002. Depression was coded as lagged time-dependent variables measuring active depression and severity of depression. The main outcome variable was a transition to retirement which was measured using two distinct definitions to capture different stages in the retirement process: (1) Retirement was defined as a transition out of the labor force in the sample of all labor force participants (N = 2,853); (2) In addition a transition out of full time work was used as the retirement definition in the subset of labor force participants who were full time workers (N = 2,288). Principal Findings In the sample of all labor force participants, the presence of active depression significantly increased the hazard of retirement in both late middle-aged men (adjusted OR: 1.37 [95 percent CI 1.05, 1.80]) and women (adjusted OR: 1.40 [95 percent CI 1.10, 1.78]). For women, subthreshold depression was also a significant predictor of retirement. In the sample of full time workers, the relationship between depression and retirement was considerably weaker for women yet remained strong for men. Conclusions Depression and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with retirement in late middle-aged U.S. workers. Policymakers must consider the potentially adverse impact of these labor market outcomes when estimating the cost of untreated depression and evaluating the value of interventions to improve the diagnosis and treatment of depression. PMID:18370974

Leg Strength Comparison between Younger and Middle-age Adults

PubMed Central

Kim, Sukwon; Lockhart, Thurmon; Nam, Chang S.

2009-01-01

Although a risk of occupational musculoskeletal diseases has been identified with age-related strength degradation, strength measures from working group are somewhat sparse. This is especially true for the lower extremity strength measures in dynamic conditions (i.e., isokinetic). The objective of this study was to quantify the lower extremity muscle strength characteristics of three age groups (young, middle, and the elderly). Total of 42 subjects participated in the study: 14 subjects for each age group. A commercial dynamometer was used to evaluate isokinetic and isometric strength at ankle and knee joints. 2 × 2 (Age group (younger, middle-age, and older adult groups) × Gender (male and female)) between-subject design and Post-hoc analysis were performed to evaluate strength differences among three age groups. Post-hoc analysis indicated that, overall, middle-age workers’ leg strengths (i.e. ankle and knee muscles) were significantly different from younger adults while middle-age workers’ leg strengths were virtually identical to older adults’ leg strengths. These results suggested that, overall, 14 middle-age workers in the present study could be at a higher risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Future studies looking at the likelihood of musculoskeletal injuries at different work places and from different working postures at various age levels should be required to validate the current findings. The future study would be a valuable asset in finding intervention strategies such that middle-age workers could stay healthier longer. PMID:20436934

Chronic Ampakine Treatments Stimulate Dendritic Growth and Promote Learning in Middle-Aged Rats

PubMed Central

Lauterborn, Julie C.; Palmer, Linda C.; Jia, Yousheng; Pham, Danielle T.; Hou, Bowen; Wang, Weisheng; Trieu, Brian H.; Cox, Conor D.; Kantorovich, Svetlana

2016-01-01

Positive allosteric modulators of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (ampakines) have been shown to rescue synaptic plasticity and reduce neuropathology in rodent models of cognitive disorders. Here we tested whether chronic ampakine treatment offsets age-related dendritic retraction in middle-aged (MA) rats. Starting at 10 months of age, rats were housed in an enriched environment and given daily treatment with a short half-life ampakine or vehicle for 3 months. Dendritic branching and spine measures were collected from 3D reconstructions of Lucifer yellow-filled CA1 pyramidal cells. There was a substantial loss of secondary branches, relative to enriched 2.5-month-old rats, in apical and basal dendritic fields of vehicle-treated, but not ampakine-treated, 13-month-old rats. Baseline synaptic responses in CA1 were only subtly different between the two MA groups, but long-term potentiation was greater in ampakine-treated rats. Unsupervised learning of a complex environment was used to assess treatment effects on behavior. Vehicle- and drug-treated rats behaved similarly during a first 30 min session in the novel environment but differed markedly on subsequent measures of long-term memory. Markov sequence analysis uncovered a clear increase in the predictability of serial movements between behavioral sessions 2 and 3 in the ampakine, but not vehicle, group. These results show that a surprising degree of dendritic retraction occurs by middle age and that this can be mostly offset by pharmacological treatments without evidence for unwanted side effects. The functional consequences of rescue were prominent with regard to memory but also extended to self-organization of behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Brain aging is characterized by a progressive loss of dendritic arbors and the emergence of impairments to learning-related synaptic plasticity. The present studies show that dendritic losses are evident by middle age despite housing in an enriched environment and can be

Can balneotherapy improve the bowel motility in chronically constipated middle-aged and elderly patients?

PubMed

Dandinoglu, Taner; Dandin, Ozgur; Ergin, Tuncer; Tihan, Deniz; Akpak, Yasam Kemal; Aydın, Oguz Ugur; Teomete, Uygar

2017-06-01

Balneotherapy or spa therapy is usually known for different application forms of medicinal waters and its effects on the human body. Our purpose is to demonstrate the effect of balneotherapy on gastrointestinal motility. A total of 35 patients who were treated for osteoarthritis with balneotherapy from November 2013 through March 2015 at our hospital had a consultation at the general surgery for constipation and defecation disorders. Patients followed by constipation scores, short-form health survey (SF-12), and a colonic transit time (CTT) study before and after balneotherapy were included in this study, and the data of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. The constipation score, SF-12 score, and CTT were found statistically significant after balneotherapy (p < 0.05). The results of our study confirm the clinical finding that a 15-day course of balneotherapy with mineral water from a thermal spring (Bursa, Turkey) improves gastrointestinal motility and reduces laxative consumption in the management of constipation in middle-aged and elderly patients, and it is our belief that treatment with thermal mineral water could considerably improve the quality of life of these patients.

Higher blood pressure is associated with higher handgrip strength in the oldest old.

PubMed

Taekema, Diana G; Maier, Andrea B; Westendorp, Rudi G J; de Craen, Anton J M

2011-01-01

Aging is associated with progressive loss of muscle strength. Muscle tissue is vascularized by an elaborate vascular network. There is evidence that blood pressure (BP) is associated with muscle function in middle age. It is unknown how BP associates with muscle function in oldest old people. We studied the association between BP and handgrip strength in middle and old age. BP was measured automatically in middle-aged subjects and with a mercury sphygmomanometer in the oldest old. Handgrip strength was measured with a handgrip strength dynamometer. Cross-sectional measurements of handgrip strength and BP were available for 670 middle-aged subjects (mean 63.2 ± 6.6 years) and 550 oldest old subjects (all 85 years). Prospective data were available for oldest old subjects only with a 4-year follow-up at 89 years. The association between BP and handgrip strength was analyzed by linear regression analysis. In middle-aged subjects, BP and handgrip strength were not statistically significantly associated. In oldest old subjects, higher systolic BP (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP) were associated with higher handgrip strength after adjusting for comorbidity and medication use (all P < 0.02). Furthermore, in oldest old subjects, changes in SBP, MAP, and PP after 4 years was associated with declining handgrip strength (all, P < 0.05). In oldest old, higher BP is associated with better muscle strength. Further study is necessary to investigate whether BP is a potential modifiable risk factor for prevention of age-associated decline in muscle strength.

Sex differences in perceived stress and early recovery in young and middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Xu, Xiao; Bao, Haikun; Strait, Kelly; Spertus, John A; Lichtman, Judith H; D'Onofrio, Gail; Spatz, Erica; Bucholz, Emily M; Geda, Mary; Lorenze, Nancy P; Bueno, Héctor; Beltrame, John F; Krumholz, Harlan M

2015-02-17

Younger age and female sex are both associated with greater mental stress in the general population, but limited data exist on the status of perceived stress in young and middle-aged patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction. We examined sex difference in stress, contributing factors to this difference, and whether this difference helps explain sex-based disparities in 1-month recovery using data from 3572 patients with acute myocardial infarction (2397 women and 1175 men) 18 to 55 years of age. The average score of the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale at baseline was 23.4 for men and 27.0 for women (P<0.001). Higher stress in women was explained largely by sex differences in comorbidities, physical and mental health status, intrafamily conflict, caregiving demands, and financial hardship. After adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, women had worse recovery than men at 1 month after acute myocardial infarction, with mean differences in improvement score between women and men ranging from -0.04 for EuroQol utility index to -3.96 for angina-related quality of life (P<0.05 for all). Further adjustment for baseline stress reduced these sex-based differences in recovery to -0.03 to -3.63, which, however, remained statistically significant (P<0.05 for all). High stress at baseline was associated with significantly worse recovery in angina-specific and overall quality of life, as well as mental health status. The effect of baseline stress on recovery did not vary between men and women. Among young and middle-aged patients, higher stress at baseline is associated with worse recovery in multiple health outcomes after acute myocardial infarction. Women perceive greater psychological stress than men at baseline, which partially explains women's worse recovery. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

The Middle-Aged Marathon Runner

PubMed Central

Valentine, Anthony S.

1982-01-01

Middle-aged runners form an appreciable number of those engaged in marathon running. They tend to have above average intelligence, high socioeconomic status, and better levels of aerobic fitness than sedentary members of the same age group. “Too much too soon” is the commonest cause of injury. Training before a marathon should last 18 months to two years. Middle-aged runners tend to experience fewer injuries than other marathoners. However, relatively minor complaints will be disastrous to them if they have to stop running. Injuries can occur from lack of warm up exercises, environmental factors such as weather, poor street lighting, carbon monoxide from car exhausts, etc. Some contraindications to marathon running are: poorly controlled diabetes, recent acute pulmonary disease, active rheumatoid arthritis, and recent cardiac conditions. Finishing a marathon involves both agony and ecstasy. PMID:21286102

Neighborhood socioeconomic status, sleep duration and napping in middle-to-old aged US men and women.

PubMed

Xiao, Qian; Hale, Lauren

2018-04-25

Earlier studies have linked neighborhood disadvantage with poor sleep outcomes. However, little is known about the association between changes in one's neighborhood over time and night sleep and napping. In over 300,000 middle-to-old aged Americans, we examined neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and change in neighborhood SES in relation to nocturnal sleep duration and napping. Nocturnal sleep duration and daytime napping were self-reported at baseline (1995-1996). Participants also reported baseline residential addresses, which were linked to US censuses. We derived a neighborhood SES index using census variables and calculated the baseline level and change (1990-2000) in neighborhood SES. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between neighborhood SES over time and nocturnal sleep and napping. Lower baseline neighborhood SES was associated short sleep, long sleep and napping. When compared with the highest quintile of neighborhood SES, the lowest was associated with 46% and 72% increase in relative risk (RR) of reporting very short (< 5 hours) sleep, 28% and 19% higher RR of long (≥9 hours) sleep and 95% and 85% increase in long (≥1 hours) nap in men and women, respectively. Moreover, a decrease in neighborhood SES was associated with higher RR of reporting very short sleep in women; while an improvement in neighborhood SES was associated with an increase in RR of long sleep in men. Neighborhood disadvantage and worsening neighborhood conditions were associated with unhealthy sleep behaviors. These results reinforce a growing literature on the potential importance of neighborhood context for understanding sleep health.

Restoration of Long-Term Potentiation in Middle-Aged Hippocampus After Induction of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

PubMed Central

Rex, Christopher S.; Lauterborn, Julie C.; Lin, Ching-Yi; Kramár, Eniko A.; Rogers, Gary A.; Gall, Christine M.; Lynch, Gary

2006-01-01

Rex, Christopher S., Julie C. Lauterborn, Ching-Yi Lin, Eniko A. Kramár, Gary A. Rogers, Christine M. Gall, and Gary Lynch. Restoration of long-term potentiation in middle-aged hippocampus after induction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Neurophysiol 96: 677-685, 2006. First published May 17, 2006; doi:10.1152/jn.00336.2006. Restoration of neuronal viability and synaptic plasticity through increased trophic support is widely regarded as a potential therapy for the cognitive declines that characterize aging. Previous studies have shown that in the hippocampal CA1 basal dendritic field deficits in the stabilization of long-term potentiation (LTP) are evident by middle age. The present study tested whether increasing endogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could reverse this age-related change. We report here that in middle-aged (8- to 10-mo-old) rats, in vivo treatments with a positive AMPA-type glutamate receptor modulator both increase BDNF protein levels in the cortical telencephalon and restore stabilization of basal dendritic LTP as assessed in acute hippocampal slices 18 h after the last drug treatment. These effects were not attributed to enhanced synaptic transmission or to facilitation of burst responses used to induce LTP. Increasing extracellular levels of BDNF by exogenous application to slices of middle-aged rats was also sufficient to rescue the stabilization of basal dendritic LTP. Finally, otherwise stable LTP in ampakine-treated middle-aged rats can be eliminated by infusion of the extracellular BDNF scavenger TrkB-Fc. Together these results indicate that increases in endogenous BDNF signaling can offset deficits in the postinduction processes that stabilize LTP. PMID:16707719

[Old patients suffering from long-standing schizophrenia: clinical aspects].

PubMed

Jalenques, Isabelle; Rachez, Chloé; Tourtauchaux, Rémi; Cellier, Yannick; Legrand, Guillaume

2011-09-01

Although some patients suffering from schizophrenia experience an age-related amelioration, a great number of people who are entering old age suffer from long-standing schizophrenia. These patients show specific psychiatric and somatic problems that must be taken into account. Firstly, some display high levels of all schizophrenic symptoms, while others experience changes in the symptom profile with aging, i.e. a reduction in positive symptoms and an increase in negative ones. Secondly, the occurrence of significant depressive symptoms among elderly patients with schizophrenia is well recognized. Thirdly, in recent years, studies have begun to shed more light on the trajectories of cognitive impairment of these patients in old age. Lastly, aged persons with schizophrenia often have side effects due to long-term antipsychotic medications and medical co-morbidity, more untreated somatic disorders (diabetes, cardiovascular diseases) and higher mortality rates. These may be the result of both lifestyle factors and lack of adequate medical care. Levels of adaptive functioning and quality of life are closely associated with clinical and social factors. Thus, we must consider all these different aspects in order to effectively manage the therapeutic and service needs of these patients.

Validity and reliability of the expectations regarding aging (ERA-12) instrument among middle-aged Singaporeans.

PubMed

Joshi, Veena D; Malhotra, Rahul; Lim, Jeremy F Y; Østbye, Truls; Wong, Michael

2010-05-01

The 12-item Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-12) instrument measures expectations that individuals have about how their health and cognitive function will be when they age. To date, primarily assessed among older adults in Western settings, expectations regarding ageing have been associated with physical activity and healthcare seeking behaviour. It has been suggested that it may be possible to develop interventions that promote positive expectations about ageing. Assessment of expectations regarding ageing among today's middle-aged population would allow for earlier interventions to help give them positive (but realistic) ageing expectations, and age successfully. We assess the reliability and validity of ERA-12 for middle-aged Singaporeans. A questionnaire that included ERA-12 was administered to 1020 patients aged 41 to 62 years attending 2 SingHealth polyclinics in Singapore. Data from 981 respondents who completed the ERA-12 instrument were analysed. ERA-12's construct validity was determined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and through its correlation with depressive symptoms, and self-rated health and education. Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. EFA confirmed that the ERA-12 consisted of 3 factors (each with 4 items)--expectations regarding physical health, mental health and cognitive function, together explaining 64% of the variance in ERA-12 total score with high factor loadings (range, 0.6 to 0.8). The ERA-12 total score was positively correlated with self-rated health (r = 0.13) and education (r = 0.19), and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.25). Cronbach's alpha exceeded 0.7 for ERA-12 overall, and for each subscale. ERA-12 can be used to evaluate expectations regarding ageing not only among elderly populations in the West, but also among middle-aged Singaporeans.

Color vision deficiency in a middle-aged population: the Shahroud Eye Study.

PubMed

Jafarzadehpur, Ebrahim; Hashemi, Hassan; Emamian, Mohammad Hassan; Khabazkhoob, Mehdi; Mehravaran, Shiva; Shariati, Mohammad; Fotouhi, Akbar

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of color vision defects in the middle-age population of Shahroud, Iran. We selected 6,311 people from the 40- to 64-year-old population through random cluster sampling. Color vision testing was performed with the Farnsworth D-15. Cases with similar and symmetric results in both eyes were classified as hereditary, and those with asymmetric results were considered acquired. Cases that did not conform to standard patterns were classified as unknown category. Of 5,190 respondents (response rate 82.2 %), 5,102 participants underwent the color vision test. Of these, 14.7 % (95 % confidence interval 13.7-15.6) had some type of color vision deficiency. Of the 2,157 male participants, 6.2 % were hereditary and 10.2 % were acquired and of the 2,945 female participants, 3.1 % were hereditary and 10 % were acquired. Hereditary color deficiencies were mostly of the deutan form (63.8 %), and acquired deficiencies were mostly tritan (66.1 %). The prevalence of hereditary and acquired color vision deficiency, as well as different types of red-green and blue-yellow color vision defects significantly increased with age (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the pattern of color vision defects among the middle-aged population of Shahroud was significantly different from that seen in the younger population. This could be due to changes associated with age, gender, medical and ocular conditions, and differences in race and environment. Thus, results of previous examinations and the overall health status should be considered before making any judgment about the status of color vision in middle-aged people.

An fMRI study of episodic encoding across the lifespan: changes in subsequent memory effects are evident by middle-age.

PubMed

Park, Heekyeong; Kennedy, Kristen M; Rodrigue, Karen M; Hebrank, Andrew; Park, Denise C

2013-02-01

Although it is well-documented that there are age differences between young and older adults in neural activity associated with successful memory formation (positive subsequent memory effects), little is known about how this activation differs across the lifespan, as few studies have included middle-aged adults. The present study investigated the effect of age on neural activity during episodic encoding using a cross-sectional lifespan sample (20-79 years old, N=192) from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study. We report four major findings. First, in a contrast of remembered vs. forgotten items, a decrease in neural activity occurred with age in bilateral occipito-temporo-parietal regions. Second, when we contrasted forgotten with remembered items (negative subsequent memory), the primary difference was found between middle and older ages. Third, there was evidence for age equivalence in hippocampal regions, congruent with previous studies. Finally, low-memory-performers showed negative subsequent memory differences by middle age, whereas high memory performers did not demonstrate these differences until older age. Taken together, these findings delineate the importance of a lifespan approach to understanding neurocognitive aging and, in particular, the importance of a middle-age sample in revealing different trajectories. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age Differences in Loneliness from Late Adolescence to Oldest Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luhmann, Maike; Hawkley, Louise C.

2016-01-01

Contrary to common stereotypes, loneliness is not restricted to old age but can occur at any life stage. In this study, we used data from a large, nationally representative German study (N = 16,132) to describe and explain age differences in loneliness from late adolescence to oldest old age. The age distribution of loneliness followed a complex…

New drugs and patient-centred end-points in old age: setting the wheels in motion.

PubMed

Mangoni, Arduino A; Pilotto, Alberto

2016-01-01

Older patients with various degrees of frailty and disability, a key population target of pharmacological interventions in acute and chronic disease states, are virtually neglected in pre-marketing studies assessing the efficacy and safety of investigational drugs. Moreover, aggressively pursuing established therapeutic targets in old age, e.g. blood pressure, serum glucose or cholesterol concentrations, is not necessarily associated with the beneficial effects, and the acceptable safety, reported in younger patient cohorts. Measures of self-reported health and functional status might represent additional, more meaningful, therapeutic end-points in the older population, particularly in patients with significant frailty and relatively short life expectancy, e.g. in the presence of cancer and/or neurodegenerative disease conditions. Strategies enhancing early knowledge about key pharmacological characteristics of investigational drugs targeting older adults are discussed, together with the rationale for incorporating non-traditional, patient-centred, end-points in this ever-increasing group.

Affective experience in adulthood and old age: The role of affective arousal and perceived affect regulation.

PubMed

Kessler, Eva-Marie; Staudinger, Ursula M

2009-06-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in self-reported affect in adulthood. Measurement of affect encompassed high- and low-arousal positive and negative affect. The sample consisted of 277 participants who were between 20 and 80 years old. Older participants showed a higher level of low-arousal positive affect and did not significantly differ from the two younger age groups in high-arousal positive affect. Both high- and low-arousal negative affect decreased from middle to older adulthood. Only partially are these age effects explained by sociodemographic characteristics, education, or self-reported health and personality. The perceived regulation of affect in the face of difficulties or threatening situations emerged as a central mediator in the association between age and the three age-graded facets of affect. In contrast, future time perspective had no mediating effect on the age-affect relationship. Results suggest that age-related advantages in perceived affect regulation seem to be one central component of resilience in old age. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Changes in physical capacity among middle-aged municipal employees over 16 years.

PubMed

Savinainen, Minna; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Korhonen, Olli; Ilmarinen, Juhani

2004-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to identify changes in different components of physical capacity among middle-aged women and men employed in the municipal branch for 16 years. The data were obtained by laboratory measurements and postal questionnaires. The study group consisted of 45 middle-aged subjects, who were on average 51.5 years old at the beginning of the follow-up in 1981 and 67.3 years in 1997. During the 16-year follow-up period, the average physical capacity of these workers decreased by approximately 20%. The study showed that the greatest changes occurred in isometric trunk muscle strength and in the flexibility of the spine, whereas smaller changes were noted in anthropometrics. The decrease of physical capacity was greater among men (range 11.6% to 33.7%) than among women (range 3.3% to 26.7%), although women had more individual variations. On average, people without disease or who were physically active displayed better physical capacity than people with disease or who were physically passive.

Loneliness and social isolation among young and late middle-age adults: Associations with personal networks and social participation.

PubMed

Child, Stephanie T; Lawton, Leora

2017-11-24

Associations between social networks and loneliness or social isolation are well established among older adults. Yet, limited research examines personal networks and participation on perceived loneliness and social isolation as distinct experiences among younger adults. Accordingly, we explore relationships among objective and subjective measures of personal networks with loneliness and isolation, comparing a younger and older cohort. The UC Berkeley Social Networks Study offers unique cohort data on young (21-30 years old, n = 472) and late middle-age adults' (50-70 years old, n = 637) personal network characteristics, social participation, network satisfaction, relationship status, and days lonely and isolated via online survey or in-person interview. Negative binomial regression models were used to examine associations between social network characteristics, loneliness, and isolation by age group. Young adults reported twice as many days lonely and isolated than late middle-age adults, despite, paradoxically, having larger networks. For young adults, informal social participation and weekly religious attendance were associated with fewer days isolated. Among late middle-age adults, number of close kin and relationship status were associated with loneliness. Network satisfaction was associated with fewer days lonely or isolated among both age groups. Distinct network characteristics were associated with either loneliness or isolation for each cohort, suggesting network factors are independently associated with each outcome, and may fluctuate over time. Network satisfaction was associated with either loneliness or isolation among both cohorts, suggesting perceptions of social networks may be equally important as objective measures, and remain salient for loneliness and isolation throughout the life course.

[Suplemented restricted diet in old patients with chronic renal disease].

PubMed

Teplan, Vladimír

2016-01-01

In last decades was confirmed remarkable increase in number of old patients with chronic kidney disease. Despide of developments in dialysis technology and kidney transplantation there is a growing number of old patients who are not suitable for these methods. Recently were published data showing long-term effect of protein restricted diet supplemented with keto amino acids in elderly. Based on our results obtained in re-analysis of 3 000 patients we can confirm also good compliance and low risk of malnutrition.Key words: chronic kidney disease - keto amino acids - old age - restricted diet.

Loneliness in middle and old age: demographics, perceived health, and social satisfaction as predictors.

PubMed

Ferreira-Alves, José; Magalhães, Paula; Viola, Lara; Simoes, Ricardo

2014-01-01

(a) To identify the degree of much loneliness reported in the Portuguese population over 50 years of age and (b) test whether loneliness can be predicted by socio-demographic, health related or social characteristic of the sample other than age. 1174 late middle age and older adults were interviewed face to face by different interviewers across the country; after the informed consent was signed, we asked the participants several socio-demographic and health-related questions; finally we asked "How often do you feel lonely?" and participants responded according to a five point Likert scale. The results showed that 12% of participants reporting feeling lonely often or always, whereas 40% reporting never feeling lonely. The remaining 48% self-reported they felt lonely seldom or sometimes. Additionally, results show that, when taken together, variables such as marital status, type of housing, residence settings, health conditions, social satisfaction, social isolation, lack of interest, transportation, and age were predictors of loneliness. (1) The association of loneliness with advanced age has been greatly exaggerated by mass media and common sense; (2) But although our findings did not confirm the most alarmist views, the 12% of older adults reporting that they are feeling lonely always or often should be cause for attention and concern. It is necessary to understand the meaning, reasons and level of suffering implied on those feelings of loneliness. (3) Our findings suggest that it makes no sense to construe age as a singular feature or cause for feelings of loneliness. Instead, age and also a number of other features combine to predict feelings of loneliness. But even with our predictor variables there was a substantial of variance left unexplained. Therefore it is necessary to continue exploring how feelings of loneliness arise from the experience of living and how they can be changed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two middle-age-onset hemochromatosis patients with heterozygous mutations in the hemojuvelin gene in a Chinese family.

PubMed

Li, Shufeng; Xue, Jun; Chen, Baojun; Wang, Qiwei; Shi, Minke; Xie, Xiaojing; Zhang, Liang

2014-04-01

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a disorder characterized by enhanced intestinal absorption of dietary iron. Here, we report a heterozygous genotype at two mutation sites in hemojuvelin (HJV) present in two brothers with middle-age-onset hemochromatosis in a Chinese family. To date, only homozygous or compound heterozygous states of HJV gene have been reported as associated with iron overload. However, the patients here were heterozygous for two mutations in one HJV allele in cis: a premature termination mutation (962G>A and 963C>A; C321X) and a mutation in the signal peptide (18G>C; Q6H). Previously unrecognized environmental or other genetic factors may have interacted with the heterozygous genotype in these patients.

Health benefits of dancing activity among Korean middle-aged women.

PubMed

Kim, Min Jeong; Lee, Chul Won

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the health benefits of line dancing activity in Korean middle-aged women. This study explored how Korean middle-aged women perceive health benefits through lived experiences of line dancing in their leisure time. Three themes emerged related to health benefits: (1) psychological benefit, (2) physical benefit, and (3) social benefit. This finding suggested that serious leisure experience aids health enhancements in the lives of Korean middle-aged women. This study also discusses the research implication that continuous participation in leisure activity is necessary for health improvement in Korean middle-aged women.

Health benefits of dancing activity among Korean middle-aged women

PubMed Central

Kim, Min Jeong; Lee, Chul Won

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the health benefits of line dancing activity in Korean middle-aged women. This study explored how Korean middle-aged women perceive health benefits through lived experiences of line dancing in their leisure time. Three themes emerged related to health benefits: (1) psychological benefit, (2) physical benefit, and (3) social benefit. This finding suggested that serious leisure experience aids health enhancements in the lives of Korean middle-aged women. This study also discusses the research implication that continuous participation in leisure activity is necessary for health improvement in Korean middle-aged women. PMID:27389818

Role involvement and well-being in middle-aged women.

PubMed

Perrig-Chiello, Pasqualina; Hutchison, Sara; Hoepflinger, François

2008-01-01

The aim of this research was to shed light on the relation of social role experiences and health to well-being outcomes of 198 middle-aged (40-55 years old) Swiss women living in various familial contexts (double-track women, i.e., partnered working mothers, homemakers, single mothers, single women). Our results revealed that the way roles were experienced was primarily a function of a specific living context and satisfying social resources. Double-track women and homemakers showed the highest social role satisfaction rates and had better health and well-being outcomes than other women. Common to all groups was a considerable difference between actual and desired role investment. The findings are discussed in terms of a resource-oriented model of well-being.

Sudden cardiac arrest during sports activity in middle age.

PubMed

Marijon, Eloi; Uy-Evanado, Audrey; Reinier, Kyndaron; Teodorescu, Carmen; Narayanan, Kumar; Jouven, Xavier; Gunson, Karen; Jui, Jonathan; Chugh, Sumeet S

2015-04-21

Sports-associated sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) occur mostly during middle age. We sought to determine the burden, characteristics, and outcomes of SCA during sports among middle-aged residents of a large US community. Patients with SCA who were 35 to 65 years of age were identified in a large, prospective, population-based study (2002-2013), with systematic and comprehensive assessment of their lifetime medical history. Of the 1247 SCA cases, 63 (5%) occurred during sports activities at a mean age of 51.1±8.8 years, yielding an incidence of 21.7 (95% confidence interval, 8.1-35.4) per 1 million per year. The incidence varied significantly by sex, with a higher incidence among men (relative risk, 18.68; 95% confidence interval, 2.50-139.56) for sports SCAs compared with all other SCAs (relative risk 2.58; 95% confidence interval, 2.12-3.13). Sports SCA was also more likely to be a witnessed event (87% versus 53%; P<0.001) with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (44% versus 25%; P=0.001) and ventricular fibrillation (84% versus 51%; P<0.0001). Survival to hospital discharge was higher for sports-associated SCA (23.2% versus 13.6%; P=0.04). Sports SCA cases presented with known preexisting cardiac disease in 16% and ≥1 cardiovascular risk factors in 56%, and overall, 36% of cases had typical cardiovascular symptoms during the week preceding the SCA. Sports-associated SCA in middle age represents a relatively small proportion of the overall SCA burden, reinforcing the idea of the high-benefit, low-risk nature of sports activity. Especially in light of current population aging trends, our findings emphasize that targeted education could maximize both safety and acceptance of sports activity in the older athlete. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Impaired fasting blood glucose is associated to cognitive impairment and cerebral atrophy in middle-aged non-human primates

PubMed Central

Djelti, Fathia; Dhenain, Marc; Terrien, Jérémy; Picq, Jean-Luc; Hardy, Isabelle; Champeval, Delphine; Perret, Martine; Schenker, Esther; Epelbaum, Jacques; Aujard, Fabienne

2017-01-01

Age-associated cognitive impairment is a major health and social issue because of increasing aged population. Cognitive decline is not homogeneous in humans and the determinants leading to differences between subjects are not fully understood. In middle-aged healthy humans, fasting blood glucose levels in the upper normal range are associated with memory impairment and cerebral atrophy. Due to a close evolutional similarity to Man, non-human primates may be useful to investigate the relationships between glucose homeostasis, cognitive deficits and structural brain alterations. In the grey mouse lemur, Microcebus murinus, spatial memory deficits have been associated with age and cerebral atrophy but the origin of these alterations have not been clearly identified. Herein, we showed that, on 28 female grey mouse lemurs (age range 2.4-6.1 years-old), age correlated with impaired fasting blood glucose (rs=0.37) but not with impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance. In middle-aged animals (4.1-6.1 years-old), fasting blood glucose was inversely and closely linked with spatial memory performance (rs=0.56) and hippocampus (rs=−0.62) or septum (rs=−0.55) volumes. These findings corroborate observations in humans and further support the grey mouse lemur as a natural model to unravel mechanisms which link impaired glucose homeostasis, brain atrophy and cognitive processes. PMID:28039490

Impaired fasting blood glucose is associated to cognitive impairment and cerebral atrophy in middle-aged non-human primates.

PubMed

Djelti, Fathia; Dhenain, Marc; Terrien, Jérémy; Picq, Jean-Luc; Hardy, Isabelle; Champeval, Delphine; Perret, Martine; Schenker, Esther; Epelbaum, Jacques; Aujard, Fabienne

2016-12-28

Age-associated cognitive impairment is a major health and social issue because of increasing aged population. Cognitive decline is not homogeneous in humans and the determinants leading to differences between subjects are not fully understood. In middle-aged healthy humans, fasting blood glucose levels in the upper normal range are associated with memory impairment and cerebral atrophy. Due to a close evolutional similarity to Man, non-human primates may be useful to investigate the relationships between glucose homeostasis, cognitive deficits and structural brain alterations. In the grey mouse lemur, Microcebus murinus , spatial memory deficits have been associated with age and cerebral atrophy but the origin of these alterations have not been clearly identified. Herein, we showed that, on 28 female grey mouse lemurs (age range 2.4-6.1 years-old), age correlated with impaired fasting blood glucose (r s =0.37) but not with impaired glucose tolerance or insulin resistance. In middle-aged animals (4.1-6.1 years-old), fasting blood glucose was inversely and closely linked with spatial memory performance (r s =0.56) and hippocampus (r s =-0.62) or septum (r s =-0.55) volumes. These findings corroborate observations in humans and further support the grey mouse lemur as a natural model to unravel mechanisms which link impaired glucose homeostasis, brain atrophy and cognitive processes.

Old age psychiatrists: what do they find stressful?

PubMed

Benbow, S M; Jolley, D

1997-09-01

To examine the main sources of stress for practising old age psychiatrists. Postal survey. Old age psychiatry services in England and Wales. Old age psychiatrists on the list held by the Section of Old Age Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists. Number and nature of stresses identified by respondents. One hundred and thirty-eight old age psychiatrists identified a mean of 5.1 stresses per respondent, which fell into seven broad categories: changes within the health service, community care changes, personal, management-related, resource-related, related to time pressures, overwork and others. Unavoidable stresses were rarely listed. Most were related to work overload and organizational structure and climate. More research is needed on stress in other areas of psychiatry, ways to minimize/prevent stress and how to optimize the balance between work and home life.

Age-dependent changes at the blood-brain barrier. A Comparative structural and functional study in young adult and middle aged rats.

PubMed

Bors, Luca; Tóth, Kinga; Tóth, Estilla Zsófia; Bajza, Ágnes; Csorba, Attila; Szigeti, Krisztián; Máthé, Domokos; Perlaki, Gábor; Orsi, Gergely; Tóth, Gábor K; Erdő, Franciska

2018-05-01

Decreased beta-amyloid clearance in Alzheimer's disease and increased blood-brain barrier permeability in aged subjects have been reported in several articles. However, morphological and functional characterization of blood-brain barrier and its membrane transporter activity have not been described in physiological aging yet. The aim of our study was to explore the structural changes in the brain microvessels and possible functional alterations of P-glycoprotein at the blood-brain barrier with aging. Our approach included MR imaging for anatomical orientation in middle aged rats, electronmicroscopy and immunohistochemistry to analyse the alterations at cellular level, dual or triple-probe microdialysis and SPECT to test P-glycoprotein functionality in young and middle aged rats. Our results indicate that the thickness of basal lamina increases, the number of tight junctions decreases and the size of astrocyte endfeet extends with advanced age. On the basis of microdialysis and SPECT results the P-gp function is reduced in old rats. With our multiparametric approach a complex regulation can be suggested which includes elements leading to increased permeability of blood-brain barrier by enhanced paracellular and transcellular transport, and factors working against it. To verify the role of P-gp pumps in brain aging further studies are warranted. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Historical aspects of suicide in the old age (author's transl)].

PubMed

Schadewaldt, H

1977-02-01

Beginning with a very different attitude of the antiquity taken up to suicide, which was normally not regarded as a self-murdering but as a voluntary departing this life and as such as a philosophically based act of liberty especially by members of the stoic system who not seldom commited suicide themselves, another estimation is discussed which was exercised by the Pythagoreans and the members of the Aristotele's doctrine. They rejected suicide as immoral. The suicide in the old age was regarded under the different aspects of old age and his positive and negative evaluation. As predecessor of the absolute refusal of suicide in the Christian era can be mentioned Cicero, who had regarded suicide in a special paper on the old age as the desertion without order of the commander-in-chief. However with the renaissance this attitude against the suicide changed and now the first time in the Christian era the possibility was discussed that very dangerously ill patients could end their pains by suicide. In the time of enlightenment more and more people thought, that very much cases of suicide were committed in severe illness. Especially suicide in the old age was regarded more and more as a psychiatric problem. There were new aspects contributed by medical statistics which could shown clearly the increase of tendency to suicide in the higher age of men. Today the question is vividly discussed if suicide in the old age is more the result of special environmental factors in the sense of isolation or economic instability or is produced by pathological processes in the brain such as cerebral sclerosis.

Chronic Ampakine Treatments Stimulate Dendritic Growth and Promote Learning in Middle-Aged Rats.

PubMed

Lauterborn, Julie C; Palmer, Linda C; Jia, Yousheng; Pham, Danielle T; Hou, Bowen; Wang, Weisheng; Trieu, Brian H; Cox, Conor D; Kantorovich, Svetlana; Gall, Christine M; Lynch, Gary

2016-02-03

Positive allosteric modulators of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (ampakines) have been shown to rescue synaptic plasticity and reduce neuropathology in rodent models of cognitive disorders. Here we tested whether chronic ampakine treatment offsets age-related dendritic retraction in middle-aged (MA) rats. Starting at 10 months of age, rats were housed in an enriched environment and given daily treatment with a short half-life ampakine or vehicle for 3 months. Dendritic branching and spine measures were collected from 3D reconstructions of Lucifer yellow-filled CA1 pyramidal cells. There was a substantial loss of secondary branches, relative to enriched 2.5-month-old rats, in apical and basal dendritic fields of vehicle-treated, but not ampakine-treated, 13-month-old rats. Baseline synaptic responses in CA1 were only subtly different between the two MA groups, but long-term potentiation was greater in ampakine-treated rats. Unsupervised learning of a complex environment was used to assess treatment effects on behavior. Vehicle- and drug-treated rats behaved similarly during a first 30 min session in the novel environment but differed markedly on subsequent measures of long-term memory. Markov sequence analysis uncovered a clear increase in the predictability of serial movements between behavioral sessions 2 and 3 in the ampakine, but not vehicle, group. These results show that a surprising degree of dendritic retraction occurs by middle age and that this can be mostly offset by pharmacological treatments without evidence for unwanted side effects. The functional consequences of rescue were prominent with regard to memory but also extended to self-organization of behavior. Brain aging is characterized by a progressive loss of dendritic arbors and the emergence of impairments to learning-related synaptic plasticity. The present studies show that dendritic losses are evident by middle age despite housing in an enriched environment and can be mostly reversed by long

Cancer treatment decision-making among young adults with lung and colorectal cancer: a comparison with adults in middle age.

PubMed

Mack, Jennifer W; Cronin, Angel; Fasciano, Karen; Block, Susan D; Keating, Nancy L

2016-09-01

Our aim is to understand experiences with treatment decision-making among young adults with cancer. We studied patients with lung cancer or colorectal cancer in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium, a prospective cohort study. We identified 148 young adult patients aged 21-40 years who completed baseline interview questions about cancer treatment decision-making; each was propensity score matched to three middle adult patients aged 41-60 years, for a cohort of 592 patients. Patients were asked about decision-making preferences, family involvement in decision-making, and worries about treatment. An ordinal logistic regression model evaluated factors associated with more treatment worries. Young and middle-aged adults reported similar decision-making preferences (p = 0.80) and roles relative to physicians (p = 0.36). Although family involvement was similar in the age groups (p = 0.21), young adults were more likely to have dependent children in the home (60% younger versus 28% middle-aged adults, p < 0.001). Young adults reported more worries about time away from family (p = 0.002), and, in unadjusted analyses, more cancer treatment-related worries (mean number of responses of 'somewhat' or 'very' worried 2.5 for younger versus 2.2 for middle-aged adults, p = 0.02.) However, in adjusted analyses, worries were associated with the presence of dependent children in the home (odds ratio [OR] 1.55, 95% CI = 1.07-2.24, p = 0.02), rather than age. Young adults involve doctors and family members in decisions at rates similar to middle-aged adults but experience more worries about time away from family. Patients with dependent children are especially likely to experience worries. Treatment decision-making strategies should be based on individual preferences and needs rather than age alone. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Redox proteomic profiling of neuroketal-adducted proteins in human brain: Regional vulnerability at middle age increases in the elderly.

PubMed

Domínguez, Mayelín; de Oliveira, Eliandre; Odena, María Antonia; Portero, Manuel; Pamplona, Reinald; Ferrer, Isidro

2016-06-01

Protein lipoxidation was assessed in the parietal cortex (PC), frontal cortex (FC), and cingulate gyrus (CG) in middle-aged and old-aged individuals with no clinical manifestations of cognitive impairment, in order to increase understanding of regional brain vulnerability to oxidative damage during aging. Twenty-five lipoxidized proteins were identified in all the three regions although with regional specificities, by using redox proteomics to detect target proteins of neuroketals (NKT) adduction. The number of cases with NKT-adducted proteins was higher in old-aged individuals but most oxidized proteins were already present in middle-aged individuals. Differences in vulnerability to oxidation were dependent on the sub-cellular localization, secondary structure, and external exposition of certain amino acids. Lipoxidized proteins included those involved in energy metabolism, cytoskeleton, proteostasis, neurotransmission and O2/CO2, and heme metabolism. Total NKT and soluble oligomer levels were estimated employing slot-blot, and these were compared between age groups. Oligomers increased with age in PC and FC; NKT significantly increased with age in FC, whereas total NKT and oligomer levels were not modified in CG, thus highlighting differences in brain regional vulnerability with age. Oligomers significantly correlated with NKT levels in the three cortical regions, suggesting that protein NKT adduction parallels soluble oligomer formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing intensive care unit survival for critically ill elderly patients.

PubMed

Kleinpell, R M; Ferrans, C E

1998-01-01

To examine factors influencing intensive care unit (ICU) survival for critically ill elderly patients and to compare survivors and nonsurvivors of ICU on demographic and illness-related variables. Retrospective, ex post facto research design. Adult medical and surgical ICUs. The records of 164 survivors and 111 nonsurvivors from 2 medical-surgical ICUs were examined. Patients were placed into 3 age groups (middle-aged, young-old, and old-old) to compare outcomes for elderly ICU patients. ICU survival, ICU treatments received, severity of illness. The Acute Physiology Age and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) was used to assess illness severity. Additional illness-related information was collected by chart review. Predictors of ICU nonsurvival were severity of illness (measured by APACHE II scores) and intubation. Comparison of survivors and nonsurvivors revealed no statistically significant differences in sex or age. For all age groups, nonsurvivors had significantly higher mean days of ICU hospitalization (F (1,239) = 7.20 P < .0078) and higher APACHE II scores (F (1,239) = 106.5 P < .0001). Analysis of ICU treatments received by the 3 age groups of survivors revealed a significant difference only on oxygen therapy, (chi-square = 10.2, df = 2, P = .006), with more young-old (aged 65 to 79) and old-old (aged 80 and older) ICU patients receiving oxygen therapy than middle-aged patients (aged 45 to 64). The findings of this study demonstrated that severity of illness was a predictor of ICU outcome; age was not. Additionally, age was not related to ICU treatments received.

Health Behaviors and Protective Factors of School Students Aged 13-15 Years Old in Four Cities of China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tian, Benchun; Zhang, Wei; Qian, Ling; Lv, Shuhong; Tian, Xiangyang; Xiong, Guanglian; Yan, Weihong; Zhang, Xinwei; Kann, Laura K.; Riley, Leanne

2007-01-01

This paper presents baseline data on health behaviors and protective factors among junior middle school students aged 13-15 years old in China for the purpose of developing priorities, establishing programs and policies for school health and youth health and also establishing trends in the prevalence of these behaviors. The 2003 CHINA GSHS…

Benefits of having friends in older ages: differential effects of informal social activities on well-being in middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Huxhold, Oliver; Miche, Martina; Schüz, Benjamin

2014-05-01

It has been considered a fact that informal social activities promote well-being in old age, irrespective of whether they are performed with friends or family members. Fundamental differences in the relationship quality between family members (obligatory) and friends (voluntary), however, suggest differential effects on well-being. Further, age-related changes in networks suggest age-differential effects of social activities on well-being, as older adults cease emotionally detrimental relationships. Longitudinal representative national survey study with middle-aged (n = 2,830) and older adults (n = 2,032). Age-differential effects of activities with family members and friends on changes in life satisfaction, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were examined in latent change score models. In the middle-aged group, activities with friends and families increased PA and life satisfaction and were unrelated to NA. In the older age group, family activities increased both PA and NA and were unrelated to changes in life satisfaction, but activities with friends increased PA and life satisfaction and decreased NA. Social activities differentially affect different facets of well-being. These associations change with age. In older adults, the effects of social activities with friends may become more important and may act as a buffer against negative effects of aging.

The impact of old age on surgical outcomes of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Kim, Min Gyu; Kim, Hee Sung; Kim, Byung Sik; Kwon, Sung Joon

2013-11-01

Old age is regarded as the risk factor of major abdominal surgery due to the lack of functional reserve and the increased presence of comorbidities. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of old age on the surgical outcomes of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. This study enrolled 389 gastric cancer patients who underwent totally laparoscopic gastrectomy at Hanyang University Guri Hospital and ASAN Medical Center. The patients were classified into two groups according to age as those older than 70 years and those younger than 70 years. Early surgical outcomes such as operation time, postoperative complications, time to first flatus, days until soft diet began, and hospital stay were evaluated. No patient was converted to open surgery. The two groups differed significantly in terms of overall postoperative complication rate, time to first flatus, days until soft diet began, and hospital stay. The patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy differed in incidence of postoperative ileus but not in severe postoperative complication rate. The results of this study demonstrated that old age can have an effect on the surgical outcomes of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy. This study especially showed that elderly patients are affected by the return of bowel movement after totally laparoscopic gastrectomy. On the other hand, however, it is presumed that old age has not had a serious impact on surgical outcomes in totally laparoscopic gastrectomy because no difference in the severe postoperative complication rate was observed.

Primary infectious spondylodiscitis in 51 patients over 75 years old: A comparative study.

PubMed

Dubost, Jean-Jacques; Lopez, Julien; Pereira, Bruno; Castagne, Benjamin; Tournadre, Anne; Soubrier, Martin; Couderc, Marion

2018-05-23

The incidence of infectious spondylodiscitis has been shown to rise with age; however, they had not been extensively investigated in the very elderly. This retrospective, monocentric study included patients hospitalized in our department of rheumatology for primary infectious spondylodiscitis between 2000 and 2015, and compared over 75-year-olds with younger patients. Of the 152 patients, 51 (33.6%) were≥75 years old, 59 were 61-74, and 42 were≤60. Patients≥75 years old were more often institutionalized (7.8 vs. 0; P=.02), were less often subject to infection risk factors (27.5 vs. 54.5%; P=.02), but did not differ from the others as regards the frequency of diabetes and cancer. Time to diagnosis was shorter for the under 60-year-olds (23 vs. 30 vs. 30 day for each age group, respectively; P<.05). There were no differences among the age groups in terms of spondylodiscitis localization, frequency of neurological symptoms and fever, frequency or intensity of inflammatory syndrome, imaging use, frequency of microorganism identification, blood culture positivity, or use and efficacy of disco-vertebral biopsy. Microorganism distribution was comparable among the groups, except for Gram-negative bacilli, with Escherichia coli more common in over 75-year-olds (7/8 vs. 4/14; P=.02). Duration of antibiotherapy and hospitalization was comparable across the age groups. Five patients died, all over 75 years old (5/51 vs. 0/101; P=.001). Age is a risk factor for primary spondylodiscitis, associated with significant mortality in over 75-year-olds (10%). For these elderly patients, spondylodiscitis does not bear any other distinguishing features. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Fatal drink-driving accidents of young adult and middle-aged males--a risky driving style or risky lifestyle?

PubMed

Laapotti, Sirkku; Keskinen, Esko

2008-01-01

A range of situational and lifestyle-related factors in drink-driving fatal accidents were studied involving young adult and middle-aged male drivers in Finland. Fatal drink-driving accidents were compared to fatal accidents in which the driver had been sober. The study included all 18-to 59-year-old male drivers' fatal car and van accidents investigated by the Road Accident Investigation Teams in Finland between 2000 and 2002 (n = 366 accidents). The variables describing the situation included the time of the accident, the road condition, the speed, possession of a valid licence, seat-belt usage, and the presence of passengers. The study found that among young adult males most of the studied situational factors bore no relation to the state of the driver (sober or drink driver). Only the time of day, seat-belt, usage, and possession of a valid licence were related to the state of the driver. Among middle-aged male drivers, drink-driving and sober driving accidents differed more clearly. Further, when the social situation in the car was examined, it was found that accidents of sober and drink drivers differed from each other within the group of middle-aged drivers but not within the group of young adult drivers. Heavy alcohol usage was found to characterize the lifestyle of the studied middle-aged drink drivers. It was concluded that for young adult males drink-driving was a part of a more general risky driving style. Among middle-aged males drink-driving was more related to a risky lifestyle with drinking problems. Possible countermeasures are discussed with regard to drink-driving among young adult and middle-aged males.

[Effects of the nutritional education and dietary intervention on nutritional status and bone mineral density of middle-aged and senile patients with osteoporosis].

PubMed

Zhao, Chunyan; Zhou, Ruihua; Tian, Yongzhi; Tang, Yongmei; Ning, Hongzhen; Liu, Haiyan

2016-03-01

To study the effect of the nutritional education and dietary intervention on nutritional status and bone mineral density (BMD) of middle-aged and senile patients with osteoporosis. Ninty middle-aged and senile osteoporosis patients were enrolled. They were randomly divided into two groups (intervention and control group) with 45 cases each. The control group was received conventional therapy and the intervention group added with nutritional education and dietary intervention for six months on the basis of conventional therapy. The methods of education and intervention included seminars, brochures distribution, dietary survey and individual guidance. The nutritional status and BMD were analyzed at the beginning and the end of the intervention respectively. After the intervention, the ratios of subjects whose intake of grain, vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk and beans in line with recommended intake of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). After the intervention, frequencies of coarse grain, dairy, beans and seafood consumption of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the daily intakes of protein, VA, VC, calcium, zinc, magnesium, dietary fiber of the intervention group were significantly superior to the control group (P < 0.05). BMDs of lumbar spine and femoral neck in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The nutritional education and dietary intervention could promote middle-aged and senile patients' reasonable diet, improve their nutritional status, enhance bone mineral density and improve the effect of conventional therapy for osteoporosis.

Phaeochromocytoma in a 86-year-old patient presenting with reversible myocardial dysfunction.

PubMed

Szwench, Elżbieta; P Czkowska, Mariola; Marczewski, Krzysztof; Klisiewicz, Anna; Micha Owska, Ilona; Ciuba, Iwona; Januszewicz, Magdalena; Prejbisz, Aleksander; Hoffman, Piotr; Januszewicz, Andrzej

2011-12-01

BACKGROUND. Phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare, mostly benign catecholamine-producing tumours of chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla or of extra-adrenal paraganglia. Phaeochromocytoma may occur at any age, the greatest frequency being in the fourth and fifth decades. Only on extremely rare occasions does the tumour develop in the very old patients. METHODS. We are describing an 86-year-old patient with phaeochromocytoma, presenting with reversible myocardial dysfunction. RESULTS. This very old patient with phaeochromocytoma had hypertension characterized by labile blood pressure values and increased daytime blood pressure variability. This patient exhibited reversible myocardial dysfunction suggestive for "catecholaminergic cardiomyopathy", as the complication of phaeochromocytoma. After surgical removal of the tumour, recovery of left ventricular function was documented by echocardiography showing normalization of systolic function and improvement of diastolic function. CONCLUSION. Phaeochromocytomas are rare forms of secondary hypertension, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis, regardless of age, even in very old patients.

Validation of a Dietary Screening Tool in a Middle-Aged Appalachian Population

PubMed Central

Ventura Marra, Melissa; Johnson, Elizabeth J.

2018-01-01

Proactive nutrition screening is an effective public health strategy for identifying and targeting individuals who could benefit from making dietary improvements for primary and secondary prevention of disease. The Dietary Screening Tool (DST) was developed and validated to assess nutritional risk among rural older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and validity of the DST to identify nutritional risk in middle-aged adults. This cross-sectional study in middle-aged adults (45–64 year olds, n = 87) who reside in Appalachia, examined nutritional status using an online health survey, biochemical measures, anthropometry, and three representative 24-h dietary recalls. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to describe overall diet quality. Adults identified by the DST with a nutrition risk had lower HEI scores (50 vs. 64, p < 0.001) and were much more likely to also be considered at dietary risk by the HEI (OR 11.6; 3.2–42.6) when compared to those not at risk. Those at risk had higher energy-adjusted total fat, saturated fat, and added sugar intakes and lower intakes of dietary fiber, and several micronutrients than those classified as not at risk by the DST. Similarly, the at-risk group had significantly lower serum levels of α-carotene, β-carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin but did not differ in retinol or methylmalonic acid compared with those not at risk. The DST is a valid tool to identify middle-aged adults with nutritional risk. PMID:29534543

Perceptions of aging among middle-aged offspring of traumatized parents: the effects of parental Holocaust-related communication and secondary traumatization.

PubMed

Shrira, Amit

2016-01-01

Traumatized parents may transmit anxieties of physical deterioration and demise to their offspring. These anxieties can amplify negative perceptions of the aging process when the offspring enter old age. The current study examined how middle-aged offspring of Holocaust survivors (OHS) recount trauma-related communication by their parents, and how these reports are related to offspring's perceptions of their aging process. The study included 450 respondents at the age range of 50-67 (mean age = 57.5, SD = 4.6): 300 OHS and 150 comparisons. Participants reported parental communication of the Holocaust, completed measures of subjective successful aging, aging and death anxieties, and reported secondary traumatization assessing symptoms, developed as a result of a close and continuous relationship with a traumatized parent. Latent profile analysis identified two profiles of parental Holocaust-related communication: intrusive and informative. Offspring who reported intrusive parental communication about the Holocaust perceived themselves as aging less successfully and were more anxious of aging and death than comparisons. Offspring who reported informative parental communication and comparisons did not differ in perceptions of aging. Secondary traumatization mediated these group differences, meaning, intrusive parental communication was related to higher secondary traumatization, which in turn was related to less favorable perceptions of aging. These findings allude to the possibility that secondary traumatization mold negative perceptions of the aging process among middle-aged offspring of traumatized parents. Mental health practitioners may help OHS process fragmented and intrusive remnants of parental trauma, thereby diminishing secondary traumatization, and promoting more adaptive perceptions of aging.

Age-related changes in central effects of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) suggest a role for this mediator in aging anorexia and cachexia.

PubMed

Tenk, Judit; Rostás, Ildikó; Füredi, Nóra; Mikó, Alexandra; Solymár, Margit; Soós, Szilvia; Gaszner, Balázs; Feller, Diana; Székely, Miklós; Pétervári, Erika; Balaskó, Márta

2017-02-01

Hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) lays downstream to catabolic melanocortins and at least partly mediates their catabolic effects. Age-related changes in the melanocortin system (weak responsiveness in middle-aged and a strong one in old rats) have been shown to contribute to middle-aged obesity and later to aging anorexia and cachexia of old age groups. We hypothesized that catabolic (anorexigenic and hypermetabolic) CRF effects vary with aging similarly to those of melanocortins. Thus, we aimed to test whether age-related variations of CRF effects may also contribute to middle-aged obesity and aging anorexia leading to weight loss of old age groups. Food intake, body weight, core temperature, heart rate, and activity were recorded in male Wistar rats of young, middle-aged, aging, and old age groups (from 3 to 24 months) during a 7-day intracerebroventricular CRF infusion (0.2 μg/μl/h) in a biotelemetric system. In addition, CRF gene expression was also assessed by quantitative RT-PCR in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of intact animals of the same age groups. The infusion suppressed body weight in the young, aging, and old rats, but not in middle-aged animals. Weak anorexigenic and hypermetabolic effects were detected in the young, whereas strong anorexia (without hypermetabolism) developed in the oldest age groups in which post mortem analysis showed also a reduction of retroperitoneal fat mass. CRF gene expression in the PVN increased with aging. Our results support the potential contribution of age-related changes in CRF effects to aging anorexia and cachexia. The role of the peptide in middle-aged obesity cannot be confirmed.

Predicting and detecting adverse drug reactions in old age: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Mangoni, Arduino A

2012-05-01

Increased, often inappropriate, drug exposure, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, reduced homeostatic reserve and frailty increase the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the older population, thereby imposing a significant public health burden. Predicting and diagnosing ADRs in old age presents significant challenges for the clinician, even when specific risk scoring systems are available. The picture is further compounded by the potential adverse impact of several drugs on more 'global' health indicators, for example, physical function and independence, and the fragmentation of care (e.g., increased number of treating doctors and care transitions) experienced by older patients during their clinical journey. The current knowledge of drug safety in old age is also curtailed by the lack of efficacy and safety data from pre-marketing studies. Moreover, little consideration is given to individual patients' experiences and reporting of specific ADRs, particularly in the presence of cognitive impairment. Pending additional data on these issues, the close review and monitoring of individual patients' drug prescribing, clinical status and biochemical parameters remain essential to predict and detect ADRs in old age. Recently developed strategies, for example, medication reconciliation and trigger tool methodology, have the potential for ADRs risk mitigation in this population. However, more information is required on their efficacy and applicability in different healthcare settings.

FAMILY STRUCTURE AND MENTAL ILLNESS IN OLD AGE

PubMed Central

Ramachandran, V.; Menon, M. Sarada; Ramamurthy, B.

1981-01-01

SUMMARY A random sample of subjects aged over 60 in the community was studied. Out of 181 subjects studied 50 were found to suffer from functional disorders such as depression and anxiety, and 11 from organic brain syndrome. 120 are found psychiatrically normal. Over 50% of the elderly subjects studied were widowed and about 70% were unemployed and nearly 80% belonged to lower middle class and low socio-economic group. The families of the elderly subjects and their living condition were studied in detail. The family was divided into ‘joint’, ‘nuclear’ and loosely joint' on the basis of living arrangement financial support and other help they received. Functional disorder was found high in old age subjects living in nuclear family and living alone. 33 psychosocial variables affecting the health of the elderly subjects were studied and their correlation to psychiatric illness was determined, by computer. Further factorial analysis was carried out, and three factors were extracted. It was found that Factor II and Factor III were about family and living conditions. Hence it could be stated that the family and living conditions are significant factors affecting the mental health of the elderly subjects. PMID:22058510

Pilot study of old-age pensioners.

PubMed

Paulett, J D; Buxton, J D

1969-02-15

Two groups of old-age pensioners in St. Paul's Cray were screened for physical illness, social and family connexions, and personal activities. The first group comprised 100 people (10% random sample of a suburban practice of 12,000 patients), and the second group comprised the total population of a sheltered area (85 people).The findings showed that geographical separation of relatives was a significant factor in the isolation of old people. Lack of exercise and obesity seriously increased the risk of urinary infection; malnutrition and nutritional anaemia were found to be other potentially important problems in the elderly. In 13% of the elderly population three out of five seriously adverse factors (over 80, isolation, housebound, living alone, serious chronic Illness) were found to be present.It is imperative that the group of high-risk elderly should receive the services they need; it is suggested that a policy of an adequate sheltered area supported by a geriatric service should be an extension of group medical practice.

Mattis dementia rating scale (DRS) normative data for the brazilian middle-age and elderly populations.

PubMed

Foss, Maria Paula; de Carvalho, Viviane Amaral; Machado, Thais Helena; Dos Reis, Geraldo Cássio; Tumas, Vitor; Caramelli, Paulo; Nitrini, Ricardo; Porto, Cláudia Sellitto

2013-01-01

To expand norms for the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) for the Brazilian middle-age and elderly populations. The DRS was administered to 502 individuals without cognitive deficits, 312 women and 190 men, aged 50 years or over and with educational level ranging from 0 to 13 years or more. The sample was composed of subjects who participated in other studies, from Caeté (Minas Gerais state), Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo state) and São Paulo (São Paulo state). Participants were divided into four schooling groups (illiterate, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 12 years and 13 years or more). The subjects were divided into four groups according to age (50 to 60, 61 to 70, 71 to 80, and 80 years or over). Normative data for DRS scores are expressed as percentile values. The group with lowest schooling and subjects older than 80 years had the worst scores. As expected, age and education were strongly correlated with DRS scores. Illiterates and older old individuals performed worse than the other groups. These data might help to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia in Brazilian middle-age and elderly populations.

Sexual activity and perceived health among Finnish middle-aged women

PubMed Central

Ojanlatva, Ansa; Mäkinen, Juha; Helenius, Hans; Korkeila, Katariina; Sundell, Jari; Rautava, Päivi

2006-01-01

Background An increasing awareness of the need to address sexual and orgasm experiences as part of life quality and an understanding of the great individual differences between women play roles in women's health and medical care across the specialities. Information is lacking as to how negative attitude toward self (NATS) and performance impairment (PI) are associated with sexual activity of middle-aged women. We examined the associations of sexual experience, orgasm experience, and lack of sexual desire with perceived health and potential explanatory variables of NATS and PI. Methods Questionnaire was mailed to 2 population-based random samples of menopausal or soon-to-be menopausal women (n = 5510, 70% response) stratified according to age (42–46 and 52–56 years). In multivariate analyses of the associations with the outcome variables, perceived health, NATS, and PI were used as covariates in 6 models in which exercise, menstrual symptoms, and illness indicators were taken into account as well. Results Sexual activity variables were associated with perceived health. When present, NATS formed associations with sexual and orgasm experiences, whereas strenuous exercise formed associations with orgasm among 42–46-year-old women alone. Strenuous exercise was not associated with orgasm experience among older women. Conclusion NATS and PI are closely tied to orgasm experiences and the meaning of the roles needs to be exposed. Sexual activity deserves to be addressed more actively in patient contact at least with perimenopausal women. PMID:16686959

Is death our business? Philosophical conflicts over the end-of-life in old age psychiatry.

PubMed

McKellar, Duncan; Ng, Felicity; Chur-Hansen, Anna

2016-01-01

Old age psychiatrists work with end-of-life (EOL) issues and encounter patient deaths, but death and dying have received limited focus in old age psychiatry training and research. This qualitative study explores old age psychiatrists' experience of and approach to working with patients at the EOL. Australian old age psychiatrists were purposively sampled and interviewed in-depth. Data saturation was achieved after nine participant interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analysed for themes, which were independently verified. Two dichotomous overarching themes were identified. Death is not our business reflected participants' experience of working in a mental health framework and incorporated four themes: death should not occur in psychiatry; working in a psychiatric treatment model; keeping a distance from death and unexpected death is a negative experience. Death is our business reflected participants' experience of working in an aged care context and incorporated four themes: death is part of life; encountering the EOL through dementia care; doing EOL work and expected death is a positive experience. Participants reported conflict because of the contradictory domains in which they work. They were comfortable working with patients at the EOL when death was expected, particularly in dementia. By contrast, they struggled with death as an adverse outcome in circumstances influenced by mental health culture, which was characterised by risk management, suicide prevention and a focus on recovery. This study has implications for models of care underpinning old age psychiatry. An integrated person-centred model of care may provide a contextually appropriate approach for practice.

Cognitive Variability during Middle-Age: Possible Association with Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Reserve

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Daniel; Machado, Alejandra; Molina, Yaiza; Nieto, Antonieta; Correia, Rut; Westman, Eric; Barroso, José

2017-01-01

Objective: Increased variability in cognition with age has been argued as an indication of pathological processes. Focusing on early detection of neurodegenerative disorders, we investigated variability in cognition in healthy middle-aged adults. In order to understand possible determinants of this variability, we also investigated associations with cognitive reserve, neuroimaging markers, subjective memory complaints, depressive symptomatology, and gender. Method: Thirty-one 50 ± 2 years old individuals were investigated as target group and deviation was studied in comparison to a reference younger group of 30 individuals 40 ± 2 years old. Comprehensive neuropsychological and structural imaging protocols were collected. Brain regional volumes and cortical thickness were calculated with FreeSurfer, white matter hyperintensities with CASCADE, and mean diffusivity with FSL. Results: Across-individuals variability showed greater dispersion in lexical access, processing speed, executive functions, and memory. Variability in global cognition correlated with, reduced cortical thickness in the right parietal-temporal-occipital association cortex, and increased mean diffusivity in the cingulum bundle and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. A trend was also observed for the correlation between global cognition and hippocampal volume and female gender. All these associations were influenced by cognitive reserve. No correlations were found with subjective memory complaints, white matter hyperintensities and depressive symptomatology. Across-domains and across-tasks variability was greater in several executive components and cognitive processing speed. Conclusion: Variability in cognition during middle-age is associated with neurodegeneration in the parietal–temporal–occipital association cortex and white matter tracts connecting this to the prefrontal dorsolateral cortex and the hippocampus. Moreover, this effect is influenced by cognitive reserve. Studying

Histological varieties of Epstein-Barr virus-related lymph node lesion resembling autoimmune disease-like clinicopathological findings in middle-aged and elderly patients: a study of six cases.

PubMed

Kojima, Masaru; Sugiura, Isamu; Itoh, Hideaki; Shimizu, Kazuhiko; Murayama, Kayoko; Motoori, Tadashi; Shimano, Shunichi; Masawa, Nobuhide; Nakamura, Shigeo

2006-01-01

Six cases were studied to further clarify clinicopathological findings of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related lymph node lesions showing autoimmune disease-like clinicopathological findings (EBVAID) in middle-aged and elderly patients. The patients, four males and two females, ranged in age from 53 to 74 years, with a median age of 62 years. Clinically, they were characterized by systemic lymphadenopathy, "B"symptoms, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase and a transient presence of various autoantibodies, as well as an infrequent presence of atypical lymphocytosis in peripheral blood. Two cases were associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The clinical course was self-limiting. Histologically, three patterns could be delineated: pattern A, follicular hyperplasia with pronounced arborizing vasculature in the expanded paracortex (n=3); pattern B, follicular hyperplasia with pronounced interfollicular B-immunoblastic/plasma cell proliferation (n=2); and pattern C, paracortical hyperplasia containing numerous large transformed lymphocytes (n=1). In situ hybridization demonstrated a varying number of EBV-infected lymphocytes in the germinal center and in the interfollicular area. Polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that neither clonal rearrangement of T-cell receptor gamma-chain nor immunoglobulin heavy-chain rearrangement was detected in the three cases examined. Although EBVAID appears to be rare in middle-aged and older adults, EBVAID exhibits histological variations and should be added to the differential diagnosis of various atypical or malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, in particular autoimmune-disease-associated lymphadenopathy and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma with a hyperplastic germinal center in middle-aged and elderly patients.

Age inclusive services or separate old age and working age services? A historical analysis from the formative years of old age psychiatry c.1940-1989.

PubMed

Hilton, Claire

2015-04-01

The Equality Act 2010 made it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of services on the grounds of age. This legislation is open to interpretation, but it is affecting the way older people's services are defined and provided. Historical evidence indicates that, since the 1940s, apart from psychiatrists working in dedicated old age services, most were unenthusiastic about working with mentally unwell older people and unsupportive of those who chose to do so. A historical analysis might shed light on current dilemmas about 'all age' or 'old age' services and inform decision-making on future mental health services.

The Effect of Age on Characteristics and Mortality of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Oldest-Old.

PubMed

Forti, Paola; Maioli, Fabiola; Domenico Spampinato, Michele; Barbara, Carlotta; Nativio, Valeria; Coveri, Maura; Zoli, Marco; Simonetti, Luigi; Di Pasquale, Giuseppe; Procaccianti, Gaetano

2016-01-01

Incidence of acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) increases with age, but there is a lack of information about ICH characteristics in the oldest-old (age ≥85 years). In particular, there is a need for information about hematoma volume, which is included in most clinical scales for prediction of mortality in ICH patients. Many of these scales also assume that, independent of ICH characteristics, the oldest-old have a higher mortality than younger elderly patients (age 65-74 years). However, supporting evidence from cohort studies is limited. We investigated ICH characteristics of oldest-old subjects compared to young (<65 years), young-old (65-74 years) and old-old (75-84 years) subjects. We also investigated whether age is an independent mortality predictor in elderly (age ≥65 years) subjects with acute ICH. We retrospectively collected clinical and neuroimaging data of 383 subjects (age 34-104 years) with acute supratentorial primary ICH who were admitted to an Italian Stroke Unit (SU) between October 2007 and December 2014. Measured ICH characteristics included hematoma location, volume and intraventricular extension of hemorrhage on admission CT scan; admission Glasgow Coma Scale ≤8 and hematoma expansion (HE) measured on follow-up CT-scans obtained after 24 h. General linear models and logistic models were used to investigate the association of age with ICH characteristics. These models were adjusted for pre-admission characteristics, hematoma location and time from symptom onset to admission CT scan. Limited to elderly subjects, Cox models were used to investigate the association of age with in-SU and 1-year mortality: the model for in-SU mortality adjusted for pre-admission and ICH admission characteristics and the model for 1-year mortality additionally adjusted for functional status and disposition at SU discharge. Independent of pre-admission characteristics, hematoma location and time from symptom onset to admission CT-scan, oldest-old subjects had

Manuka honey protects middle-aged rats from oxidative damage

PubMed Central

Jubri, Zakiah; Rahim, Noor Baitee Abdul; Aan, Goon Jo

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of manuka honey on the oxidative status of middle-aged rats. METHOD: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into young (2 months) and middle-aged (9 months) groups. They were further divided into two groups each, which were either fed with plain water (control) or supplemented with 2.5 g/kg body weight of manuka honey for 30 days. The DNA damage level was determined via the comet assay, the plasma malondialdehyde level was determined using high performance liquid chromatography, and the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were determined spectrophotometrically in the erythrocytes and liver. The antioxidant activities were measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays, and the total phenolic content of the manuka was analyzed using UV spectrophotometry and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. RESULTS: Supplementation with manuka honey reduced the level of DNA damage, the malondialdehyde level and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver of both the young and middle-aged groups. However, the glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the erythrocytes of middle-aged rats given manuka honey supplementation. The catalase activity was reduced in the liver and erythrocytes of both young and middle-aged rats given supplementation. Manuka honey was found to have antioxidant activity and to have a high total phenolic content. These findings showed a strong correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. CONCLUSIONS: Manuka honey reduces oxidative damage in young and middle-aged rats; this effect could be mediated through the modulation of its antioxidant enzyme activities and its high total phenolic content. Manuka honey can be used as an alternative supplement at an early age to improve the oxidative status. PMID:24270958

Manuka honey protects middle-aged rats from oxidative damage.

PubMed

Jubri, Zakiah; Rahim, Noor Baitee Abdul; Aan, Goon Jo

2013-11-01

This study aimed to determine the effect of manuka honey on the oxidative status of middle-aged rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into young (2 months) and middle-aged (9 months) groups. They were further divided into two groups each, which were either fed with plain water (control) or supplemented with 2.5 g/kg body weight of manuka honey for 30 days. The DNA damage level was determined via the comet assay, the plasma malondialdehyde level was determined using high performance liquid chromatography, and the antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) were determined spectrophotometrically in the erythrocytes and liver. The antioxidant activities were measured using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing/antioxidant power assays, and the total phenolic content of the manuka was analyzed using UV spectrophotometry and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. Supplementation with manuka honey reduced the level of DNA damage, the malondialdehyde level and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the liver of both the young and middle-aged groups. However, the glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the erythrocytes of middle-aged rats given manuka honey supplementation. The catalase activity was reduced in the liver and erythrocytes of both young and middle-aged rats given supplementation. Manuka honey was found to have antioxidant activity and to have a high total phenolic content. These findings showed a strong correlation between the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Manuka honey reduces oxidative damage in young and middle-aged rats; this effect could be mediated through the modulation of its antioxidant enzyme activities and its high total phenolic content. Manuka honey can be used as an alternative supplement at an early age to improve the oxidative status.

Distracted driving in elderly and middle-aged drivers.

PubMed

Thompson, Kelsey R; Johnson, Amy M; Emerson, Jamie L; Dawson, Jeffrey D; Boer, Erwin R; Rizzo, Matthew

2012-03-01

Automobile driving is a safety-critical real-world example of multitasking. A variety of roadway and in-vehicle distracter tasks create information processing loads that compete for the neural resources needed to drive safely. Drivers with mind and brain aging may be particularly susceptible to distraction due to waning cognitive resources and control over attention. This study examined distracted driving performance in an instrumented vehicle (IV) in 86 elderly (mean=72.5 years, SD=5.0 years) and 51 middle-aged drivers (mean=53.7 years, SD=9.3 year) under a concurrent auditory-verbal processing load created by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Compared to baseline (no-task) driving performance, distraction was associated with reduced steering control in both groups, with middle-aged drivers showing a greater increase in steering variability. The elderly drove slower and showed decreased speed variability during distraction compared to middle-aged drivers. They also tended to "freeze up", spending significantly more time holding the gas pedal steady, another tactic that may mitigate time pressured integration and control of information, thereby freeing mental resources to maintain situation awareness. While 39% of elderly and 43% of middle-aged drivers committed significantly more driving safety errors during distraction, 28% and 18%, respectively, actually improved, compatible with allocation of attention resources to safety critical tasks under a cognitive load. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distracted Driving in Elderly and Middle-Aged Drivers

PubMed Central

Thompson, Kelsey R.; Johnson, Amy M.; Emerson, Jamie L.; Dawson, Jeffrey D.; Boer, Erwin R.

2011-01-01

Automobile driving is a safety-critical real-world example of multitasking. A variety of roadway and in-vehicle distracter tasks create information processing loads that compete for the neural resources needed to drive safely. Drivers with mind and brain aging may be particularly susceptible to distraction due to waning cognitive resources and control over attention. This study examined distracted driving performance in an instrumented vehicle (IV) in 86 elderly (mean = 72.5 years, SD = 5.0 years) and 51 middle-aged drivers (mean = 53.7 years, SD = 9.3 year) under a concurrent auditory-verbal processing load created by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Compared to baseline (no-task) driving performance, distraction was associated with reduced steering control in both groups, with middle-aged drivers showing a greater increase in steering variability. The elderly drove slower and showed decreased speed variability during distraction compared to middle-aged drivers. They also tended to “freeze up”, spending significantly more time holding the gas pedal steady, another tactic that may mitigate time pressured integration and control of information, thereby freeing mental resources to maintain situation awareness. While 39% of elderly and 43% of middle-aged drivers committed significantly more driving safety errors during distraction, 28% and 18%, respectively, actually improved, compatible with allocation of attention resources to safety critical tasks under a cognitive load. PMID:22269561

Self-efficacy, physical activity and health-related quality of life in middle-aged meniscectomy patients and controls.

PubMed

Ericsson, Y B; Ringsberg, K; Dahlberg, L E

2011-12-01

Our purpose was to examine self-efficacy of knee function, physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in post-meniscectomy patients and controls as well as to explore the impact of gender and the association between outcomes. Ninety-nine post-meniscectomy patients (27% women), mean age 44.5 years, mean (range) of follow-up time 3 (1-5) years, and 94 controls (34% women), mean age 45 years, completed the following questionnaires: the Knee Self-Efficacy Scale (K-SES(ABC) ), the Physical Activity Scale (PAS) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Patients scored lower than controls in K-SES(ABC) and in the SF-36 subscales Physical Functioning and Bodily Pain (P≤0.002). Forty-six percent of the patients had resumed pre-injury PA, but current PA did not differ between the groups. In the patients, K-SES(ABC) correlated strongly with four physical SF-36 subscales and one mental scale (Vitality) (r(s) =0.56-0.85, P<0.001) and moderately with three subscales: (r(s) =0.35-0.46, P<0.001) and with PAS (r(s) =0.42, P<0.001). Females scored lower than males in K-SES(ABC) (P=0.006) and in four SF-36 subscales (P<0.04), but reported similar PA as men. We conclude that meniscectomy in middle-aged individuals may lead to lower self-efficacy of knee function, a sedentary lifestyle and poorer HRQoL. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Estrogen effects on cognition and hippocampal transcription in middle-aged mice.

PubMed

Aenlle, Kristina K; Kumar, Ashok; Cui, Li; Jackson, Travis C; Foster, Thomas C

2009-06-01

Young and middle-aged female mice were ovariectomized and given cyclic injections of either estradiol or vehicle treatments. During the fifth week after surgery the Morris water maze was used to assess cognitive function. Age and treatment effects emerged over the course of spatial training such that middle-aged vehicle treated mice exhibited deficits in acquiring a spatial search strategy compared to younger vehicle treated mice and middle-age estradiol treated mice. Following behavioral characterization, mice were maintained on their injection schedule until week seven and hippocampi were collected 24h after the last injection. Hippocampal RNA was extracted and genes responsive to age and estrogen were identified using cDNA microarrays. Estradiol treatment in middle-aged mice altered the expression of genes related to transcriptional regulation, biosynthesis, growth, neuroprotection, and elements of cell signaling pathways. Expression profiles for representative genes were confirmed in a separate set of animals using oligonucleotide arrays and RT-PCR. Our results indicate that estrogen treatment in middle-aged animals may promote hippocampal health during the aging process.

[Analysis on the neglected conditions and influence factors of middle school students aged 12 to 17 years old in rural areas of Shaanxi Province and Chongqing City].

PubMed

Zhong, Yin; Zhong, Zhaohui; Pan, Jianping; Li, Qunying; Zhong, Yun; Sun, Haoling

2015-09-01

10 learn about the neglected conditions and intuence factors of middle school students aged 12 to 17 years old in rural areas of Shaanxi Province and Chongqing City. The scale and evaluation method formulated in "The Normal Value of Evaluation on the Neglect of Middle School Students from 12 to 17 Years Old in Rural China" was adopted. 2257 respondents among which there were 1157 male students and 1,100 female students in the rural areas of Shaanxi Province and Chongqing City were selected according to the principle of multi-stage stratified cluster sampling. The severe degree of neglect was reflected through the indicator of neglect degree. The method of binary Logistic regression analysis was adopted to analyze the influence factors of neglect. Results The total neglect degree of respondents was (51. 80 ± 9. 06). The neglect degree of middle school students in the rural areas of Chongqing was (53. 21 ± 9. 03). The neglect degree of middle school students in the rural areas of Shaanxi was 50. 50 8. 90. The statistical significance was found in the difference between the two groups (U =6. 17, P <0. 01). The neglect degree of male students was (51. 93 ± 8. 67) while the neglect degree of female students was (51. 66 ± 9. 46). The statistical significance was not found in the difference between the two groups of total neglect degree of different sexes (U = 0. 60, P > 0. 05). The statistical significance was noticed in the differences of neglect degrees of middle school students in different grades at all levels (P <0. 05). The neglect degrees of junior three and senior three students were relatively high. Their total neglect degrees were (53. 54 ± 9. 70) and (53. 36 ± 8. 69) respectively. Except social neglect and safety neglect, there was statistical significance in the differences of neglect degrees of students with different family backgrounds at all levels (P <0. 01). The neglect degree of middle school students in a remarried family was the highest. The

Empathic accuracy: age differences from adolescence into middle adulthood.

PubMed

Kunzmann, Ute; Wieck, Cornelia; Dietzel, Cathrin

2018-02-01

This study investigated age differences in empathic accuracy, the ability to correctly perceive others' emotions, in a sample of 151 boys and men from three age groups: adolescents (M age  = 16 years, SD = 1.04), young adults (M age  = 29 years, SD = 2.78), and middle-aged adults (M age  = 50 years, SD = 3.07). All participants viewed nine newly developed film clips, each depicting a boy or a man reliving one of three emotions (anger, sadness, or happiness), while talking about an autobiographical memory. Adolescents and middle-aged men were less accurate than young men, and these age differences were associated with parallel age differences in fluid-mechanical abilities. In addition, age differences in vocabulary, one indicator of crystallized-pragmatic intelligence, were associated with age differences in empathic accuracy in adolescent and young, but not middle-aged, men. Within the limitations of cross-sectional data, this study provides evidence for the idea that empathic accuracy is an effortful task that requires cognitive resources and, thus, may show a normative increase until young adulthood followed by periods of stability and decline in subsequent decades.

Cognitive dysfunctions in middle-aged type 2 diabetic patients and neuroimaging correlations: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

García-Casares, Natalia; Jorge, Ricardo E; García-Arnés, Juan A; Acion, Laura; Berthier, Marcelo L; Gonzalez-Alegre, Pedro; Nabrozidis, Alejandro; Gutiérrez, Antonio; Ariza, María José; Rioja, Jose; González-Santos, Pedro

2014-01-01

The aim was to assess the neuropsychological performance of a group of middle-aged patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to examine whether the neuropsychological deficits correlate with structural and functional brain alterations. We compared 25 subjects with T2DM aged 45-65 years with 25 control participants matched for age, gender, and educational level. The neuropsychological battery was designed to examine executive functions, attention, information processing speed, and verbal memory. Severity of depression was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed using the Framingham Cardiovascular Risk Profile Score. The presence of at least one APOEε4 allele was determined. Reduced gray matter density was analyzed using voxel-based morphometry and brain glucose metabolic changes were assessed by 18FDG-PET. T2DM subjects had significantly lower scores than subjects without T2DM in the Trail-making Test B (p < 0.004), Color-Word Stroop test (p < 0.005), Semantic Fluency (p < 0.006), Digit-Symbol modalities test (p < 0.02), Text Recall from the Wechsler Memory Scale (p < 0.0001), Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure-copy (p < 0.004), and delayed reproduction (p < 0.03). Worse executive functions and memory functioning correlated predominantly with less gray matter density and reduced glucose metabolism in the orbital and prefrontal cortex, temporal (middle gyrus, parahippocampus and uncus), and cerebellum regions (p < 0.001). T2DM subjects presented cognitive dysfunctions compared with controls. Clinical-neuroimaging correlations corresponded to brain changes (reduced gray matter density and glucose metabolism) mainly in fronto-temporal areas.

Predictive value of painful popping for a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus in middle-aged to older Asian patients.

PubMed

Bae, Ji-Hoon; Paik, Nak Hwan; Park, Gyu-Won; Yoon, Jung-Ro; Chae, Dong-Ju; Kwon, Jae Ho; Kim, Jong In; Nha, Kyung-Wook

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of a single event of painful popping in the presence of a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus in middle-aged to older Asian patients. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 936 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgeries for an isolated medial meniscus tear between January 2000 and December 2010. There were 332 men and 604 women with a mean age of 41 years (range, 25 to 66 years). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of a painful popping sensation for a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus were calculated. Arthroscopy confirmed the presence of posterior root tears of the medial menisci in 237 of 936 patients (25.3%). A single event of a painful popping sensation was present in 86 of these 936 patients (9.1%). Of these 86 patients with a painful popping sensation, 83 (96.5%) were categorized as having an isolated posterior root tear of the medial meniscus. The positive predictive value of a painful popping sensation in identifying a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus was 96.5%, the negative predictive value was 81.8%, the sensitivity was 35.0%, the specificity was 99.5%, and the diagnostic accuracy was 77.9%. A single event of painful popping can be a highly predictive clinical sign of a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus in the middle-aged to older Asian population. However, it has low sensitivity for the detection of a posterior root tear of the medial meniscus. Level IV, therapeutic case series. Copyright © 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short physical performance battery for middle-aged and older adult cardiovascular disease patients: implication for strength tests and lower extremity morphological evaluation.

PubMed

Yasuda, Tomohiro; Fukumura, Kazuya; Nakajima, Toshiaki

2017-04-01

[Purpose] To examine if the SPPB is higher with healthy subjects than outpatients, which was higher than inpatients and if the SPPB can be validated assessment tool for strength tests and lower extremity morphological evaluation in cardiovascular disease patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four middle aged and older adults with cardiovascular disease were recruited from inpatient and outpatient facilities and assigned to separate experimental groups. Twelve age-matched healthy volunteers were assigned to a control group. SPPB test was used to assess balance and functional motilities. The test outcomes were compared with level of care (inpatient vs. outpatient), physical characteristics, strength and lower extremity morphology. [Results] Total SPPB scores, strength tests (knee extensor muscle strength), and lower extremity morphological evaluation (muscle thickness of anterior and posterior mid-thigh and posterior lower-leg) were greater in healthy subjects and outpatients groups compared with inpatients. To predict total Short Physical Performance Battery scores, the predicted knee extension and anterior mid-thigh muscle thickness were calculated. [Conclusion] The SPPB is an effective tool as the strength tests and lower extremity morphological evaluation for middle-aged and older adult cardiovascular disease patients. Notably, high knee extensor muscle strength and quadriceps femoris muscle thickness are positively associated with high SPPB scores.

Education and Physical Activity Mediate the Relationship between Ethnicity and Cognitive Function in Late Middle Aged Adults

PubMed Central

Masel, Meredith C.; Raji, Mukaila; Peek, M. Kristen

2013-01-01

Objective Minority status has been implicated as a risk factor for disparate scores on cognitive function tests in older adults. Research on ethnicity and cognitive function has yielded socioeconomic status (SES), particularly education, as a primary reason for the discrepancy. Other factors, such as physical activity may provide insight into the relationship. Despite this knowledge, few studies have thoroughly examined the mediating characteristics of education or physical activity in the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive function in younger aged groups. Most research conducted focuses only on older adults during a time when degeneration of brain tissue may complicate the exploration of the relationships among ethnicity and cognitive function. The current research will expand existing knowledge about education, physical activity, and cognitive function in minority groups. Design The study presents data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of late middle aged white, black, and Hispanic adults (n=9,204, mean age +-sd=55.8+-3.1). Regression and mediation testing determined the mediating effects of education and physical activity in the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive function. Results Significant association between white ethnicity and higher scores on cognitive tests was evident as early as late middle age. The magnitude of the association significantly diminished on adjusting for education and leisure time physical activity. Conclusion Our data suggest a potential mediating role of education and physical activity on the ethnic differences in cognitive tests in late middle aged white, black, and Hispanic adults. Our findings suggest a need for studies to understand if adult education and culturally-appropriate physical activity interventions in middle age influence ethnic disparities in prevalence of cognitive impairment in old age. PMID:20401816

How Does the Trajectory of Multimorbidity Vary Across Black, White, and Mexican Americans in Middle and Old Age?

PubMed Central

Liang, Jersey; Bennett, Joan M.; Xu, Xiao; Ye, Wen

2011-01-01

Objectives. This research examines intra- and interpersonal differences in multiple chronic conditions reported by Americans aged 51 and older for a period up to 11 years. It focuses on how changes in multimorbidity vary across White, Black, and Mexican Americans. Methods. Data came from 17,517 respondents of the Health and Retirement Study (1995–2006) with up to 5 repeated observations. Hierarchical linear models were employed to analyze ethnic variations in temporal changes of reported comorbidities. Findings. Middle-aged and older Americans have on average nearly 2 chronic diseases at the baseline, which increased to almost 3 conditions in 11 years. White Americans differ from Black and Mexican Americans in terms of level and rate of change of multimorbidity. Mexican Americans demonstrate lower initial levels and slower accumulation of comorbidities relative to Whites. In contrast, Blacks showed an elevated level of multimorbidity throughout the 11-year period of observation, although their rate of change slowed relative to Whites. Discussion. These results suggest that health differences between Black Americans and other ethnic groups including White and Mexican Americans persist in the trajectory of multimorbidity even when population heterogeneity is adjusted. Further research is needed concerning the impact of health disadvantages and differential mortality that may have occurred before middle age as well as exploring the role of nativity, the nature of self-reported diseases, and heterogeneity underlying the average trajectory of multimorbidity for ethnic elders. PMID:21968384

Regional spread of HIV-1 M subtype B in middle-aged patients by random env-C2V4 region sequencing

PubMed Central

Stürmer, Martin; Zimmermann, Katrin; Fritzsche, Carlos; Reisinger, Emil; Doelken, Gottfried; Berger, Annemarie; Doerr, Hans W.; Eberle, Josef

2010-01-01

A transmission cluster of HIV-1 M:B was identified in 11 patients with a median age of 52 (range 26–65) in North-East Germany by C2V4 region sequencing of the env gene of HIV-1, who—except of one—were not aware of any risky behaviour. The 10 male and 1 female patients deteriorated immunologically, according to their information made available, within 4 years after a putative HIV acquisition. Nucleic acid sequence analysis showed a R5 virus in all patients and in 7 of 11 a crown motif of the V3 loop, GPGSALFTT, which is found rarely. Analysis of formation of this cluster showed that there is still a huge discrepancy between awareness and behaviour regarding HIV transmission in middle-aged patients, and that a local outbreak can be detected by nucleic acid analysis of the hypervariable env region. PMID:20217125

[Factors Related to Presenteeism in Young and Middle-aged Nurses].

PubMed

Yoshida, Mami; Miki, Akiko

2018-04-03

Presenteeism is considered to be not only a work-related stressor but also a factor involved in the development of workaholism and error proneness, which is often described as careless. Additionally, increasing health issues arising from aging suggest the possibility that presenteeism in middle-aged nurses is different than that in young ones. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify and tease apart factors involved in presenteeism among young and middle-aged nurses. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among 2,006 nurses working at 10 hospitals. In total, 761 nurses aged <40 years and 536 nurses aged ≥40 years were enrolled in this study. Work Impairment Scores (WIS) on the Japanese version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale were measured for presenteeism. Job stressors, workaholism, and error proneness were measured for related factors. Multiple regression analysis was conducted after determining the WIS as the dependent variable and related factors as independent variables. Overall, 70.8% of the young nurses reported health problems compared to 82.5% of the middle-aged nurses. However, WIS in young nurses was significantly higher than that in middle-aged ones (p < 0.001). WIS in young nurses showed a significant relationship with the degree of stressors, "difficulty of work" (β = 0.28, p < 0.001) and tendency to "work excessively" (β = 0.18, p < 0.001), which is a subscale of workaholism, error proneness of "action slips" (β = 0.14, p < 0.01) and "cognitive narrowing" (β = 0.11, p < 0.05). Conversely, WIS in middle-aged nurses showed a significant relationship with "cognitive narrowing" (β = 0.29, p < 0.001) and to "work excessively" (β = 0.17, p < 0.001), the degree of stressors on "difficulty of work" (β = 0.12, p < 0.05) and "lack of communication" (β = 0.13, p < 0.01). It was clarified that the increased health problems of middle-aged nurses does not necessarily lower their working capacity. Also, compared to

Altered spontaneous brain activity pattern in patients with late monocular blindness in middle-age using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: a resting-state functional MRI study.

PubMed

Li, Qing; Huang, Xin; Ye, Lei; Wei, Rong; Zhang, Ying; Zhong, Yu-Lin; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Yi

2016-01-01

Previous reports have demonstrated significant brain activity changes in bilateral blindness, whereas brain activity changes in late monocular blindness (MB) at rest are not well studied. Our study aimed to investigate spontaneous brain activity in patients with late middle-aged MB using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method and their relationship with clinical features. A total of 32 patients with MB (25 males and 7 females) and 32 healthy control (HC) subjects (25 males and 7 females), similar in age, sex, and education, were recruited for the study. All subjects were performed with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The ALFF method was applied to evaluate spontaneous brain activity. The relationships between the ALFF signal values in different brain regions and clinical features in MB patients were investigated using correlation analysis. Compared with HCs, the MB patients had marked lower ALFF values in the left cerebellum anterior lobe, right parahippocampal gyrus, right cuneus, left precentral gyrus, and left paracentral lobule, but higher ALFF values in the right middle frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left supramarginal gyrus. However, there was no linear correlation between the mean ALFF signal values in brain regions and clinical manifestations in MB patients. There were abnormal spontaneous activities in many brain regions including vision and vision-related regions, which might indicate the neuropathologic mechanisms of vision loss in the MB patients. Meanwhile, these brain activity changes might be used as a useful clinical indicator for MB.

Associations of self-perceived successful aging in young-old versus old-old adults

PubMed Central

Martin, Averria Sirkin; Palmer, Barton W.; Rock, David; Gelston, Camille V.; Jeste, Dilip V.

2016-01-01

Background The aim of this research was to compare associations of self-perceived successful aging (SPSA) among Young-Old (Y-O; age 50–74 years) versus Old-Old (O-O; 75–99 years) community-dwelling adults. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare respondents’ self-perceptions of successful aging among O-O relative to Y-O adults. Methods Participants included 365 Y-O and 641 O-O adults. The two age groups were compared in terms of the association of SPSA with other preselected measures including sociodemographic information, physical and mental functioning, objective and subjective cognitive functioning, emotional health, and positive psychological constructs. Results The O-O group reported higher levels of SPSA than the Y-O group. In multiple regression modeling examining predictors of SPSA in each group, there was a tendency toward lower associations in the O-O group overall. Most notably, the associations between physical and mental functioning with SPSA were significantly lower in the O-O versus Y-O group. There were no associations with SPSA that were significantly higher in the O-O versus Y-O group. Conclusion The lower predictive power of physical and mental functioning on SPSA among O-O relative to Y-O adults is particularly noteworthy. It is apparent that SPSA is a multidimensional construct that cannot be defined by physical functioning alone. Continuing to clarify the underlying factors impacting SPSA between groups may inform tailored interventions to promote successful aging in Y-O and O-O adults. PMID:25369763

Assessment of Alveolar Bone Status in Middle Aged Chinese (40-59 Years) with Chronic Periodontitis--Using CBCT.

PubMed

Zhao, Haijiao; Li, Chen; Lin, Li; Pan, Yaping; Wang, Hongyan; Zhao, Jian; Tan, Lisi; Pan, Chunling; Song, Jia; Zhang, Dongmei

2015-01-01

This study used con-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to investigate the prevalence and severity of alveolar bone loss in middle-aged (40-59 years) Chinese with chronic periodontitis. The study group comprised 145 dentate individuals aged 40 to 59 years residing in China who suffered from chronic periodontitis. CBCT and the application of NNT software were used to examine the level and location of alveolar bone loss. The study revealed that 40-59 year old patients with chronic periodontitis had severe bone loss. At 5,286 sites (34.7%), alveolar bone loss was mild; severe alveolar bone loss was found at 5,978 sites (39.2%). A comparison of bone loss in different jaws revealed that the area with the highest degree of bone loss was on the lingual side of the maxillary molar (56.3 ± 7.2%), and that the area with the lowest degree was primarily on the lingual side of the mandibular canine (27.5 ± 6.3%). There was a lower degree of alveolar bone loss in males than females. Differences were observed when comparing the incidence of bone loss between males and females (P < 0.05). Menopause in females and smoking in both genders may affect the level of bone loss. Male smokers experienced a greater degree of bone loss (41.67 ± 5.76%) than male non-smokers (32.95 ± 4.31%). A 42.23 ± 6.34% bone loss was found in menopausal females versus 31.35 ± 3.62% in non-menopausal females. The study revealed that different sites and teeth exhibited a diverse degree of bone loss. In middle-aged patients with chronic periodontitis, the highest degrees of bone loss in the incisors, premolars, and molars were on the lingual side, mesial side and lingual side, respectively. Menopause in females and smoking may affect the level of bone loss.

Amount of smoking, pulmonary function, and bone mineral density in middle-aged Korean men: KNHANES 2008-2011.

PubMed

Lee, Ji Hyun; Hong, A Ram; Kim, Jung Hee; Kim, Kyoung Min; Koo, Bo Kyung; Shin, Chan Soo; Kim, Sang Wan

2018-01-01

Smoking induces bone loss; however, data on the relationship between smoking history and bone mineral density (BMD) are lacking. Age and pulmonary function can affect BMD. We investigated the relationships among pack-years (PYs) of smoking, pulmonary function, and BMD in middle-aged Korean men (50-64 years old). This cross-sectional study used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2011. All participants underwent BMD measurements using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and pulmonary function tests using standardized spirometry. In total, 388 never-smokers and 1088 ever-smokers were analyzed. The number of PYs of smoking was negatively correlated with total hip BMD (r = -0.088; P = 0.004) after adjusting for age, height, and weight. Ever-smokers were classified into 3 groups according to PYs of smoking. The highest tertile (n = 482) exhibited significantly lower total hip bone mass than the lowest tertile (n = 214) after adjusting for confounding factors (age, height, weight, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ), alcohol consumption, physical activity, and vitamin D levels) that could affect bone metabolism (P = 0.003). In conclusion, smoking for >30 PYs was significantly associated with low hip BMD after adjusting for pulmonary function in middle-aged Korean men. Long-term smoking may be a risk factor for bone loss in middle-aged men independent of age, height, weight, and pulmonary function.

Attenuated audiovisual integration in middle-aged adults in a discrimination task.

PubMed

Yang, Weiping; Ren, Yanna

2018-02-01

Numerous studies have focused on the diversity of audiovisual integration between younger and older adults. However, consecutive trends in audiovisual integration throughout life are still unclear. In the present study, to clarify audiovisual integration characteristics in middle-aged adults, we instructed younger and middle-aged adults to conduct an auditory/visual stimuli discrimination experiment. Randomized streams of unimodal auditory (A), unimodal visual (V) or audiovisual stimuli were presented on the left or right hemispace of the central fixation point, and subjects were instructed to respond to the target stimuli rapidly and accurately. Our results demonstrated that the responses of middle-aged adults to all unimodal and bimodal stimuli were significantly slower than those of younger adults (p < 0.05). Audiovisual integration was markedly delayed (onset time 360 ms) and weaker (peak 3.97%) in middle-aged adults than in younger adults (onset time 260 ms, peak 11.86%). The results suggested that audiovisual integration was attenuated in middle-aged adults and further confirmed age-related decline in information processing.

Mattis dementia rating scale (DRS) normative data for the brazilian middle-age and elderly populations

PubMed Central

Foss, Maria Paula; de Carvalho, Viviane Amaral; Machado, Thais Helena; dos Reis, Geraldo Cássio; Tumas, Vitor; Caramelli, Paulo; Nitrini, Ricardo; Porto, Cláudia Sellitto

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE To expand norms for the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) for the Brazilian middle-age and elderly populations. METHODS The DRS was administered to 502 individuals without cognitive deficits, 312 women and 190 men, aged 50 years or over and with educational level ranging from 0 to 13 years or more. The sample was composed of subjects who participated in other studies, from Caeté (Minas Gerais state), Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo state) and São Paulo (São Paulo state). Participants were divided into four schooling groups (illiterate, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 12 years and 13 years or more). The subjects were divided into four groups according to age (50 to 60, 61 to 70, 71 to 80, and 80 years or over). RESULTS Normative data for DRS scores are expressed as percentile values. The group with lowest schooling and subjects older than 80 years had the worst scores. CONCLUSION As expected, age and education were strongly correlated with DRS scores. Illiterates and older old individuals performed worse than the other groups. These data might help to improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia in Brazilian middle-age and elderly populations. PMID:29213861

Effects of phase II cardiac rehabilitation on job stress and health-related quality of life after return to work in middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Yonezawa, Ryusuke; Masuda, Takashi; Matsunaga, Atsuhiko; Takahashi, Yumi; Saitoh, Masakazu; Ishii, Akira; Kutsuna, Toshiki; Matsumoto, Takuya; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Aiba, Naoko; Hara, Miyako; Izumi, Tohru

2009-05-01

The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on job stress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after return to work in middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 109 middle-aged outpatients (57 +/- 7 years) who completed a phase I CR program after AMI were enrolled, 72 of whom participated in a phase II CR program for 5 months after hospital discharge (CR group) and 37 who discontinued the phase II CR program after the discharge (non-CR group). Job stress was assessed at 6 months after the AMI using a brief job stress questionnaire containing questions related to job stressors, worksite support, level of satisfaction with work or daily life, and psychological distress. HRQOL was assessed using the short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36) at hospital discharge and at 3 and 6 months after the AMI. There were no significant differences in clinical and occupational characteristics between the CR and non-CR groups. The CR group patients exhibited significantly better results for job stressors and psychological distress and higher SF-36 scores at 6 months after the AMI, as compared with those in the non-CR group. These findings suggest that discontinuing a phase II CR program induced chronic psychosocial stress after return to work in these middle-aged post-AMI patients.

Health in old age, and patients' approaches to telemedicine in Poland.

PubMed

Buliński, Leszek; Błachnio, Aleksandra

2017-06-07

Polish ageing society still experiences health-related problems and the increasing difficulties in receiving medical care. The initiation of telemedicine programmes can change this situation for better. The question arises if telemedicine is a solution that the elderly are willing to accept and take advantage of in order to raise their quality of life. Questionnaire based research was conducted in 2015 on a sample group of 312 seniors. The respondents completed the Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the subscale of Health States from Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit (FLZ) by Fahrenberg et al. Each participant gave their consent to take part in the research. SWLS presents a relatively stable value in the subsequent decades of being old (60-69 years M=21.93 SD=6.25; 70-79 years M=21.70 SD=5.52; 80+ M=21.38 SD=5.82). The health related quality of life (the FLZ subscale), varied in the analysed subgroups (F=7.783 p=0.000), and was related to comorbidity and polytherapy. A positive attitude towards telemedicine was expressed by 40% of those surveyed. However the seniors' need for telemedical services was more limited and did not exceed the 10%. In Poland in ageing there still dominates the experience of multiple ailments and polytherapy, something which justifies a search for new, easily accessible, and economically sound solutions for health care. Telemedicine is a promising solution although there is a need for concrete steps to be taken to raise willingness amongst geriatric patients to take advantage of telemedicine.

Running throughout middle-age improves memory function, hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF levels in female C57Bl/6J mice

PubMed Central

Marlatt, Michael W.; Potter, Michelle C.; Lucassen, Paul J.; van Praag, Henriette

2012-01-01

Age-related memory loss is considered to commence at middle-age and coincides with reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophin levels. Consistent physical activity at midlife may preserve brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, new cell genesis and learning. In the present study, 9-month-old female C57Bl/6J mice were housed with or without a running wheel and injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newborn cells. Morris water maze learning, open field activity and rotarod behavior were tested 1 and 6 months after exercise onset. Here we show that long-term running improved retention of spatial memory and modestly enhanced rotarod performance at 15 months of age. Both hippocampal neurogenesis and mature BDNF peptide levels were elevated after long-term running. Thus, regular exercise from the onset and during middle-age may maintain brain function. PMID:22252978

Aortic pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

PubMed

Inoue, Noriko; Maeda, Ryo; Kawakami, Hideshi; Shokawa, Tomoki; Yamamoto, Hideya; Ito, Chikako; Sasaki, Hideo

2009-03-01

Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is widely used as a noninvasive index of arterial stiffness and was used in the present study to investigate the relationship between PWV and cardiovascular mortality in the middle-aged and elderly Japanese population using a longitudinal study design. From 1988 to 2003, a total of 3,960 men (50-69 years old at baseline) who underwent medical check-ups and measurement of PWV, which was standardized for diastolic blood pressure, were recruited and divided into 4 groups according to the PWV values. The average follow-up period was 8.2 years. Mortality from all-causes and from cardiovascular disease significantly increased as PWV increased in the entire follow-up period. Multivariate-adjusted relative risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality for the highest quartile of PWV (>9.0 m/s) were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.68) and 1.83 (95%CI 1.02-3.29), respectively, compared with the lowest quartile (<7.5 m/s). An increased PWV can predict cardiovascular mortality in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

Hormonal determinants of the severity of andropausal and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly men with prediabetes.

PubMed

Rabijewski, Michał; Papierska, Lucyna; Kuczerowski, Roman; Piątkiewicz, Paweł

2015-01-01

Andropausal and depressive symptoms are common in aging males and may be associated with hormone deficiency. We investigated the severity of andropausal and depressive symptoms, as well as their hormonal determinants, in 196 middle-aged and elderly men (age range: 40-80 years) with prediabetes (PD) and in 184 healthy peers. PD was diagnosed according to the definition of the American Diabetes Association. The severity of andropausal and depressive symptoms was assessed using the Aging Males' Symptoms Rating Scale and the Self-Rating Depression Scale. Total testosterone (TT), calculated free testosterone (cFT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were measured. The prevalence of andropausal syndrome in men with PD was significantly higher than that in healthy men (35% vs 11%, respectively). In men with PD aged 40-59 years, the severity of sexual, psychological, and all andropausal symptoms was greater than in healthy peers, while in elderly men (60-80 years), only the severity of psychological symptoms was greater than in healthy peers. The severity of depressive symptoms in the middle-aged men with PD was greater than in healthy peers, while the severity of depressive symptoms in elderly men with PD and healthy peers was similar. The higher prevalence of andropausal symptoms was independently associated with cFT and IGF-1 in middle-aged men and with TT and DHEAS in elderly men with PD. The more severe depression symptoms were associated with low TT and DHEAS in middle-aged men and with low cFT and DHEAS in elderly men with PD. In conclusion, the prevalence of andropausal symptoms, especially psychological, was higher in prediabetic patients as compared to healthy men, while the severity of depressive symptoms was higher only in middle-aged men with PD. Hormonal determinants of andropausal and depressive symptoms are different in middle-aged and elderly patients, but endocrine tests are necessary in all men with PD.

Changes in the axial orientation of the zygapophyseal joint in the subaxial cervical spine from childhood to middle-age, and the biomechanical implications of these changes.

PubMed

Chen, Mao-Yu; Liu, Yu-Tse; Hsu, Wen-Hsing

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of age on facet orientation (FO) of the cervical spine during development, maturation, and degeneration. Computed tomography (CT) data of the cervical spine of 131 subjects without pathology of the cervical spine were analyzed. Subjects were categorized as: pediatric (n=36, 8-16years old), young adult (n=33, 18-24years old), and middle-age (n=62, 40-59years old). Serial CT scans were reconstructed by image processing. The FO in the axial plane was measured bilaterally at each vertebral level from C3/4 to C6/7. Differences in FO were analyzed between the 3 groups. The degree of external rotation of FO significantly decreased at C3/4 and C4/5 with increasing in age, and maximum external rotation was observed at C5/6. The external rotation at C6/7 increased from pediatric to young adulthood, but decreased from young adults to middle-aged adults. The dominant external rotation was seen in C4/5 and C5/6 in the pediatric age group, C5/6 and C6/7 in young adults, and C4/5 and C5/6 in middle-aged adults. These results lead us to conclude that FO in the axial plane exhibits significant differences with age. The degree of external rotation with respect to FO at each vertebral level is comparable to changes in cervical spinal dynamics with age. Hence, FO in the axial plane is a biomechanical parameter that can be used to assess changes in the cervical spinal during maturation and degeneration. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The smell of age: perception and discrimination of body odors of different ages.

PubMed

Mitro, Susanna; Gordon, Amy R; Olsson, Mats J; Lundström, Johan N

2012-01-01

Our natural body odor goes through several stages of age-dependent changes in chemical composition as we grow older. Similar changes have been reported for several animal species and are thought to facilitate age discrimination of an individual based on body odors, alone. We sought to determine whether humans are able to discriminate between body odor of humans of different ages. Body odors were sampled from three distinct age groups: Young (20-30 years old), Middle-age (45-55), and Old-age (75-95) individuals. Perceptual ratings and age discrimination performance were assessed in 41 young participants. There were significant differences in ratings of both intensity and pleasantness, where body odors from the Old-age group were rated as less intense and less unpleasant than body odors originating from Young and Middle-age donors. Participants were able to discriminate between age categories, with body odor from Old-age donors mediating the effect also after removing variance explained by intensity differences. Similarly, participants were able to correctly assign age labels to body odors originating from Old-age donors but not to body odors originating from other age groups. This experiment suggests that, akin to other animals, humans are able to discriminate age based on body odor alone and that this effect is mediated mainly by body odors emitted by individuals of old age.

The Smell of Age: Perception and Discrimination of Body Odors of Different Ages

PubMed Central

Mitro, Susanna; Gordon, Amy R.; Olsson, Mats J.; Lundström, Johan N.

2012-01-01

Our natural body odor goes through several stages of age-dependent changes in chemical composition as we grow older. Similar changes have been reported for several animal species and are thought to facilitate age discrimination of an individual based on body odors, alone. We sought to determine whether humans are able to discriminate between body odor of humans of different ages. Body odors were sampled from three distinct age groups: Young (20–30 years old), Middle-age (45–55), and Old-age (75–95) individuals. Perceptual ratings and age discrimination performance were assessed in 41 young participants. There were significant differences in ratings of both intensity and pleasantness, where body odors from the Old-age group were rated as less intense and less unpleasant than body odors originating from Young and Middle-age donors. Participants were able to discriminate between age categories, with body odor from Old-age donors mediating the effect also after removing variance explained by intensity differences. Similarly, participants were able to correctly assign age labels to body odors originating from Old-age donors but not to body odors originating from other age groups. This experiment suggests that, akin to other animals, humans are able to discriminate age based on body odor alone and that this effect is mediated mainly by body odors emitted by individuals of old age. PMID:22666457

Rhinoplasty in Middle Eastern Patients.

PubMed

Sajjadian, Ali

2016-01-01

Rhinoplasty in patients of Middle Eastern origin requires complete understanding of nasal morphology and an individualized approach to create a racially congruent and aesthetically pleasing outcome. In this article, common anatomic features and characteristics and detailed steps, surgical techniques, and operative maneuvers that can lead to predictable outcome in rhinoplasty of Middle Eastern patients are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Medication adherence and persistence over time with self-administered TNF-alpha inhibitors among young adult, middle-aged, and older patients with rheumatologic conditions.

PubMed

Calip, Gregory S; Adimadhyam, Sruthi; Xing, Shan; Rincon, Julian C; Lee, Wan-Ju; Anguiano, Rebekah H

2017-10-01

Self-injectable TNF inhibitors are increasingly used early in the chronic treatment of moderate to severe rheumatologic conditions. We estimated medication adherence/persistence over time following initiation in young adult and older adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients aged 18+ years newly initiating etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, or golimumab using the Truven Health MarketScan Database between 2009 and 2013. Pharmacy dispensing data were used to calculate 12-month medication possession ratios (MPR) and determine adherence (MPR ≥ 0.80) for up to 3 years after starting therapy. Persistence over each 12-month interval was defined as not having a ≥92-day treatment gap. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and robust 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between patient characteristics and repeated adherence/persistence measures over time. Among 53,477 new users, 14% were young adults (18-34 years), 49% middle-aged (35-54 years), and 37% older adults (55+ years). Overall, 37% of patients were adherent and 83% were persistent in the first year of therapy. The lowest adherence (17%) and persistence (70%) were observed among young adult patients by Year +3. Compared to older adults, middle-aged (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.71-0.76) and young adults (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.47-0.53) were less likely to be adherent. Higher Charlson comorbidity scores, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits were associated with non-adherence/non-persistence. We observed low adherence to self-administered TNF inhibitors but most patients remained persistent over time. Further efforts to improve adherence in young adults and patients with greater comorbidity are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Assessment of Cognitive and Psychosocial Functioning After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Exploring Disaster Impact on Middle-Aged, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults.

PubMed

Cherry, Katie E; Brown, Jennifer Silva; Marks, Loren D; Galea, Sandro; Volaufova, Julia; Lefante, Christina; Su, L Joseph; Welsh, David A; Jazwinski, S Michal

2011-12-01

The authors examined the effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (HKR) on cognitive and psychosocial functioning in a lifespan sample of adults 6 to 14 months after the storms. Participants were recruited from the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Most were assessed during the immediate impact period and retested for this study. Analyses of pre-and post-disaster cognitive data confirmed that storm-related decrements in working memory for middle-aged and older adults observed in the immediate impact period had returned to pre-hurricane levels in the post-disaster recovery period. Middle-aged adults reported more storm-related stressors and greater levels of stress than the two older groups at both waves of testing. These results are consistent with a burden perspective on post-disaster psychological reactions.

The association between negative attitudes toward aging and mental health among middle-aged and older gay and heterosexual men in Israel.

PubMed

Shenkman, Geva; Ifrah, Kfir; Shmotkin, Dov

2018-04-01

The association between negative attitudes toward aging and mental health (indicated by depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and happiness) was explored among Israeli middle-aged and older gay and heterosexual men. In a community-dwelling sample, 152 middle-aged and older gay men and 120 middle-aged and older heterosexual men at the age range of 50-87 (M = 59.3, SD = 7.5) completed measures of negative attitudes toward aging, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and happiness. After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, the association between negative attitudes toward aging and mental health was moderated by sexual orientation, demonstrating that negative attitudes toward aging were more strongly associated with adverse mental health concomitants among middle-aged and older gay men compared to middle-aged and older heterosexual men. The findings suggest vulnerability of middle-aged and older gay men to risks of aging, as their mental health is markedly linked with their negative attitudes toward aging. This vulnerability should be addressed by clinicians and counselors who work with middle-aged and older gay men.

Diffusion tensor imaging, intracranial vascular resistance and cognition in middle-aged asymptomatic subjects.

PubMed

López-Olóriz, Jorge; López-Cancio, Elena; Arenillas, Juan F; Hernández, María; Dorado, Laura; Dacosta-Aguayo, Rosalía; Barrios, Maite; Soriano-Raya, Juan José; Miralbell, Júlia; Bargalló, Núria; Cáceres, Cynthia; Torán, Pere; Alzamora, Maite; Dávalos, Antonio; Mataró, Maria

2014-01-01

The contribution of traditional vascular risk factors to cognitive impairment and dementia is well known. However, in order to obtain possible targets for prevention of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), it may be important to identify other early and noninvasive markers in asymptomatic middle-aged adults. The calculation of middle cerebral artery-pulsatility index (MCA-PI) is an ultrasonologic, noninvasive, validated and easily reproducible technique to assess increased distal resistance to blood flow. This study aims to assess the relationship between MCA-PI, microstructural white matter (WM) integrity and cognition in a middle-aged asymptomatic population. Ninety-five participants from the Barcelona-Asymptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis (AsIA) neuropsychology study were included. Subjects were 50-65 years old, free from dementia and without history of vascular disease. Transcranial color-coded duplex ultrasound examination was performed to assess MCA-PI as a measure of vascular resistance. WM integrity was evaluated by fractional anisotropy (FA) measurements of diffusion tensor images (DTI) acquired on a 3T-MRI. The neuropsychological battery was specifically selected to be sensitive to VCI, and included tests that were grouped into six cognitive domains: executive functioning, attention, verbal fluency, memory, visuospatial skills and psychomotor speed. A multivariate linear regression model adjusted for age, gender, years of education, diabetes and hypertension was performed. MCA-PI was significantly associated with WM disintegration in different tracts (fornix, corticospinal and anterior thalamic), all p < 0.05 uncorrected. Both mean MCA-PI and mean FA of those significant tracts were independently associated with poor performance in attention, psychomotor speed, and visuospatial skills after adjustment for age, gender, years of education, and vascular risk factors (all p < 0.05). MCA-PI was independently associated with lower scores in all cognitive

Altered spontaneous brain activity pattern in patients with late monocular blindness in middle-age using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: a resting-state functional MRI study

PubMed Central

Li, Qing; Huang, Xin; Ye, Lei; Wei, Rong; Zhang, Ying; Zhong, Yu-Lin; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Yi

2016-01-01

Objective Previous reports have demonstrated significant brain activity changes in bilateral blindness, whereas brain activity changes in late monocular blindness (MB) at rest are not well studied. Our study aimed to investigate spontaneous brain activity in patients with late middle-aged MB using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method and their relationship with clinical features. Methods A total of 32 patients with MB (25 males and 7 females) and 32 healthy control (HC) subjects (25 males and 7 females), similar in age, sex, and education, were recruited for the study. All subjects were performed with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. The ALFF method was applied to evaluate spontaneous brain activity. The relationships between the ALFF signal values in different brain regions and clinical features in MB patients were investigated using correlation analysis. Results Compared with HCs, the MB patients had marked lower ALFF values in the left cerebellum anterior lobe, right parahippocampal gyrus, right cuneus, left precentral gyrus, and left paracentral lobule, but higher ALFF values in the right middle frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, and left supramarginal gyrus. However, there was no linear correlation between the mean ALFF signal values in brain regions and clinical manifestations in MB patients. Conclusion There were abnormal spontaneous activities in many brain regions including vision and vision-related regions, which might indicate the neuropathologic mechanisms of vision loss in the MB patients. Meanwhile, these brain activity changes might be used as a useful clinical indicator for MB. PMID:27980398

A case report of a completely displaced stress fracture of the femoral shaft in a middle-aged male athlete - A precursor of things to come?

PubMed

Larsen, Peter; Elsoe, Rasmus; Rathleff, Michael S

2016-05-01

Displaced stress fractures of the femoral shaft are very uncommon. The proportion of middle-aged and older age groups participating in long-distance running, triathlon and other high intensity sports is increasing. As a consequence stress fracture of the femoral shaft may be on the rise in the future. The patient was 43 years old male caucasian triathlete. The authors met the patient after he was admitted with a displaced femoral shaft fracture. The fracture occurred during running at the national championship in ½ Ironman. The patient reported that his symptoms had gradually developed over the last month before the fracture with pain localized anterior to the thigh. The patient interpreted the symptoms as local muscle damage. A clinical examination was conducted by a physiotherapist and the symptoms were interpreted as a simple muscle injury in the quadriceps. When presented with a patient with non-traumatic, diffuse anterior thigh pain in an individual of this age, who is participating in high-level endurance running; clinicians should consider the possibility that the cause of the symptoms may be a femoral shaft stress fracture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age and type of aphasia in patients with stroke.

PubMed Central

Eslinger, P J; Damasio, A R

1981-01-01

The age and gender of a series of patients with different types of aphasia were analysed. Regardless of gender, patients with Broca and conduction aphasias were significantly younger than those with Wernicke and global aphasias. Considering the established cerebral localisation of each of those aphasia types, it appears that, with age, stroke in the territory of the middle cerebral artery will tend to either shift posteriorly (producing Wernicke aphasia) or occupy most of the middle cerebral artery territory (producing global aphasia). But in the absence of concurrent verification of the locus of lesion in each of the cases in our sample, a possible alternative hypothesis must be entertained: that there might be age-related changes in the neurophysiological mechanism subserving language, such that some types of aphasia would tend to be more prevalent with age, regardless of lesion location. PMID:7264683

Etiological and Endoscopic Profile of Middle Aged and Elderly Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India: A Retrospective Analysis.

PubMed

Mahajan, Pranav; Chandail, Vijant Singh

2017-01-01

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common medical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical presentation depends on the amount and location of hemorrhage and the endoscopic profile varies according to different etiology. At present, there are limited epidemiological data on upper GI bleed and associated mortality from India, especially in the middle and elderly age group, which has a higher incidence and mortality from this disease. This study aims to study the clinical and endoscopic profile of middle aged and elderly patients suffering from upper GI bleed to know the etiology of the disease and outcome of the intervention. Out of a total of 1790 patients who presented to the hospital from May 2015 to August 2017 with upper GI bleed, and underwent upper GI endoscopy, data of 1270 patients, aged 40 years and above, was compiled and analyzed retrospectively. All the patients included in the study were above 40 years of age. Majority of the patients were males, with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. The most common causes of upper GI bleed in these patients were portal hypertension-related (esophageal, gastric and duodenal varices, portal hypertensive gastropathy, and gastric antral vascular ectasia GAVE), seen in 53.62% of patients, followed by peptic ulcer disease (gastric and duodenal ulcers) seen in 17.56% of patients. Gastric erosions/gastritis accounted for 15.20%, and duodenal erosions were seen in 5.8% of upper GI bleeds. The in-hospital mortality rate in our study population was 5.83%. The present study reported portal hypertension as the most common cause of upper GI bleeding, while the most common endoscopic lesions reported were esophageal varices, followed by gastric erosion/gastritis, and duodenal ulcer.

The Middle Ages Contributions to Cardiovascular Medicine

PubMed Central

Ranhel, André Silva; Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco

2016-01-01

The historical period called the Middle Ages, a long interval between the 5th and the 15th centuries, is still commonly known as the Dark Ages, especially in the area of health sciences. In the last decades, this "classic" view of the Middle Ages has been gradually modified with advances in historiographical studies and the history of science. During that period in Western Europe, knowledge about the human body suffered a regression in terms of anatomy and physiology, with the predominance of religious conceptions mainly about diseases and their treatments. Knowledge on the cardiovascular system and heart diseases has been classically described as a repetition of the concepts developed by Galen from the dissection of animals and his keen sense of observation. However, the Middle East, especially Persia, was the birth place of a lot of intellectuals who preserved the ancient knowledge of the Greeks while building new knowledge and practices, especially from the 8th to the 13th century. The invasion of the Arabs in North of Africa and the Iberian Peninsula and the eclosion of the Crusades resulted in a greater contact between the East and the West, which in turn brought on the arrival of the Arab medical knowledge, among others, to 12th century Europe. Such fact contributed to an extremely important change in the scientific medical knowledge in the West, leading to the incorporation of different concepts and practices in the field of cardiovascular Medicine. The new way of teaching and practicing Medicine of the great Arab doctors, together with the teaching hospitals and foundations in the Koran, transformed the Medicine practiced in Europe definitely. The objective of this paper is to describe the knowledge drawn up from the Middle Ages about the cardiovascular system, its understanding and therapeutic approach to cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. PMID:27556317

Descriptions of self-treatment for the middle-aged and elderly in Shanxi, China.

PubMed

Wang, Rui; Ma, Chenjin; Jiang, Kun; Li, Ming; Ma, Shuangge

2018-01-01

Self-treatment is a widespread practice among patients with common symptoms and ailments; it is necessary to explore multiple aspects of it. Notably, there is little research into self-treatment among middle-aged and elderly people, who are more likely to fall ill. Our goals are to provide a comprehensive description of self-treatment and explore associated factors with insurance utilization and expenditures among the middle-aged and elderly populations in China. A survey was conducted in July 2016 in Shanxi, China. A stratified sampling scheme was applied to achieve representativeness. A total of 972 subjects were surveyed. Descriptive statistics, t- and Chi-squared tests, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate linear regression were utilized. In our study, 772 (79.4%) of the surveyed subjects self-treated during the previous twelve months. Among them, 253 (32.8%) used health insurance. Subjects' characteristics were associated with insurance utilization and expenditures for self-treatment. Total cost was positively associated with insurance utilization. The subjects with a junior high education (p-value < 0.001, aOR = 0.049) and senior high education (p-value = 0.020, aOR = 0.146) had a lower probability of using insurance. For both total costs and out-of-pocket costs, subjects who were 51 to 60 years old had lower costs. The subjects who were seriously sick and had a primary school education, as well as enterprise occupations, had higher costs. Self-treatment times were also positively associated with costs. Finally, it was found that subjects who didn't use insurance had lower total costs. The prevalence of self-treatment was high (79.4%). Some characteristics were associated with insurance utilization and expenditures in self-treatment. Our results may be helpful for policy interventions, which are needed to further improve the effectiveness of health insurance in China.

Relation of age with symptom severity and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Jiao, Juan; Vincent, Ann; Cha, Stephen S; Luedtke, Connie A; Oh, Terry H

2014-02-01

To examine the relation of age with symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) in patients with fibromyalgia, and to compare physical and mental health of our female patients with those of the US female general population. We studied 978 patients with fibromyalgia from May 1, 2001 through April 30, 2004, and divided them into age groups of young (≤39 years), middle-aged (40-59 years), and older (≥60 years). They completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and the Short Form-36 Health Status Questionnaire (SF-36). Standardized SF-36 physical and mental health summary scores were compared with those of the US female general population of similar age. One-way analysis of variance and post hoc paired t test analyses were performed to detect differences across age groups. Pairwise comparison found young and middle-aged patients having worse fibromyalgia symptoms in all subscales except the anxiety subscale compared with older patients (P≤.01). Similarly, these young and middle-aged patients had worse QOL in the SF-36 mental component summary, as well as SF-36 general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, and mental health index, compared with older patients (all P<.001). When the QOL of our female patients was compared with that of the US female general population of similar age with standardized SF-36 scores, all age groups had lower QOL in physical, as well as mental, health, with more reduction in physical health, particularly in young patients. Our study shows that symptom severity and QOL differ across age groups in patients with fibromyalgia, with young and middle-aged patients having poorer QOL and worse fibromyalgia symptoms than do older patients. QOL in physical health was reduced more than in mental health, particularly in young patients, compared with the general population. Copyright © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

End-of-life decision-making and terminal sedation among very old patients.

PubMed

De Gendt, Cindy; Bilsen, Johan; Mortier, Freddy; Vander Stichele, Robert; Deliens, Luc

2009-01-01

About half of the persons who die in developed countries are very old (aged 80 years or older) and this proportion is still rising. In general, there is little information available concerning the circumstances and quality of the end of life of this group. This study aims (1) to describe the incidence and characteristics of medical end-of-life decisions with a possible or certain life-shortening effect (ELDs) and terminal sedation among very old patients who died nonsuddenly, (2) to describe the characteristics of the preceding decision-making process, and (3) to compare this with the deaths of younger patients. A sample of 5,005 death certificates was selected from all deaths in Flanders (Belgium) in the second half of 2001 (before euthanasia was legalized). Questionnaires were mailed to the certifying physicians. Response rate was 58.9%. An ELD was made for 53.6% very old (aged 80+) patients who died nonsuddenly (vs. 63.3% for the younger patients). Use of life-ending drugs occurred among 1.1% (six times less frequently than in younger patients), with no euthanasia cases, pain and symptom alleviation with a possible life-shortening effect among 27.3% (two times less frequently), and withholding or withdrawing life-prolonging treatments among 25.2% (slightly more frequently). Terminal sedation occurred among 6.9% of the cases, two times less frequently than for the younger patients. ELDs were not often discussed with very old patients. Among competent patients this was less than compared with younger patients. ELDs are less common for very old than for younger patients. Physicians seem to have a more reluctant attitude towards the use of lethal drugs, terminal sedation and participation in decision-making when dealing with very old patients. Advance care planning should increase the involvement of very old competent and noncompetent patients in end-of-life decision-making. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery for Middle-Aged Men with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Intolerant of CPAP

PubMed Central

Tan, Kelvin B.; Toh, Song Tar; Guilleminault, Christian; Holty, Jon-Erik C.

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Conventional OSA therapy necessitates indefinite continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Although CPAP is an effective treatment modality, up to 50% of OSA patients are intolerant of CPAP. We explore whether surgical modalities developed for those intolerant of CPAP are cost-effective. Methods: We construct a lifetime semi-Markov model of OSA that accounts for observed increased risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and motor vehicle collisions for a 50-year-old male with untreated severe OSA. Using this model, we compare the cost-effectiveness of (1) no treatment, (2) CPAP only, and (3) CPAP followed by surgery (either palatopharyngeal reconstructive surgery [PPRS] or multilevel surgery [MLS]) for those intolerant to CPAP. Results: Compared with the CPAP only strategy, CPAP followed by PPRS (CPAP-PPRS) adds 0.265 quality adjusted life years (QALYs) for an increase of $2,767 (discounted 2010 dollars) and is highly cost effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $10,421/QALY for a 50-year-old male with severe OSA. Compared to a CPAP-PPRS strategy, the CPAP-MLS strategy adds 0.07 QALYs at an increase of $6,213 for an ICER of $84,199/QALY. The CPAP-PPRS strategy appears cost-effective over a wide range of parameter estimates. Conclusions: Palatopharyngeal reconstructive surgery appears cost-effective in middle-aged men with severe OSA intolerant of CPAP. Further research is warranted to better define surgical candidacy as well as short-term and long-term surgical outcomes. Commentary: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 509. Citation: Tan KB, Toh ST, Guilleminault C, Holty JE. A cost-effectiveness analysis of surgery for middle-aged men with severe obstructive sleep apnea intolerant of CPAP. J Clin Sleep Med 2015;11(5):525–535. PMID:25700871

Stability in Social Relationships between Young-Old and Old-Old Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Field, Dorothy; Schaie, K. Warner

While changes in levels of activity and in social relationships in old age have interested researchers for some time, longitudinal studies have only recently begun to yield information about changes in social relationships across time for older adults. Parents (N=74) of the 1928-1929 Guidance Study and Berkeley Growth Study children, who are now…

The clinical outcomes of oldest old patients with tuberculosis treated by regimens containing rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide.

PubMed

Lin, Huang-Shen; Cheng, Chun-Wen; Lin, Ming-Shyan; Chou, Yen-Li; Chang, Pey-Jium; Lin, Jing-Chi; Ye, Jung-Jr

2016-01-01

To investigate the clinical characteristics, adverse drug reactions, and outcomes of the oldest old patients (aged ≥80 years) with tuberculosis (TB) treated with rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide (RIP)-containing regimens. A retrospective chart review study. A 1,200-bed tertiary teaching hospital in southwest Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective observational study between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011. Seven hundred adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with TB treated with RIP-containing anti-TB regimens were reviewed, including 161 oldest old patients. Clinical outcomes included clinical responsiveness and microbiological eradication. Adverse outcomes included drug-induced hepatitis, and other symptoms included gastrointestinal upset (eg, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or dyspepsia), skin rash, joint pain, and hyperuricemia. Compared with the non-oldest old adult patients, the oldest old patients more frequently had hepatitis (P=0.014), gastrointestinal upset (P=0.029), and unfavorable outcomes (P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, hepatitis during treatment (adjusted odds ratio: 3.482, 95% confidence interval: 1.537-7.885; P<0.003) and oldest old age (adjusted odds ratio: 5.161, 95% confidence interval: 2.294-11.613; P<0.010) were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. In the oldest old patients with hepatitis, rifampicin use was more common in the favorable outcome group than in the unfavorable outcome group (100% vs 37.5%; P=0.001). The oldest old age and hepatitis during RIP treatment were associated with unfavorable outcomes. For the oldest old patients with TB having hepatitis during treatment, rifampicin rechallenge and use might benefit the treatment outcome.

Short-term atorvastatin therapy improves arterial stiffness of middle-aged systemic lupus erythematosus patients with pathological pulse wave velocity.

PubMed

Castejon, R; Castañeda, A; Sollet, A; Mellor-Pita, S; Tutor-Ureta, P; Jimenez-Ortiz, C; Yebra-Bango, M

2017-04-01

Objectives Statins have been proposed as a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) due to their immunomodulatory properties, their role restoring endothelial function and preventing atherosclerosis. We evaluate the effect of a short period treatment with a low dose of atorvastatin and its withdrawal on early stage subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods Thirty-seven SLE females received 20 mg/day atorvastatin during eight weeks. At baseline, at the end of treatment and six months after atorvastatin withdrawal, disease activity, subclinical atherosclerosis -assessed by measuring carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) - and quantification of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) - as a surrogate biological marker of subclinical atherosclerosis - were carried out. Results The group of SLE patients with baseline pathological arterial stiffness showed a significant decrease of PWV after atorvastatin therapy (8.43 ± 1.45 m/s vs 7.42 ± 1.06 m/s; p = 0.002) that is maintained six months after treatment finished. Only patients of the middle-aged group showed a nearly significant decrease in the PWV measured along the study (7.16 ± 1.23 m/s vs 6.76 ± 0.82 m/s; p = 0.05). Atorvastatin induced a significant decrease in the circulating EPC percentage (0.65 ± 0.67 vs 0.40 ± 0.31; p = 0.023) as well as a downward trend of disease activity that it is observed by a decrease in SLE disease activity index simultaneously with an increase in C3 complement and significant decrease in serum concentration of vascular endothelial grow factor (VEGF) and sVCAM-1. Conclusions Short-term atorvastatin therapy reduces arterial stiffness of SLE patients with baseline pathological PWV, who are mainly in the group of middle-aged patients. Further studies are needed to determine whether these patients would benefit from statin therapy in preventing cardiovascular events.

Effects of resistance training on muscle strength, exercise capacity, and mobility in middle-aged and elderly patients with coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Shuhei; Hotta, Kazuki; Ota, Erika; Mori, Rintaro; Matsunaga, Atsuhiko

2016-08-01

Resistance training (RT) is a core component of cardiac rehabilitation. We investigated the effects of RT on exercise capacity, muscle strength, and mobility in middle-aged and elderly patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We searched for randomized controlled trials of RT versus usual care, or combined RT and aerobic training (AT) versus AT alone, and identified 440 trials in total from inception to January 2014. Participants who had myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, angina pectoris or CAD were included in the analysis. Those who had heart failure, heart transplants with either cardiac resynchronization therapy or implantable defibrillators were excluded. Twenty-two trials totaling 1095 participants were analyzed. We performed random-effects meta-analysis. In middle-aged participants, RT increased lower extremity muscle strength [standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.35 to 0.95], upper extremity muscle strength (SMD: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.99) and peak oxygen consumption (VO2) [weight mean difference (WMD): 0.92mL/kg/min, 95% CI: 0.12 to 1.72], but did not improve mobility compared with the control. In elderly participants, RT increased lower extremity muscle strength (SMD: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.21), upper extremity muscle strength (SMD: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.56 to 1.80), and peak VO2 (WMD: 0.70mL/kg/min, 95% CI: 0.03 to 1.37), and improved mobility (SMD: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.21 to 1.01) compared with the control. Resistance training could increase exercise capacity and muscle strength in middle-aged and elderly patients, and mobility in elderly patients, with CAD. Copyright © 2015 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initiation of calorie restriction in middle-aged male rats attenuates aging-related motoric decline and bradykinesia without increased striatal dopamine

PubMed Central

Salvatore, Michael F.; Terrebonne, Jennifer; Fields, Victoria; Nodurft, Danielle; Runfalo, Cori; Latimer, Brian; Ingram, Donald K.

2015-01-01

Aging-related bradykinesia affects ~15% of those reaching age 65 and 50% of those reaching their 80s. Given this high risk and lack of pharmacological therapeutics, non-invasive lifestyle strategies should be identified to diminish its risk and identify the neurobiological targets to reduce aging-related bradykinesia. Early-life, long-term calorie restriction (CR) attenuates aging-related bradykinesia in rodents. Here, we addressed whether CR initiation at middle age could attenuate aging-related bradykinesia and motoric decline measured as rotarod performance. A 30% CR regimen was implemented for 6 months duration in 12-month old male Brown-Norway Fischer 344 F1 hybrid rats after establishing individual baseline locomotor activities. Locomotor capacity was assessed every 6 weeks thereafter. The ad libitum (AL) group exhibited predictably decreased locomotor activity, except movement speed, out to 18 months of age. In contrast, in the CR group, movement number and horizontal activity did not decrease during the 6-month trial and aging-related decline in rotarod performance was attenuated. The response to CR was influenced by baseline locomotor activity. The lower the locomotor activity level at baseline, the greater the response to CR. Rats in the lower 50th percentile surpassed their baseline level of activity, whereas rats in the top 50th percentile decreased at 6 weeks and then returned to baseline by 12 weeks of CR. We hypothesized that nigrostriatal dopamine tissue content would be greater in the CR group and observed a modest increase only in substantia nigra with no group differences in striatum, nucleus accumbens, or ventral tegmental area. These results indicate initiation of CR at middle age may reduce aging-related bradykinesia and, furthermore, subjects with below average locomotor activity may increase baseline activity. Sustaining nigral DA neurotransmission may be one component of preserving locomotor capabilities during aging. PMID:26610387

Life resources and personal goals in old age.

PubMed

Saajanaho, Milla; Rantakokko, Merja; Portegijs, Erja; Törmäkangas, Timo; Eronen, Johanna; Tsai, Li-Tang; Jylhä, Marja; Rantanen, Taina

2016-09-01

It has been theorized that life resources influence goal engagement. The aim of the present study was to examine whether personal characteristics, and socio-economic, social and health resources are associated with personal goal content in old age. The participants were 824 community-dwelling people aged 75-90 from the Life-Space Mobility in Old Age project. Personal goals were elicited using a revised version of the Personal Project Analysis in a structured interview. Cross-sectional bi- and multivariate analyses using logistic regression modelling were conducted. The results showed that the most commonly reported goals were health maintenance related. People with better health resources were more likely to report goals related to leisure-time, social and physical activities and less likely to report goals related to recovery of health. Those with poor social resources were at risk for having no personal goals in their lives. The results are in line with theorizing on the influence of life resources on goal setting in old age. Further longitudinal studies are needed on whether resource loss precedes goal modification, and how goal setting strategies influence both mental and physical well-being in old age.

Sex Differences in Stress and Group Housing Effects on the Number of Newly Proliferated Cells and Neuroblasts in Middle-Aged Dentate Gyrus.

PubMed

Tzeng, Wen-Yu; Wu, Hsin-Hua; Wang, Ching-Yi; Chen, Jin-Chung; Yu, Lung; Cherng, Chianfang G

2016-01-01

Sex differences in stress and coping responses have been frequently documented in aged people, while whether such differences in aged people may appear at the middle age are unknown. This study was undertaken to study the impact of acute stress and social interaction on early neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and hippocampus-related memory in two sexes of middle-aged mice. The number of newly proliferated cells, neuroblasts in DG, the object recognition and location memory in 9-month-old male and female C57BL/6N mice were assessed under baseline conditions as well as following an acute stressor regimen and group housing. Three conspecific companions, serving as "the housing group," were used to model the social interaction throughout the stressor regimen. Males had lower numbers of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts under baseline conditions as compared to females. The stressor regimen caused rapid decreases in the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts in female DG but no obvious changes were observed in male DG. Group housing, regardless of companions' age, prevented the stress-induced decreases in the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts in female DG. In contrast, the presence of young or age-matched companions potentiated the stress effect in males by decreasing the number of newly proliferated cells and neuroblasts. Finally, neither the stressor regimen nor group housing affected mouse performances in the object recognition and location memory in either sex. These findings, taken together, provide evidence to support a notion that middle-aged females appear to demonstrate more stress susceptibility on early neurogenesis in DG as compared to middle-aged males, although the hippocampus-related memory performances are comparable and not affected by stress in these males and females. Experiencing stress, middle-aged females are more prone to benefit from social interaction as compared to middle-aged males in this regard. We

Age-differentiated Risk Factors of Suicidal Ideation among Young and Middle-aged Korean Adults

PubMed Central

Jo, Ahra; Jeon, Minho; Oh, Heeyoung

2017-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation among young and middle-aged adults, and explore the risk factors that affect suicidal ideation. Methods A descriptive study design was used for secondary data analysis. A total sample of 5,214 was drawn from two waves (2012–2013) of the 7th Korea Health Panel (KHP) survey. The KHP data were collected by a well-trained interviewer using the face-to-face method during home visits as well as self-report method. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0. Results The prevalence of suicidal ideation in young and middle-aged adults was 4.4% and 5.6%, respectively. For young adults, suicidal ideation risk was higher among those with low income or heavy drinking habits. In middle-aged adults, low income, poor perceived health status, negative perception of peer-compared health status, and negative social perspective were the major risk factors. Conclusion There is considerable risk of suicidal ideation in adulthood. Opportunities for increased income, avoidance of heavy drinking, and the construction of positive subjective health status and social perspective should be considered in suicide prevention interventions for Korean young and middle-aged adults. PMID:28781943

How are the ancient cystic fibrosis patients? Cystic fibrosis diagnosed over 60 years-old.

PubMed

Prados, C; Lerín, M; Cabanillas, J J; Gómez-Carrera, L; Álvarez-Sala, R

2017-01-01

To specify the prevalence of patients diagnosed with CF at age of ≥60 year-old and to analyze their characteristics. Observational study of CF patients which were diagnosed at age ≥60 year-old. The analyzed variables were: age, sex, nationality, lung function parameters, conditions present at diagnosis, microbiological characteristics and genetic findings. eight patients were included. 7 patients were female (87.5%) with a mean age of 70.6 years (median 71.5 years, range 60-78 years). The most important findings were: sweat test >60 mEq/l; heterozygotes F508del; bronchiectasis in CT; methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (50%) in sputum. The most patients presented a normal or mild obstructive lung function. CF must also be considered a disease diagnosed in adulthood, incorporating the sweat test within the usual techniques of differential diagnosis in patients with different diseases associated with CF, because genetic counselling is esencial.

[How useful is physical therapy in old age?].

PubMed

Brenke, Rainer

2016-03-01

Physical therapy is the most important element of naturopathy. In old age conditions accumulate that can be readily treated with physical therapy. It is possible to save on simultaneous drug treatment, and the risk of side effects can be reduced. The prescription of physical therapy in old age should not be regarded as restrictive.

[The relationship between neuroendocrine dysfunction and free-radical oxidation in old age alcoholism].

PubMed

Vinogradov, D B; Mingazov, A Kh; Izarovskaya, I V; Babin, K A; Sinitsky, A I

2015-01-01

to study the relationship between dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and free-radical oxidation in old age alcoholism. Authors examined 46 men and women, aged 60-80 years, with alcoholism. Contents of cortisol, lipid peroxidation products and the level of an oxidatively modified protein were measured. A decrease in blood cortisol content and correlations between its level and activity of free-radical oxidation were identified. The severity of neuroendocrine dysfunction in old patients was sex-related. It has been suggested that the impairment of HPA system activity may be a cause of oxidative stress and development of alcoholism.

Diagnostic profile of young and middle-aged memory clinic patients.

PubMed

Vraamark Elberling, Tina; Stokholm, Jette; Høgh, Peter; Waldemar, Gunhild

2002-10-22

With the objective of characterizing the underlying conditions in younger patients with cognitive symptoms, 314 consecutive patients were studied, aged <60 years, referred to a multidisciplinary memory clinic over a period of 54 months. Fifteen percent of the patients fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV criteria for dementia, 17% had selective cognitive deficits, and 55% had no cognitive deficits. Cognitive symptoms in younger patients rarely reflect dementia but more often other medical and psychiatric conditions.

The clinical outcomes of oldest old patients with tuberculosis treated by regimens containing rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide

PubMed Central

Lin, Huang-Shen; Cheng, Chun-Wen; Lin, Ming-Shyan; Chou, Yen-Li; Chang, Pey-Jium; Lin, Jing-Chi; Ye, Jung-Jr

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate the clinical characteristics, adverse drug reactions, and outcomes of the oldest old patients (aged ≥80 years) with tuberculosis (TB) treated with rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide (RIP)-containing regimens. Design A retrospective chart review study. Setting A 1,200-bed tertiary teaching hospital in southwest Taiwan. Participants We conducted a retrospective observational study between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011. Seven hundred adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with TB treated with RIP-containing anti-TB regimens were reviewed, including 161 oldest old patients. Outcome measures Clinical outcomes included clinical responsiveness and microbiological eradication. Adverse outcomes included drug-induced hepatitis, and other symptoms included gastrointestinal upset (eg, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or dyspepsia), skin rash, joint pain, and hyperuricemia. Results Compared with the non-oldest old adult patients, the oldest old patients more frequently had hepatitis (P=0.014), gastrointestinal upset (P=0.029), and unfavorable outcomes (P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, hepatitis during treatment (adjusted odds ratio: 3.482, 95% confidence interval: 1.537–7.885; P<0.003) and oldest old age (adjusted odds ratio: 5.161, 95% confidence interval: 2.294–11.613; P<0.010) were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. In the oldest old patients with hepatitis, rifampicin use was more common in the favorable outcome group than in the unfavorable outcome group (100% vs 37.5%; P=0.001). Conclusion The oldest old age and hepatitis during RIP treatment were associated with unfavorable outcomes. For the oldest old patients with TB having hepatitis during treatment, rifampicin rechallenge and use might benefit the treatment outcome. PMID:27042029

Job strain in the public sector and hospital in-patient care use in old age: a 28-year prospective follow-up.

PubMed

von Bonsdorff, Mikaela Birgitta; von Bonsdorff, Monika; Kulmala, Jenni; Törmäkangas, Timo; Seitsamo, Jorma; Leino-Arjas, Päivi; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Ilmarinen, Juhani; Rantanen, Taina

2014-05-01

high job strain increases the risk of health decline, but little is known about the specific consequences and long-term effects of job strain on old age health. purpose was to investigate whether physical and mental job strain in midlife was associated with hospital care use in old age. study population included 5,625 Finnish public sector employees aged 44-58 years who worked in blue- and white-collar professions in 1981. The number of in-patient hospital care days was collected from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register for the 28-year follow-up period. rates of hospital care days per 1,000 person-years for men were 7.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.71-7.84) for low, 9.68 (95% CI 9.50-9.74) for intermediate and 12.56 (95% CI 12.47-12.66) for high physical job strain in midlife. The corresponding rates for women were 6.63 (95% CI 6.57-6.68), 7.91 (95% CI 7.87-7.95) and 10.35 (95% CI 10.25-10.42), respectively. Rates were parallel but lower for mental job strain. Reporting high physical job strain in midlife increased the risk of hospital care in old age compared with those who reported low job strain, fully adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.17 (95% CI 1.00-1.38) for men and 1.42 (95% CI 1.25-1.61) for women. These associations were robust in analyses confined to hospital care that took place after the employees had turned 65 years. exposure to high mental and, particularly, high physical job strain in midlife may set employees on a higher healthcare use trajectory which persists into old age.

Effects of aging on mineralocorticoid-induced salt appetite in rats

PubMed Central

Beltz, Terry G.; Johnson, Alan Kim

2013-01-01

This work examined the effects of age on salt appetite measured in the form of daily saline (i.e., 0.3 M NaCl) drinking in response to administration of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA; 5 mg/kg body wt) using young (4 mo), “middle-aged” adult (12 mo), and old (30 mo) male Brown Norway rats. Water and sodium intakes, excretions, and balances were determined daily. The salt appetite response was age dependent with “middle-aged” rats ingesting the most saline solution followed in order by young and then old rats. While old rats drank the least saline solution, the amounts of saline ingested still were copious and comprise an unambiguous demonstration of salt appetite in old rats. Middle-aged rats had the highest saline preference ratios of the groups under baseline conditions and throughout testing consistent with an increased avidity for sodium taste. There were age differences in renal handling of water and sodium that were consistent with a renal contribution to the greater saline intakes by middle-aged rats. There was evidence of impaired renal function in old rats, but this did not account for the reduced saline intakes of the oldest rats. PMID:24133100

Crucial roles of Nox2-derived oxidative stress in deteriorating the function of insulin receptors and endothelium in dietary obesity of middle-aged mice.

PubMed

Du, Junjie; Fan, Lampson M; Mai, Anna; Li, Jian-Mei

2013-11-01

Systemic oxidative stress associated with dietary calorie overload plays an important role in the deterioration of vascular function in middle-aged patients suffering from obesity and insulin resistance. However, effective therapy is still lacking. In this study, we used a mouse model of middle-aged obesity to investigate the therapeutic potential of pharmaceutical inhibition (apocynin, 5 mM supplied in the drinking water) or knockout of Nox2, an enzyme generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, oxidative stress, insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. Littermates of C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and Nox2 knockout (KO) mice (7 months old) were fed with a HFD (45% kcal fat) or normal chow diet (NCD, 12% kcal fat) for 16 weeks and used at 11 months of age. Compared to NCD WT mice, HFD WT mice developed obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. Aortic vessels from these mice showed significantly increased Nox2 expression and ROS production, accompanied by significantly increased ERK1/2 activation, reduced insulin receptor expression, decreased Akt and eNOS phosphorylation and impaired endothelium-dependent vessel relaxation to acetylcholine. All these HFD-induced abnormalities (except the hyperinsulinaemia) were absent in apocynin-treated WT or Nox2 KO mice given the same HFD. In conclusion, Nox2-derived ROS played a key role in damaging insulin receptor and endothelial function in dietary obesity after middle-age. Targeting Nox2 could represent a valuable therapeutic strategy in the metabolic syndrome. © 2013 The British Pharmacological Society.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AGE-DEPENDENCE IN SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING (SDB) IN OLD AGE: THE BAY AREA SLEEP COHORT (BASC).

PubMed

Bliwise, Donald L

2009-03-01

Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in elderly populations and is thought to reflect, at least in part, age-dependence. Several studies suggest that SDB in elderly populations may hold different functional outcomes relative to SDB in middle-aged populations. Risk factors for SDB specific for the elderly remain uncertain. In this report, we examined changes in SDB, body weight and pulmonary function in 103 individuals over an average interval of 7 years to determine whether changes in these measures covaried. In-lab polysomnography was performed on members of an elderly cohort (Bay Area Sleep Cohort) on two separate occasions (Time 1, Time 2) with multiple nights of measurement typically made on each occasion. Results indicated that: a) SDB progressed over time in both men and women; b) changes in body weight were unrelated to the progression in SDB; c) relative declines in lung volumes (Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1.0 second) were associated with relative increases in SDB, with the effects slightly stronger in men. These data suggest that age-dependence in one commonly ascribed aging biomarker (lung function) were coupled to increments in SDB. Maintenance of healthy lung function into old age may confer some protective benefits in the development of age-dependent SDB.

Young Adults’ Provision of Support to Middle-Aged Parents

PubMed Central

Birditt, Kira S.; Zarit, Steven H.; Fingerman, Karen L.

2015-01-01

Objectives. Middle-aged adults often provide support to aging parents, but researchers know little about support that young adults provide middle-aged parents. This study examined support that young adults provide parents and explanations for that support from both offspring’s and parents’ perspectives. Method. Young adults (n = 515, mean age = 22.34) and their parents (n = 364, mean age = 50.09) from the Family Exchanges Study reported support that offspring provide parents. Participants also reported parental personal problems, parental disability status, relationship quality, and support that parents provide offspring. Results. Offspring provided parents with emotional support and listening more often than other forms of support. Offspring reported providing more frequent support than parents reported receiving. We examined factors associated with support using multilevel models. Both offspring and parents reported more frequent support provided to parents when they had higher quality relationships and when parents gave more frequent support to offspring. Offspring (but not parents) reported providing more frequent support to parents when parents were disabled. Discussion. Findings are consistent with solidarity theory, which suggests that high-quality relationships may explain support. The concept of self-enhancement and generativity in middle-aged parents may explain the intergenerational differences in the association between parental disability and support. PMID:24162441

Preserved olfactory cuing of autobiographical memories in old age.

PubMed

Maylor, Elizabeth A; Carter, Sarah M; Hallett, Emma L

2002-01-01

The authors investigated whether olfactory cues can facilitate memory retrieval and whether they retain their effectiveness in old age. In Phase 1, 57 young and 57 old adults (mean ages of 21 and 84 years, respectively) were asked to recall autobiographical memories associated with each of six cue words. In Phase 2, the same words were presented again with instructions to recall new memories; on this second occasion, half of the words were accompanied by their appropriate odors. Both age groups recalled more than twice as many memories in Phase 2 with the odor than without the odor, providing evidence for substantial olfactory cuing that is remarkably intact in old age.

Age effects in the human middle ear: Wideband acoustical measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feeney, M. Patrick; Sanford, Chris A.

2004-12-01

Studies that have examined age effects in the human middle ear using either admittance measures at 220 or 660 Hz or multifrequency tympanometry from 200 to 2000 Hz have had conflicting results. Several studies have suggested an increase in admittance with age, while several others have suggested a decrease in admittance with age. A third group of studies found no significant age effect. This study examined 226 Hz tympanometry and wideband energy reflectance and impedance at ambient pressure in a group of 40 young adults and a group of 30 adults with age >=60 years. The groups did not differ in admittance measures of the middle ear at 226 Hz. However, significant age effects were found in wideband energy reflectance and impedance. In particular, in older adults there was a comparative decrease in reflectance from 800 to 2000 Hz but an increase near 4000 Hz. The results suggest a decrease in middle-ear stiffness with age. The findings of this study hold relevance for understanding the aging process in the auditory system, for the establishment of normative data for wideband energy reflectance, for the possibility of a conductive component to presbycusis, and for the interpretation of otoacoustic emission measurements. .

Midlife stress alters memory and mood-related behaviors in old age: Role of locally activated glucocorticoids.

PubMed

Wheelan, Nicola; Kenyon, Christopher J; Harris, Anjanette P; Cairns, Carolynn; Al Dujaili, Emad; Seckl, Jonathan R; Yau, Joyce L W

2018-03-01

Chronic exposure to stress during midlife associates with subsequent age-related cognitive decline and may increase the vulnerability to develop psychiatric conditions. Increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity has been implicated in pathogenesis though any causative role for glucocorticoids is unestablished. This study investigated the contribution of local glucocorticoid regeneration by the intracellular enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), in persisting midlife stress-induced behavioral effects in mice. Middle-aged (10 months old) 11β-HSD1-deficient mice and wild-type congenic controls were randomly assigned to 28 days of chronic unpredictable stress or left undisturbed (non-stressed). All mice underwent behavioral testing at the end of the stress/non-stress period and again 6-7 months later. Chronic stress impaired spatial memory in middle-aged wild-type mice. The effects, involving a wide spectrum of behavioral modalities, persisted for 6-7 months after cessation of stress into early senescence. Enduring effects after midlife stress included impaired spatial memory, enhanced contextual fear memory, impaired fear extinction, heightened anxiety, depressive-like behavior, as well as reduced hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression. In contrast, 11β-HSD1 deficient mice resisted both immediate and enduring effects of chronic stress, despite similar stress-induced increases in systemic glucocorticoid activity during midlife stress. In conclusion, chronic stress in midlife exerts persisting effects leading to cognitive and affective dysfunction in old age via mechanisms that depend, at least in part, on brain glucocorticoids generated locally by 11β-HSD1. This finding supports selective 11β-HSD1 inhibition as a novel therapeutic target to ameliorate the long-term consequences of stress-related psychiatric disorders in midlife. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[The Influence of Subjective Health Status, Post-Traumatic Growth, and Social Support on Successful Aging in Middle-Aged Women].

PubMed

Lee, Seung Hee; Jang, Hyung Suk; Yang, Young Hee

2016-10-01

This study was done to investigate factors influencing successful aging in middle-aged women. A convenience sample of 103 middle-aged women was selected from the community. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, two-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis test, Pearson correlations, Spearman correlations and multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. Results of regression analysis showed that significant factors influencing successful aging were post-traumatic growth and social support. This regression model explained 48% of the variance in successful aging. Findings show that the concept 'post-traumatic growth' is an important factor influencing successful aging in middle-aged women. In addition, social support from friends/co-workers had greater influence on successful aging than social support from family. Thus, we need to consider the positive impact of post-traumatic growth and increase the chances of social participation in a successful aging program for middle-aged women.

Relationship between dietary sodium, potassium, and calcium, anthropometric indexes, and blood pressure in young and middle aged Korean adults.

PubMed

Park, Juyeon; Lee, Jung-Sug; Kim, Jeongseon

2010-04-01

Epidemiological evidence of the effects of dietary sodium, calcium, and potassium, and anthropometric indexes on blood pressure is still inconsistent. To investigate the relationship between dietary factors or anthropometric indexes and hypertension risk, we examined the association of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) with sodium, calcium, and potassium intakes and anthropometric indexes in 19~49-year-olds using data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) III. Total of 2,761 young and middle aged adults (574 aged 19~29 years and 2,187 aged 30~49 years) were selected from KNHANES III. General information, nutritional status, and anthropometric data were compared between two age groups (19~29 years old and 30~49 years old). The relevance of blood pressure and risk factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), weight, waist circumference, and the intakes of sodium, potassium, and calcium was determined by multiple regression analysis. Multiple regression models showed that waist circumference, weight, and BMI were positively associated with SBP and DBP in both age groups. Sodium and potassium intakes were not associated with either SBP or DBP. Among 30~49-year-olds, calcium was inversely associated with both SBP and DBP (P = 0.012 and 0.010, respectively). Our findings suggest that encouraging calcium consumption and weight control may play an important role in the primary prevention and management of hypertension in early adulthood.

The effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for the treatment of plantar fasciitis in regard to middle-aged patients' activity level and pain localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanada, M.; Takahashi, M.; Matsuyama, Y.

2017-12-01

In this retrospective cohort study, we compared the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for plantar fasciitis in patients with different activity levels and different pain locations. In total, 92 patients (99 feet) who were over 40 years old with chronic plantar fasciitis were treated with ESWT after being categorized as participating in recreational sports(group R) or only activities of daily living (group D). On the other hand, patients were categorized as having pain in the plantar fascia enthesis (group E) or the entire plantar fascia (group W). Pain during activity and general tenderness were evaluated by using the visual analog scale (VAS) before and after ESWT. Although the VAS for pain score during activity significantly improved in both groups R and D after ESWT (P<0.001 in both groups), the degree of improvement in the VAS for pain score in group R was not significantly different from that in group D (P=0.061 ). The VAS for tenderness score also significantly improved in both groups R and D (P<0.001 in both groups), but there was also no significant difference between the degree of improvement in the VAS for tenderness in group R and that in group D (P=0.41 ). However, the degree of improvement in the VAS for pain and VAS for tenderness scores was significantly greater in group E than that in group W (P<0.001, =0.042 , respectively). We concluded that ESWT was effective for treating plantar fasciitis in middle-aged patients and ESWT was effective in patients not only playing recreational sports but also having activities of daily living. ESWT was more effective in patients with pain in the plantar fascia enthesis than in patients with pain in the entire plantar fascia.

Effect of aging on the microstructure, hardness and chemical composition of dentin.

PubMed

Montoya, C; Arango-Santander, S; Peláez-Vargas, A; Arola, D; Ossa, E A

2015-12-01

Understanding the effects of biological aging on human tissues has been a topic of extensive research. With the increase in healthy seniors and quality of life that topic is becoming increasingly important. In this investigation the effects of aging on the microstructure, chemical composition and hardness of human coronal dentin was studied from a comparison of teeth within "young" and "old" age groups. The microstructure of dentin within three regions (i.e., inner, middle and outer) was analyzed using electron and optical microscopy. The mineral-to-collagen ratio in these three regions was estimated using Raman spectroscopy and the hardness was evaluated using microindentation. Results showed that there were significant differences in tubule density, tubule diameter and peritubular cuff diameter with depth. Although there was no difference in tubule density and diameter of the tubules between the age groups, there was a significant difference in the occlusion ratio. A significant increase in hardness between young and old patients was found for middle and outer dentin. An increase in mineral-to-collagen ratio from inner to outer dentin was also found for both groups. In old patients, an increase in mineral content was found in outer coronal dentin as a consequence of tubule occlusion. An increase in occlusion ratio, hardness, and mineral content was found in the dentin of adult patients with age. This increase is most evident in the outer coronal dentin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The last three days of life: a comparison of pain management in the young old and the oldest old hospitalised patients using the Resident Assessment Instrument for Palliative Care.

PubMed

Steindal, Simen Alexander; Bredal, Inger Schou; Ranhoff, Anette Hylen; Sørbye, Liv Wergeland; Lerdal, Anners

2015-12-01

Pain is a common symptom in older patients at the end of life. Little research has evaluated pain management among the oldest hospitalised dying patients. To compare the pain characteristics documented by healthcare workers for the young old and the oldest old hospitalised patients and the types of analgesics administered in the last three days of life. A retrospective cross-sectional comparative study. The study included 190 patients from a Norwegian general hospital: 101 young old patients (aged 65-84 years) and 89 oldest old patients (aged 85-100 years). Data were extracted from electronic patient records (EPRs) using the Resident Assessment Instrument for Palliative Care. No significant differences were found between the young old and the oldest old patients with regard to pain characteristics. Pain intensity was poorly recorded in the EPRs. Most of the patients received adequate pain control. Morphine was the most frequently administered analgesic for dying patients. Compared to the oldest old patients, a greater proportion of the young old patients received paracetamol combined with codeine (OR = 3.25, 95% CI 1.02-10.40). There appeared to be no differences in healthcare workers' documentation of pain characteristics in young old and oldest old patients, but young old patients were more likely to receive paracetamol in combination with codeine. A limitation of the study is the retrospective design and that data were collected from a single hospital. Therefore, caution should be taken for interpretation of the results. The use of systematic patient-reported assessments in combination with feasible validated tools could contribute to more comprehensive documentation of pain intensity and improved pain control. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Aging on Thyroarytenoid Muscle Regeneration

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyungah; Kletzien, Heidi; Connor, Nadine P.; Schultz, Edward; Chamberlain, Connie S.; Bless, Diane M.

2012-01-01

Objectives/hypotheses Regenerative properties of age-associated changes in the intrinsic laryngeal muscles following injury are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the regenerative properties of the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA) in an aging rat model. The hypothesis was that, following myotoxic injury, old animals would exhibit a decrease in mitotic activities of muscle satellite cells when compared with younger rats, suggesting reduced regenerative potential in the aging rat TA. Study Design Animal group comparison. Method Regeneration responses following injury to the TA were examined in 18 young adult, middle-aged, and old Fischer 344/Brown Norway rats. TA muscle fiber cross sectional area (CSA), satellite cell mitosis (number/fiber), and regeneration index (CSA injured side/CSA non-injured side) were measured and compared across age groups. Results Young animals had a significantly higher regeneration index than the middle-aged and old groups. Within the lateral region of the TA (LTA), the regeneration index was significantly higher in the young animals than in the middle-aged and old animals. The regeneration index of the medial TA (MTA) was significantly higher than the LTA across all age groups. Conclusions The regenerative capacity of the TA muscle is impaired with increasing age. Evidence N/A PMID:22965923

Narratives of aging in intimate partner violence: the double lens of violence and old age.

PubMed

Band-Winterstein, Tova

2012-12-01

With the increase in life expectancy, couples living in intimate partner violence are aging together. The aim of this article is to explore the constructions of aging in intimate partner violence as narratives of couplehood or narratives of old age. Thirty individual in-depth interviews with 15 older Israeli couples were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a narrative approach. Three main domains emerged from the data: health issue narratives, loneliness narratives and relationships with adult offspring narratives. Each of the narratives that emerged from the data analysis consists of a narrative of old age constructing IPV and a narrative of IPV constructing old age. Conflictual couplehood dynamics, such as intimate partner violence in old age, is not one-dimensional, but is diverse and complex and this should be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mobile phone enabled health promotion program for middle-aged males.

PubMed

Ding, H; Karunanithi, M; Duncan, M; Ireland, D; Noakes, M; Hooker, C

2013-01-01

The prevalence of chronic diseases among middle aged males outweigh their female counterparts in developed countries. To prevent this, delivery of health promotion programs targeting lifestyle modifications of physical activity and nutrition in middle-aged males has been essential, but often difficult. ManUp health promotion program was a recent initiative that uses current advances in information and communication technology (ICT) to reach the middle-aged males. One of the key components of the ICT approach was the development of smartphone application to enable middle-aged men to uptake the program with their own mobile phone. The smart phone application was aimed at providing varied level of challenges towards physical activity and healthy eating behavior, with interactive and motivational feedback SMS messages. The ManUp program was recently implemented and trialed in a randomized control trial in Gladstone and Rockhampton, Queens. This paper describes the components of the smart phone application integrated within the ManUp health promotion program.

Comparison of pharmacokinetics of tramadol between young and middle-aged dogs

PubMed Central

ITAMI, Takaharu; SAITO, Yasuo; ISHIZUKA, Tomohito; TAMURA, Jun; UMAR, Mohammed A.; INOUE, Hiroki; MIYOSHI, Kenjiro; YAMASHITA, Kazuto

2016-01-01

This study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics of tramadol between young and middle-aged dogs. Tramadol (4 mg/kg) was administered intravenously (IV) to young and middle-aged dogs (2 and 8–10 years, respectively). Plasma concentrations of tramadol were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and its pharmacokinetics best fit a two-compartment model. The volume of distribution (Vd), elimination half-life (t1/2,β) and total body clearance (CLtot) of the young group were 4.77 ± 1.07 l/kg, 1.91 ± 0.26 hr and 29.9 ± 7.3 ml/min/kg, respectively, while those of the middle-aged group were 4.73 ± 1.43 l/kg, 2.39 ± 0.97 hr and 23.7 ± 5.4 ml/min/kg, respectively. Intergroup differences in the t1/2,β and CLtot were significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, tramadol excretion was significantly prolonged in middle-aged dogs. PMID:26875837

Comparison of pharmacokinetics of tramadol between young and middle-aged dogs.

PubMed

Itami, Takaharu; Saito, Yasuo; Ishizuka, Tomohito; Tamura, Jun; Umar, Mohammed A; Inoue, Hiroki; Miyoshi, Kenjiro; Yamashita, Kazuto

2016-07-01

This study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics of tramadol between young and middle-aged dogs. Tramadol (4 mg/kg) was administered intravenously (IV) to young and middle-aged dogs (2 and 8-10 years, respectively). Plasma concentrations of tramadol were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and its pharmacokinetics best fit a two-compartment model. The volume of distribution (Vd), elimination half-life (t1/2,β) and total body clearance (CLtot) of the young group were 4.77 ± 1.07 l/kg, 1.91 ± 0.26 hr and 29.9 ± 7.3 ml/min/kg, respectively, while those of the middle-aged group were 4.73 ± 1.43 l/kg, 2.39 ± 0.97 hr and 23.7 ± 5.4 ml/min/kg, respectively. Intergroup differences in the t1/2,β and CLtot were significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, tramadol excretion was significantly prolonged in middle-aged dogs.

Being single in old age.

PubMed

Gubrium, J F

1975-01-01

The routine, everyday life of single elders differs from that of other old people. On the basis of interview date both about themselves and some aspects of the quality of their everyday lives, it is proposed that single elders constitute a distinct type of social personality in old age. Interviews provide subjective and methodological evidence to support this. The "normal", taken-for-granted social world of single elders is: relatively isolated; but not perceived in terms of loneliness, at present or anticipated; and considered an ordinary extension of their past. Death is conceived as "just another" event of their ongoing experiences.

Beneficial effects of glycine (bioglycin) on memory and attention in young and middle-aged adults.

PubMed

File, S E; Fluck, E; Fernandes, C

1999-12-01

The N-methyl D-aspartate receptor complex is involved in the mechanism of long-term potentiation, which is thought to be the biological basis of learning and memory. This complex can be manipulated in a number of ways, one of which is through the strychnine-insensitive glycine receptor coagonist site. The effects of Bioglycin(Konapharma, Pratteln, Switzerland), a biologically active form of the amino acid glycine, were therefore studied in healthy students (mean age, 20.7 years) and middle-aged men (mean age, 58.9 years) with tests that measured attention, memory and mood, using a double-blind, randomized, crossover design. Compared with the young group, the middle-aged group had significantly poorer verbal episodic memory, focused, divided, and sustained attention; they also differed in their subjective responses at the end of testing. Bioglycin significantly improved retrieval from episodic memory in both the young and the middle-aged groups, but it did not affect focused or divided attention. However, the middle-aged men significantly benefited from Bioglycin in the sustained-attention task. The effects of Bioglycin differed from those of other cognitive enhancers in that it was without stimulant properties or significant effects on mood, and it primarily improved memory rather than attention. It is likely to be of benefit in young or older people in situations where high retrieval of information is needed or when performance is impaired by jet lag, shift work, or disrupted sleep. It may also benefit the impaired retrieval shown in patients with schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease.

Acute exposure to Buenos Aires air particles (UAP-BA) induces local and systemic inflammatory response in middle-aged mice: A time course study.

PubMed

Orona, Nadia S; Ferraro, Sebastián A; Astort, Francisco; Morales, Celina; Brites, Fernando; Boero, Laura; Tiscornia, Gisela; Maglione, Guillermo A; Saldiva, Paulo H N; Yakisich, Sebastian; Tasat, Deborah R

2016-01-01

Exposure to air particulate matter (PM) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbimortality. However, PM doesn't affect equally to all people, being the old cohort the most susceptible and studied. We hypothesized that another specific life phase, the middle-aged subpopulation, may be negatively affected. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze in vivo the acute biological impact of two environmental particles, Urban Air Particles from Buenos Aires and Residual Oil Fly Ash, on the cardiorespiratory system of middle-aged mice, evaluating oxidative metabolism and inflammation. Both PM provoked a local and systemic inflammatory response, leading to a reduced alveolar area in the lung, an epicard inflammation in the heart, an increment of IL-6, and a reduction on PON 1 activity in serum of middle-aged animals. The positive correlation of local parameters with systemic markers of oxidative stress and inflammation could be responsible for associations of cardiovascular morbimortality in this subpopulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verbal and visual divergent thinking in aging.

PubMed

Palmiero, Massimiliano; Nori, Raffaella; Piccardi, Laura

2017-04-01

According to the peak and decline model divergent thinking declines at a specific age (in or after middle age). However, if divergent thinking declines steadily in aging still has to be clarified. In order to explore the age-related changes in verbal and visual divergent thinking, in the present study a sample of 159 participants was divided in five age groups: young adults (18-35 years), middle-aged adults (36-55), young old (56-74), old (75-85) and the oldest-old (86-98). Two divergent thinking tasks were administered: the alternative uses for cardboard boxes, aimed at assessing verbal ideational fluency, flexibility and originality; the completion drawing task, aimed at assessing visual ideational fluency, flexibility and originality. Results showed that after peaking in the young adult group (20-35 years) all components of verbal and visual divergent thinking stabilized in the middle-aged adult group (36-55 years) and then started declining in the young old group (56-75). Interestingly, all components were found to be preserved after declining. Yet, verbal and visual divergent thinking were found at the same extent across age groups, with the exception of visual ideational fluency, that was higher in the young old group, the old group and the oldest-old group than verbal ideational fluency. These results support the idea that divergent thinking does not decline steadily in the elderly. Given that older people can preserve to some extent verbal and visual divergent thinking, these findings have important implications for active aging, that is, divergent thinking might be fostered in aging in order to prevent the cognitive decline.

Death anxiety in Kuwaiti middle-aged personnel.

PubMed

Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M; Al-Kandari, Yagoub

2007-01-01

The present study aimed to examine the level of death anxiety, the sex-related differences among a middle-aged Kuwaiti personnel sample, and to explore the replicability of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) factors. A sample of 236 volunteer Kuwaiti personnel took part in the study. The mean ages of men and women were 41.5 (SD = 7.5) and 40.9 (SD = 7.1), respectively. The alpha reliability of the ASDA was found to be high (.93). Women had a significantly higher mean total score on the ASDA as well as on 17 out of its 20 items. Middle-aged personnel had a significantly lower mean ASDA total score than younger college students (M age = 22). The factor analysis of the ASDA items yielded three factors: fear of dead people and tombs; fear of postmortem events; and fear of lethal disease. These factors were highly replicable with previous factors extracted from a Kuwaiti college student sample. On the basis of the present findings, there are three general conclusions as follows: death anxiety is negatively associated with age; the sex-related differences on death anxiety are salient in the Arab samples; and the ASDA has a highly replicable factor structure.

Falls and age in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Bassiony, Medhat M; Rosenblatt, Adam; Baker, Alva; Steinberg, Martin; Steele, Cynthia D; Sheppard, Jeanie-Marie E; Lyketsos, Constantine G

2004-08-01

The study's objective was to estimate the prevalence of falls in community-residing patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to investigate the relationship between falls and age in AD. This was a study of 326 community-residing patients with AD according to National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria. The patients and their caregivers were asked about falls, behavioral disturbances, and medication use within the last 2 weeks. The patients were also rated on standardized measures of cognitive impairment, stage of dementia, depression, daily activities, general health, and extrapyramidal symptoms. Falls occurred in 24 (7.4%) patients with AD during the last 2 weeks. Using multiple logistic regression analyses, falls were independently associated with old age (odds ratio = 1.2; p = .03; 95% confidence interval = 1.0 to 1.4) but not with other variables examined. The authors conclude that falls in community-residing patients with AD are significantly associated with old age. Population-based prospective studies are needed to investigate further the risk factors for falls in AD.

AmeriFlux US-Me4 Metolius-old aged ponderosa pine

DOE Data Explorer

Law, Bev [Oregon State University

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Me4 Metolius-old aged ponderosa pine. Site Description - The site is located on land designated as a Research Natural Area (RNA). The site is very open, with even-aged stands of old-growth trees, young trees and mixed aged stands. The eddy-flux tower footprint was classified as ~ 48% mixed aged, ~27% pure old growth and ~25% young aged stands. The data in this workbook describes the mixed aged component. A separate workbook describes the pure old growth component. Law et al (2001) Global Change Biology 7, 755-777; Law et al (2001) Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 110, 27-43; Anthoni et al (2002) Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 111, 203-222; Irvine & Law (2002) Global Change biology 8,1183-1194, Irivne et al (2004) Tree Physiology 24,753-763.

Why middle-aged listeners have trouble hearing in everyday settings.

PubMed

Ruggles, Dorea; Bharadwaj, Hari; Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara G

2012-08-07

Anecdotally, middle-aged listeners report difficulty conversing in social settings, even when they have normal audiometric thresholds [1-3]. Moreover, young adult listeners with "normal" hearing vary in their ability to selectively attend to speech amid similar streams of speech. Ignoring age, these individual differences correlate with physiological differences in temporal coding precision present in the auditory brainstem, suggesting that the fidelity of encoding of suprathreshold sound helps explain individual differences [4]. Here, we revisit the conundrum of whether early aging influences an individual's ability to communicate in everyday settings. Although absolute selective attention ability is not predicted by age, reverberant energy interferes more with selective attention as age increases. Breaking the brainstem response down into components corresponding to coding of stimulus fine structure and envelope, we find that age alters which brainstem component predicts performance. Specifically, middle-aged listeners appear to rely heavily on temporal fine structure, which is more disrupted by reverberant energy than temporal envelope structure is. In contrast, the fidelity of envelope cues predicts performance in younger adults. These results hint that temporal envelope cues influence spatial hearing in reverberant settings more than is commonly appreciated and help explain why middle-aged listeners have particular difficulty communicating in daily life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for suicidal ideation in Korean middle-aged adults: the role of socio-demographic status.

PubMed

Moon, Sang-Sik; Park, Sang-Mi

2012-11-01

The investigations of the risk factors for suicidal ideation among middle-aged adults may be especially important for predicting suicidal actions, given the steep increase in suicide among Koreans aged 45-54. Few studies have sought to investigate the effect of socio-demographic status on suicidal ideation among middle-aged adults. This study investigated the influence of socio-demographic status on suicidal ideation among middle-aged adults in South Korea. The sample consisted of middle-aged men (n = 3,214) and middle-aged women (n = 4,087) aged 40-64 years who had participated in the 2005 cross-sectional Seoul Citizens Health and Social Indicators Survey. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, we examined the effect of socio-demographic status, health behaviours and health status on suicidal ideation in middle-aged adults. The outstanding finding was that suicidal ideation was most prevalent among middle-aged women who engaged in manual labour (i.e. blue-collar workers) (OR = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.20-6.42). The absence of a spouse was significantly associated with suicidal ideation among middle-aged men (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.30-3.40). The effect of enhanced security related to stable employment was strongest among middle-aged women in blue-collar jobs, and the effect of intensive counselling services was strongest among divorced or widowed middle-aged men.

Long-term effects of nurse-led individualized education on middle-aged patients with acute coronary synrome: a quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Shim, Jae Lan; Hwang, Seon Young

2017-01-01

This study examined the long-term effects of nurse-led, individualized education on self-efficacy, self-care compliance, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in middle-aged patients with new-onset acute coronary syndrome . A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used in the study. A cardiovascular nurse provided individualized education to the intervention group ( n  = 32), and self-efficacy, self-care compliance, and HRQoL at baseline and 3 and 12 months after discharge were compared to those of a control group ( n  = 30). Patients were recruited from a cardiovascular care unit at a university hospital between 2012 and 2013. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare time-related changes. There was no significant difference in self-efficacy between the 2 groups over a fixed period ( F  = 3.47, p  = 0.067) and showed no interaction between the 2 groups ( F  = 0.45, p  = 0.636). However, significant differences were found in the main and interaction effects between the 2 groups and changes in self-care compliance over the follow-up period differed significantly between the 2 groups ( F  = 28.72, p  < 0.001). Changes in mental HRQoL over the follow-up period differed significantly between the 2 groups ( F  = 33.34, p  < 0.001) and significant interaction effect ( F  = 4.40, p  = 0.040). Structured nurse-led education should be provided to middle-aged patients with new-onset acute coronary syndrome, as part of routine predischarge education, to increase self-care compliance and mental HRQoL and prevent secondary adverse events. Trial registration number (TRN) is KCT0002454. The study was registered retrospectively with registration date July 9, 2017.

Valuation of life in old and very old age: the role of sociodemographic, social, and health resources for positive adaptation.

PubMed

Jopp, Daniela; Rott, Christoph; Oswald, Frank

2008-10-01

Valuation of life (VOL) represents a construct capturing active attachment to life put forward by M. P. Lawton (e.g., 1999). As old and very old individuals may differ in terms of endorsement and with respect to what makes a life worth living, the present study investigated whether mean levels and the explanatory value of sociodemographic, social, and health predictors for VOL differ between young-old and old-old individuals. We presented a sample of 356 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 to 94 years with Lawton's Positive Valuation of Life Scale and established measures to assess predictors of VOL. Mean levels of VOL decreased from the third to the fourth age. Zero-order correlations showed significant relations between sociodemographic (i.e., age, gender, marital status, education), social (i.e., social contacts, phone calls, volunteering, contact with youth), and health (i.e., mobility, vision, hearing, activity restrictions, activity of daily living [ADL], instrumental ADL [IADL]) indicators. Regression analyses for the domain-specific predictors reduced the number of significant predictors to age, education, grandchildren, vision, and IADLs. When combining all sets of predictors, health explained twice as much variance in VOL compared to social indicators; sociodemographic indicators including age made no independent contribution. Separate analysis for young-old and old-old participants revealed age-differential prediction patterns. For the young-old, the role of health factors was especially strong, whereas specific social factors became more important in the old-old group. Age-differential predictive values of the resources seem to indicate positive adaptation to aging. Taking into account such prediction patterns may help to design specific interventions for young-old and old-old individuals.

Menopausal status and physical performance in middle aged women: a cross-sectional community-based study in Northeast Brazil.

PubMed

da Câmara, Saionara M A; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria; Pirkle, Catherine; Moreira, Mayle A; Maciel, Álvaro C C

2015-01-01

To examine associations between menopausal status and physical performance in middle-aged women from the Northeast region of Brazil. Cross-sectional study of women between 40 to 65 years old living in Parnamirim. Women were recruited by advertisements in primary care neighborhood centers across the city. Physical performance was assessed by grip strength, gait speed and chair stands. Menopausal status was determined using the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop classification and women were classified in: premenopausal, perimenopausal or postmenopausal. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to model the effect of menopausal status on each physical performance measure, adjusting for covariates (age, family income, education, body mass index, parity and age at first birth). The premenopausal women were significantly stronger and performed better in chair stands than perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Gait speed did not vary significantly by menopausal status. In multivariate analyses, menopausal status remained statistically significant only for grip strength. In fully adjusted analyses, premenopausal women had grip strength mean of 2.226 Kgf (95% CI: 0.361 - 4.091) higher than the postmenopausal group. This study provides further evidence for the associations between menopause and physical performance in middle-aged women, since grip strength is weaker in peri and postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal, even adjusted for age and other covariates.

Changes in visceral adipose tissue plasma membrane lipid composition in old rats are associated with adipocyte hypertrophy with aging.

PubMed

Bonzón-Kulichenko, Elena; Moltó, Eduardo; Pintado, Cristina; Fernández, Alejandro; Arribas, Carmen; Schwudke, Dominik; Gallardo, Nilda; Shevchenko, Andrej; Andrés, Antonio

2018-04-16

Increased adiposity, through adipocyte hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia, characterizes aging and obesity. Both are leptin-resistant states, associated to disturbed lipid metabolism, reduced insulin sensitivity and inflammation. Nevertheless, fat tissue dysfunction appears earlier in obesity than in normal aging. In contrast, lipodystrophy is accompanied by diabetes, and improving the fat cell capacity to expand rescues the diabetic phenotype. Fat tissue dysfunction is extensively studied in the diet-induced obesity, but remains relatively neglected in the aging-associated obesity. In the Wistar rat, as occurs in humans, early or middle aging is accompanied by an increase in adiposity. Using this experimental model, we describe the molecular mechanisms contributing to the white adipose tissue (WAT) hypertrophy. WAT from middle-old age rats is characterized by decreased basal lipogenesis and lipolysis, increased esterification, as demonstrated by the higher TAG and cholesterol content in visceral WAT, and the maintenance of total ceramide levels within normal values. In addition, we describe alterations in the adipose tissue plasma membrane lipid composition, as increased total ether-phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin and free cholesterol levels that favor an enlarged fat cell size with aging. All these metabolic changes may be regarded as a survival advantage that prevents the aged rats from becoming overtly diabetic.

How old is too old? Challenges faced by clinicians concerning age cutoffs for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Klitzman, Robert L

2016-07-01

To study how IVF providers view and make decisions concerning age cutoffs and futility (e.g., whether they establish clear cutoffs, and if so, where). In-depth interviews of approximately 1 hour. Not applicable. Interviewees: 27 ART providers (17 physicians, 10 other providers) and 10 patients. Not applicable. Attitudes and decisions concerning age cutoffs were assessed. Providers face several challenges and dilemmas concerning both the content and the process of decision-making about age cutoffs-what age cutoff to use for potential parents (women both using and not using their own eggs) and potential fathers (whether to consider the father's age, and if so, separately or only with the mother's age); what criteria to use in these decisions (how much to consider and weigh the mother's autonomy vs. the future child's well-being); how to make these decisions (e.g., "gut feelings" or perceptions of public opinion); who makes these decisions (e.g., physicians on their own vs. a formal ethics or Quality Assurance committee); and how to present/frame these issues to patients (e.g., how much to discourage older women). Patients' responses to age limitations vary (e.g., minimizing or feeling exceptions to the risks; or lying about their age). These data, the first to explore how providers make decisions about age cutoffs for patients, raise several critical issues. Although the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has addressed several concerns, the present data suggest additional questions and challenges, including inherent uncertainties and ethical conflicts, and have important implications for practice, policy, research, and education. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sweet old things: moral complexities in old age in Muriel Spark's Memento Mori.

PubMed

England, Suzanne E; Rust, Martha D

2015-04-01

Through the lens of Muriel Spark's dark comedic novel, Memento Mori, this paper explores questions of morality, mortality, and the moral choices and performances in old age and in the systems and places of care. Spark's elderly characters are complex moral actors - some virtuous and some decidedly not - who have been receiving mysterious phone calls telling them simply, "Remember you must die." We, the co-authors, are from two different disciplines, namely Renaissance and medieval literature, and social work and critical gerontology. Among the questions that interest us is the paradox of a master narrative that on the one hand exempts the old from moral criticism yet holds them to a higher moral standard - essentially positioning them as moral nonentities, and relieving the old, their caretakers, and society of moral responsibility. Another is the question of whether moral agency in old age has distinctive aspects, and whether consciousness of one's impending mortality effects moral reasoning and performance. In this paper we offer our individual readings of the ways the novel opens up conceptual space in aging theory, and conclude with our thoughts about what our collaboration suggests for continuing cross-disciplinary dialogue. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age inclusive services or separate old age and working age services? A historical analysis from the formative years of old age psychiatry c.1940–1989

PubMed Central

Hilton, Claire

2015-01-01

The Equality Act 2010 made it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of services on the grounds of age. This legislation is open to interpretation, but it is affecting the way older people’s services are defined and provided. Historical evidence indicates that, since the 1940s, apart from psychiatrists working in dedicated old age services, most were unenthusiastic about working with mentally unwell older people and unsupportive of those who chose to do so. A historical analysis might shed light on current dilemmas about ‘all age’ or ‘old age’ services and inform decision-making on future mental health services. PMID:26191440

Listening Comprehension in Middle-Aged Adults.

PubMed

Sommers, Mitchell S

2015-06-01

The purpose of this summary is to examine changes in listening comprehension across the adult lifespan and to identify factors associated with individual differences in listening comprehension. In this article, the author reports on both cross-sectional and longitudinal changes in listening comprehension. Despite significant declines in both sensory and cognitive abilities, listening comprehension remains relatively unchanged in middle-aged listeners (between the ages of 40 and 60 years) compared with young listeners. These results are discussed with respect to possible compensatory factors that maintain listening comprehension despite impaired hearing and reduced cognitive capacities.

Minding Your Metabolism: Can You Avoid Middle-Age Spread?

MedlinePlus

... Subscribe July 2015 Print this issue Minding Your Metabolism Can You Avoid Middle-Age Spread? En español ... the flab that can come with age. Your metabolism Chemical changes in the body that create the ...

Hypokalemic paralysis in a middle-aged female with classic Bartter syndrome.

PubMed

Chiang, Wen-Fang; Lin, Shih-Hung; Chan, Jenq-Shyong; Lin, Shih-Hua

2014-02-01

Inherited classic Bartter syndrome (cBS) is an autosomal recessive renal tubular disorder resulting from inactivating mutations in the asolateral chloride channel (C1C-Kb) and usually presents in early infancy or childhood with mild to moderate hypokalemia. Profound hypokalemic paralysis in patients with cBS is extremely rare, especially in middle age. A 45-year-old Chinese female patient was referred for evaluation of chronic severe hypokalemia despite regular K+ supplementation (1 mmol/kg/d). She had had two episodes of muscle paralysis due to severe hypokalemia (K+ 1.9 - 2.1 mmol/l) in the past 3 years. She denied vomiting, diarrhea, or the use of laxatives or diuretics. Her blood pressure was normal. Biochemical studies showed hypokalemia (K+ 2.5 mmol/l) with renal potassium wasting, metabolic alkalosis (HCO3- 32 mmol/l), normomagnesemia (Mg2+ 0.8 mmol/l), hypercalciuria (calcium to creatinine ratio 0.5 mmol/mmol; normal < 0.22 mmol/mol), high plasma renin activity, but normal plasma aldosterone concentration. Abdominal sonography revealed neither renal stones nor nephrocalcinosis. Acquired causes of cBS such as autoimmune disease and drugs were all excluded. Molecular analysis of the CLCNKB gene, encoding ClC-Kb, and SLC12A3, encoding the thiazide-sensitive sodium chloride cotransporter (NCC), revealed compound heterozygous mutations in CLCNKB (L335P and G470E) inherited from her parents; her SLC12A3 was normal. These two mutations were not identified in 100 healthy subjects. Her plasma K+ concentration rose to 3 - 3.5 mmol/l after the addition of spironolactone. Inherited cBS may present with hypokalemic paralysis and should be considered in adult patients with hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis.

Brain activation changes during locomotion in middle-aged to older adults with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Hernandez, Manuel E; Holtzer, Roee; Chaparro, Gioella; Jean, Kharine; Balto, Julia M; Sandroff, Brian M; Izzetoglu, Meltem; Motl, Robert W

2016-11-15

Mobility and cognitive impairments are common in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), and are expected to worsen with increasing age. However, no studies, to date, in part due to limitations of conventional neuroimaging methods, have examined changes in brain activation patterns during active locomotion in older patients with MS. This study used functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate real-time neural activation differences in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) between middle-aged to older adults with MS and healthy controls during single (Normal Walk; NW) and dual-task (Walking While Talking; WWT) locomotion tasks. Eight middle-aged to older adults with MS and eight healthy controls underwent fNIRS recording while performing the NW and WWT tasks with an fNIRS cap consisting of 16 optodes positioned over the forehead. The MS group had greater elevations in PFC oxygenation levels during WWT compared to NW than healthy controls. There was no walking performance difference between groups during locomotion. These findings suggest that middle-aged to older individuals with MS might be able to achieve similar levels of performance through the use of increased brain activation. This study is the first to investigate brain activation changes during the performance of simple and divided-attention locomotion tasks in MS using fNIRS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Longevity's Gift: A Second Middle Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronte, Lydia

1995-01-01

A study in 1987-92 assessed the effects of changes in life course on work and careers. Interviews with 150 individuals who remained active or continued to work beyond age 65 showed lifetimes differing greatly from the traditional model. The combination of longer lifetimes and postponement of old age has created a new stage in adult life, a second…

Risk factors of acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people (< 45 years) in Yantai.

PubMed

Du, Hong; Dong, Chang-Yan; Lin, Qiao-Yan

2015-09-29

Yantai is a developed medium-sized coastal city in Eastern China, having a population of 1.6845 million. With the development of economy, some middle-aged and adolescent people (< 45 years) devote themselves to work and suffer from greater stress, which makes them ignore their own health. Moreover, they have unhealthy lifestyles and lack the knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors. To identify the risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people in Yantai, a developed medium-sized coastal city in Eastern China. A total of 154 consecutive patients with first acute myocardial infarction (< 45 years), were enrolled in case group, and 462 patients without myocardial infarction were enrolled in control group. Three controls with the same sex and age were matched to each case. The risk factors were identified with univariate and multivariate analysis. Unhealthy food habit (eating seafood and meanwhile drinking beer), hypertension, current smokers, self-perceived stress, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sleep insufficience, hypercholesterolaemia and fatigue were independent risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction (P < 0.05). Besides those recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking), eating seafood and meanwhile drinking beer, self-perceived stress, sleep insufficience, obesity and fatigue were also the risk factors for first acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged and adolescent people in Yantai.

Crossed cerebellar diaschisis in patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarction: Occurrence and perfusion characteristics

PubMed Central

Sommer, Wieland H; Bollwein, Christine; Thierfelder, Kolja M; Baumann, Alena; Janssen, Hendrik; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Reiser, Maximilian F; Plate, Annika; Straube, Andreas

2015-01-01

We aimed to investigate the overall prevalence and possible factors influencing the occurrence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis after acute middle cerebral artery infarction using whole-brain CT perfusion. A total of 156 patients with unilateral hypoperfusion of the middle cerebral artery territory formed the study cohort; 352 patients without hypoperfusion served as controls. We performed blinded reading of different perfusion maps for the presence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis and determined the relative supratentorial and cerebellar perfusion reduction. Moreover, imaging patterns (location and volume of hypoperfusion) and clinical factors (age, sex, time from symptom onset) resulting in crossed cerebellar diaschisis were analysed. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis was detected in 35.3% of the patients with middle cerebral artery infarction. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis was significantly associated with hypoperfusion involving the left hemisphere, the frontal lobe and the thalamus. The degree of the relative supratentorial perfusion reduction was significantly more pronounced in crossed cerebellar diaschisis-positive patients but did not correlate with the relative cerebellar perfusion reduction. Our data suggest that (i) crossed cerebellar diaschisis is a common feature after middle cerebral artery infarction which can robustly be detected using whole-brain CT perfusion, (ii) its occurrence is influenced by location and degree of the supratentorial perfusion reduction rather than infarct volume (iii) other clinical factors (age, sex and time from symptom onset) did not affect the occurrence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis. PMID:26661242

[Effectiveness of magnetotherapy in elderly hypertensive patients aging at different rates].

PubMed

Abramovich, S G; Koriakina, A V; Brodach, L N; Akhmedzianov, Iu A; Makarychkin, S P

2000-01-01

Effectiveness of general magnetotherapy was studied in 84 patients with essential hypertension and 36 patients with isolated systolic arterial hypertension of old age. It is thought necessary to determine biological age of the cardiovascular system in hypertensive patients over 60 years of age to specify indications and contraindications to physiotherapy.

Filial Obligation and Marital Satisfaction in Middle-aged Couples

PubMed Central

Seidel, Amber J.; Birditt, Kira S.; Zarit, Steven H.; Fingerman, Karen L.

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose of the Study: Although prior research suggests that high filial obligation has an adverse impact on psychological well-being, little is known about the implications of these beliefs for marital quality during midlife. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine dyadic associations between middle-aged husbands’ and wives’ filial obligation beliefs and their marital satisfaction. Design and Methods: Using a sample of 132 middle-aged husbands (M = 51.45 years) and wives (M = 49.75 years) drawn from Wave 1 of the Family Exchanges Study, we tested actor–partner interdependence models to determine associations between husbands’ and wives’ filial obligation beliefs and marital satisfaction in both spouses. We also examined associations between spousal dissimilarity in filial obligation and marital satisfaction. Results: Wives’ greater filial obligation was associated with their own lower marital satisfaction. Conversely, husbands’ greater filial obligation was associated with their own higher marital satisfaction. Greater spousal dissimilarity in filial obligation was associated with lower levels of marital satisfaction for husbands but not for wives. Implications: Given that support provided to aging parents most often occurs within the context of marriage, findings highlight the importance of examining dyadic associations between filial obligation beliefs and marital quality among middle-aged couples. PMID:26613745

Change in Perceived Age in Middle and Later Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Russell A.

2013-01-01

Analyses examine change in the age people "feel" ("felt age") and "would like to be" ("ideal age") (relative to current age) in middle and later life. Data are from 1,815 respondents in two waves (1995-96, 2004-06) of the Midlife in the United States Survey (MIDUS) who were age 40+ at Wave 1. In aggregate, people feel about the same amount younger…

Genetic Risk for Age-Related Cognitive Impairment Does Not Predict Cognitive Performance in Middle Age.

PubMed

Korthauer, Laura E; Awe, Elizabeth; Frahmand, Marijam; Driscoll, Ira

2018-05-26

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by memory loss and executive dysfunction, which correspond to structural changes to the medial temporal lobes (MTL) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), respectively. Given the overlap in cognitive deficits between healthy aging and the earliest stages of AD, early detection of AD remains a challenge. The goal of the present study was to study MTL- and PFC-dependent cognitive functioning in middle-aged individuals at genetic risk for AD or cognitive impairment who do not currently manifest any clinical symptoms. Participants (N = 150; aged 40-60 years) underwent genotyping of 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six genes previously associated with memory or executive functioning: APOE, SORL1, BDNF, TOMM40, KIBRA, and COMT. They completed two MTL-dependent tasks, the virtual Morris Water Task (vMWT) and transverse patterning discriminations task (TPDT), and the PFC-dependent reversal learning task. Although age was associated with poorer performance on the vMWT and TPDT within this middle-aged sample, there were no genotype-associated differences in cognitive performance. Although the vMWT and TPDT may be sensitive to age-related changes in cognition, carriers of APOE, SORL1, BDNF, TOMM40, KIBRA, and COMT risk alleles do not exhibit alteration in MTL- and PFC-dependent functioning in middle age compared to non-carriers.

Old Age Income Security in Canada

PubMed Central

Willard, J. W.

1965-01-01

The position of older people in modern industrial society is markedly removed from the early industrial norm of continued participation in gainful employment until the end of life. Acceptance of a retirement age some 13 years before the end of average male life expectancy has brought with it serious social problems. At the same time, however, an increasingly productive economy has provided both the willingness and ability to complement the retirement provisions of individual initiative with public programs of old age income maintenance. This public support began in Canada with the voluntary approach embodied in the government annuities plan. A program of “public assistance” followed. These were succeeded, first, by the “universal payment” under the Old Age Security Act and, more recently, by the social insurance approach of the Canada Pension Plan. Along with improved public support, the role of occupational pension plans and of individually initiated retirement provisions continues to be substantial. Current interest in, and in some cases legislation on, such problems as vesting and solvency are leading to improvements in private pension programs. PMID:5828720

Old age income security in Canada.

PubMed

Willard, J W

1965-10-09

The position of older people in modern industrial society is markedly removed from the early industrial norm of continued participation in gainful employment until the end of life. Acceptance of a retirement age some 13 years before the end of average male life expectancy has brought with it serious social problems. At the same time, however, an increasingly productive economy has provided both the willingness and ability to complement the retirement provisions of individual initiative with public programs of old age income maintenance. This public support began in Canada with the voluntary approach embodied in the government annuities plan. A program of "public assistance" followed. These were succeeded, first, by the "universal payment" under the Old Age Security Act and, more recently, by the social insurance approach of the Canada Pension Plan. Along with improved public support, the role of occupational pension plans and of individually initiated retirement provisions continues to be substantial. Current interest in, and in some cases legislation on, such problems as vesting and solvency are leading to improvements in private pension programs.

Diseases of Old Age in Two Paintings by Rembrandt

PubMed Central

Weisz, George M.; Albury, William R.

2015-01-01

Two paintings of older men by Rembrandt (1609–1669) are examined to demonstrate that historical attitudes toward diseases of old age and the ageing person’s response to illness can be investigated in paintings. The works selected are of different genres and date from different stages of Rembrandt’s own life, one from his youth and one from his old age. Both paintings show figures who have joint pathologies typically associated with the ageing process, the first involving the subject’s foot and the second involving the subject’s hand. Despite the sometimes painful nature of these conditions, the subjects are shown accommodating their illnesses while maintaining both their intellectual and social engagement and their emotional composure. Although the seventeenth century offered older people very little effective medical treatment in comparison with what is presently available, these paintings nevertheless present a view of illness as a subsidiary rather than a dominant feature of old age. PMID:26886771

Caffeine and diphenyl diselenide improve long-term memory impaired in middle-aged rats.

PubMed

Leite, Marlon R; Marcondes Sari, Marcel Henrique; de Freitas, Mayara L; Oliveira, Lia P; Dalmolin, Laíza; Brandão, Ricardo; Zeni, Gilson

2014-05-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 supplemented diet (10ppm) associated to the administration of caffeine (15mg/kg; i.g.) for 30days on the novel object recognition memory in middle-aged rats. The present findings showed that (PhSe)2-supplemented diet enhanced short-term memory, but not long-term memory, of middle-aged rats in the novel object recognition task. The (PhSe)2 supplemented diet associated with caffeine administration improved long-term memory, but did not alter short-term memory, impaired in middle-aged rats. Daily caffeine administration to middle-aged rats had no effect on the memory tasks. Diet supplemented with (PhSe)2 plus caffeine administration increased the number of crossings and rearings reduced in middle-aged rats. Caffeine administration plus (PhSe)2 diets were effective in increasing the number of rearings and crossings, respectively, in middle-aged rats, [(3)H] glutamate uptake was reduced in hippocampal slices of rats from (PhSe)2 and caffeine plus (PhSe)2 groups. In addition, animals supplemented with (PhSe)2 showed an increase in the pCREB/CREB ratio whereas pAkt/Akt ratio was not modified. These results suggest that the effects of (PhSe)2 on the short-term memory may be related to its ability to decrease the uptake of glutamate, influencing the increase of CREB phosphorylation. (PhSe)2-supplemented diet associated to the administration of caffeine improved long-term memory impaired in middle-aged rats, an effect independent of CREB and Akt phosphorylation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stereotypes of Middle-Aged and Elderly Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Wayne H.

1983-01-01

Used the semantic differential technique to examine attitudes of 115 business students toward middle-aged and older professionals. Results showed older persons were rated lower in all professions and on all attitudinal dimensions (autonomy, effectiveness, personal acceptability). Ratings of professionals were higher than ratings of the average…

Comparison of gender-specific mortality in patients < 70 years versus ≥ 70 years old with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Ishihara, Masaharu; Inoue, Ichiro; Kawagoe, Takuji; Shimatani, Yuji; Miura, Fumiharu; Nakama, Yasuharu; Dai, Kazuoki; Ootani, Takayuki; Ooi, Kuniomi; Ikenaga, Hiroki; Miki, Takashi; Nakamura, Masayuki; Kishimoto, Shinji; Sumimoto, Youji

2011-09-15

The aim of the present study was to investigate the gender-specific mortality after acute myocardial infarction in those aged < 70 years versus ≥ 70 years. The present study consisted of 2,677 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction who had undergone coronary angiography within 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1,810 patients < 70 years old and 867 patients ≥ 70 years old. Women were older and had a greater incidence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus and a lower incidence of current smoking and previous myocardial infarction in both groups. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly greater in women ≥ 70 years old age than in men ≥ 70 years old (16.2% vs 9.3%, respectively; p = 0.003) but was comparable between women and men in patients < 70 years old (5.7% vs 4.9%, respectively; p = 0.59). On multivariate analysis, the association between female gender and in-hospital mortality in patients ≥ 70 years old remained significant (odds ratio 1.78, 95% confidential interval 1.05 to 3.00), but the gender difference was not observed in patients < 70 years old (odds ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 2.24). In conclusion, female gender was associated with in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction in patients ≥ 70 years old but not in patients < 70 years old. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of sex on the number of circulating endothelial microparticles and microRNA expression in middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Bammert, Tyler D; Hijmans, Jamie G; Kavlich, Philip J; Lincenberg, Grace M; Reiakvam, Whitney R; Fay, Ryan T; Greiner, Jared J; Stauffer, Brian L; DeSouza, Christopher A

2017-08-01

What is the central question of this study? Are there sex-related differences in the number of circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) and microparticle microRNA expression in middle-aged adult humans? What is the main finding and its importance? Although the numbers of circulating endothelial microparticles do not differ between middle-aged men and women, there are sex-related differences in the expression of miR-125a in activation-derived EMPs and miR-34a in apoptosis-derived EMPs. Differences in circulating endothelial microparticle microRNA content may provide new insight into the sex-related disparity in the risk and prevalence of vascular disease in middle-aged adults. The aims of this study were to determine: (i) whether circulating concentrations of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) differ in middle-aged men compared with women; and (ii) whether there are sex-related differences in microRNA expression in EMPs. Peripheral blood was collected from 30 sedentary adults: 15 men (56 ± 6 years old) and 15 women (56 ± 5 years old). Endothelial microparticles were defined by markers of activation (CD62e + ) or apoptosis (CD31 + /CD42b - ) by flow cytometry. Expression of microRNA (miR-34a, 92a, 125a and 126) in activation- and apoptosis-derived EMPs was measured by RT-PCR. Circulating activation- (33 ± 31 versus 39 ± 35 microparticles μl -1 ) and apoptosis-derived EMPs (49 ± 54 versus 42 ± 43 microparticles μl -1 ) were not significantly different between men and women. Expression of miR-125a (2.23 ± 2.01 versus 6.95 ± 3.99 a.u.) was lower (∼215%; P < 0.05) in activation-derived EMPs, whereas expression of miR-34a (1.17 ± 1.43 versus 0.38 ± 0.35 a.u.) was higher (∼210%; P < 0.05) in apoptosis-derived EMPs from men compared with women. Expression of microRNA in circulating EMPs may provide new insight into sex-related differences in cardiovascular disease. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2017 The

N-Acetylmannosamine improves sleep-wake quality in middle-aged mice: relevance to autonomic nervous function.

PubMed

Kuwahara, Masayoshi; Ito, Koichi; Hayakawa, Koji; Yagi, Shintaro; Shiota, Kunio

2015-01-01

Aging is associated with a variety of physiological changes originating peripherally and centrally, including within the autonomic nervous system. Sleep-wake disturbances constitute reliable hallmarks of aging in several animal species and humans. Recent studies have been interested in N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) a potential therapeutic agent for improving quality of life, as well as preventing age-related cognitive decline. In this study, ManNAc (5.0 mg/ml) was administered in the drinking water of middle-aged male C57BL/6J mice (55 weeks old) for 7 days. Mice were housed under a 12:12 h light:dark cycle at 23-24 °C. We evaluated bio-behavioral activity using electrocardiogram, body temperature and locomotor activity recorded by an implanted telemetry transmitter. To estimate sleep-wake profile, surface electroencephalogram and electromyogram leads connected to a telemetry transmitter were also implanted in mice. Autonomic nervous activity was evaluated using power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. ManNAc-treated mice spent more time in a wakeful state and less time in slow wave sleep during the dark phase. Parasympathetic nervous activity was increased following ManNAc treatment, then the sympatho-vagal balance was shifted predominance of parasympathetic nervous system. Furthermore, improvement in sleep-wake pattern was associated with increased parasympathetic nervous activity. These results suggest that ManNAc treatment can improve bio-behavioral activity and sleep-wake quality in middle-aged mice. This may have implications for improving sleep patterns in elderly humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

With age comes representational wisdom in social signals.

PubMed

van Rijsbergen, Nicola; Jaworska, Katarzyna; Rousselet, Guillaume A; Schyns, Philippe G

2014-12-01

In an increasingly aging society, age has become a foundational dimension of social grouping broadly targeted by advertising and governmental policies. However, perception of old age induces mainly strong negative social biases. To characterize their cognitive and perceptual foundations, we modeled the mental representations of faces associated with three age groups (young age, middle age, and old age), in younger and older participants. We then validated the accuracy of each mental representation of age with independent validators. Using statistical image processing, we identified the features of mental representations that predict perceived age. Here, we show that whereas younger people mentally dichotomize aging into two groups, themselves (younger) and others (older), older participants faithfully represent the features of young age, middle age, and old age, with richer representations of all considered ages. Our results demonstrate that, contrary to popular public belief, older minds depict socially relevant information more accurately than their younger counterparts. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Association between body weight change during early and middle adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes in middle aged and elderly population].

PubMed

Hu, Q; Jiang, C Q; Zhang, W S; Cheng, J J; Xu, L; Jin, Y L; Shen, Z M; Zhu, F; Lam, D Q

2017-12-10

Objective: To examine the association between weight changes during early and middle adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle aged and elderly population. Methods: Based on the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (GBCS), 28 736 residents aged ≥50 years were included in Guangzhou. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between body weight changes during early or middle adulthood and age when the heaviest weight reaching the threshold on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle age or elderly population. Adjustments on age, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, education level, occupation, district of residence and body mass index etc ., were made. Results: The mean age was 64.3 (standard deviation=6.7) years in men and 61.0 (standard deviation=7.0) years in women, with the prevalence rates of diabetes as 13.1% and 13.7% in men and women, respectively. Compared to those with stable body weight, the risk of diabetes increased with weight gain during early and middle adulthood in both men and women (both P values for trend<0.01). Participants who gained more than 20 kg during early and middle adulthood were associated with the highest risk of diabetes in men ( OR =2.83, 95% CI :1.99-4.02) and women ( OR =3.13, 95% CI : 2.47-3.96). Compared to those who reached the highest weight at age 20, those who reaching the highest weight at 40 to 49 years were associated with the highest risk of diabetes, with OR being 5.32 (95% CI : 1.92-14.8) in men and 3.41 (95% CI : 2.49-4.67) in women, respectively. Weight loss in adulthood was associated with self-reported but not newly diagnosed diabetic cases in both middle and older aged men and women. Conclusion: Weight gain during early and middle adulthood may increase the risk of diabetes in middle and older aged population. The detrimental effect of obesity on diabetes might become significantly visible in the next decades.

The Physician in the Middle Years

PubMed Central

Sky, Ruth

1977-01-01

The middle years are stressful for many specific reasons. Our vigor is beginning to decline. Our patients are aging and developing ominous problems. We have the commonly identified difficulties of coping with the frustrations of our younger patients and relatives. The burden of caring for aged members of the community is increasing. Fortunately we can also enjoy the benefits of the comfortable standard of life of healthy middle-aged Canadians. PMID:21304847

Altered Hippocampal Transcript Profile Accompanies an Age-Related Spatial Memory Deficit in Mice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verbitsky, Miguel; Yonan, Amanda L.; Malleret, Gael; Kandel, Eric R.; Gilliam, T. Conrad; Pavlidis, Paul

2004-01-01

We have carried out a global survey of age-related changes in mRNA levels in the 57BL/6NIA mouse hippocampus and found a difference in the hippocampal gene expression profile between 2-month-old young mice and 15-month-old middle-aged mice correlated with an age-related cognitive deficit in hippocampal-based explicit memory formation. Middle-aged…

The relationship between accessibility of healthcare facilities and medical care utilization among the middle-aged and elderly population in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yang, Ya-Ting; Iqbal, Usman; Ko, Hua-Lin; Wu, Chia-Rong; Chiu, Hsien-Tsai; Lin, Yi-Chieh; Lin, Wender; Elsa Hsu, Yi-Hsin

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between accessibility of healthcare facilities and medical care utilization among the middle-aged and elderly population in Taiwan. Cross-sectional study from 2007 Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TLSA) survey. Community-based study. A total of 4249 middle-aged and elderly subjects were recruited. None. Outpatient visits within 1 month, and hospitalization, emergency visits as well as to shop in pharmacy stores within 1 year, respectively. Adjusting for important confounding variables, the middle-aged and elderly with National Health Insurance (NHI) and commercial insurance compared with those with NHI alone tended to have outpatient visits. The middle-aged and elderly with longer time to access healthcare facilities were less likely to shop in pharmacy stores compared with those with <30 min. The middle-aged and elderly who perceived inconvenient to access health care tended to shop in pharmacy stores compared with those with perceived convenience. Our study of Taiwan's experience could provide a valuable lesson for countries that are planning to launch universal health insurance system, locate budgets in health care and transportation. The middle-aged and elderly who were facing more challenges in accessing health care, no matter in perceived accessibility or real time to access health care, had less outpatient visits and more drug stores shopping. Strategic policies are needed to improve accessibility in increasing patients' perception on access and escalating convenience of transportation system for improving accessibility. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Old-Age Wealth in Mexico

PubMed Central

Wong, Rebeca; DeGraff, Deborah S.

2010-01-01

The authors examined relationships between the wealth of older adults and their early-life decisions regarding investment in human capital, family formation, and work activities in Mexico, using the 2001 Mexican Health and Aging Study. The authors examined correlates of accumulated financial wealth by gender and across three age cohorts: 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 years or older. The authors outline the changing context these cohorts experienced during their lifetimes; describe patterns of net financial worth by main covariates across groups defined by age, sex, and marital status; and present the results of multivariate models of net worth. Simulations were conducted to illustrate patterns of net worth associated with alternative scenarios depicting differing representative combinations of life-course characteristics by age cohort. The findings suggest that old-age financial wealth in Mexico is more closely associated with family formation and human capital decisions than with employment decisions over the lifetime. PMID:20694054

[Goals in the discussion of old age insurance - a sketch].

PubMed

Schmähl, W

1980-01-01

In the Federal Republic of Germany often the discussion on social policy deals with instruments, yet seldom with goals to be realised. Scientific work on goals for old-age security policy is just starting. In this article the importance of distinctly defined goals is shown for rational economic and social policy, for an assessment of the existing situation, for a goal oriented selection and formation of measures and for success control. With reference to distributive goals in old-age security policy it is exemplified in which way scientific work can be helpful in defining goals in an operationalised form. For this it is important to deal with several distributive aspects, which are often mixed in discussions. As measures in one area of economic and social policy cannot be taken isolated, in order to avoid unwanted consequences, it is necessary for old-age security policies too, to take into consideration a general system of economic and social policy goals. As an example, it must be stated that e.g. aspects of business cycle and growth policy have to be considered while constructing a system of old-age security. Finally, some other criteria for old-age security policies, such as transparence, political feasibility and practicability are mentioned.

Enhanced expression of PD-1 and other activation markers by CD4+ T cells of young but not old patients with metastatic melanoma.

PubMed

van den Brom, Rob R H; van der Geest, Kornelis S M; Brouwer, Elisabeth; Hospers, Geke A P; Boots, Annemieke M H

2018-06-01

The biological behavior of melanoma is unfavorable in the elderly when compared to young subjects. We hypothesized that differences in T-cell responses might underlie the distinct behavior of melanoma in young and old melanoma patients. Therefore, we investigated the circulating T-cell compartment of 34 patients with metastatic melanoma and 42 controls, which were classified as either young or old. Absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells were decreased in young and old melanoma patients when compared to the age-matched control groups. Percentages of naive and memory CD4+ T cells were not different when comparing old melanoma patients to age-matched controls. Percentages of memory CD4+ T cells tended to be increased in young melanoma patients compared to young controls. Proportions of naive CD4+ T cells were lower in young patients than in age-matched controls, and actually comparable to those in old patients and controls. This was accompanied with increased percentages of memory CD4+ T cells expressing HLA-DR, Ki-67, and PD-1 in young melanoma patients in comparison to the age-matched controls, but not in old patients. Proportions of CD45RA-FOXP3 high memory regulatory T cells were increased in young and old melanoma patients when compared to their age-matched controls, whereas those of CD45RA+FOXP3 low naive regulatory T cells were similar. We observed no clear modulation of the circulating CD8+ T-cell repertoire in melanoma patients. In conclusion, we show that CD4+ T cells of young melanoma patients show signs of activation, whereas these signs are less clear in CD4+ T cells of old patients.

Crossed cerebellar diaschisis in patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarction: Occurrence and perfusion characteristics.

PubMed

Sommer, Wieland H; Bollwein, Christine; Thierfelder, Kolja M; Baumann, Alena; Janssen, Hendrik; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Reiser, Maximilian F; Plate, Annika; Straube, Andreas; von Baumgarten, Louisa

2016-04-01

We aimed to investigate the overall prevalence and possible factors influencing the occurrence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis after acute middle cerebral artery infarction using whole-brain CT perfusion. A total of 156 patients with unilateral hypoperfusion of the middle cerebral artery territory formed the study cohort; 352 patients without hypoperfusion served as controls. We performed blinded reading of different perfusion maps for the presence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis and determined the relative supratentorial and cerebellar perfusion reduction. Moreover, imaging patterns (location and volume of hypoperfusion) and clinical factors (age, sex, time from symptom onset) resulting in crossed cerebellar diaschisis were analysed. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis was detected in 35.3% of the patients with middle cerebral artery infarction. Crossed cerebellar diaschisis was significantly associated with hypoperfusion involving the left hemisphere, the frontal lobe and the thalamus. The degree of the relative supratentorial perfusion reduction was significantly more pronounced in crossed cerebellar diaschisis-positive patients but did not correlate with the relative cerebellar perfusion reduction. Our data suggest that (i) crossed cerebellar diaschisis is a common feature after middle cerebral artery infarction which can robustly be detected using whole-brain CT perfusion, (ii) its occurrence is influenced by location and degree of the supratentorial perfusion reduction rather than infarct volume (iii) other clinical factors (age, sex and time from symptom onset) did not affect the occurrence of crossed cerebellar diaschisis. © The Author(s) 2015.

Designing Multimodal Texts about the Middle Ages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Insulander, Eva; Lindstrand, Fredrik; Selander, Staffan

2017-01-01

Multimedial and multimodal communication arouse interest in many fields of research today. By contrast, little attention is paid to multimodality in relation to designs for learning, especially in relation to representations of knowledge on an aggregated level. By analyzing three multimodal texts about the Middle Ages, including a textbook, a film…

Martial arts training attenuates arterial stiffness in middle aged adults.

PubMed

Douris, Peter C; Ingenito, Teresa; Piccirillo, Barbara; Herbst, Meredith; Petrizzo, John; Cherian, Vincen; McCutchan, Christopher; Burke, Caitlin; Stamatinos, George; Jung, Min-Kyung

2013-09-01

Arterial stiffness increases with age and is related to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Poor trunk flexibility has been shown to be associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged subjects. The purpose of our research study was to measure arterial stiffness and flexibility in healthy middle-aged martial artists compared to age and gender matched healthy sedentary controls. Ten martial artists (54.0 ± 2.0 years), who practice Soo Bahk Do (SBD), a Korean martial art, and ten sedentary subjects (54.7 ± 1.8 years) for a total of twenty subjects took part in this cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed in all subjects using pulse wave velocity (PWV), a recognized index of arterial stiffness. Flexibility of the trunk and hamstring were also measured. The independent variables were the martial artists and matched sedentary controls. The dependent variables were PWV and flexibility. There were significant differences, between the SBD practitioners and sedentary controls, in PWV (P = 0.004), in trunk flexibility (P= 0.002), and in hamstring length (P= 0.003). The middle-aged martial artists were more flexible in their trunk and hamstrings and had less arterial stiffness compared to the healthy sedentary controls. The flexibility component of martial art training or flexibility exercises in general may be considered as a possible intervention to reduce the effects of aging on arterial stiffness.

Differences in grip force control between young and late middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Zheng, Lianrong; Li, Kunyang; Wang, Qian; Chen, Wenhui; Song, Rong; Liu, Guanzheng

2017-09-01

Grip force control is a crucial function for human to guarantee the quality of life. To examine the effects of age on grip force control, 10 young adults and 11 late middle-aged adults participated in visually guided tracking tasks using different target force levels (25, 50, and 75% of the subject's maximal grip force). Multiple measures were used to evaluate the tracking performance during force rising phase and force maintenance phase. The measurements include the rise time, fuzzy entropy, mean force percentage, coefficient of variation, and target deviation ratio. The results show that the maximal grip force was significantly lower in the late middle-aged adults than in the young adults. The time of rising phase was systematically longer among late middle-aged adults. The fuzzy entropy is a useful indicator for quantitating the force variability of the grip force signal at higher force levels. These results suggest that the late middle-aged adults applied a compensatory strategy that allow allows for sufficient time to reach the required grip force and reduce the impact of the early and subtle degenerative changes in hand motor function.

Attitudes toward Cosmetic Surgery in Middle-Aged Women: Body Image, Aging Anxiety, and the Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slevec, Julie; Tiggemann, Marika

2010-01-01

Our study investigated factors that influence attitudes toward cosmetic surgery in middle-aged women. A sample of 108 women, aged between 35 and 55 years, completed questionnaire measures of body dissatisfaction, appearance investment, aging anxiety, media exposure (television and magazine), and attitudes toward cosmetic surgery (delineated in…

Regional gray matter correlates of memory for emotion-laden words in middle-aged and older adults: A voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Saarela, Carina; Joutsa, Juho; Laine, Matti; Parkkola, Riitta; Rinne, Juha O; Karrasch, Mira

2017-01-01

Emotional content is known to enhance memory in a content-dependent manner in healthy populations. In middle-aged and older adults, a reduced preference for negative material, or even an enhanced preference for positive material has been observed. This preference seems to be modulated by the emotional arousal that the material evokes. The neuroanatomical basis for emotional memory processes is, however, not well understood in middle-aged and older healthy people. Previous research on local gray matter correlates of emotional memory in older populations has mainly been conducted with patients suffering from various neurodegenerative diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine regional gray matter correlates of immediate free recall and recognition memory of intentionally encoded positive, negative, and emotionally neutral words using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a sample of 50-to-79-year-old cognitively intact normal adults. The behavioral analyses yielded a positivity bias in recognition memory, but not in immediate free recall. No associations with memory performance emerged from the region-of-interest (ROI) analyses using amygdalar and hippocampal volumes. Controlling for total intracranial volume, age, and gender, the whole-brain VBM analyses showed statistically significant associations between immediate free recall of negative words and volumes in various frontal regions, between immediate free recall of positive words and cerebellar volume, and between recognition memory of positive words and primary visual cortex volume. The findings indicate that the neural areas subserving memory for emotion-laden information encompass posterior brain areas, including the cerebellum, and that memory for emotion-laden information may be driven by cognitive control functions.

The Influence of Pain Severity and Interference on Satisfaction with Pain Management among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

PubMed Central

Krok-Schoen, Jessica L.; O'Connor, Melissa L.; Brooks, Amber K.

2016-01-01

Background. Health outcomes are often contingent on how effective the individual is able to manage existent illness-related symptoms. This is all the more relevant among chronic pain patients. Objective. This study aimed to identify indicators of pain treatment satisfaction among middle-aged and older adults (N = 150) receiving outpatient treatment from a comprehensive cancer center. Methods. Patients were surveyed on questions assessing pain treatment satisfaction, pain severity, and additional social characteristics. Results. Descriptive data showed that middle-aged adults reported more pain locations, greater pain severity, and less satisfaction with pain treatment. A multivariate model was specified, showing older adults being more satisfied with their pain treatment. For the middle-aged adults, treatment satisfaction was generally lower with greater pain severity. This counters that for the older adults, where treatment satisfaction remained consistent despite increased levels of pain severity. Conclusion. These findings address an important issue regarding how pain is experienced across the life course. This suggests that general assumptions cannot be made about the health outcomes of older adults. Beyond the descriptive definitions of pain, there remains the need to develop models that account for determinants that may account for the pain experience among a diverse adult population. PMID:28100956

Clinical Features and Polysomnographic Findings in Greek Male Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Differences Regarding the Age

PubMed Central

George, Efremidis; Katerina, Varela; Maria, Spyropoulou; Lambros, Beroukas; Konstantina, Nikoloutsou; Dimitrios, Georgopoulos

2012-01-01

Background-Aim. Although sleep disturbance is a common complaint among patients of all ages, research suggests that older adults are particularly vulnerable. The aim of this retrospective study was to elucidate the influence of age on clinical characteristics and polysomnographic findings of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) between elderly and younger male patients in a Greek population. Methods. 697 male patients with OSAS were examined from December 2001 to August 2011. All subjects underwent an attended overnight polysomnography (PSG). They were divided into two groups: young and middle-aged (<65 years old) and elderly (≥65 years old). We evaluated the severity of OSAS, based on apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and the duration of apnea-hypopnea events, the duration of hypoxemia during total sleep time (TST) and during REM and NREM sleep, and the oxygen saturation in REM and in NREM sleep. Results. PSG studies showed that elderly group had significant higher duration of apnea-hypopnea events, longer hypoxemia in TST and in NREM sleep, as well as lower oxygen saturation in REM and NREM sleep than the younger group. Otherwise, significant correlation between BMI and neck circumference with AHI was observed in both groups. Conclusions. The higher percentages of hypoxemia during sleep and longer duration of apnea-hypopnea events that were observed in the elderly group might be explained by increased propensity for pharyngeal collapse and increased deposition of parapharyngeal fat, which are associated with aging. Another factor that could explain these findings might be a decreased partial arterial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) due to age-related changes in the respiratory system. PMID:23470883

Microscopic analysis of the different regions of three Alzheimer brains aged 93, 94, and 104 years old.

PubMed

Zhu, Yonghong; Xu, Jie; Kwong, Wing Hang; Wai, Sen Mun; Lam, Wai Ping; Yew, David T

2007-10-01

The brains of three Alzheimer patients aged 93, 94, and 104 years old were analyzed. Although cell death was apparent in different cortices, the prefrontal cortex and the Broca's appeared to be hit hardest. The different CA areas of the hippocampal formation all displayed equivalent degrees of cell death but the entorhinal areas showed the most severe degree of cell degeneration. Both apoptosis and necrosis were observed in the different cerebral regions of these very old patients, as expected.

The old age health security in rural China: where to go?

PubMed

Dai, Baozhen

2015-11-04

The huge number of rural elders and the deepening health problems (e.g. growing threats of infectious diseases and chronic diseases etc.) place enormous pressure on old age health security in rural China. This study aims to provide information for policy-makers to develop effective measures for promoting rural elders' health care service access by examining the current developments and challenges confronted by the old age health security in rural China. Search resources are electronic databases, web pages of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China on the internet, China Population and Employment Statistics Yearbook, China Civil Affairs' Statistical Yearbook and China Health Statistics Yearbooks etc. Articles were identified from Elsevier, Wiley, EBSCO, EMBASE, PubMed, SCI Expanded, ProQuest, and National Knowledge Infrastructure of China (CNKI) which is the most informative database in Chinese. Search terms were "rural", "China", "health security", "cooperative medical scheme", "social medical assistance", "medical insurance" or "community based medical insurance", "old", or "elder", "elderly", or "aged", "aging". Google scholar was searched with the same combination of keywords. The results showed that old age health security in rural China had expanded to all rural elders and substantially improved health care service utilization among rural elders. Increasing chronic disease prevalence rates, pressing public health issues, inefficient rural health care service provision system and lack of sufficient financing challenged the old age health security in rural China. Increasing funds from the central and regional governments for old age health security in rural China will contribute to reducing urban-rural disparities in provision of old age health security and increasing health equity among rural elders between different regions. Meanwhile, initiating provider payment reform may contribute to

Protective Effects of 17β-Estradiol on Hippocampal Myelinated Fibers in Ovariectomized Middle-aged Rats.

PubMed

Xiao, Qian; Luo, Yanmin; Lv, Fulin; He, Qi; Wu, Hong; Chao, Fenglei; Qiu, Xuan; Zhang, Lei; Gao, Yuan; Huang, Chunxia; Wang, Sanrong; Zhou, Chunni; Zhang, Yi; Jiang, Lin; Tang, Yong

2018-06-14

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) improves hippocampus-dependent cognition. This study investigated the impact of estrogen on hippocampal volume, CA1 subfield volume and myelinated fibers in the CA1 subfield of middle-aged ovariectomized rats. Ten-month-old bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were randomly divided into OVX + E2 and OVX + Veh groups. After four weeks of subcutaneous injection with 17β-estradiol or a placebo, the OVX + E2 rats exhibited significantly short mean escape latency in a spatial learning task than that in the OVX + Veh rats. Using stereological methods, we did not observe significant differences in the volumes of the hippocampus and CA1 subfields between the two groups. However, using stereological methods and electron microscopy techniques, the total length of myelinated fibers and the total volumes of myelinated fibers, myelin sheaths and myelinated axons in the CA1 subfields of OVX + E2 rats were significantly 38.1%, 34.2%, 36.1% and 32.5%, respectively, higher than those in the OVX + Veh rats. After the parameters were calculated according to different diameter ranges, the estrogen replacement-induced remodeling of myelinated fibers in CA1 was mainly manifested in the myelinated fibers with a diameter of <1.0 μm. Therefore, four weeks of continuous E2 replacement improved the spatial learning capabilities of middle-aged ovariectomized rats. The E2 replacement-induced protection of spatial learning abilities might be associated with the beneficial effects of estrogen on myelinated fibers, particularly those with the diameters less than 1.0 μm, in the hippocampal CA1 region of middle-aged ovariectomized rats. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age-Status Labeling in Homosexual Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnigerode, Fred A.

1976-01-01

Homosexual men (N=95) between 25 and 68 years of age were asked to classify themselves as young, middle-aged, or old. The popular suggestion of accelerated aging in homosexual men was not supported. (Author)

Sexual Abuse of Vulnerable Young and Old Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberto, Karen A.; Teaster, Pamela B.; Nikzad, Katherina A.

2007-01-01

During a 4-year period, aggregated data from Adult Protective Services case files in Virginia revealed 17 cases of sexually abused young, middle-age, and old men. The most common types of sexual abuse across age groups involved instances of sexualized kissing and fondling and unwelcome sexual interest in the individual men's bodies. The majority…

Middle-aged patients with an MRI-verified medial meniscal tear report symptoms commonly associated with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Hare, Kristoffer B; Stefan Lohmander, L; Kise, Nina Jullum; Risberg, May Arna; Roos, Ewa M

2017-12-01

Background and purpose - No consensus exists on when to perform arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in patients with a degenerative meniscal tear. Since MRI and clinical tests are not accurate in detecting a symptomatic meniscal lesion, the patient's symptoms often play a large role when deciding when to perform surgery. We determined the prevalence and severity of self-reported knee symptoms in patients eligible for arthroscopic partial meniscectomy due to a degenerative meniscal tear. We investigated whether symptoms commonly considered to be related to meniscus injury were associated with early radiographic signs of knee osteoarthritis. Patients and methods - We included individual baseline items from the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score collected in 2 randomized controlled trials evaluating treatment for an MRI-verified degenerative medial meniscal tears in 199 patients aged 35-65 years. Each item was scored as no, mild, moderate, severe, extreme, and at least "mild" considering the symptoms present. Early radiographic signs of osteoarthritis, defined as a Kellgren and Lawrence grade of at least 1, were seen in 70 patients. Results - At least monthly knee pain, pain during stair walking and when twisting on the knee, and lack of confidence in knee was present in at least 80% of the patients. Median severity was at least moderate for knee pain, pain when twisting on the knee, pain walking on stairs, lack of confidence in knee, and clicking. Mechanical symptoms such as catching were rare. Early radiographic signs of osteoarthritis were associated with an increased risk of self-reported swelling, catching, and stiffness later in the day; the odds ratio was 2.4 (95% CI 1.2-4.9), 2.3 (1.2-4.3), and 2.3 (1.1-5.0), respectively. Interpretation - Middle-aged patients with a degenerative medial meniscus tear reported symptoms commonly associated with knee osteoarthritis. Frequent knee pain, presence of lack of confidence in the knee, and clicking did not

Asexuality Development among Middle Aged and Older Men

PubMed Central

Huang, Yan-Ping; Chen, Bin; Ping, Ping; Wang, Hong-Xiang; Hu, Kai; Yang, Hao; Zhang, Tao; Feng, Tan; Jin, Yan; Han, Yin-Fa; Wang, Yi-Xin; Huang, Yi-Ran

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess erectile function in middle-aged and older men with asexuality status and further analyze their specific reasons for this condition. Subjects and Methods Men who had regular sexual intercourse attempts (sex frequency≥1 time per month) were classified into mild erectile dysfunction (ED), moderate to severe ED and non-ED according to International Index of Erectile Function-5, and men having no sexual intercourse attempts for at least 6 months were defined as having an asexuality status. The risk factors associated with ED were collected in a sample of 1,531 Chinese men aged 40 to 80 years, and the self-report reasons for asexuality were recorded in asexual cohort individually. Comparative analyses and multivariate regression models were conducted among these groups. Results The prevalence rates of ED and asexuality status were 49.9% and 37.2%. The asexuality status group had higher risk factors than the moderate to severe ED group in terms of old age (age≥65, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 17.69 versus (Vs.) 7.19), diabetes (crude OR: 2.40 Vs. 2.36) and hypertension (crude OR: 1.78 Vs. 1.72). The specific reasons for the asexuality status were “erectile difficulty” (52.9%), “do not care about sexuality” (53.5%)”, “no longer necessary to have sexuality at this age” (47.7%), “severe stress” (44.4%), “severe fatigue” (26.3%) and “masturbation” (26.9%). Conclusions Men with an asexual status suffer from higher risk factors for ED than men with moderate to severe ED. The majority of this asexual status could be attributed to a full ED, although the reasons for this transient asexuality also involved sexual attitudes and interests, sexual partners and masturbation. PMID:24667838

Old Age and Literature: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansello, Edward F.

1977-01-01

Analysis of old age and literature provides some support for the position that cultural stereotypes regarding growing older, biases with considerable history, continue to be reflected in the printed word. It seems most apparent that earlier developmental stages--historically and chronologically--are more subject to constricted representations of…

[Relationship between body weight status in early adulthood and body weight change at middle age in adults and type 2 diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Zhou, Long; Zhao, Liancheng; Li, Ying; Guo, Min; Wu, Yangfeng

2016-03-01

To explore the relationship between weight status in early adulthood and body weight change at middle age in adults and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The data of 14 population samples from China Multicenter Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Epidemiology conducted in 1998 were used. Approximately 1 000 men and women in each sample were surveyed for cardiovascular disease risk factors, including body weight at age 25 years. The body mass index (BMI) at the age 25 years was calculated. The association between body weight in early adulthood and body weight change at middle age and T2DM was examined by using logistic regression model. The incidence of T2DM in low weight group (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2)), normal weight group (BMI: 18.5-23.9 kg/m(2)), overweight group (BMI: 24.0-27.9 kg/m(2)) and obese group (BMI:≥28.0 kg/m(2)) at 25 years old were 2.4%(30/1263), 2.8%(266/9562), 4.0%(70/1739) and 6.4% (7/110), respectively (P value for trend<0.01). The incidence of T2DM for adults with weight change <-7.5 kg, -7.5--2.6 kg, -2.5-2.5 kg, 2.6-7.5 kg, 7.6-12.5 kg and >12.5 kg at middle age were 2.5% (18/712), 1.3%(21/1629), 2.1%(48/2330), 2.3%(59/2585), 3.7%(94/2518), and 4.6% (133/2900) respectively. (P value for trend <0.01), Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that overweight and obesity at age 25 years and subsequent weight gain were positively correlated with T2DM after adjusted other risk factors (all P values for trend <0.01). Overweight and obesity in early adulthood and weight gain at middle age were both independently associated with the increased risk of T2DM in middle-aged men and women.

Frailty, disability and old age: a re-appraisal.

PubMed

Gilleard, Chris; Higgs, Paul

2011-09-01

Frailty has become a topic of increasing interest in health care. No longer treated as a catch-all term for agedness, decline and disablement it has acquired a more precise definition, applied to those individuals whose 'aged' state is seen to put them at risk of adverse outcomes. This transformation is we argue the outcome of a more general differentiation of terms that were previously used to categorize the weak and marginal within society. Old age re-labelled as 'later life' has become re-articulated as a successful life stage relatively free from impairment. Disability has been re-positioned and its links with impairment attenuated while chronic illness has acquired a new narrative of its own. This has left frailty behind, redolent still with all the old negative attributes of marginality, but now more than ever evacuated of any remaining elements of 'status' or 'agency'. Frailty is defined less by the identities of those who are deemed frail than by what frailty seems to augur in its direction of travel - a journey towards unspecified adverse outcomes. This re-positioning, we suggest, helps lay the foundation of a social imaginary of 'the fourth age' as the new location of old age.

Age-Related Differences of Maximum Phonation Time in Patients after Cardiac Surgery

PubMed Central

Kasahara, Yusuke; Hiraki, Koji; Hirano, Yasuyuki; Watanabe, Satoshi

2017-01-01

Background and aims: Maximum phonation time (MPT), which is related to respiratory function, is widely used to evaluate maximum vocal capabilities, because its use is non-invasive, quick, and inexpensive. We aimed to examine differences in MPT by age, following recovery phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: This longitudinal observational study assessed 50 consecutive cardiac patients who were divided into the middle-aged group (<65 years, n = 29) and older-aged group (≥65 years, n = 21). MPTs were measured at 1 and 3 months after cardiac surgery, and were compared. Results: The duration of MPT increased more significantly from month 1 to month 3 in the middle-aged group (19.2 ± 7.8 to 27.1 ± 11.6 s, p < 0.001) than in the older-aged group (12.6 ± 3.5 to 17.9 ± 6.0 s, p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant difference occurred in the % change of MPT from 1 month to 3 months after cardiac surgery between the middle-aged group and older-aged group, respectively (41.1% vs. 42.1%). In addition, there were no significant interactions of MPT in the two groups for 1 versus 3 months (F = 1.65, p = 0.20). Conclusion: Following phase II, CR improved MPT for all cardiac surgery patients. PMID:29267218

Age-Related Differences of Maximum Phonation Time in Patients after Cardiac Surgery.

PubMed

Izawa, Kazuhiro P; Kasahara, Yusuke; Hiraki, Koji; Hirano, Yasuyuki; Watanabe, Satoshi

2017-12-21

Background and aims: Maximum phonation time (MPT), which is related to respiratory function, is widely used to evaluate maximum vocal capabilities, because its use is non-invasive, quick, and inexpensive. We aimed to examine differences in MPT by age, following recovery phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: This longitudinal observational study assessed 50 consecutive cardiac patients who were divided into the middle-aged group (<65 years, n = 29) and older-aged group (≥65 years, n = 21). MPTs were measured at 1 and 3 months after cardiac surgery, and were compared. Results: The duration of MPT increased more significantly from month 1 to month 3 in the middle-aged group (19.2 ± 7.8 to 27.1 ± 11.6 s, p < 0.001) than in the older-aged group (12.6 ± 3.5 to 17.9 ± 6.0 s, p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant difference occurred in the % change of MPT from 1 month to 3 months after cardiac surgery between the middle-aged group and older-aged group, respectively (41.1% vs. 42.1%). In addition, there were no significant interactions of MPT in the two groups for 1 versus 3 months (F = 1.65, p = 0.20). Conclusion: Following phase II, CR improved MPT for all cardiac surgery patients.

The relationship of marital status and clinical characteristics in middle-aged and older patients with schizophrenia and depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Nyer, Maren; Kasckow, John; Fellows, Ian; Lawrence, Edith C; Golshan, Shah; Solorzano, Ellen; Zisook, Sidney

2010-08-01

This study examines the relationship of marital status to depression, positive and negative symptoms, quality of life, and suicidal ideation among 211 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders and subsyndromal depressive symptoms. We hypothesized that single participants would have more severe symptomatology than married and cohabitating participants. Outpatients, age 40 or older, were diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders using the MINI Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 Disorders. Participants exhibited a score of >8 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression but did not meet criteria for a major depressive episode. Participants who were married or cohabitating had a later age of onset of first psychotic episode or hospitalization than those who were single (age, 29.35 vs 24.21). Married participants rated their quality of life higher than those who were single (mean Quality of Life Scale scores, 72.28 vs 53.87) and had less suicidal ideation than those who were divorced, widowed, or separated (7.4% vs 29.2%). In middle-aged and older individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and depressive symptoms, marriage appeared to enhance quality of life and protect against suicidal ideation. Efforts that focus on providing additional support for those who are experiencing divorce or separation could prove to be lifesaving for these individuals.

Relationship between body mass index and depressive symptoms: the "fat and jolly" hypothesis for the middle-aged and elderly in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Liu, Kun; Li, Hong; Li, Dan; Chen, Zhuo; Zhang, Li-Li; Guo, Lei-Lei

2016-11-29

Obesity has been identified as a worldwide epidemic. In China, the highest prevalence of obesity is observed in adults aged ≥45 years old. This study aimed to describe the association between BMI and depressive symptoms among a large representative sample of middle-aged and elderly in China. A longitudinal sample of the middle-aged and elderly (6,224 males and 6,883 females) who were interviewed in the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was used. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effects of socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, activity status, health status, physical exercise and body weight on depressive symptoms. Approximately 6.94% of the males were underweight, 25.48% were overweight and 8.16% were obese. A higher prevalence of obesity was found among women, with 6.89% being underweight, 31.98% overweight and 14.28% obese. The underweight subjects were more likely to be depressed (odds ratio; OR = 1.30 and 1.19) compared with the normal weight people, respectively, whereas overweight and obese men and women were less likely to be depressed (overweight: OR = 0.76 and 0.80; obesity: OR = 0.64 and 0.65, respectively) than people of normal weight. Our data are consistent with the "fat and jolly" hypothesis being valid in both middle-aged and elderly men and women.

Executive functioning and processing speed in age-related differences in time estimation: a comparison of young, old, and very old adults.

PubMed

Baudouin, Alexia; Isingrini, Michel; Vanneste, Sandrine

2018-01-25

Age-related differences in time estimation were examined by comparing the temporal performance of young, young-old, and old-old adults, in relation to two major theories of cognitive aging: executive decline and cognitive slowing. We tested the hypothesis that processing speed and executive function are differentially involved in timing depending on the temporal task used. We also tested the assumption of greater age-related effects in time estimation in old-old participants. Participants performed two standard temporal tasks: duration production and duration reproduction. They also completed tests measuring executive function and processing speed. Findings supported the view that executive function is the best mediator of reproduction performance and inversely that processing speed is the best mediator of production performance. They also showed that young-old participants provide relatively accurate temporal judgments compared to old-old participants. These findings are discussed in terms of compensation mechanisms in aging.

Phytochemicals in Morinda citrifolia fruit selectively modulate age-associated immunity and antioxidant enzyme activities through ERK pathway in splenic lymphocytes of male F344 rats.

PubMed

Pratap, Uday P; Anand, Krithika; Yasmine, Fariya; Hima, Lalgi; Priyanka, Hannah P; Thyagarajan, Srinivasan

2016-01-01

The mechanisms of immunomodulatory effects of Morinda citrifolia (Noni) were examined through intracellular signaling pathways in the splenocytes and their modulation by phytochemicals using bioinformatics tools. Noni fruit juices without seeds (NSL) and with seeds (NWS) were co-incubated in vitro with splenocytes from young, middle-aged and old F344 male rats and proliferation of lymphocytes, cytokine production, antioxidant enzyme activities and intracellular signaling markers were measured. NSL decreased lymphoproliferation in early middle-aged rats, and IL-2 and IFN-γ production in old rats. In contrast, NWS enhanced lymphoproliferation in young and old rats, IL-2 and IFN-γ production in middle-aged and old rats. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were augmented by NWS and NSL in old rats. NWS reversed age-related increase in lipid peroxidation in all age-groups, while NSL increased lipid peroxidation in old rats. NSL increased p-ERK in old rats and decreased p-CREB in young and middle-aged rats. In contrast, NWS decreased p-ERK in all age groups and increased p-CREB in old rats. Both NSL and NWS increased p-Akt expression in middle-aged and old rats. Both NSL and NWS suppressed p-NF-κB expression in middle-aged and old rats. Docking studies demonstrated that Noni phytochemicals, damnacanthal, myricetin and ursolic acid, are potent inhibitors of ERK with binding sites in the catalytic and phosphorylation sites of the molecule. These results suggest that Noni fruit juices with or without seeds modulate cell-mediated immunity and antioxidant enzyme activities based on the phytochemicals that may differentially influence cell signaling and therefore, age-associated immunity.

The relevance of memory sensitivity for psychological well-being in aging.

PubMed

Toffalini, Enrico; Borella, Erika; Cornoldi, Cesare; De Beni, Rossana

2016-08-01

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between memory sensitivity, which describes a positive attitude to autobiographical memory and the presence of behaviors devoted to saving memories of the personal past, and psychological well-being; in particular, we tested whether their relationship would change across age groups. Three hundred eighteen participants, divided in four groups: young to middle-aged adults (20-55 years old), young-old adults (65-74 years old), old adults (75-84 years old), and old-old adults (85-97 years old), completed questionnaires on their memory sensitivity and psychological well-being. Memory sensitivity slightly decreased with age and had a positive relationship with psychological well-being that was critically moderated by age. Specifically, the relationship between memory sensitivity and psychological well-being became increasingly stronger as age increased. While memory sensitivity may have little or no particular relevance in the case of young to middle-aged adults, it has an increasingly important positive relationship with psychological well-being at later age. It is thus suggested that memory sensitivity represents a dimension that should be considered in the study and interventions on quality of life in the elderly population.

Middle-Range Theory: Coping and Adaptation with Active Aging.

PubMed

Salazar-Barajas, Martha Elba; Salazar-González, Bertha Cecilia; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther Carlota

2017-10-01

Various disciplines focus on a multiplicity of aspects of aging: lifestyles, personal biological factors, psychological conditions, health conditions, physical environment, and social and economic factors. The aforementioned are all related to the determinants of active aging. The aim is to describe the development of a middle-range theory based on coping and adaptation with active aging. Concepts and relationships derived from Roy's model of adaptation are included. The proposed concepts are hope, health habits, coping with aging, social relations, and active aging.

Longitudinal Predictors of Institutionalization in Old Age.

PubMed

Hajek, André; Brettschneider, Christian; Lange, Carolin; Posselt, Tina; Wiese, Birgitt; Steinmann, Susanne; Weyerer, Siegfried; Werle, Jochen; Pentzek, Michael; Fuchs, Angela; Stein, Janine; Luck, Tobias; Bickel, Horst; Mösch, Edelgard; Wagner, Michael; Jessen, Frank; Maier, Wolfgang; Scherer, Martin; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G; König, Hans-Helmut

2015-01-01

To investigate time-dependent predictors of institutionalization in old age using a longitudinal approach. In a representative survey of the German general population aged 75 years and older predictors of institutionalization were observed every 1.5 years over six waves. Conditional fixed-effects logistic regressions (with 201 individuals and 960 observations) were performed to estimate the effects of marital status, depression, dementia, and physical impairments (mobility, hearing and visual impairments) on the risk of admission to old-age home or nursing home. By exploiting the longitudinal data structure using panel econometric models, we were able to control for unobserved heterogeneity such as genetic predisposition and personality traits. The probability of institutionalization increased significantly with occurrence of widowhood, depression, dementia, as well as walking and hearing impairments. In particular, the occurrence of widowhood (OR = 78.3), dementia (OR = 154.1) and substantial mobility impairment (OR = 36.7) were strongly associated with institutionalization. Findings underline the strong influence of loss of spouse as well as dementia on institutionalization. This is relevant as the number of old people (a) living alone and (b) suffering from dementia is expected to increase rapidly in the next decades. Consequently, it is supposed that the demand for institutionalization among the elderly will increase considerably. Practitioners as well as policy makers should be aware of these upcoming challenges.

Oral health care needs among the middle-aged and the elderly in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lo, E C; Corbet, E F; Holmgren, C J

1994-10-01

A sample of 372 35-44-yr-olds and 537 noninstitutionalized 65-74-yr-olds were clinically examined in an oral health survey of Hong Kong Chinese conducted in 1991. The examination procedures and diagnostic criteria for assessing restorative and extraction treatment need followed those recommended by the World Health Organization. The Community Periodontal Index-based periodontal treatment needs involving index teeth or their replacements were computed from separate clinic scores for maximum probing depth, presence of calculus, and bleeding after probing. A set of criteria for assessing prosthodontic treatment need was specially laid down for this survey. Examiners were calibrated before the survey, and the interexaminer reliability was found to be generally good. Besides reporting the various individual normative treatment need items in the traditional way, the present analysis used some holistic treatment-need categories which may have manpower-requirement implications for the classification of subjects. All dentate subjects surveyed required some treatment. Only 6% of the elderly, all edentulous, required denture work only. Of the 35-44-yr-olds, 42% needed scaling and oral hygiene instruction only, which could be provided by dental hygienists. The treatment needs of the vast majority of the middle-aged and the elderly (mainly scaling; simple fillings; and extractions, dentures, or both) could be easily handled by general dentists. Only about one-fifth of the subjects in both age groups required some complex care such as endodontics, crowns, and advanced periodontal treatment, which could be delivered by senior dentists or dentists with specialist training.

The Malleability of Possible Selves and Expectations regarding Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardach, Shoshana H.; Gayer, Christopher C.; Clinkinbeard, Tiffanie; Zanjani, Faika; Watkins, John F.

2010-01-01

Many people are apprehensive about old age and their future years. This pilot study sought to improve participants' sense of possibility in, and expectations for, old age. Students and middle-aged volunteers completed a survey including the Expectations Regarding Aging 38-item questionnaire (ERA-38) and a possible-selves questionnaire before and…

Feminist gerontology and old men.

PubMed

Calasanti, Toni

2004-11-01

This article outlines feminist gerontology and shows how its focus on power relations lends insight into the lives of those people disadvantaged by them as well as the people privileged by social inequalities. To illustrate the latter, I discuss how feminist gerontology might examine old men, using the topic of health as an example. For instance, arrangements that maintain privilege in young adulthood and middle age can lead to poor health in old age. These practices of masculinity include physical risk in competition with other men, neglect of social networks and medical care, and avoidance of any self-report of emotional strain. However, with its focus on diversity, feminist gerontology also emphasizes that experiences of manhood, aging, and health vary by one's location in a network of inequalities.

Martial Arts Training Attenuates Arterial Stiffness in Middle Aged Adults

PubMed Central

Douris, Peter C.; Ingenito, Teresa; Piccirillo, Barbara; Herbst, Meredith; Petrizzo, John; Cherian, Vincen; McCutchan, Christopher; Burke, Caitlin; Stamatinos, George; Jung, Min-Kyung

2013-01-01

Purpose Arterial stiffness increases with age and is related to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Poor trunk flexibility has been shown to be associated with arterial stiffness in middle-aged subjects. The purpose of our research study was to measure arterial stiffness and flexibility in healthy middle-aged martial artists compared to age and gender matched healthy sedentary controls. Methods Ten martial artists (54.0 ± 2.0 years), who practice Soo Bahk Do (SBD), a Korean martial art, and ten sedentary subjects (54.7 ± 1.8 years) for a total of twenty subjects took part in this cross-sectional study. Arterial stiffness was assessed in all subjects using pulse wave velocity (PWV), a recognized index of arterial stiffness. Flexibility of the trunk and hamstring were also measured. The independent variables were the martial artists and matched sedentary controls. The dependent variables were PWV and flexibility. Results There were significant differences, between the SBD practitioners and sedentary controls, in PWV (P = 0.004), in trunk flexibility (P= 0.002), and in hamstring length (P= 0.003). Conclusion The middle-aged martial artists were more flexible in their trunk and hamstrings and had less arterial stiffness compared to the healthy sedentary controls. The flexibility component of martial art training or flexibility exercises in general may be considered as a possible intervention to reduce the effects of aging on arterial stiffness. PMID:24427479

Arterial stiffness is associated with depression in middle-aged men — the Maastricht Study

PubMed Central

Onete, Veronica; Henry, Ronald M.; Sep, Simone J.S.; Koster, Annemarie; van der Kallen, Carla J.; Dagnelie, Pieter C.; Schaper, Nicolaas; Köhler, Sebastian; Reesink, Koen; Stehouwer, Coen D.A.

2018-01-01

Background Arterial stiffening may underlie the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but reported data are inconsistent. We investigated the associations between aortic stiffness and major depressive disorder (MDD) and depressive symptoms, and whether these differed by sex and age. Methods We measured carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) using applanation tonometry, and we assessed depression using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in a cohort of participants from The Maastricht Study. Logistic and negative binominal models were adjusted for age, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and CVD risk factors. Results We included 2757 participants in our analyses (48.8% men, mean age 59.8 ± 8.1 yr, 27% T2DM). We found that cfPWV was associated with MDD in men (fully adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45–3.84), but not in women (OR 1.57, 95% CI 0.93–2.66), aged 60 years or younger. The ORs were not significant in individuals older than 60 years (men: OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.63–1.68; women: OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.32–1.31). Similarly, cfPWV was associated with a higher PHQ-9 score in men (rate ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.09–1.52), but not in women (rate ratio 1.11, 95% CI 0.99–1.23), aged 60 years or younger. Associations were not significant in individuals older than 60 years (men: rate ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.84–1.08; women: rate ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.90–1.12). Limitations We cannot rule out reversed causation in this cross-sectional study. Conclusion Greater aortic stiffness is associated with MDD and depressive symptoms among middle-aged men and to a lesser extent in women, whereas this association was not observed in old age. PMID:29481318

Failure to Recover from Proactive Semantic Interference and Abnormal Limbic Connectivity in Asymptomatic, Middle-Aged Offspring of Patients with Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Sánchez, Stella M; Abulafia, Carolina; Duarte-Abritta, Barbara; de Guevara, M Soledad Ladrón; Castro, Mariana N; Drucaroff, Lucas; Sevlever, Gustavo; Nemeroff, Charles B; Vigo, Daniel E; Loewenstein, David A; Villarreal, Mirta F; Guinjoan, Salvador M

2017-01-01

We have obtained previous evidence of limbic dysfunction in middle-aged, asymptomatic offspring of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) patients, and failure to recover from proactive semantic interference has been shown to be a sensitive cognitive test in other groups at risk for LOAD. To assess the effects of specific proactive semantic interference deficits as they relate to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neocortical and limbic functional connectivity in middle aged offspring of individuals with LOAD (O-LOAD) and age-equivalent controls. We examined 21 O-LOAD and 20 controls without family history of neurodegenerative disorders (CS) on traditional measures of cognitive functioning and the LASSI-L, a novel semantic interference test uniquely sensitive to the failure to recover from proactive interference (frPSI). Cognitive tests then were correlated to fMRI connectivity of seeds located in entorhinal cortex and anterodorsal thalamic nuclei among O-LOAD and CS participants. Relative to CS, O-LOAD participants evidenced lower connectivity between entorhinal cortex and orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate, and anterior temporal cortex. In the offspring of LOAD patients, LASSI-L measures of frPSI were inversely associated with connectivity between anterodorsal thalamus and contralateral posterior cingulate. Intrusions on the task related to frPSI were inversely correlated with a widespread connectivity network involving hippocampal, insular, posterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, along with precunei and anterior thalamus in this group. Different patterns of connectivity associated with frPSI were observed among controls. The present results suggest that both semantic interference deficits and connectivity abnormalities might reflect limbic circuit dysfunction as a very early clinical signature of LOAD pathology, as previously demonstrated for other limbic phenotypes, such as sleep and circadian alterations.

78,000-year-old record of Middle and Later stone age innovation in an East African tropical forest.

PubMed

Shipton, Ceri; Roberts, Patrick; Archer, Will; Armitage, Simon J; Bita, Caesar; Blinkhorn, James; Courtney-Mustaphi, Colin; Crowther, Alison; Curtis, Richard; Errico, Francesco d'; Douka, Katerina; Faulkner, Patrick; Groucutt, Huw S; Helm, Richard; Herries, Andy I R; Jembe, Severinus; Kourampas, Nikos; Lee-Thorp, Julia; Marchant, Rob; Mercader, Julio; Marti, Africa Pitarch; Prendergast, Mary E; Rowson, Ben; Tengeza, Amini; Tibesasa, Ruth; White, Tom S; Petraglia, Michael D; Boivin, Nicole

2018-05-09

The Middle to Later Stone Age transition in Africa has been debated as a significant shift in human technological, cultural, and cognitive evolution. However, the majority of research on this transition is currently focused on southern Africa due to a lack of long-term, stratified sites across much of the African continent. Here, we report a 78,000-year-long archeological record from Panga ya Saidi, a cave in the humid coastal forest of Kenya. Following a shift in toolkits ~67,000 years ago, novel symbolic and technological behaviors assemble in a non-unilinear manner. Against a backdrop of a persistent tropical forest-grassland ecotone, localized innovations better characterize the Late Pleistocene of this part of East Africa than alternative emphases on dramatic revolutions or migrations.

Genetic and Environmental Architecture of Changes in Episodic Memory from Middle to Late Middle Age

PubMed Central

Panizzon, Matthew S.; Neale, Michael C.; Docherty, Anna R.; Franz, Carol E.; Jacobson, Kristen C.; Toomey, Rosemary; Xian, Hong; Vasilopoulos, Terrie; Rana, Brinda K.; McKenzie, Ruth M.; Lyons, Michael J.; Kremen, William S.

2015-01-01

Episodic memory is a complex construct at both the phenotypic and genetic level. Ample evidence supports age-related cognitive stability and change being accounted for by general and domain-specific factors. We hypothesized that general and specific factors would underlie change even within this single cognitive domain. We examined six measures from three episodic memory tests in a narrow age cohort at middle and late middle age. The factor structure was invariant across occasions. At both timepoints two of three test-specific factors (story recall, design recall) had significant genetic influences independent of the general memory factor. Phenotypic stability was moderate to high, and primarily accounted for by genetic influences, except for one test-specific factor (list learning). Mean change over time was nonsignificant for one test-level factor; one declined; one improved. The results highlight the phenotypic and genetic complexity of memory and memory change, and shed light on an understudied period of life. PMID:25938244

Genetic and environmental architecture of changes in episodic memory from middle to late middle age.

PubMed

Panizzon, Matthew S; Neale, Michael C; Docherty, Anna R; Franz, Carol E; Jacobson, Kristen C; Toomey, Rosemary; Xian, Hong; Vasilopoulos, Terrie; Rana, Brinda K; McKenzie, Ruth; Lyons, Michael J; Kremen, William S

2015-06-01

Episodic memory is a complex construct at both the phenotypic and genetic level. Ample evidence supports age-related cognitive stability and change being accounted for by general and domain-specific factors. We hypothesized that general and specific factors would underlie change even within this single cognitive domain. We examined 6 measures from 3 episodic memory tests in a narrow age cohort at middle and late middle age. The factor structure was invariant across occasions. At both timepoints 2 of 3 test-specific factors (story recall, design recall) had significant genetic influences independent of the general memory factor. Phenotypic stability was moderate to high, and primarily accounted for by genetic influences, except for 1 test-specific factor (list learning). Mean change over time was nonsignificant for 1 test-level factor; 1 declined; 1 improved. The results highlight the phenotypic and genetic complexity of memory and memory change, and shed light on an understudied period of life. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Attentional bias scores in patients with depression and effects of age: a controlled, eye-tracking study.

PubMed

Lu, Shengfu; Xu, Jiying; Li, Mi; Xue, Jia; Lu, Xiaofeng; Feng, Lei; Fu, Bingbing; Wang, Gang; Zhong, Ning; Hu, Bin

2017-10-01

Objective To compare the attentional bias of depressed patients and non-depressed control subjects and examine the effects of age using eye-tracking technology in a free-viewing set of tasks. Methods Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and non-depressed control subjects completed an eye-tracking task to assess attention of processing negative, positive and neutral facial expressions. In this cross-sectional study, the tasks were separated in two types (neutral versus happy faces and neutral versus sad faces) and assessed in two age groups ('young' [18-30 years] and 'middle-aged' [31-55 years]). Results Compared with non-depressed control subjects ( n = 75), patients with MDD ( n = 90) had a significant reduced positive attentional bias and enhanced negative attentional bias irrespective of age. The positive attentional bias in 'middle-aged' patients with MDD was significantly lower than in 'young' patients, although there was no difference between the two age groups in negative attentional bias. Conclusions These results confirm that there are emotional attentional biases in patients with MDD and that positive attentional biases are influenced by age.

Macro- and micro-level predictors of age categorization: results from the European Social Survey.

PubMed

Ayalon, Liat; Doron, Israel; Bodner, Ehud; Inbar, Noit

2014-03-01

This study evaluated macro- and micro-level variables associated with individuals' perception of the ending of youth, the beginning of old age, and the length of the middle age period. The European Social Survey is a biennial multi-country, cross-sectional survey. Our analysis is based on the fourth wave, which included a rotating module on ageism. The source sample consisted of 28 countries and a total of 54,988 respondents. Whereas macro-level variability accounted for 14 % of the variance associated with the perception of the ending of youth, only 5.7 % of the variance associated with the perception of the beginning of old age was accounted for by macro-level variability. Almost 10 % of the variance associated with the perception of the middle age period was associated with macro-level variability. Different patterns of macro- and micro-level correlates emerged for the ending of youth, beginning of old age, and the period of middle age. Overall, results demonstrate that individual differences in the perception of the ending of youth, the beginning of old age, and the length of the middle age period are more pronounced than contextual differences. Results also suggest that individuals' mental maps regarding the timing of these events are not necessarily concordant.

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.

Only the bad died young in the ancient Middle East.

PubMed

Arnett, W S

1985-01-01

Biblical writers generally viewed old age as a reward for righteousness and piety. Consequently, they stressed the belief that the elderly were blessed and that they should be venerated. While life expectancy was usually below forty years, there are exceptional cases on record of individuals--men and women--living to advanced old ages. An analysis of these special few cases and a discussion of extra-Biblical texts shows that other ancient Middle Eastern societies held attitudes toward aging and the aged comparable to those expressed in the Hebrew Bible.

Death Anxiety, Reliability, Validity, and Factorial Structure of the Farsi Form of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety in Iranian Old-Aged Persons

PubMed Central

Dadfar, Mahboubeh; Lester, David

2016-01-01

The present study is aimed at examining the level of death anxiety and the sex-related differences among old-aged Iranian individuals sample to compare the old-aged persons with young college students and to explore the psychometric properties of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) factors in old-aged sample. A sample of 146 volunteer Iranian individuals took part in the study. The mean ages were 68.58 (SD = 7.10), men 68.81 (SD = 7.44) and women 68.28 (SD = 6.76), respectively. The mean score of the ASDA was 51.09 (SD = 20.19). Cronbach's alpha of the ASDA was found to be high (0.94); and Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.92. Women had a significantly higher mean total score on the ASDA. Old-aged individuals had a significantly higher mean ASDA total score than younger college students (M age = 25.77). The factor analysis of the ASDA items yielded three factors accounting for 67.88% of the total variance labeled (F1) fear of dead people and tombs; (F2) fear of lethal disease and postmortem events; and (F3) death fear. These factors were highly replicable with previous factors extracted from a middle-aged Kuwaiti sample. On the basis of the present results, there are the following three general conclusions: death anxiety is not significantly correlated with age; the sex-related differences on death anxiety are striking in the Iranian samples; and the ASDA has a highly replicable factor structure among two Iranian and Arab countries. PMID:27867662

Death Anxiety, Reliability, Validity, and Factorial Structure of the Farsi Form of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety in Iranian Old-Aged Persons.

PubMed

Dadfar, Mahboubeh; Lester, David; Bahrami, Fazel

2016-01-01

The present study is aimed at examining the level of death anxiety and the sex-related differences among old-aged Iranian individuals sample to compare the old-aged persons with young college students and to explore the psychometric properties of the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) factors in old-aged sample. A sample of 146 volunteer Iranian individuals took part in the study. The mean ages were 68.58 (SD = 7.10), men 68.81 (SD = 7.44) and women 68.28 (SD = 6.76), respectively. The mean score of the ASDA was 51.09 (SD = 20.19). Cronbach's alpha of the ASDA was found to be high (0.94); and Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.92. Women had a significantly higher mean total score on the ASDA. Old-aged individuals had a significantly higher mean ASDA total score than younger college students (M age = 25.77). The factor analysis of the ASDA items yielded three factors accounting for 67.88% of the total variance labeled (F1) fear of dead people and tombs; (F2) fear of lethal disease and postmortem events; and (F3) death fear. These factors were highly replicable with previous factors extracted from a middle-aged Kuwaiti sample. On the basis of the present results, there are the following three general conclusions: death anxiety is not significantly correlated with age; the sex-related differences on death anxiety are striking in the Iranian samples; and the ASDA has a highly replicable factor structure among two Iranian and Arab countries.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest During Sports Activity in Middle Age

PubMed Central

Marijon, Eloi; Uy-Evanado, Audrey; Reinier, Kyndaron; Teodorescu, Carmen; Narayanan, Kumar; Jouven, Xavier; Gunson, Karen; Jui, Jonathan; Chugh, Sumeet S.

2015-01-01

Background Sports-associated sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) occur mostly during middle age. We sought to determine burden, characteristics, and outcomes of SCA during sports among middle aged residents of a large US community. Methods and Results SCA cases aged 35–65 years were identified in a large, prospective, population-based study (2002–2013), with systematic and comprehensive assessment of their lifetime medical history. Of the 1,247 SCA cases, 63 (5%) occurred during sports activities at a mean age of 51.1±8.8 years, yielding an incidence of 21.7 (95%CI 8.1–35.4) per million per year. The incidence varied significantly based on sex, with a higher incidence among men (RR 18.68 95%CI 2.50–139.56) for sports SCA, as compared to all other SCA (RR 2.58, 95%CI 2.12–3.13). Sports SCA was also more likely to be a witnessed event (87 vs. 53%, P<0.001), with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (44 vs. 25%, P=0.001) and ventricular fibrillation (84 vs. 51%, P<0.0001). Survival to hospital discharge was higher for sports-associated SCA (23.2 vs. 13.6%, P=0.04). Sports SCA cases presented with known pre-existing cardiac disease in 16%, ≥1 cardiovascular risk factor in 56%, and overall, 36% of cases had typical cardiovascular symptoms during the week preceding SCA. Conclusions Sports-associated SCA in middle age represents a relatively small proportion of the overall SCA burden, reinforcing the idea of the high benefit-low risk nature of sports activity. Especially in light of current population aging trends, our findings emphasize that targeted education could maximize both safety and acceptance of sports activity in the older athlete. PMID:25847988

[Intake of liquid beverage among Chinese adults aged 18-59 years old in 15 provinces, 2015].

PubMed

Wang, Yun; Jia, Xiaofang; Du, Wenwen; Huang, Feifei; Zhang, Ji; Jiang, Hongru; Su, Chang; Zhang, Jiguo; Li, Li; Ouyang, Yifei; Wang, Zhihong; Zhang, Bing; Wang, Huijun

2018-03-01

To understand the current status of liquid beverage consumption of adult residents in 15 provinces and cities in China, and discuss relevant factors that may affect the consumption of liquid beverage of adult residents, and provide data support to guide the rational consumption of liquid beverage. Using data from China Nutritional Transition Cohort Survey in 2015 on the subjects aged 18 to 59 years old in 15 provinces and cities in China with complete 24-hour-dietary for 3 days and food consumption frequency method, chi-square was used to analyze liquid beverage consumption rate, nonparametric test was used to analyze beverage consumption intake levels of different gender, age, education degree, urban and rural areas, income, region. The factors affecting the consumption of liquid beverage were analyzed by Logistic regression model. The result of complete 24-hour-dietary for 3 days showed that the consumption rate of liquid beverage was 2. 8% and the 99 th consumption of liquid beverage was 93. 3 g/d for adult residents in 15 provinces and cities in 2015. The consumption rate and P99 intake of liquid beverage increased gradually with the increase of educational degree and income; the city was higher than the rural areas; the eastern was higher than the central and west region. Logistic analysis showed that the distribution of education, urban and rural areas and region were the influencing factors of whether adult residents drank liquid beverage. The 50 th consumption of liquid beverage in the consumer group was 70. 0 g/d. Among them, 18-44 years old youth group was higher than 45-59 years old middle age group; junior middle school education was highest lowest; the rural was higher than the city; the central was higher than west and east region. The result of food consumption frequency showed that 25. 8% of adults were reported consumed liquid beverage in 2015. The main types of beverages were fruit juice and fruit juice beverages, carbonated drinks, accounting for

Infliximab therapy in pediatric patients 7 years of age and younger.

PubMed

Kelsen, Judith R; Grossman, Andrew B; Pauly-Hubbard, Helen; Gupta, Kernika; Baldassano, Robert N; Mamula, Petar

2014-12-01

Infliximab (IFX) is efficacious for induction and maintenance of remission in pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It has, however, not been studied in patients 7 years old and younger. Our aim was to characterize efficacy and safety of IFX therapy in this cohort. This was a retrospective study of patients with IBD ages 7 years and younger, treated with IFX between 1999 and 2011. Medical records were reviewed for age of diagnosis, disease phenotype, therapy, surgery, IFX infusion dates, dose, and intervals. Outcome measures included physician global assessment, corticosteroid requirement, and adverse events. Thirty-three children (ages 2.4-7 years) were included. Twenty patients had Crohn disease, 4 had ulcerative colitis, and 9 had indeterminate colitis. Maintenance of IFX therapy at 1, 2, and 3 years was 36%, 18%, and 12%, respectively. Patients of age 5 years and younger had the lowest rates of maintenance of therapy at 25% at year 1, and 10% at years 2 and 3 combined. Nine percent of all of the patients demonstrated response measured by the physician global assessment and were steroid free at 1 year. There were 8 infusion reactions. There were no malignancies, serious infections, or deaths. IFX demonstrated a modest response rate and a low steroid-sparing effect in patients with IBD 7 years old and younger. Although this is a limited study, there appears to be a trend for decreased sustained efficacy with IFX in this age group, particularly in children 5 years old and younger, when compared with the previously published literature in older children.

Age-Related Differences in Vehicle Control and Eye Movement Patterns at Intersections: Older and Middle-Aged Drivers

PubMed Central

Yamani, Yusuke; Horrey, William J.; Liang, Yulan; Fisher, Donald L.

2016-01-01

Older drivers are at increased risk of intersection crashes. Previous work found that older drivers execute less frequent glances for detecting potential threats at intersections than middle-aged drivers. Yet, earlier work has also shown that an active training program doubled the frequency of these glances among older drivers, suggesting that these effects are not necessarily due to age-related functional declines. In light of findings, the current study sought to explore the ability of older drivers to coordinate their head and eye movements while simultaneously steering the vehicle as well as their glance behavior at intersections. In a driving simulator, older (M = 76 yrs) and middle-aged (M = 58 yrs) drivers completed different driving tasks: (1) travelling straight on a highway while scanning for peripheral information (a visual search task) and (2) navigating intersections with areas potential hazard. The results replicate that the older drivers did not execute glances for potential threats to the sides when turning at intersections as frequently as the middle-aged drivers. Furthermore, the results demonstrate costs of performing two concurrent tasks, highway driving and visual search task on the side displays: the older drivers performed more poorly on the visual search task and needed to correct their steering positions more compared to the middle-aged counterparts. The findings are consistent with the predictions and discussed in terms of a decoupling hypothesis, providing an account for the effects of the active training program. PMID:27736887

Finding New Space in Old Places: Repurposing Auxiliary Gyms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Havens, Kevin

2010-01-01

Some parts of a school building do not age gracefully. At many elementary and middle schools--particularly those built in the 1960s or 1970s--old gyms are as useful (and attractive) as a worn-out pair of sneakers. To save money 20 years ago, school districts often used one space as a combination gym/lunch room/auditorium. Old gymnasiums offer…

Continuity and Discontinuity: The Case of Second Couplehood in Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koren, Chaya

2011-01-01

Purpose: Continuity and discontinuity are controversial concepts in social theories on aging. The aim of this article is to explore these concepts using the experiences of older persons living in second couplehood in old age as a case in point. Design and Method: Based on a larger qualitative study on second couplehood in old age, following the…

Predictors of postoperative complications in elderly and oldest old patients with gastric cancer.

PubMed

Takama, Takehiro; Okano, Keiichi; Kondo, Akihiro; Akamoto, Shintaro; Fujiwara, Masao; Usuki, Hisashi; Suzuki, Yasuyuki

2015-07-01

The incidence of gastric cancer has been increasing among elderly persons in Japan. This study aimed to clarify risk factors for postoperative complications in oldest old patients with gastric cancer. One-hundred ninety patients more than 75 years old with gastric cancer underwent gastrectomy between 2000 and 2011. Patients were classified into two groups: group A included 29 patients who were 85 years or older (oldest old patients), and group B included 161 patients who were 75-84 years of age. Perioperative parameters associated with complications were compared in each group. The preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate was significantly lower in group A (p = 0.03). The two groups significantly differed in performance status (p = 0.018). Patients in group A received a lesser extent of lymph node dissection and had fewer lymph nodes excised. As a result, the duration of the operation was significantly shorter in group A. There were no significant differences in the frequency or grade of total complications or mortality between the two groups. Operative hemorrhage (>300 ml) and Hiroshima POSSUM (predicted morbidity risk >40) were risk factors in both groups A and B; the risk factors of preoperative serum albumin level and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were specific to group A. Adjustments to the extent of surgery among oldest old patients most likely reduces the incidence of postoperative complications in this group. Preoperative serum albumin level and PNI are significant predictors of postoperative complications in oldest old patients with gastric cancer.

Shakespeare on old age and disability.

PubMed

Covey, H

2000-01-01

The plays of William Shakespeare were reviewed for references to disabilities, aging and disability, and older characters with disabilities. Shakespeare's references draw from traditional cultural notions about older people with disabilities. These traditional notions include people with physical disabilities being evil, the entertainment value of disabilty, and those who were mentally ill being wild and animal-like. He viewed the aging process as disabling and old age as a time when individuals lost some abilities to function, particularly when it came to mental capacity and physical mobility. His writings show that he used disability as a literary tool to add dimension to characters and set them apart. Contemporary literature continues to share some of Shakespeare's view on aging and disability but also departs from them in important ways. For example, contemporary treatment of disabilities and aging places more emphasis on the human side of the affects of aging and disabilities. Disabilities and aging are not cast in the same negative terms as Shakespeare used.

Frailty, Diabetes, and Mortality in Middle-Aged African Americans.

PubMed

Chode, S; Malmstrom, T K; Miller, D K; Morley, J E

2016-01-01

Older adult frail diabetics have high mortality risk, but data are limited regarding frail late middle-aged diabetics, especially for African-Americans. The aim of this study is to examine the association of diabetes with health outcomes and frailty in the African American Health (AAH) study. AAH is a population-based longitudinal cohort study. Participants were African Americans (N=998) ages 49 to 65 years at baseline. Cross-sectional comparisons for diabetes included disability, function, physical performance, cytokines, and frailty. Frailty measures included the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging [FRAIL] frailty scale, Study of Osteoporotic Fractures [SOF] frailty scale, Cardiovascular Health Study [CHS] frailty scale, and Frailty Index [FI]). Longitudinal associations for diabetes included new ADLs ≥ 1 and mortality at 9-year follow-up. Diabetics were more likely to be frail using any of the 4 frailty scales than were non-diabetics. Frail diabetics, compared to nonfrail diabetics, reported significantly increased falls in last 1 year, higher IADLs and higher LBFLs. They demonstrated worse performance on the SPPB, one-leg stand, and grip strength; and higher Tumor Necrosis Factor receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2). Mortality and 1 or more new ADLs also were increased among frail compared to nonfrail diabetics when followed for 9 years. Frailty in middle-aged African American persons with diabetes is associated with having more disability and functional limitations, worse physical performance, and higher cytokines (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 only). Middle-aged African Americans with diabetes have an increased risk of mortality and frail diabetics have an even higher risk of death, compared to nonfrail diabetics.

Long-Term Moderate Exercise Rescues Age-Related Decline in Hippocampal Neuronal Complexity and Memory.

PubMed

Tsai, Sheng-Feng; Ku, Nai-Wen; Wang, Tzu-Feng; Yang, Yan-Hsiang; Shih, Yao-Hsiang; Wu, Shih-Ying; Lee, Chu-Wan; Yu, Megan; Yang, Ting-Ting; Kuo, Yu-Min

2018-05-07

Aging impairs hippocampal neuroplasticity and hippocampus-related learning and memory. In contrast, exercise training is known to improve hippocampal neuronal function. However, whether exercise is capable of restoring memory function in old animals is less clear. Here, we investigated the effects of exercise on the hippocampal neuroplasticity and memory functions during aging. Young (3 months), middle-aged (9-12 months), and old (18 months) mice underwent moderate-intensity treadmill running training for 6 weeks, and their hippocampus-related learning and memory, and the plasticity of their CA1 neurons was evaluated. The memory performance (Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests), and dendritic complexity (branch and length) and spine density of their hippocampal CA1 neurons decreased as their age increased. The induction and maintenance of high-frequency stimulation-induced long-term potentiation in the CA1 area and the expressions of neuroplasticity-related proteins were not affected by age. Treadmill running increased CA1 neuron long-term potentiation and dendritic complexity in all three age groups, and it restored the learning and memory ability in middle-aged and old mice. Furthermore, treadmill running upregulated the hippocampal expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and monocarboxylate transporter-4 in middle-aged mice, glutamine synthetase in old mice, and full-length TrkB in middle-aged and old mice. The hippocampus-related memory function declines from middle age, but long-term moderate-intensity running effectively increased hippocampal neuroplasticity and memory in mice of different ages, even when the memory impairment had progressed to an advanced stage. Thus, long-term, moderate intensity exercise training might be a way of delaying and treating aging-related memory decline. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Perceived Stress After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Comparison Between Young and Middle-Aged Women Versus Men.

PubMed

Xu, Xiao; Bao, Haikun; Strait, Kelly M; Edmondson, Donald E; Davidson, Karina W; Beltrame, John F; Bueno, Héctor; Lin, Haiqun; Dreyer, Rachel P; Brush, John E; Spertus, John A; Lichtman, Judith H; DʼOnofrio, Gail; Krumholz, Harlan M

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine how psychological stress changes over time in young and middle-aged patients after experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and whether these changes differ between men and women. We analyzed data obtained from 2358 women and 1151 men aged 18 to 55 years hospitalized for AMI. Psychological stress was measured using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) at initial hospitalization and at 1 month and 12 months after AMI. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine changes in PSS-14 scores over time and sex differences in these changes, while adjusting for patient characteristics and accounting for correlation among repeated observations within patients. Overall, patients' perceived stress decreased over time, especially during the first month after AMI. Women had higher levels of perceived stress than men throughout the 12-month period (difference in PSS-14 score = 3.63, 95% confidence interval = 3.08 to 4.18, p < .001), but they did not differ in how stress changed over time. Adjustment for patient characteristics did not alter the overall pattern of sex difference in changes of perceived stress over time other than attenuating the magnitude of sex difference in PSS-14 score (difference between women and men = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.32 to 2.16, p < .001). The magnitude of sex differences in perceived stress was similar in patients with versus without post-AMI angina, even though patients with angina experienced less improvement in PSS-14 score than those without angina. In young and middle-aged patients with AMI, women reported higher levels of perceived stress than men throughout the first 12 months of recovery. However, women and men had a similar pattern in how perceived stress changed over time.

Leisure Activity and Caregiver Involvement in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihaila, Iulia; Hartley, Sigan L.; Handen, Benjamin L.; Bulova, Peter D.; Tumuluru, Rameshwari V.; Devenny, Darlynne A.; Johnson, Sterling C.; Lao, Patrick J.; Christian, Bradley, T.

2017-01-01

The present study examined leisure activity and its association with caregiver involvement (i.e., residence and time spent with primary caregiver) in 62 middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome (aged 30-53 years). Findings indicated that middle-aged and older adults with Down syndrome frequently participated in social and passive leisure…

Asymptomatic heart valve dysfunction in healthy middle-aged companion dogs and its implications for cardiac aging.

PubMed

Urfer, Silvan R; Kaeberlein, Tammi L; Mailheau, Susan; Bergman, Philip J; Creevy, Kate E; Promislow, Daniel E L; Kaeberlein, Matt

2017-02-01

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the USA, accounting for about one in every four deaths. Age is the greatest risk factor for heart disease in both people and dogs; however, heart disease is generally not considered as a major cause of morbidity or mortality in dogs. As part of the preliminary selection process for a veterinary clinical trial, 40 companion dogs with no history of cardiac pathology that were at least 6 years old and weighed at least 18 kg underwent a cardiac screening using Doppler echocardiography. Eleven dogs from this cohort were diagnosed with valvular regurgitation by echocardiography, and seven of these cases were of sufficient severity to warrant exclusion from the clinical trial. In only one case was a heart murmur detected by auscultation. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly higher in the dogs with moderate to severe valvular regurgitation compared to the rest of the cohort. These observations suggest that asymptomatic degenerative valvular disease detectable by echocardiography, but not by a standard veterinary exam including auscultation, may be present in a significant fraction of middle-aged companion dogs, indicating a previously underappreciated similarity between human and canine aging. Further, these data suggest that companion dogs may be a particularly useful animal model for understanding mechanisms of age-related degenerative valve disease and for developing and testing interventions to ameliorate cardiac disease. Future studies should address whether dogs with asymptomatic valve disease are at higher risk for subsequent morbidity or early death.

A UTILITY THEORY OF OLD AGE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAMLIN, ROY M.

HERZBERG'S JOB SATISFACTION MODEL SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR AN ANALYSIS OF OLD AGE. THE PATTERN VARIES AMONG INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE CAPACITY FOR ORGANIZED BEHAVIOR RATHER THAN RANDOM STRESS REDUCTION SUPPLIES EACH INDIVIDUAL WITH A TASK. THE HYPOTHESIS IS THAT IF THE OLDER INDIVIDUAL REALIZES UTILITY IN HIS YEARS BEYOND 70, HE WILL RETAIN COMPETENCE…

[Distribution and main influential factors of mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City].

PubMed

Xiao, Yuanmei; Li, Weijuan; Ren, Qingfeng; Ren, Xiaohui; Wang, Zhiming; Wang, Mianzhen; Lan, Yajia

2015-01-01

To investigate the distribution and main influential factors of mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City. A total of 504 middle school teachers were sampled by random cluster sampling from middle schools in Nanchang City, and the mental workload level was assessed with National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) which was verified in reliability and validity. The mental workload scores of middle school teachers in Nanchang was approximately normal distribution. The mental workload level of middle school teachers aged 31 -35 years old was the highest. For those no more than 35 years old, there was positive correlation between mental workload and age (r = 0.146, P < 0.05). For those more than 35 years old, the levels of their mental workload had no statistically significant difference. There was a negative correlation between mental workload and educational level(r = -0.172, P < 0.05). The middle school teachers with lower educational level seemed to have a higher mental workload (P < 0.01). The longer a middle school teacher worked per day, the higher the mental workload was. Working hours per day was the most influential factor on mental workload in all influential factors (P < 0.001). Mental workload of middle school teachers was closely related to age, educational level and work hours per day. Working hours per day was the important risk factor of mental workload. Reducing working hours per day, especially reducing it to be no more than 8 hours per day, may be a significant and useful approach alleviating mental workload of middle school teachers in Nanchang City.

Age and Gender Effects on Wideband Absorbance in Adults With Normal Outer and Middle Ear Function.

PubMed

Mazlan, Rafidah; Kei, Joseph; Ya, Cheng Li; Yusof, Wan Nur Hanim Mohd; Saim, Lokman; Zhao, Fei

2015-08-01

This study examined the effects of age and gender on wideband energy absorbance in adults with normal middle ear function. Forty young adults (14 men, 26 women, aged 20-38 years), 31 middle-aged adults (16 men, 15 women, aged 42-64 years), and 30 older adults (20 men, 10 women, aged 65-82 years) were assessed. Energy absorbance (EA) data were collected at 30 frequencies using a prototype commercial instrument developed by Interacoustics. Results showed that the young adult group had significantly lower EA (between 400 and 560 Hz) than the middle-aged group. However, the middle-aged group showed significantly lower EA (between 2240 and 5040 Hz) than the young adult group. In addition, the older adult group had significantly lower EA than the young adult group (between 2520 and 5040 Hz). No significant difference in EA was found at any frequency between middle-aged and older adults. Across age groups, gender differences were found with men having significantly higher EA values than women at lower frequencies, whereas women had significantly higher EA at higher frequencies. This study provides evidence of the influence of gender and age on EA in adults with normal outer and middle ear function. These findings support the importance of establishing age- and gender-specific EA norms for the adult population.

Age determination of 15 old to intermediate-age small Magellanic cloud star clusters

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

Parisi, M. C.; Clariá, J. J.; Piatti, A. E.

2014-04-01

We present color-magnitude diagrams in the V and I bands for 15 star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) based on data taken with the Very Large Telescope (VLT, Chile). We selected these clusters from our previous work, wherein we derived cluster radial velocities and metallicities from calcium II infrared triplet (CaT) spectra also taken with the VLT. We discovered that the ages of six of our clusters have been appreciably underestimated by previous studies, which used comparatively small telescopes, graphically illustrating the need for large apertures to obtain reliable ages of old and intermediate-age SMC star clusters. Inmore » particular, three of these clusters, L4, L6, and L110, turn out to be among the oldest SMC clusters known, with ages of 7.9 ± 1.1, 8.7 ± 1.2, and 7.6 ± 1.0 Gyr, respectively, helping to fill a possible 'SMC cluster age gap'. Using the current ages and metallicities from Parisi et al., we analyze the age distribution, age gradient, and age-metallicity relation (AMR) of a sample of SMC clusters measured homogeneously. There is a suggestion of bimodality in the age distribution but it does not show a constant slope for the first 4 Gyr, and we find no evidence for an age gradient. Due to the improved ages of our cluster sample, we find that our AMR is now better represented in the intermediate/old period than we had derived in Parisi et al., where we simply took ages available in the literature. Additionally, clusters younger than ∼4 Gyr now show better agreement with the bursting model of Pagel and Tautvaišienė, but we confirm that this model is not a good representation of the AMR during the intermediate/old period. A more complicated model is needed to explain the SMC chemical evolution in that period.« less

Correlates of root caries experience in middle-aged and older adults in the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry research network.

PubMed

Chi, Donald L; Berg, Joel H; Kim, Amy S; Scott, JoAnna

2013-05-01

The authors examined the correlates of root caries experience for middle-aged adults (aged 45-64 years) and older adults (65 years and older) to test the hypothesis that the factors related to root caries are different for middle-aged adults than they are for older adults. The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional study that focused on adult patients aged 45 to 97 years recruited from the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry research network (N = 775). The outcome variable was any root caries experience (no/yes). The authors hypothesized that sociodemographic, intra- oral and behavioral factors were root caries correlates. The authors used Poisson regression models to generate overall and age-stratified prevalence ratios (PRs) of root caries, and they used generalized estimating equations to account for practice-level clustering of participants. A total of 19.6 percent of adults had any root caries. A dentist's assessment that the patient was at high risk of developing any caries was associated with greater prevalence of root caries experience in both middle-aged adults (PR, 2.70; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.63-4.46) and older adults (PR, 1.87; 95 percent CI, 1.19-2.95). The following factors were associated significantly with increased root caries prevalence but only for middle-aged adults: male sex (P = .02), self-reported dry mouth (P < .001), exposed roots (P = .03) and increased frequency of eating or drinking between meals (P = .03). No other covariates were related to root caries experience for older adults. Within a practice-based research network, the factors associated with root caries experience were different for middle-aged adults than they were for older adults. Research is needed to identify relevant root caries correlates for adults 65 years and older. Practical Implications. Interventions aimed at preventing root caries are likely to be different for middle-aged adults than for older

β-Cell dedifferentiation, reduced duct cell plasticity, and impaired β-cell mass regeneration in middle-aged rats.

PubMed

Téllez, Noèlia; Vilaseca, Marina; Martí, Yasmina; Pla, Arturo; Montanya, Eduard

2016-09-01

Limitations in β-cell regeneration potential in middle-aged animals could contribute to the increased risk to develop diabetes associated with aging. We investigated β-cell regeneration of middle-aged Wistar rats in response to two different regenerative stimuli: partial pancreatectomy (Px + V) and gastrin administration (Px + G). Pancreatic remnants were analyzed 3 and 14 days after surgery. β-Cell mass increased in young animals after Px and was further increased after gastrin treatment. In contrast, β-cell mass did not change after Px or after gastrin treatment in middle-aged rats. β-Cell replication and individual β-cell size were similarly increased after Px in young and middle-aged animals, and β-cell apoptosis was not modified. Nuclear immunolocalization of neurog3 or nkx6.1 in regenerative duct cells, markers of duct cell plasticity, was increased in young but not in middle-aged Px rats. The pancreatic progenitor-associated transcription factors neurog3 and sox9 were upregulated in islet β-cells of middle-aged rats and further increased after Px. The percentage of chromogranin A+/hormone islet cells was significantly increased in the pancreases of middle-aged Px rats. In summary, the potential for compensatory β-cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy was retained in middle-aged rats, but β-cell dedifferentiation and impaired duct cell plasticity limited β-cell regeneration. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Harm avoidance and disability in old age.

PubMed

Wilson, Robert S; Buchman, Aron S; Arnold, Steven E; Shah, Raj C; Tang, Yuxiao; Bennett, David A

2006-01-01

The relation of personality to disability in old age is not well understood. The authors examined the relation of harm avoidance, a trait indicating a tendency to worry, fear uncertainty, be shy, and tire easily, to disability in a group of 474 older persons without dementia. Participants completed the 35-item Harm Avoidance scale. Disability was assessed with the Rosow-Breslau scale, a self-report measure of physical mobility. Performance-based tests of lower limb functions were also administered from which composite measures of gait, balance, and strength were derived. In a logistic regression model controlled for age, sex, education, and lower limb function, persons with high levels of harm avoidance were nearly three times as likely to report mobility limitations as persons with low levels, and these effects largely reflected fatigability and fear of uncertainty. The association of harm avoidance with disability was not explained or modified by frailty, physical activity, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, extraversion, or cognition. The results suggest that harm avoidance is associated with disability in old age.

[Macrovascular diseases-based on the data of Japanese cohort study (JCDM) including 1,016 very elderly diabetic individuals older than 75 years old].

PubMed

Hayashi, Toshio

2013-11-01

LDL-cholesterol and glucose are risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD) in middle-aged diabetic individuals; however, the risk among elderly, especially very elderly, is not well-known. We performed a prospective cohort study (JCDM) with 5.5 years of follow-up. Four thousand fourteen type 2 diabetic patients without previous IHD or cerebrovascular attack (CVA) (1,936 women: 67.4 +/- 9.5 years, > or = 75 years, n = 1,016) were recruited. One hundred fifty-three IHDs and 104 CVAs occurred over 5.5 years. Lower HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) was correlated with IHD in patients > or = 75 years old. In contrast, systolic BP, HbA1c, LDL-C and non-HDL-C were correlated in subjects < 65 years old, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was correlated in all subjects. HDL-C was correlated with CVA in patients > or = 75 years old. These age-dependent differences in risk are important for developing individualized strategies to prevent atherosclerotic disease.

Notebook input devices put to the age test: the usability of trackpoint and touchpad for middle-aged adults.

PubMed

Armbrüster, C; Sutter, C; Ziefle, M

2007-03-01

In two experiments, the usability of input devices integrated into computer notebooks was under study. The most common input devices, touchpad (experiment 1) and trackpoint (experiment 2) were examined. So far, the evaluation of mobile input devices has been restricted to younger users. However, due to ongoing demographic change, the main target group of mobile devices will be older users. Therefore, the present study focused on ageing effects. A total of 14 middle-aged (40-65 years) and 20 younger (20-32 years) users were compared regarding speed and accuracy of cursor control in a point-click and a point-drag-drop task. Moreover, the effects of training were addressed by examining the performance increase over time. In total, 640 trials per task and input device were executed. The results show that ageing is a central factor to be considered in input device design. Middle-aged users were significantly slower than younger users when executing the different tasks. Over time, a significant training effect was observed for both devices and both age groups, although the benefit of training was greater for the middle-aged group. Generally, the touchpad performance was higher than the trackpoint performance in both age groups, but the age-related performance decrements were less distinct when using the touchpad.

Age-related white matter integrity differences in oldest-old without dementia.

PubMed

Bennett, Ilana J; Greenia, Dana E; Maillard, Pauline; Sajjadi, S Ahmad; DeCarli, Charles; Corrada, Maria M; Kawas, Claudia H

2017-08-01

Aging is known to have deleterious effects on cerebral white matter, yet little is known about these white matter alterations in advanced age. In this study, 94 oldest-old adults without dementia (90-103 years) underwent diffusion tensor imaging to assess relationships between chronological age and multiple measures of integrity in 18 white matter regions across the brain. Results revealed significant age-related declines in integrity in regions previously identified as being sensitive to aging in younger-old adults (corpus callosum, fornix, cingulum, external capsule). For the corpus callosum, the effect of age on genu fractional anisotropy was significantly weaker than the relationship between age and splenium fractional anisotropy. Importantly, age-related declines in white matter integrity did not differ in cognitively normal and cognitively impaired not demented oldest-old, suggesting that they were not solely driven by cognitive dysfunction or preclinical dementia in this advanced age group. Instead, white matter in these regions appears to remain vulnerable to normal aging processes through the 10th decade of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Together and apart: a typology of re-partnering in old age.

PubMed

Koren, Chaya

2014-08-01

The human need for love, friendship, and physical contact, and the fear of loneliness do not diminish with age. Widowhood and late-life divorce and increased life expectancy are likely to lead to alternative relationships, such as re-partnering. The purpose of this paper is to explore interplays between emotional and physical components of re-partnering in old age. Theoretical sampling of 20 couples included men who re-partnered at the age of 65+ years and women at the age of 60+ years, following termination of lifelong marriages due to death or divorce. Living arrangements included married or unmarried cohabitation under the same roof or in separate homes. Forty semi-structured interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The couple was the unit of analysis. Interplays between physical and emotional dimensions were examined using five abductive parameters derived from data analysis resulting in a fourfold typology of emotional and physical closeness/distance in re-partnering in old age: (1) living together (physically and emotionally); (2) living apart (physically) together (emotionally); (3) living together (physically) apart (emotionally); and (4) living apart (physically and emotionally). Findings revealed types of partner relationships that are different from lifelong marriages. The typology could help professionals working with older persons regarding what to expect in re-partnering in old age and be included in developmental theories as an option in old age. A quantitative tool for research and therapy purposes, entitled The Re-partnering in Old Age Typology Scale (RPOAT Scale), based on abductive parameters, could be established for measuring re-partnering relationship quality and classifying re-partnering couples.

Memory Deficits Are Associated with Impaired Ability to Modulate Neuronal Excitability in Middle-Aged Mice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaczorowski, Catherine C.; Disterhoft, John F.

2009-01-01

Normal aging disrupts hippocampal neuroplasticity and learning and memory. Aging deficits were exposed in a subset (30%) of middle-aged mice that performed below criterion on a hippocampal-dependent contextual fear conditioning task. Basal neuronal excitability was comparable in middle-aged and young mice, but learning-related modulation of the…

[Reliability and validity of marital love scale in middle- aged and elderly couples].

PubMed

Ito, Yuko; Sagara, Junko

2012-08-01

A marital love scale was created to study the marital quality of middle-aged and elderly couples, and the scale's reliability and validity were examined. In this study, 888 middle-aged and elderly married participants completed the marital love scale questionnaire as well as answering questions regarding marriage satisfaction and husband-wife communication. In all age groups, men scored higher than women on the marital love scale. The marital love score gradually increased from the middle-aged to the senior period, and like the marriage satisfaction score, the marital love score showed a U-shaped curve in the whole married life. The results also showed that the scale was highly correlated with marriage satisfaction and spousal self-disclosure. Thus, the validity and internal consistency of the marital love scale were confirmed.

Cancer screening in a middle-aged general population: factors associated with practices and attitudes

PubMed Central

Cullati, Stéphane; Charvet-Bérard, Agathe I; Perneger, Thomas V

2009-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with cancer screening practices and with general attitudes toward cancer screening in a general population. Methods Mailed survey of 30–60 year old residents of Geneva, Switzerland, that included questions about screening for five cancers (breast, cervix uteri, prostate, colon, skin) in the past 3 years, attitudes toward screening, health care use, preventive behaviours and socio-demographic characteristics. Cancer screening practice was dichotomised as having done at least one screening test in the past 3 years versus none. Results The survey response rate was 49.3% (2301/4670). More women than men had had at least one cancer screening test in the past 3 years (83.2% vs 34.5%, p < 0.001). A majority of women had had a cervical smear (76.6%) and a mammography (age 30–49: 35.0%; age 50 and older: 90.3%); and 55.1% of men 50–60 years old had been screened for prostate cancer. Other factors associated with screening included older age, higher income, a doctor visit in the past 6 months, reporting a greater number of preventive behaviours and a positive attitude toward screening. Factors linked with positive attitudes included female gender, higher level of education, gainful employment, higher income, a doctor visit in the past 6 months and a personal history of cancer. Conclusion Attitudes play an important role in cancer screening practices among middle-aged adults in the general population, independent of demographic variables (age and sex) that determine in part screening recommendations. Negative attitudes were the most frequent among men and the most socio-economically disadvantaged. The moderate participation rate raises the possibility of selection bias. PMID:19402895

Suicidal and homicidal behaviors related to dextromethorphan abuse in a middle-aged woman.

PubMed

Modi, Dhruv; Bhalavat, Ravikumar; Patterson, James C

2013-01-01

Over-the-counter medications available without prescriptions are generally viewed safe for public consumption. However, when used in excess, these medications can lead to adverse consequences. There are multiple over-the-counter medications that have potential for abuse, and dextromethorphan is one such drug. We describe a case of a middle-aged woman who presented to the psychiatric emergency service after recent use of excessive amounts of dextromethorphan. The patient had developed severe psychotic symptoms and had attempted to kill both herself and her relative. This case highlights the importance of careful reviewing of both prescribed and nonprescribed medications that are being used by patients, especially in the emergency care setting.

Pulmonary Function in Middle-Aged Patients With Idiopathic Scoliosis With Onset Before the Age of 10 Years.

PubMed

Danielsson, Aina J; Ekerljung, Linda; Hallerman, Kerstin Lofdahl

2015-09-01

Consecutive patients with idiopathic scoliosis diagnosed before age 10 attended a clinical follow-up at least 10 years after treatment. To evaluate the pulmonary function in adulthood after treatment with brace or surgery before maturity. Long-term studies of these patients have not been published. One hundred twenty-four patients (69% of the original group) underwent radiography, spirometry, and answered symptom questionnaires. A total of 73 patients had spirometries before treatment enabling longitudinal evaluation. Overall, 68 braced only (BT) and 56 surgically treated (ST) were analyzed in detail. A population-based control group was used. At follow-up, the mean age was 41.5 years and the mean curve size 36 degrees (26% of the curves >45 degrees). The full patient group had a significantly reduced pulmonary function (as measured by the forced vital capacity [FVC], percentage of predicted) compared with the control group, mean 85% versus 102% (p < .0001). Both subgroups of BT and ST patients showed a significant reduction, more in the ST than the BT group (means 79% and 90%, respectively, p = .0003). The most important risk factor for a low lung function at follow-up was a low initial FVC value. Initial curve size correlated with pulmonary function both before treatment and at follow-up. Most surgically treated patients, who had larger curves before treatment, did not improve their pulmonary function after surgery. Both braced and surgically treated patients had reduced pulmonary function at the age of around 40 years. The pulmonary function did not worsen over time in most patients. There was no difference in terms of symptoms between patient groups and controls. Initial curve size was found to be of great importance for pulmonary function. Initial spirometry and follow-up in selected patients is important. III. Copyright © 2015 Scoliosis Research Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcending old age: creativity, development and psychoanalysis in the life of a centenarian.

PubMed

Settlage, C F

1996-06-01

The author of this paper presents therapeutic work with an elderly patient during the tenth and eleventh decades of her life. The author's focus is on the interplay of the creative, developmental and therapeutic processes in the revision of psychic structure. The paper depicts the experience of very old age, particularly the confrontation with mortality. It notes transference and countertransference reactions to the elderly patient. Poems the patient wrote during the last ten years of her life convey her experience of the described processes. The paper gives further confirmation to the recently acquired appreciation of the suitability of elderly individuals for psychoanalytic treatment.

The Impact of Advanced Age on Driving Safety in Adults with Medical Conditions.

PubMed

Moon, Sanghee; Ranchet, Maud; Akinwuntan, Abiodun Emmanuel; Tant, Mark; Carr, David Brian; Raji, Mukaila Ajiboye; Devos, Hannes

2018-01-01

Adults aged 85 and older, often referred to as the oldest-old, are the fastest-growing segment of the population. The rapidly increasing number of older adults with chronic and multiple medical conditions poses challenges regarding their driving safety. To investigate the effect of advanced age on driving safety in drivers with medical conditions. We categorized 3,425 drivers with preexisting medical conditions into four age groups: middle-aged (55-64 years, n = 1,386), young-old (65-74 years, n = 1,013), old-old (75-84 years, n = 803), or oldest-old (85 years and older, n = 223). All underwent a formal driving evaluation. The outcome measures included fitness to drive recommendation by the referring physician, comprehensive fitness to drive decision from an official driving evaluation center, history of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), and history of traffic violations. The oldest-old reported more cardiopulmonary and visual conditions, but less neurological conditions than the old-old. Compared to the middle-aged, the oldest-old were more likely to be considered unfit to drive by the referring physicians (odds ratio [OR] = 4.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20-9.10) and by the official driving evaluation center (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.87-4.03). The oldest-old reported more MVCs (OR = 2.79, 95% CI 1.88-4.12) compared to the middle-aged. Advanced age adversely affected driving safety outcomes. The oldest-old are a unique age group with medical conditions known to interfere with safe driving. Driving safety strategies should particularly target the oldest-old since they are the fastest-growing group and their increased frailty is associated with severe or fatal injuries due to MVCs. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.