A-17 Examining Cognitive Trajectories in SuperAgers within the LonGenity Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 1058-1058
Author(s):  
Daniel Villar ◽  
Sofiya Milman ◽  
Tina Gao ◽  
Nir Barzilai ◽  
Erica F Weiss

Abstract Objective Rogalski and colleagues (2013) use the term SuperAgers to indicate individuals aged 80 and older who have exceptional memory with the goal of clarifying factors that impact successful aging. Using a modified definition, we explored cognitive trajectories of SuperAgers within our longitudinal study of the genetic factors associated with exceptional longevity (OPEL) in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Method LonGenity Study participants complete annual physical and cognitive assessments which include the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) and WMS-R Logical Memory (LMI). All participants who completed a visit at age 80 were included in the analysis (N = 230; 56.5% female; mean education 17.57 ± 2.74 years; 46.5% OPEL; median follow-up 4 years). Twenty-one participants met modified SuperAger criteria (FCSRT: >38 and LMI: >25; no other cognitive impairment). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and linear mixed effects models of cognitive trajectories were used to examine the differences between SuperAgers and non-SuperAgers. Results Although there were no differences in demographics or familial history of exceptional longevity, SuperAgers were less likely to have a history of cardiac problems (p = 0.02). Overall cognitive functioning remained stable with age in the SuperAgers, whereas non-SuperAgers demonstrated declining overall cognition with age (β = −0.029, CI: −0.036—0.022). Memory task performances demonstrated a similar discrepancy in trajectories. Conclusion(s) In our unique and high functioning population, SuperAgers as defined at age 80 do not demonstrate the typical cognitive declines thought to be associated with age. Vascular risk factors appear to play a role, but further investigation including exploring genetic markers and MRI is warranted.

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1006-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagan A. Pillai ◽  
Charles B. Hall ◽  
Dennis W. Dickson ◽  
Herman Buschke ◽  
Richard B. Lipton ◽  
...  

AbstractParticipation in cognitively stimulating leisure activities such as crossword puzzles may delay onset of the memory decline in the preclinical stages of dementia, possibly via its effect on improving cognitive reserve. We followed 488 initially cognitively intact community residing individuals with clinical and cognitive assessments every 12–18 months in the Bronx Aging Study. We assessed the influence of crossword puzzle participation on the onset of accelerated memory decline as measured by the Buschke Selective Reminding Test in 101 individuals who developed incident dementia using a change point model. Crossword puzzle participation at baseline delayed onset of accelerated memory decline by 2.54 years. Inclusion of education or participation in other cognitively stimulating activities did not significantly add to the fit of the model beyond the effect of puzzles. Our findings show that late life crossword puzzle participation, independent of education, was associated with delayed onset of memory decline in persons who developed dementia. Given the wide availability and accessibility of crossword puzzles, their role in preventing cognitive decline should be validated in future clinical trials. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1006–1013)


2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 733-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yashvee Dunneram ◽  
Darren Charles Greenwood ◽  
Victoria J Burley ◽  
Janet E Cade

BackgroundAge at natural menopause is a matter of concern for women of reproductive age as both an early or late menopause may have implications for health outcomes.MethodsStudy participants were women aged 40–65 years who had experienced a natural menopause from the UK Women’s Cohort Study between baseline and first follow-up. Natural menopause was defined as the permanent cessation of menstrual periods for at least 12 consecutive months. A food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate diet at baseline. Reproductive history of participants was also recorded. Regression modelling, adjusting for confounders, was used to assess associations between diet and age at natural menopause.ResultsDuring the 4-year follow-up period, 914 women experienced a natural menopause. A high intake of oily fish and fresh legumes were associated with delayed onset of natural menopause by 3.3 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.8 to 5.8) and 0.9 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.0 to 1.8), respectively. Refined pasta and rice was associated with earlier menopause (per portion/day: −1.5 years, 99% CI −2.8 to −0.2). A higher intake of vitamin B6 (per mg/day: 0.6 years, 99% CI 0.1 to 1.2) and zinc (per mg/day: 0.3 years, 99% CI −0.0 to 0.6) was also associated with later age at menopause. Stratification by age at baseline led to attenuated results.ConclusionOur results suggest that some food groups (oily fish, fresh legumes, refined pasta and rice) and specific nutrients are individually predictive of age at natural menopause.


Salmand ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-257
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Yousefi ◽  
◽  
Fatemeh Mohammadi ◽  
Seyedeh Ameneh Motalebi ◽  
Saeed Pahlevan Sharif ◽  
...  

Objectives: Successful aging is a positive inner feeling and satisfaction with the past and present life experiences. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the predicting factors of successful aging in a sample of Iranian elderly. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 291 elderly in Qazvin City, Iran, in 2018. The study participants were selected using the two-stage cluster sampling method. Data collection was performed using the demographic characteristics checklist, the Successful Aging Scale, and Paloutzian and Ellison Spiritual Wellbeing Scale. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive tests (frequency, percentage, central & dispersion indices) and a hierarchical linear regression model. Results: The study sample was 291 elderly with a Mean±SD age of 68.3±6.7 years. The obtained results indicated that the spiritual health of 81.1% of the explored elderly was strong; most of the examined elderly presented a good level of successful aging. Besides, spiritual health was a predictor of successful aging in the study participants. Regarding the aspects of spiritual health, existential health positively and significantly impacted successful aging (B=0.65, P<0.001). Furthermore, the obtained data revealed that the employed elderly (B:4.29), compared to housewives (B:-4.25), those with high economic status, compared to those with a moderate (B:-3.44) and low (B:-7.332) economic level, and the elderly without a history of physical (B:-4.55) and mental (B:-2.54) conditions obtained significantly higher scores in successful aging. Conclusion: The existential aspect of spiritual health is among the predictors of successful aging. Given the importance and sensitivity of the issues related to the elderly, by interventions focused on spiritual education, one can increase the quality of this period and enrich it.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 659-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Moccia ◽  
Roberta Lanzillo ◽  
Raffaele Palladino ◽  
Kiara Chu-Mei Chang ◽  
Teresa Costabile ◽  
...  

Background: Cognitive impairment occurs from the early phases of multiple sclerosis (MS), and more frequently affects secondary progressive (SP) subjects than relapsing–remitting (RR). Objective: To investigate relationships between cognitive dysfunctions in newly diagnosed RRMS, and long-term MS-related outcomes. Methods: The present 10-year retrospective longitudinal study included 155 RRMS subjects, tested with the Rao Brief Repeatable Battery at MS diagnosis. The reaching of Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 4.0, and the SP conversion were recorded. Results: 67 subjects (43.2%) reached EDSS 4.0, and 34 subjects (21.9%) converted to SP during a follow-up period of 10.0±1.8 years. Subjects with cognitive impairment at diagnosis had a rate of reaching EDSS 4.0 more than three times greater ( p<0.001; HR=3.183), and a rate of SP conversion more than two times greater, as compared to cognitively preserved subjects ( p=0.008; HR=2.535). In particular, better scores in the Selective Reminding Test-Delayed Recall and in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test at baseline were associated with lower SP conversion rates during the follow-up period ( p=0.018; HR=0.835; and p=0.001; HR=0.941, respectively). Conclusion: Cognitive impairment, with particular involvement of processing speed and memory, predicts disability progression and SP conversion in newly diagnosed RRMS, highlighting the importance of cognitive assessment from the beginning of MS.


2017 ◽  
Vol 94 (8) ◽  
pp. 568-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meena Ramchandani ◽  
Stacy Selke ◽  
Amalia Magaret ◽  
Gail Barnum ◽  
Meei-Li Wu Huang ◽  
...  

ObjectivesHerpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a prevalent infection with great variability in clinical and virological manifestations among individuals. This prospective cohort study aims to evaluate the natural history of HSV-2 reactivation in the genital area in the same group of women over time.MethodsEighteen immunocompetent HSV-2 seropositive women were evaluated for viral shedding for 70 consecutive days within a median of 8 months (range 1–24 months) of HSV-2 acquisition and again approximately 2.5 years later from the original study. Participants obtained daily swabs of genital secretions for HSV PCR and recorded genital symptoms.ResultsThe viral shedding rate was 29% during the initial study and 19% in the follow-up study (32% reduction, P=0.019). Subclinical shedding rate also decreased from 24% to 13% (37% reduction, P=0.032), as did the rate of days with genital lesions from 22% to 15% (33% reduction, P=0.24). The mean copy number during viral shedding remained unchanged over time at 4.8 log10 c/mL (SD=2.0 and 1.6 during each study, respectively, P=0.33). Women with high viral shedding rates in the past were likely to continue to have high shedding rates (r=0.63, P=0.005).ConclusionsDespite some reduction, high viral shedding rates persist in women with genital HSV-2 greater than 2 years after acquisition.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 388-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Seraganian ◽  
Thomas G Brown ◽  
Jacques Tremblay

Objective: A mixed research design study compared patients who consented to treatment randomization with patients who opted for usual care. Methods: Patients in substance abuse rehabilitation who consented to randomization (that is, consenting group [CG]) were compared with those unwilling to undergo randomization (that is, nonconsenting group [NG]) but who, nevertheless, underwent the experimental assessment sessions, which spanned from intake to 6-month follow-up. Results: Patients in the CG exhibited a longer history of drug abuse, less occupational stability at intake, and following intensive treatment, tended not to do as well in terms of recovery, compared with those in the NG. Conclusion: Inclusion of data from partial participants in research protocols may offer a viable strategy to better appraise data generalizability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 436-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann E Wiringa ◽  
Roberta B Ness ◽  
Toni Darville ◽  
Richard H Beigi ◽  
Catherine L Haggerty

ObjectiveTo ascertain the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis and investigate associations between trichomoniasis, endometritis and sequelae among women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).MethodsWe assessed the prevalence of trichomoniasis identified via wet mount and its association with histologically confirmed endometritis, infertility and recurrent PID among 647 women in the PID Evaluation and Clinical Health (PEACH) study. Participants were treated for clinically suspected PID and followed for a mean of 84 months for incident sequelae. Analyses were adjusted for age, race, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Mycoplasma genitalium and bacterial vaginosis. Additional adjustments were incorporated for history of infertility (models of pregnancy and infertility), history of PID (recurrent PID), and self-reported partner treatment and intercourse between baseline and 30-day follow-up (persistent endometritis).ResultsT. vaginalis was present in the vagina of 12.8% of women. The odds of having endometritis at baseline were twice as high among women with trichomoniasis as compared with those without (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.9, 95% CI 1.0 to 3.3). Persistent endometritis was highly prevalent at 30 days (52.1%) and more common among women with baseline trichomoniasis (AOR: 2.6, 95% CI 0.7 to 10.1), although non-significantly. Infertility and recurrent PID were more common among women with trichomoniasis, while rates of pregnancy and live birth were lower.ConclusionsT. vaginalis was frequently isolated from the vagina of women with PID in the PEACH cohort. Wet mount microscopy for the identification of motile trichomonads was standard practice at the time of the PEACH study, but likely resulted in an underestimation of true T. vaginalis prevalence. Our findings of modest, although non-significant, prospective associations between trichomoniasis and sequelae are novel and underscore the need for additional investigation into whether T. vaginalis may play an aetiological role in adverse reproductive and gynaecological outcomes.


Heart ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. heartjnl-2020-317852
Author(s):  
Zaid I Almarzooq ◽  
Lisandro D Colantonio ◽  
Peter M Okin ◽  
Joshua S Richman ◽  
Todd M Brown ◽  
...  

BackgroundMicrosize myocardial infarction (MI) is a recently described phenomenon that meets rigorous criteria for MI with very low peak troponin elevations. We aim to compare the risk for cardiovascular events and mortality following microsize versus usual MIs.Methods and resultsProspective cohort analysis of REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study participants without a history of coronary heart disease (CHD) who had an incident MI between 2003 and 2015. Incident MIs were classified as microsize MI (peak troponin <0.5 ng/mL) or usual MI (peak troponin ≥0.5 ng/mL). Participants were followed for a composite of cardiovascular events that included recurrent MI, coronary revascularisation, fatal CHD and heart failure, and all-cause mortality. Overall, 1024 participants with an incident MI were included in the analysis (328 with microsize MI and 696 with usual MI). Participants with microsize MI were more likely to be older and black. The multivariable-adjusted adjustment HR for cardiovascular events among participants with microsize versus usual MI after a median follow-up of 1.7 years was 1.11 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.44). The multivariable-adjusted HR for all-cause mortality after 28 days from incident MI among participants with microsize versus usual MI after a median follow-up of 3.6 years was 1.09 (95% CI 0.81 to 1.45).ConclusionMicrosize MIs have a prognostic value for future cardiovascular events and mortality comparable to usual MIs. These findings should encourage clinicians to initiate secondary prevention strategies in patients with microsize MI until this emerging clinical entity is better understood.


2001 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. A128-A128 ◽  
Author(s):  
H MALATY ◽  
D GRAHAM ◽  
A ELKASABANY ◽  
S REDDY ◽  
S SRINIVASAN ◽  
...  

VASA ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reich-Schupke ◽  
Weyer ◽  
Altmeyer ◽  
Stücker

Background: Although foam sclerotherapy of varicose tributaries is common in daily practice, scientific evidence for the optimal sclerosant-concentration and session-frequency is still low. This study aimed to increase the knowledge on foam sclerotherapy of varicose tributaries and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of foam sclerotherapy with 0.5 % polidocanol in tributaries with 3-6 mm in diameter. Patients and methods: Analysis of 110 legs in 76 patients. Injections were given every second or third day. A maximum of 1 injection / leg and a volume of 2ml / injection were administered per session. Controls were performed approximately 6 months and 12 months after the start of therapy. Results: 110 legs (CEAP C2-C4) were followed up for a period of 14.2 ± 4.2 months. Reflux was eliminated after 3.4 ± 2.7 injections per leg. Insufficient tributaries were detected in 23.2 % after 6.2 ± 0.9 months and in 48.2 % after 14.2 ± 4.2 months, respectively. Only 30.9 % (34 / 110) of the legs required additional therapy. In 6.4 % vein surgery was performed, in 24.5 % similar sclerotherapy was repeated. Significantly fewer sclerotherapy-sessions were required compared to the initial treatment (mean: 2.3 ± 1.4, p = 0.0054). During the whole study period thrombophlebitis (8.2 %), hyperpigmentation (14.5 %), induration in the treated region (9.1 %), pain in the treated leg (7.3 %) and migraine (0.9 %) occurred. One patient with a history of thrombosis developed thrombosis of a muscle vein (0.9 %). After one year there were just hyperpigmentation (8.2 %) and induration (1.8 %) left. No severe adverse effect occurred. Conclusions: Foam sclerotherapy with injections of 0.5 % polidocanol every 2nd or 3rd day, is a safe procedure for varicose tributaries. The evaluation of efficacy is difficult, as it can hardly be said whether the detected tributaries in the controls are recurrent veins or have recently developed in the follow-up period. The low number of retreated legs indicates a high efficacy and satisfaction of the patients.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document