scholarly journals CHILDHOOD SES AND AGE-RELATED BRAIN CHANGES RACIALLY-ETHNICALLY DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S543-S543
Author(s):  
Indira C Turney ◽  
Miguel Arce Rentería ◽  
Anthony G Chesebro ◽  
Juliet M Colon ◽  
Nicole Schupf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Sibship Size ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Childhood Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Abstract Socioeconomic disadvantages in childhood has been linked to dementia in late life. However, the underlying pathways through which childhood socioeconomic status (CSES) affects health in old age is unclear. CSES has been linked to age-related differences in regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD; e.g., hippocampus). CSES varies across race/ethnicity; It is critical to examine the relationship between CSES and age-related brain structural changes across diverse aging populations. We used an established proxy for CSES, number of siblings (i.e., sibship size), to examine whether CSES buffered age-related changes in hippocampal volume in a community-based sample of racially/ethnically diverse older adults. Sibship size moderated age-related differences in hippocampal volume in Whites (β=-5.61[-11.09,-0.12]), but not in Blacks and Hispanics. Results indicate that Whites with no sibling (vs. Whites with siblings) show less age-related difference in hippocampal volume. Future analyses will examine other CSES factors (i.e., parental education/occupation) on age-related structural changes across race/ethnicity.

Kinematic Analysis of Dance-Based Exergaming: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest K. Ofori ◽  
Savitha Subramaniam ◽  
Shuaijie Wang ◽  
Tanvi Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Postural Stability ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Cortical Pathology

Background: Recent studies demonstrate improvements in both postural stability and mobility among aging populations and those with stroke who are exposed to dance-based exergaming (DBExG). However, age-related deficits and aging with cortical pathology may lead to distinct movement adaptation patterns during DBExG, which could impact therapeutic outcomes.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the movement kinematics (postural stability and mobility) of healthy older adults, older adults with stroke, and young adults for different paces of dance during DBExG. Method: The study included 33 particpants (11 participant from each group of healthy older adults, older adults with chronic stroke, and healthy young adults) who performed the DBExG using slow- (SP), medium- (MP), and fast-paced (FP) songs with movements in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. Center of mass (CoM) sway area, excursion (Ex), and peaks as well as hip, knee, and ankle joint excursions were computed. Results: Results of the study revealed that CoM sway areas and Exs were greater for healthy young adults than for older adults with stroke for the SP dance (p < 0.05) and that there were significantly more AP CoM peaks for young adults than for healthy older adults and those with stroke for the FP dance (p < 0.05). Young adults also exhibited greater hip and ankle Exs than older adults with stroke (p < 0.05) for all song paces. Similarly, knee and ankle Exs were greater for healthy older adults than for older adults with stroke for all song paces (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The quantitative evaluation and comparison of the movement patterns presented for the three groups could provide a foundation for both assessing and designing therapeutic DBExG protocols for these populations.

scholarly journals Effect of Age in Auditory Go/No-Go Tasks: A Magnetoencephalographic Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Mei-Yin Lin ◽  
Chia-Hsiung Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Cortical Activation ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Source Imaging ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Neural Underpinnings ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Response inhibition is frequently examined using visual go/no-go tasks. Recently, the auditory go/no-go paradigm has been also applied to several clinical and aging populations. However, age-related changes in the neural underpinnings of auditory go/no-go tasks are yet to be elucidated. We used magnetoencephalography combined with distributed source imaging methods to examine age-associated changes in neural responses to auditory no-go stimuli. Additionally, we compared the performance of high- and low-performing older adults to explore differences in cortical activation. Behavioral performance in terms of response inhibition was similar in younger and older adult groups. Relative to the younger adults, the older adults exhibited reduced cortical activation in the superior and middle temporal gyrus. However, we did not find any significant differences in cortical activation between the high- and low-performing older adults. Our results therefore support the hypothesis that inhibition is reduced during aging. The variation in cognitive performance among older adults confirms the need for further study on the underlying mechanisms of inhibition.

scholarly journals Technology Solutions for Everyday Barriers Among Deaf Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 425-425
Author(s):  
Lyndsie Koon ◽  
Shraddha Shende ◽  
Wendy Rogers ◽  
Jenny Singleton ◽  
Megan Bayles
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
American Sign Language ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Future Technology ◽  
Solution Strategies ◽  
Everyday Activities ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Technology Solution ◽  
Primary Form

Abstract American Sign Language (ASL) is the primary form of communication for approximately 250,000 people in the U.S. (Mitchell et al., 2006). As these individuals age, they may experience challenges in their everyday activities. For example, ASL users rely on visual cues, but have age-related change in vision. Moreover, ASL users may need to utilize technology to communicate with non-ASL users, but the technology may not be suitable/usable for older adults. We explored these issues in the Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) study, wherein we interviewed Deaf older adults (N=60) in ASL, who provided insights into unique, everyday challenges they encounter. We will focus on the technology solution strategies they incorporate to address and overcome challenges with daily activities. Understanding how participants think about, adapt, and utilize different technologies can inform future technology design to successfully support diverse, aging populations.

scholarly journals Investigating Olfactory Gene Variation and Odour Identification in Older Adults

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 669
Author(s):  
Siddharth Raj ◽  
Anbupalam Thalamuthu ◽  
Nicola J Armstrong ◽  
Margaret J Wright ◽  
John B Kwok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Gene Family ◽  
Olfactory Receptor ◽  
Hippocampal Volume ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Candidate Snps ◽  
Gene Variation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Olfactory Receptor Genes ◽  
Olfactory Gene

Ageing is associated with a decrease in odour identification. Additionally, deficits in olfaction have been linked to age-related disease and mortality. Heritability studies suggest genetic variation contributes to olfactory identification. The olfactory receptor (OR) gene family is the largest in the human genome and responsible for overall odour identification. In this study, we sought to find olfactory gene family variants associated with individual and overall odour identification and to examine the relationships between polygenic risk scores (PRS) for olfactory-related phenotypes and olfaction. Participants were Caucasian older adults from the Sydney Memory and Ageing Study and the Older Australian Twins Study with genome-wide genotyping data (n = 1395, mean age = 75.52 ± 6.45). The Brief-Smell Identification Test (BSIT) was administered in both cohorts. PRS were calculated from independent GWAS summary statistics for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), white matter hyperintensities (WMH), Parkinson’s disease (PD), hippocampal volume and smoking. Associations with olfactory receptor genes (n = 967), previously identified candidate olfaction-related SNPs (n = 36) and different PRS with BSIT scores (total and individual smells) were examined. All of the relationships were analysed using generalised linear mixed models (GLMM), adjusted for age and sex. Genes with suggestive evidence for odour identification were found for 8 of the 12 BSIT items. Thirteen out of 36 candidate SNPs previously identified from the literature were suggestively associated with several individual BSIT items but not total score. PRS for smoking, WMH and PD were negatively associated with chocolate identification. This is the first study to conduct genetic analyses with individual odorant identification, which found suggestive olfactory-related genes and genetic variants for multiple individual BSIT odours. Replication in independent and larger cohorts is needed.

scholarly journals Relationship between physical and cognitive performance in community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults: a cross-sectional study

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Sherwood ◽  
Cathy Inouye ◽  
Shannon L. Webb ◽  
Ange Zhou ◽  
Erik A. Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Physical Performance ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Peak Heart Rate ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Physiological Adaptations ◽  
Naming Test

Background Regular exercise training stimulates physiological adaptations to improve physical performance, reduce chronic disease risk, and slow age-related cognitive decline. Since the physiological mechanisms responsible for aging-associated cognitive decline are not yet fully understood, and training-induced physiological adaptations responsible for performance measure improvements are specific to the type (aerobic vs. strength) and intensity of training, studies are needed to assess the relationships between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in older adults. These results could be used to guide exercise prescriptions with the goal of improving age-related cognitive performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical performance measures and cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults. Methods The cognitive performance of ninety independent, community dwelling participants (69 female, 21 male), aged 75 ± 9.5 years (mean ± SD) was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State Test (3MS), Trailmaking Tests A and B (TMT A & B), and the Animal Naming test. Sociodemographic (age, sex, ethnicity, medication use, years of education) and anthropometric data were collected, physical activity was assessed with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), peak hand-grip strength, distance walked in the 6MWT, and heart rate pre-, during, and up to 5 min. post- 6MWT were measured. Forward stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed with each cognitive measure as a dependent variable. Results and Discussion Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, peak heart rate during the 6MWT (6MWT HRPEAK) was positively correlated with performance in the 3MS (p < 0.017), and TMT A (p < 0.001) and B (p < 0.029). Controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively (p = 0.001), and β-blocker use negatively (p = 0.035), correlated with performance on the Animal Naming test. Also, controlling for sociodemographic covariates, PASE was positively correlated with performance on the TMT A (p = 0.017). Here we show that higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT is positively correlated with cognitive performance in a population of community dwelling, ethnically diverse older adults (ages 60–95 years). Conclusion Higher peak heart rate during the 6MWT was found to be independently and positively correlated with cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults. Although additional work is needed, these results are promising and suggest that physicians, exercise professionals, and/or fitness/fall prevention programs may use peak heart rate during the 6MWT to easily monitor exercise intensity to support cognitive health.

scholarly journals User Involvement in Research on Aging and Health: Creating Knowledge and Technologies With Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 820-820
Author(s):  
Sofi Fristedt ◽  
Anna Wanka ◽  
Neil Charness
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Successful Development ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Everyday Situation

Abstract Although, user involvement is largely recognized as instrumental when developing relevant knowledge, services as well as products - aging populations are still likely to be sparsely involved in such processes. Surprisingly, many gerontechnologies are still developed based on a technological perspective rather than a gerontological perspective. Consequently, age-related changes as well as needs, actual use or perceptions of older adults are disregarded or neglected. Similar problems apply to public and private environments with potentially negative implications on accessibility. The present symposium includes four presentations that address user involvement, by capturing older adults’ and aging populations’ use as well as perceptions of emerging technologies, successful development of gerontechnologies, and a multigenerational mass-experiment on housing accessibility in later life. The first study from Germany captures the everyday situation of smartphone use as well as aspects of user experience, affect and social context among older adults. The second study addresses perceptions and attitudes of three generations in Sweden related to continuous technological advancement of products intended to support active and healthy aging. The third presentation will describe the iterative development process of the 2020 mass-experiment – the Housing Experiment -- involving older adults, stakeholders in the housing sector, teachers and pupils in Sweden. The fourth presentation from Canada explores the benefits, challenges, and solutions to support older adult engagement in research that leads to the successful development of technologies for and with older adults. Finally, our discussant will further elaborate on the respective study findings and summarize the symposium.

scholarly journals 672 COVID-19 Anxiety and Sleep in Middle-aged and Older Adults: Impact of Age and Sex

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A262-A263
Author(s):  
Sadhika Jagannathan ◽  
Mikayla Rodgers ◽  
Christina S McCrae ◽  
Mary Beth Miller ◽  
Ashley Curtis
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Age And Sex

Abstract Introduction COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory illness that was declared a pandemic in March 2020. During the course of COVID-19, studies have demonstrated worsening sleep quality and anxiety. No studies have examined age-related and sex-specific associations between COVID-19 anxiety and sleep in aging populations. We examined associations between COVID-19 anxiety and sleep, and evaluated age and sex as moderators, in middle-aged/older adults. Methods Two hundred and seventy-seven middle-aged/older adults aged 50+ (Mage=64.68, SD=7.83; 44% women) living in the United States who were cognitively healthy (no cognitive impairment/dementia/neurological disorders) completed an online Qualtrics survey in July/August 2020 measuring sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQI) and COVID-19 anxiety (Coronavirus Anxiety Scale; CAS). Multiple regressions examined whether CAS was independently associated with or interacted with age or sex in its associations with PSQI total score/subscores (sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, daytime dysfunction), controlling for age, education, number of medical conditions, sleep/pain medication use, and COVID-19 status. Results CAS interacted with age (B=-.008, SE=.003 p=.02, R-squared=.02), not sex (p=.31), in its association with sleep duration. Higher CAS was associated with shorter sleep duration in oldest-older adults (~73 years old; B=.12, SE=.05, p=.01) and younger-older adults (~65 years old; B=.07, SE=.03, p=.02), not middle-aged adults (~57 years old, p=.47). CAS interacted with age (B=.01, SE=.004, p=.02), not sex (p=.56), in its association with sleep efficiency. Higher CAS was associated with worse sleep efficiency in oldest-older adults (B=.14, SE=.05, p=.009) and younger-older adults (B=.08, SE=.04, p=.03), not middle-aged adults (p=.60). Higher CAS was associated with greater daytime dysfunction (B=.26, SE=.07, p&lt;.001) and higher PSQI total score (B=.82, SE=.33, p=.01), and did not interact with age or sex (ps&gt;.05). Conclusion Increased COVID-19 anxiety is associated with several aspects of worse sleep (shorter sleep duration, sleep efficiency) in older adults but not middle-aged adults. Generally, in middle-aged/older adults, higher COVID-19 anxiety is associated with worse daytime dysfunction and overall sleep quality. Sex does not moderate these associations. Increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in aging populations may translate to increased anxiety and subsequent sleep disruptions. Interventions aimed at mitigating negative pandemic-related psychological and sleep outcomes may be particularly relevant for older adults. Support (if any):

scholarly journals Linked Sources of Neural Noise Contribute to Age-related Cognitive Decline

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 1813-1822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tam T. Tran ◽  
Camarin E. Rolle ◽  
Adam Gazzaley ◽  
Bradley Voytek
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Alpha Phase ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Neural Noise ◽  
Baseline Noise ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

Healthy aging is associated with a multitude of structural changes in the brain. These physical age-related changes are accompanied by increased variability in neural activity of all kinds, and this increased variability, collectively referred to as “neural noise,” is argued to contribute to age-related cognitive decline. In this study, we examine the relationship between two particular types of neural noise in aging. We recorded scalp EEG from younger (20–30 years old) and older (60–70 years old) adults performing a spatial visual discrimination task. First, we used the 1/ f-like exponent of the EEG power spectrum, a putative marker of neural noise, to assess baseline shifts toward a noisier state in aging. Next, we examined age-related decreases in the trial-by-trial consistency of visual stimulus processing. Finally, we examined to what extent these two age-related noise markers are related, hypothesizing that greater baseline noise would increase the variability of stimulus-evoked responses. We found that visual cortical baseline noise was higher in older adults, and the consistency of older adults' oscillatory alpha (8–12 Hz) phase responses to visual targets was also lower than that of younger adults. Crucially, older adults with the highest levels of baseline noise also had the least consistent alpha phase responses, whereas younger adults with more consistent phase responses achieved better behavioral performance. These results establish a link between tonic neural noise and stimulus-associated neural variability in aging. Moreover, they suggest that tonic age-related increases in baseline noise might diminish sensory processing and, as a result, subsequent cognitive performance.

scholarly journals Nutrition risk among an ethnically diverse sample of community-dwelling older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 894-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Sheean ◽  
Isabel C Farrar ◽  
Suela Sulo ◽  
Jamie Partridge ◽  
Linda Schiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Urban Community ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Nutrition Risk ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of nutritional risk among an ethnically diverse group of urban community-dwelling older adults and to explore if risk varied by race/ethnicity.DesignDemographic characteristics, Katz’s activities of daily living and health-care resource utilization were ascertained cross-sectionally via telephone surveys with trained interviewers. Nutrition risk and nutrition symptomology were assessed via the abridged Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment (abPG-SGA); scores of ≥6 points delineated ‘high’ nutrition risk. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted.SettingUrban.ParticipantsWhite, Black or Hispanic community-dwelling adults, ≥55 years of age, fluent in English or Spanish, residing in the city limits of Chicago, IL, USA.ResultsA total of 1001 participants (37 % white, 37 % Black, 26 % Hispanic) were surveyed. On average, participants were 66·9 years old, predominantly female and overweight/obese. Twenty-six per cent (n 263) of participants were classified as ‘high’ nutrition risk with 24, 14 and 31 % endorsing decreased oral intake, weight loss and compromised functioning, respectively. Black respondents constituted the greatest proportion of those with high risk scores, yet Hispanic participants displayed the most concerning nutrition risk profiles. Younger age, female sex, Black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, emergency room visits, eating alone and taking three or more different prescribed or over-the-counter drugs daily were significantly associated with high risk scores (P<0·05).ConclusionsOne in four older adults living in an urban community prone to health disparities was classified as ‘high’ nutrition risk. Targeted interventions to promote healthy ageing are needed, especially for overweight/obese and minority community members.

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