672 COVID-19 Anxiety and Sleep in Middle-aged and Older Adults: Impact of 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<.001) and higher PSQI total score (B=.82, SE=.33, p=.01), and did not interact with age or sex (ps>.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):

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037 Subjective sleep and objective cognition in middle-aged and older adults: Does sex matter?

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A16-A16

Author(s):

Ashley Curtis ◽

Anthony Schmiedeler ◽

Sadhika Jagannathan ◽

Maggie Connell ◽

Angela Atkinson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Reaction Time ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Sleep Efficiency ◽

Attentional Orienting ◽

Middle Aged

Abstract Introduction Worse sleep has been linked to cognitive dysfunction in aging populations. There are known sex differences in the prevalence and presentation of both sleep disturbance and cognitive impairment, but research investigating sex differences in the associations between sleep and objective cognition is limited and inconclusive. We examined sex as a moderator of associations between self-reported sleep and objective cognitive performance in middle-aged/older adults. Methods Sixty-four adults aged 50+ (Mage= 63.8, SD=7.7; 33 men/31 women) who were cognitively healthy (no mild cognitive impairment, dementia or neurological disorders) completed an online survey (via Qualtrics) measuring self-reported sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQI). Participants completed online cognitive tasks (via Inquisit) measuring inhibition (Stroop task; interference reaction time scores), attentional orienting (Posner Endogenous Cueing Task; reaction time difference between invalidly cued and validly cued trials), and working memory (Sternberg task; proportion correct). Multiple regressions examined whether PSQI subscores (sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep efficiency) were independently associated with or interacted with sex in their associations with cognition, controlling for age and education. Results Sex interacted with sleep quality in the association with endogenous attentional orienting (p=.01, R-squared=.10). Specifically, worse sleep quality was associated with worse attentional orienting in women (B=22.73, SE=9.53, p=.02) but not men (p=.24). Sex interacted with PSQI-sleep duration (p=.03, R-squared=.08) and PSQI-sleep efficiency (p=.03, R-squared=.08) in the association with inhibition performance. Specifically, worse sleep duration (B=235.28, SE=77.51, p=.004) and sleep efficiency (B=211.73, SE=68.70, p=.003) were associated with worse interference scores in men but not women (ps>.05). No variables were associated with working memory. Conclusion In middle-aged and older adults, sex moderates associations between self-reported sleep and objective cognition, depending on the sleep parameter and cognitive ability assessed. Findings suggest that women are more vulnerable to the effects of poor sleep quality on spatial attention, whereas men are more vulnerable to the effects of shorter sleep duration and worse overall sleep fragmentation on ability to inhibit task-irrelevant stimuli. Future studies should investigate sex-specific associations between sleep and cognition over time in order to better understand the prospective trajectories of these processes during aging. Support (if any):

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Effect of Sleep Quality on the Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Older Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8122156 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 2156 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jacobo Á. Rubio-Arias ◽

Raquel Rodríguez-Fernández ◽

Luis Andreu ◽

Luis M. Martínez-Aranda ◽

Alejandro Martínez-Rodriguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Short Sleep Duration ◽

Related Condition ◽

Age Related ◽

Inadequate Sleep

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition. However, the prevalence of sarcopenia may increase due to a range of other factors, such as sleep quality/duration. Therefore, the aim of the study is to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in older adults based on their self-reported sleep duration. Methods: Three electronic databases were used—PubMed-Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. We included studies that measured the prevalence of sarcopenia, divided according to sleep quality and excluded studies (a) involving populations with neuromuscular pathologies, (b) not showing prevalence values (cases/control) on sarcopenia, and (c) not including classificatory models to determine sleep quality. Results: high prevalence values in older adults with both long and short sleep duration were shown. However, prevalence values were higher in those with inadequate sleep (<6–8 h or low efficiency) (OR 0.76; 95% CI (0.70–0.83); Q = 1.446; p = 0.695; test for overall effect, Z = 6.01, p < 0.00001). Likewise, higher prevalence levels were shown in men (OR 1.61; 95% CI (0.82–3.16); Q = 11.80; p = 0.0189) compared to women (OR 0.77; 95% CI (0.29–2.03); Q = 21.35; p = 0.0003). Therefore, the prevalence of sarcopenia appears to be associated with sleep quality, with higher prevalence values in older adults who have inadequate sleep.

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Event Centrality of Positive and Negative Autobiographical Memories in Older Adulthood

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2641 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 712-712

Author(s):

Justina Pociunaite ◽

Tabea Wolf

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Life Experience ◽

Age Groups ◽

Openness To Experience ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Age Related ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Positive Memories

Abstract Centrality of an event (CE) is a characteristic denoting how important a life experience is to one’s identity. Usually, positive memories are more central than negative ones in the community samples. Nevertheless, there is emerging evidence showing substantial individual differences in how one perceives CE. Especially regarding age, one could expect pronounced differences due to age-related changes in personal goals. In this study, we investigated how older adults differ from young and middle-aged adults. Apart from age, we tested whether personality traits such as neuroticism and openness to experience influence the CE ratings among age groups. The sample comprised of 363 German participants, age ranging from 18 to 89 (M=49.57, SD=17.087), 67.2 % of the sample were women. Using multilevel analysis, we found the CE of positive memories to be higher in all age groups. The CE of positive events significantly differed for older adults compared to younger adults but not to the middle-aged group. With respect to personality, neuroticism had an impact only on the CE of negative memories in younger and middle-aged adults. For older adults, neither neuroticism, nor openness to experience had an impact on CE ratings. This shows that while older adults significantly differ from younger adults in the CE of positive memories, other individual differences characteristics do not have an impact on the way older adults perceive memories as central to their identity.

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The Effects of Animation on the Guessability of Universal Healthcare Symbols for Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/00187208211060900 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001872082110609

Author(s):

Hao Chen ◽

Chao Liu ◽

Szu-Erh Hsu ◽

Ding-Hau Huang ◽

Chia-Yi Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Universal Healthcare ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Symbol Comprehension ◽

English Speaking ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Better Than

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate whether animation can help to improve the comprehension of universal healthcare symbols for middle-aged and older adults. Background The Hablamos Juntos (HJ) healthcare symbol system is a set of widely used universal healthcare symbols that were developed in the United States. Some studies indicated that HJ healthcare symbols are not well-understood by users in non-English-speaking areas. Other studies found that animations can improve users’ comprehension of complex symbols. Thus, we wanted to test whether animation could help to improve users’ comprehension of HJ symbols. Methods The participants included 40 middle-aged and 40 older adults in Taiwan. We redesigned the 12 HJ symbols into three visual formats—static, basic animation, and detailed animation—and compared them to find which best improved the participants’ guessability scores. Results (1) Middle-aged adults’ comprehension of static and basic animated symbols was significantly better than that of older adults, but there was no significant difference in the guessability scores between the two age groups in terms of detailed animated symbols; (2) In general, both basic animation and detailed animation significantly improved the guessability score, but the effect with detailed animation was significantly greater than that with basic animation; (3) Older women were more receptive to detailed animation and showed better guessing performance. Conclusion Detailed animation contains more details and provides a more complete explanation of the concept of the static symbols, helping to improve the comprehension of HJ symbols for middle-aged and older adult users. Application Our findings provide a reference for the possibility of new style symbol design in the digital and aging era, which can be applied to improve symbol comprehension.

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548 Predicting Perceived Functional Limitation in Midlife and Older Adulthood: The Role of Sleep and Perceived Control

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.546 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A216-A216

Author(s):

Claire Williams ◽

Sarah Ghose ◽

Morgan Reid ◽

Sahar Sabet ◽

Ashley MacPherson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Perceived Control ◽

Functional Limitations ◽

Functional Limitation ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Control Beliefs ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Subjective Sleep Quality

Abstract Introduction Functional limitations become increasingly common and debilitating as individuals age, potentially impacting several facets of well-being. As such, it is important to understand malleable factors that may potentially impact functional limitation outcomes. Both sleep and perceived control have been linked to the development of functional limitation. The current study sought to clarify the unique contributions of both sleep quality and perceived control to functional limitation status in middle-aged and older adults. Methods Data from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States study were used for the current study. Participants included 527 participants (59.9% female, Mage=59.83 years, SD=9.75 years) who completed measures of functional limitation levels (Functional Status Questionnaire), subjective sleep quality (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index), and perceived control (MIDI Sense of Control Scales). A hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to examine sleep quality and perceived control as predictors in a unique model for predicting functional limitation. Demographic variables of age, gender, and race were used as covariates in study analyses. Results The overall model predicted 19.0% of the variance in functional limitation levels. Sleep quality was significantly associated with self-reported functional limitation (β=-.27, p<.001) over and above perceived control (β=.20, p<.001). Specifically, findings indicate that worse sleep quality is associated with increased functional limitation, while higher levels of perceived control are associated with lower levels of functional limitation. Conclusion Though perceived control is known to be associated with functional limitation status, the present study suggests a unique effect of sleep quality on functional limitation even after accounting for perceived control. Due to the potential for negative effects of functional limitation in middle-aged to older adults, it is important to identify and target constructs for research and intervention related to the development of these limitations. Care models for individuals who report experiencing functional limitations may benefit from targeting sleep health and control beliefs in intervention and assessment. Support (if any):

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Measuring (Non)Essentialist Beliefs About the Process of Aging

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa113 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David Weiss ◽

Manfred Diehl

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Measurement Invariance ◽

Discriminant Validity ◽

Age Groups ◽

The United States ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Age Related

Abstract Objectives We validated an aging mindset measure that captures beliefs about the process of aging. Specifically, we introduce a brief 4-item and an extended 10-item measure assessing (non)essentialist beliefs about aging. Methods We report findings from one longitudinal and one cross-cultural study, including young, middle-aged, and older adults between 18 and 88 years. The studies established (retest) reliability and measurement invariance as well as convergent and discriminant validity of the measures. Results First, in a longitudinal study (N = 124, 50–84 years) including 4 measurement occasions, we showed that the 4-item scale assessing (non)essentialist beliefs about aging has good retest reliability and convergent as well as discriminant validity (e.g., awareness of age-related change). Second, in a large cross-cultural sample (N = 1,080, 18–82 years) of participants in the United States and Germany, we established an extended 10-item measure of (non)essentialist beliefs about aging, providing support for a 2-factor structure as well as measurement invariance across samples within and across countries (the United States and Germany), age groups (young, middle-aged, and older adults), as well as across men and women. Discussion Our results highlight the importance of distinguishing between fixed versus malleable aging beliefs in research on aging and life-span development.

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The Mediating Role of Vision in the Relationship between Proprioception and Postural Control in Older Adults, as Compared to Teenagers and Younger and Middle-Aged Adults

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare10010103 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 103

Author(s):

Ainhoa Nieto-Guisado ◽

Monica Solana-Tramunt ◽

Adrià Marco-Ahulló ◽

Marta Sevilla-Sánchez ◽

Cristina Cabrejas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Postural Control ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Age Related ◽

Eyes Open ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

The Relationship

The aim of this study is to analyze the mediating role of vision in the relationship between conscious lower limb proprioception (dominant knee) and bipedal postural control (with eyes open and closed) in older adults, as compared with teenagers, younger adults and middle-aged adults. Methods: The sample consisted of 119 healthy, physically active participants. Postural control was assessed using the bipedal Romberg test with participants’ eyes open and closed on a force platform. Proprioception was measured through the ability to reposition the knee at 45°, measured with the Goniometer Pro application’s goniometer. Results: The results showed an indirect relationship between proprioception and postural control with closed eyes in all age groups; however, vision did not mediate this relationship. Conclusions: Older adults outperformed only teenagers on the balance test. The group of older adults was the only one that did not display differences with regard to certain variables when the test was done with open or closed eyes. It seems that age does not influence performance on proprioception tests. These findings help us to optimize the design of training programs for older adults and suggest that physical exercise is a protective factor against age-related decline.

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Multidimensionality in Developmental Conceptions Across Adulthood

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000055 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 57-72 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Maida Mustafić ◽

Alexandra M. Freund

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Well Being ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Direct Assessment ◽

Age Related ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Gains And Losses

Two studies demonstrate the usefulness of a newly developed, direct assessment method of subjective conceptualizations of development across adulthood. Results of Study 1 (N = 234, 18–83 years) suggest that older adults anticipate stronger decline in four domains of functioning (subjective well-being, social relationships, cognition, physical functioning) than younger and middle-aged adults. Study 2 (N = 166, 20–85 years) showed that older adults’ conceptualizations show less differentiation across domains than those of younger and middle-aged adults’. Results of both studies confirm lifespan notions of multidirectionality (expectations of gains and losses) but also show age-related differences in multidimensionality of developmental conceptions (i.e., differences in expected trajectories between domains). Moreover, results provide evidence that favorable conceptions impact perceived controllability and actual subjective well-being.

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Age-Related Changes in Cognitive and Sensory Processing: Focus on Middle-Aged Adults

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2015_aja-14-0063 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 94-97 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Larry E. Humes

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cognitive Measures ◽

Adult Intelligence Scale ◽

Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale ◽

Age Related ◽

Wechsler Adult Intelligence ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Purpose The purpose of this article was to examine the effects of age on (a) various psychophysical measures of threshold sensitivity and temporal processing in hearing, vision, and touch and (b) measures of cognitive processing as assessed by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Third Edition (Wechsler, 1997). Method Age group differences and correlations with age were examined, as were associations among age, sensory processing, and cognition. Results The group analyses showed significant differences on most sensory and cognitive measures such that middle-aged adults performed significantly worse than young adults and significantly better than older adults. Correlations of performance with age were also significant when analyses were restricted to just the young and middle-aged adults. Last, sensory processing, but not age, was significantly correlated with cognitive processing when analyses were restricted to just the young and middle-aged adults. Conclusion Middle-aged adults experienced declines in both sensory and cognitive processing. The declines in both the cognitive and sensory domains were such that, for most measures in each domain, the performance of middle-aged adults fell somewhere between that of young and older adults.

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Age- and Sex-Dependent Patterns of Gut Microbial Diversity in Human Adults

mSystems ◽

10.1128/msystems.00261-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Jacobo de la Cuesta-Zuluaga ◽

Scott T. Kelley ◽

Yingfeng Chen ◽

Juan S. Escobar ◽

Noel T. Mueller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Machine Learning ◽

Alpha Diversity ◽

Positive Association ◽

The United States ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Human Gut ◽

Chinese Cohort ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Age And Sex

ABSTRACT Gut microbial diversity changes throughout the human life span and is known to be associated with host sex. We investigated the association of age, sex, and gut bacterial alpha diversity in three large cohorts of adults from four geographical regions: subjects from the United States and United Kingdom in the American Gut Project (AGP) citizen-science initiative and two independent cohorts of Colombians and Chinese. In three of the four cohorts, we observed a strong positive association between age and alpha diversity in young adults that plateaued after age 40 years. We also found sex-dependent differences that were more pronounced in younger adults than in middle-aged adults, with women having higher alpha diversity than men. In contrast to the other three cohorts, no association of alpha diversity with age or sex was observed in the Chinese cohort. The association of alpha diversity with age and sex remained after adjusting for cardiometabolic parameters in the Colombian cohort and antibiotic usage in the AGP cohort. We further attempted to predict the microbiota age in individuals using a machine-learning approach for the men and women in each cohort. Consistent with our alpha-diversity-based findings, U.S. and U.K. women had a significantly higher predicted microbiota age than men, with a reduced difference being seen above age 40 years. This difference was not observed in the Colombian cohort and was observed only in middle-aged Chinese adults. Together, our results provide new insights into the influence of age and sex on the biodiversity of the human gut microbiota during adulthood while highlighting similarities and differences across diverse cohorts. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms in the human gut play a role in health and disease, and in adults higher gut biodiversity has been linked to better health. Since gut microorganisms may be pivotal in the development of microbial therapies, understanding the factors that shape gut biodiversity is of utmost interest. We performed large-scale analyses of the relationship of age and sex to gut bacterial diversity in adult cohorts from four geographic regions: the United States, the United Kingdom, Colombia, and China. In the U.S., U.K., and Colombian cohorts, bacterial biodiversity correlated positively with age in young adults but plateaued at about age 40 years, with no positive association being found in middle-aged adults. Young, but not middle-aged, adult women had higher gut bacterial diversity than men, a pattern confirmed via supervised machine learning. Interestingly, in the Chinese cohort, minimal associations were observed between gut biodiversity and age or sex. Our results highlight the patterns of adult gut biodiversity and provide a framework for future research.

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