scholarly journals Motor planning of vertical arm movements in healthy older adults: does effort optimization persist with aging?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Poirier ◽  
Charalambos Papaxanthis ◽  
France Mourey ◽  
Jeremie Gaveau
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Peak Velocity ◽  
Motor Planning ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
The Body ◽  
Vertical Movements ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Arm Reaching ◽  
Directional Asymmetries

AbstractSeveral sensorimotor modifications are known to occur with aging, possibly leading to adverse outcomes such as falls. Recently, some of those modifications have been proposed to emerge from motor planning deteriorations. Motor planning of vertical movements is thought to engage an internal model of gravity to anticipate its mechanical effects on the body-limbs and thus to genuinely produce movements that minimize muscle effort. This is supported, amongst other results, by direction-dependent kinematics where relative durations to peak accelerations and peak velocity are shorter for upward than for downward movements. The present study compares motor planning of fast and slow vertical arm reaching movements between eighteen young (24 ± 3 years old) and seventeen older adults (70 ± 5 years old). We found that older participants still exhibit directional asymmetries (i.e., differences between upward and downward movements), indicating that optimization processes during motor planning persist with healthy aging. However, the size of these differences was increased in older participants, indicating that gravity-related motor planning changes with age. We discuss this increase as the possible result of an overestimation of gravity torque or increased weight of the effort cost in the optimization process. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that feedforward processes and, more precisely, optimal motor planning, remain active with healthy aging.

scholarly journals Regular Practice of Moderate Physical Activity by Older Adults Ameliorates Their Anti-Inflammatory Status

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ferrer ◽  
Xavier Capó ◽  
Miquel Martorell ◽  
Carla Busquets-Cortés ◽  
Cristina Bouzas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
The Body ◽  
Moderate Physical Activity ◽  
Metabolic Equivalents ◽  
Inflammatory Status ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
Regular Practice

A chronic inflammatory state is a major characteristic of the aging process, and physical activity is proposed as a key component for healthy aging. Our aim was to evaluate the body composition, hypertension, lipid profile, and inflammatory status of older adults, and these factors’ association with physical activity. A total of 116 elderly volunteers were categorized into terciles of quantitative metabolic equivalents of task (MET). Subjects in the first and third terciles were defined as sedentary and active subjects, respectively. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, hemograms, and inflammatory markers were measured in plasma or peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs). The active groups exercised more than their sedentary counterparts. The practice of physical activity was accompanied by lower weight, fat mass, body mass index, and diastolic blood pressure when compared to a more sedentary life-style. Physical activity also lowered the haematocrit and total leukocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts. The practice of exercise induced a decrease in the IL-6 circulating levels and the TLR2 protein levels in PBMCs, while the expression of the anti-inflammatory IL-10 was activated in active subjects. The regular practice of physical activity exerts beneficial effects on body composition and the anti-inflammatory status of old people.

scholarly journals Prospective GERiatric Observational (ProGERO) Study: Cohort Design and Preliminary Results

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Daniel Saraiva ◽  
Luís Fernando Rangel ◽  
Julia Lusis Lassance Cunha ◽  
Thereza Cristina Ariza Rotta ◽  
Christian Douradinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Charlson Comorbidity Index Score ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Demographic Changes

Abstract Background: The demographic changes in Brazil as a result of population aging is one of the fastest in the world. The far-reaching new challenges that come with a large older population are particularly disquieting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Longitudinal studies must be completed in LMICs to investigate the social and biological determinants of aging and the consequences of such demographic changes in their context. Therefore, we designed the Prospective GERiatric Observational (ProGERO) study, a longitudinal study of older adults in Brazil, to collect data both on healthy aging and chronic diseases, and investigate characteristics associated with adverse outcomes in this population. Methods: The ProGERO study takes place in a geriatric outpatient clinic in the largest academic medical center in Latin America. We performed baseline health examinations in 2017 and will complete subsequent in-person visits every three years when new participants will also be recruited. We will use periodic telephone interviews to collect information on the outcomes of interest between in-person visits. The baseline evaluation included data on demographics, medical history, physical examination, and comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA; including multimorbidity, medications, social support, functional status, cognition, depressive symptoms, nutritional status, pain assessment, frailty, gait speed, handgrip strength, and chair-stands test). We used a previously validated CGA-based model to rank participants according to mortality risk (low, medium, high). Our selected outcomes were falls, disability, health services utilization (emergency room visits and hospital admissions), institutionalization, and death. We will follow participants for at least ten years.Results: We included 1,336 participants with a mean age of 82±8 years old. Overall, 70% were women, 31% were frail, and 43% had a Charlson comorbidity index score ≥3. According to our CGA-based model, the incidence of death in one year varied significantly across categories (low-risk=0.6%; medium-risk=7.4%; high-risk=17.5%; P<0.001).Conclusion: The ProGERO study will provide detailed clinical data and explore the late-life trajectories of community-dwelling older patients during a follow-up period of at least 10 years. Moreover, the study will substantially contribute to new information on the predictors of healthy and pathological aging in older adults from LMICs.

scholarly journals DNA Methylation in Healthy Older Adults With a History of Childhood Adversity—Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Fiacco ◽  
Elena Silvia Gardini ◽  
Laura Mernone ◽  
Lea Schick ◽  
Ulrike Ehlert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Childhood Adversity ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Aging Study ◽  
History Of

The association between loneliness and medication use in older adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manav V Vyas ◽  
Jennifer A Watt ◽  
Amy Y X Yu ◽  
Sharon E Straus ◽  
Moira K Kapral
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Opioid Analgesics ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Logistic Regression Models

Abstract Background Loneliness is common in older adults, and it is associated with unhealthy behaviours, including substance use. We evaluated the association between loneliness and self-reported use of opioids and benzodiazepines in older adults. Methods We used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey’s ‘Healthy Aging’ sub-survey and included adults 65 years or older who administered their own medications. We classified individuals as lonely if they scored 6 or more on the three -item University of California, Los Angeles’s Loneliness Scale. We used multinomial logistic regression models, adjusting for demographics and self-reported comorbidities, to describe the association between loneliness and daily or occasional use of opioids, benzodiazepines and non-opioid analgesics. We also explored the association between loneliness and polypharmacy. Results Our cohort included 15,302 older adults, of whom 2,096 (13.7%) were classified as lonely. Daily use of opioids (4.1%) and benzodiazepines (1.7%) were less common than daily use of non-opioid analgesics (33.9%). Lonely older adults had higher daily use of opioids (odds ratio [OR] 1.61, 1.31-1.98) and benzodiazepines (OR 1.66, 1.21-2.28), but not non-opioid analgesics (OR 1.05, 0.92-1.19). Loneliness was not associated with occasional use of opioids, benzodiazepines or non-opioid analgesics in older adults, but was associated with polypharmacy (OR 1.27, 1.06-1.52). Conclusions Loneliness in older adults is associated with increased daily use of opioids and benzodiazepines. Further research should evaluate patient- and physician-level factors that mediate this association, and develop strategies to mitigate loneliness and its attendant adverse outcomes.

scholarly journals Keep Up the Pace: Declines in Simple Repetitive Timing Differentiate Healthy Aging from the Earliest Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1052-1063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley S. Bangert ◽  
David A. Balota
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Control Systems ◽  
Attentional Control ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Performance Variability ◽  
Timing Task

AbstractThe current study examined whether healthy older adults (OA) and individuals at the earliest stages of dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) differ from younger adults (YA) and from each other on a simple, extended continuous tapping task using intervals (500 ms, 1000 ms, and 1500 ms) thought to differentially engage attentional control systems. OA groups sped up their tapping at the slowest target rate compared to the YA; this pattern was magnified in the early stage DAT groups. Performance variability appeared especially sensitive to DAT-related changes, as reliable differences between healthy OA and very mild DAT individuals emerged for multiple tap rates. These differences are proposed to result from breakdowns in attentional control that disrupt error-correction processes and the ability to resolve discrepancies between internally-generated temporal expectancies and the external temporal demands of the repetitive timing task. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–12)

scholarly journals RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BONE MINERAL DENSITY AND BODY COMPOSITION IN ELDERLY

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANGÉLICA CASTILHO ALONSO ◽  
TUANE ANDREATTA GONÇALVES ◽  
JENIFER KRISTINA ALVES DE ALMEIDA ◽  
ADRIANA MACHADO-LIMA ◽  
RITA DE CÁSSIA ERNANDES ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Mineral Density ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Bone Mineral ◽  
The Body ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Healthy Older Adults

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in healthy older adults at different skeletal sites. Methods: We analyzed 87 medical records and BMD along with the body composition of men ranging from 60 to 87 years of age (mean: 68.5, standard deviation: 6.5). Inclusion criteria were normal BMD values (T-score greater than or equal to -1.0) and body mass index within normal or overweight range (18.5 to 29.5 kg/m2). Body composition was evaluated using bone densitometry with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in a LUNAR-DPX apparatus. Results: Greater lean mass, fat mass, and soft tissue was associated with better BMD values in older adults, and higher age was associated with poorer BMD. Conclusion: Body composition (lean and fat masses and soft tissue) in older men is positively associated with BMD at all body sites (arms, legs, and trunk). Level of Evidence II; Prognostic studies - Investigating the effect of a patient characteristic on the outcome of disease.

scholarly journals A Review of the Effects of Physical Activity and Exercise on Cognitive and Brain Functions in Older Adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Bherer ◽  
Kirk I. Erickson ◽  
Teresa Liu-Ambrose
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Brain Functions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Physical Activity And Exercise ◽  
The Mind

Studies supporting the notion that physical activity and exercise can help alleviate the negative impact of age on the body and the mind abound. This literature review provides an overview of important findings in this fast growing research domain. Results from cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies with healthy older adults, frail patients, and persons suffering from mild cognitive impairment and dementia are reviewed and discussed. Together these finding suggest that physical exercise is a promising nonpharmaceutical intervention to prevent age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals Functional Brain Changes Associated with Cognitive Training in Healthy Older Adults: A Preliminary ALE Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryant M. Duda ◽  
Lawrence Sweet
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽  
Right Hemisphere ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Middle Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Precentral Gyrus ◽  
Healthy Older Adults

Accumulating evidence suggests that cognitive training (CT) programs may provide healthy older adults (OAs) with cognitive benefits that are accompanied by alterations in neural activity. The current review offers the first quantitative synthesis of the available literature on the neural effects of CT in healthy aging. It was hypothesized that OAs would evidence increased and decreased neural activations across various challenging CTs, and that these effects would be observed as significantly altered clusters within regions of the frontoparietal network (FPN). Online databases and reference lists were searched to identify peer-reviewed publications that reported assessment of neural changes associated with CT programs in healthy OAs. Among the 2097 candidate studies identified, 14 studies with a total of 238 participants met inclusionary criteria. GingerALE software was used to quantify neural effects in a whole-brain analysis. The activation likelihood estimation technique revealed significant increases in activation following CT in the left hemisphere middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, and posterior parietal cortex, extending to the superior occipital gyrus. Two clusters of diminished neural activity following CT were identified within the right hemisphere middle frontal gyrus and supramarginal gyrus, extending to the superior temporal gyrus. These results provide preliminary evidence of common neural effects of different CT interventions within regions of the FPN. Findings may inform future investigations of neuroplasticity across the lifespan, including clinical applications of CT, such as assessing treatment outcomes.

scholarly journals Fractional Anisotropy in Selected, Motor-Related White Matter Tracts and Its Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations With Motor Function in Healthy Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Oschwald ◽  
Susan Mérillat ◽  
Lutz Jäncke ◽  
Rachael D. Seidler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Motor Speed ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
White Matter Tracts ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Level Change

BackgroundWhile it is well-known that deficits in motor performance and brain structural connectivity occur in the course of healthy aging, it is still unclear if and how these changes are related to each other. While some cross-sectional studies suggest that white matter (WM) microstructure is positively associated with motor function in healthy older adults, more evidence is needed. Moreover, longitudinal data is required to estimate whether similar associations can be found between trajectories of change in WM microstructure and motor function. The current study addresses this gap by investigating age-associations and longitudinal changes in WM microstructure and motor function, and the cross-sectional (level-level) and longitudinal (level-change, change-change) association between these two domains.MethodWe used multiple-occasion data (covering 4 years) from a large sample (N = 231) of healthy older adults from the Longitudinal Healthy Aging Brain (LHAB) database. To measure WM microstructure, we used diffusion-weighted imaging data to compute mean FA in three selected WM tracts [forceps minor (FMIN); superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF); corticospinal tract (CST)]. Motor function was measured via two motor speed tests (grooved pegboard, finger tapping) and one motor strength test (grip force test), separately for the left and the right hand. The statistical analysis was conducted with longitudinal growth curve models in the structural equation modeling framework.ResultsThe results revealed longitudinal decline and negative cross-sectional age-associations for mean WM FA in the FMIN and SLF, and for motor function in all tests, with a higher vulnerability for left than right hand motor performance. Regarding cross-domain associations, we found a significant positive level-level correlation among mean WM FA in the FMIN with motor speed. Mean FA in SLF and CST was not correlated with motor performance measures, and none of the level-change or change-change associations were significant. Overall, our results (a) provide important insights into aging-related changes of fine motor abilities and FA in selected white matter tracts associated with motor control, (b) support previous cross-sectional work showing that neural control of movement in older adults also involves brain structures outside the core motor system and (c) align with the idea that, in healthy aging, compensatory mechanisms may be in place and longer time delays may be needed to reveal level-change or change-change associations.

scholarly journals Impaired sensitivity to spatial configurations in healthy aging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Chard ◽  
Richard Cook ◽  
Clare Press
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Face Processing ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Drift Diffusion ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Configural Information ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Spatial Configurations ◽  
Social Difficulties

Studies have found age-related deficits in face processing, including identity and emotion recognition. It is unclear what underlies such atypicalities, and why older adults are unaffected in other apparently similar perceptual tasks. The present study examined the possibility that particular deficits in configural processing impair the perception of faces in healthy aging. Across two signal detection experiments, we required a group of healthy older adults and matched younger adults to detect changes in images of faces that could differ either at the local, featural level, or in configuration of these features. In support of our hypothesis, older adults were particularly impaired in detecting configural changes, relative to detecting changes in features. The impairments were found for both upright and inverted faces and were similar in a task with images of inanimate objects (houses). Drift diffusion modelling suggested that this decline related to reduced evidence accumulation rather than a tendency to make configural judgments based on less evidence. These findings indicate that domain-general problems processing configural information contribute to the difficulties with face processing in healthy aging, and may in principle also contribute to a range of higher-level social difficulties.

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