Increased Attentional Focus on Walking by Older Adults Limits Maximum Speed and Is Related to Dynamic Stability

Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jutaluk Kongsuk ◽  
Cynthia J. Brown ◽  
Noah J. Rosenblatt ◽  
Christopher P. Hurt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dynamic Stability ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Kinematic Data ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Walking Speeds

<b><i>Background and Purpose:</i></b> Older adults with lower balance confidence demonstrate a reduced willingness to experience instability as the task of walking becomes more challenging (i.e., walking with a faster speed). However, the specific reason why is not known. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which capacity of increasing walking speeds relates to the attentional requirements (i.e., automaticity) of walking. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Sixteen young (31 ± 5.85 years) and 15 older participants (69 ± 3.04 years) began walking on a treadmill at 0.4 m/s, and speed was increased by 0.2 m/s until the participant either chose to stop or reached a speed of 2.0 m/s. Sixty steps were collected at steady-state speed for each walking trial. Kinematic data were collected, and the margin of stability in the anterior direction (MOS<sub>AP</sub>) at heelstrike was quantified for each step. The timed up and go (TUG) and TUG dual (TUG<sub>dual</sub>) task were performed, from which an automaticity index (TUG/TUG<sub>dual</sub> × 100) was calculated. Older individuals were grouped based on whether they did or did not complete all walking speeds (i.e., completers [<i>n</i> = 9] or noncompleters [<i>n</i> = 6]). The fastest walking speed attempted (FSA), automaticity index, and MOS<sub>AP</sub> were compared, and correlations were assessed between the FSA/MOS<sub>AP</sub> and the automaticity index. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A significant difference was identified in an average MOS<sub>AP</sub> at heelstrike between older completer and noncompleter groups (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Further, older adults with lower automaticity index choose to stop walking at lower speeds (<i>p</i> = 0.001). The FSA was positively correlated with the automaticity index (ρ = 0.81, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Finally, the average MOS<sub>AP</sub> at FSA and the automaticity index were also negatively correlated (<i>r</i> = −0.85, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Older adults with lower automaticity of walking choose to stop walking at speeds before they completed all walking speeds, which may relate with increased attentional demands required to maintain dynamic stability at higher walking speeds. Given that these were otherwise healthy adults, the combination of FSA and an automaticity of walking may help to identify individuals who should be considered for an assessment to identify walking problems.

Effect of isometric exercises on the masseter muscle in older adults with missing dentition: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoru Takano ◽  
Kohei Yamaguchi ◽  
Kazuharu Nakagawa ◽  
Kanako Yoshimi ◽  
Ayako Nakane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Masseter Muscle ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Muscle Properties ◽  
Oral Function ◽  
Masticatory Ability ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Maintaining oral function is important in older individuals with missing teeth for leading a healthy and independent life. This study aimed to evaluate whether simple isometric exercises can maintain and improve oral function (maximum occlusal force [MOF], masticatory ability [MA]) and masticatory muscle properties (masseter muscle thickness [MMT] and echo intensity [MMEI]) in older adults in the maintenance phase of removable prosthetic treatment. Participants were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. The intervention group was instructed to perform maximum clenching for 10 s, whereas the control group was instructed to tap the teeth at an arbitrary speed for 10 s. Both were repeated five times at an interval of 5 s between each activity and twice a day for 4 weeks. The outcomes were measured after a month of exercise. The intervention group showed significant improvement in MOF, MMT during contraction, and MMEI during contraction. There was no significant difference in the MA and MMEI at rest. In the control group, no improvement was observed in any of the parameters. When the isometric exercises were performed using a mouthpiece, there was improvement in oral function and masseter muscle properties in older individuals with Eichner B status who used dentures.

Crime and Violence in Older Adults: Findings From the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052091365
Author(s):  
Katherine J. Holzer ◽  
Millan A. AbiNader ◽  
Michael G. Vaughn ◽  
Christopher P. Salas-Wright ◽  
Sehun Oh
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Criminal Behavior ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Criminal Behaviors

Studies on criminal behaviors largely focus on youth and younger adults. While criminal engagement declines with age, the aging population and significant costs associated with older offenders warrant their increased clinical and research attention. The present study utilizes data from the 2002 to 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to estimate the prevalence and explore the sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of criminal behavior in adults aged 50 years and older. The overall prevalence of older adults engaging in criminal behaviors during this time was approximately 1.20%. There was no significant difference in crime involvement between adults aged 50 to 64 years and 65 years and older. Older individuals who committed crimes were more likely to be male and Black and earning low income. Criminality was also associated with use of illicit substances and depression as well as receipt of mental health treatment.

Changes in the Dynamic Stability of Walking in Active Healthy Older Adults Independent of Changes in Walking Speed

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Gu Kang ◽  
Jonathan B. Dingwell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Dynamic Stability ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Leg Strength ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Risk Of Falls ◽  
Walking Speeds

Older adults commonly walk slower, which many believe helps improve their walking stability. However, they remain at increased risk of falls. We investigated how differences in age and walking speed independently affect dynamic stability during walking, and how age-related changes in leg strength and ROM affected this relationship. Eighteen active healthy older and 17 younger adults walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes each at each of 5 speeds (80–120% of preferred). Local divergence exponents and maximum Floquet multipliers (FM) were calculated to quantify each subject’s responses to small inherent perturbations during walking. These older adults exhibited the same preferred walking speeds as the younger subjects (p = 0.860). However, these older adults still exhibited greater local divergence exponents (p&lt;0.0001) and higher maximum FM (p&lt;0.007) than young adults at all walking speeds. These older adults remained more unstable (p&lt;0.04) even after adjusting for declines in both strength and ROM. In both age groups, local divergence exponents decreased at slower speeds and increased at faster speeds (p&lt;0.0001). Maximum FM showed similar changes with speed (p&lt;0.02). The older adults in this study were healthy enough to walk at normal speeds. However, these adults were still more unstable than the young adults, independent of walking speed. This greater instability was not explained by loss of leg strength and ROM. Slower speeds led to decreased instability in both groups.

Mood Alterations in Older Adults following Acute Exercise

1994 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar F. Pierce ◽  
Donald W. Pate
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Acute Exercise ◽  
Mood States ◽  
Exercise Session ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Single Bout ◽  
Affective Change

Limited research indicates positive affective change following acute bouts of exercise, but whether this improved affect among younger subjects may be generalized to older individuals is not known. The present study, then, examined the effects of a single bout of physical activity among older participants. 16 trained women ( Moge = 64.5 ± 7.6 yr.) completed an abbreviated Profile of Mood States prior to and immediately following a 75-min. session of aerobic line dancing. A series of one-way analyses of variance with repeated measures were used to examine differences between pre- and posttest subscores on mood states. Significant decreases following exercise in scores on Tension, Depression, Fatigue, and Anger and a significant increase in scores on Vigor relative to preexercise (control) scores were found. Global mood was significantly improved after the exercise session. No significant difference was found between pre- and postexercise measures of Confusion. Previous findings of significant improvements in affect immediately after an acute bout of exercise may be generalized to older adults. Repetition with a nonexercised control group is desirable.

scholarly journals The role of attentional focus on walking efficiency among older fallers and non-fallers

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby C T Mak ◽  
William R Young ◽  
Wing-Kai Lam ◽  
Andy C Y Tse ◽  
Thomson W L Wong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Thigh Muscle ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Functional Balance ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Control ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Background This study evaluated the effect of attentional focus instructions on movement efficiency during a level-ground walking task in older adults with and without a history of falls. Methods One hundred and thirty-four community-dwelling older adults were categorised into older fallers (OF) (n = 37) and older non-fallers (ONF) (n = 97). Each participant was instructed to walk at a self-selected pace along a 6 m walkway under three attentional focus conditions (i.e. internal, goal-directed and control) for a total of nine trials. Average muscle activity indices of lower limb co-contractions were measured using surface electromyography. Results Both shank and thigh muscle co-contractions were higher in OF than in ONF in all three conditions. OF also demonstrated higher shank muscle co-contraction under the internal relative to the goal-directed condition, with no such change observed in ONF. Conclusion Despite no significant between-group differences in functional balance and balance confidence, relative walking inefficiencies were observed in OF compared with ONF. This finding demonstrates the debilitating consequences of falling that can occur with relative independence from various physiological or psychological factors that are commonly associated with falling and used to rationalise behavioural change. We also provide evidence that OF are more susceptible to conditions that provoke them to allocate attention internally. Therefore, in clinical contexts (e.g. gait rehabilitation), verbal instructions that refer to body movements (internal focus) might serve to compromise movement efficiency in older adults with a history of falls. Such changes will, theoretically, lessen the ability to react efficiently to changing environments experienced in daily life.

scholarly journals Older adults demonstrate interlimb transfer of reactive gait adaptations to repeated unpredictable gait perturbations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher McCrum ◽  
Kiros Karamanidis ◽  
Lotte Grevendonk ◽  
Wiebren Zijlstra ◽  
Kenneth Meijer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Gait Stability ◽  
Kinematic Data ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Motor Error ◽  
The Right ◽  
Walking Speeds ◽  
Treadmill Belt ◽  
Gait Perturbations

AbstractThe ability to rapidly adjust gait to cope with unexpected mechanical perturbations declines with ageing. Previous studies however, have not ensured that pre-perturbation gait stability was equivalent, meaning that differences in unperturbed gait stability may have influenced the outcomes, which this study addresses. We also examine if interlimb transfer of gait adaptations are observed in healthy older adults, potentially driven by the increased motor error experienced due to their reduced ability to cope with the perturbations. 30 young and 28 older healthy adults experienced ten unpredictable treadmill belt accelerations (the first and last applied to the right leg, the others to the left) during walking at their stability-normalised walking speeds (young: 1.32±0.07m/s; older: 1.31±0.13m/s). Using kinematic data, we assessed the margins of stability during unperturbed walking and the first eight post-perturbation recovery steps. Older adults required three more steps to recover during the first perturbation to each leg than the young adults. Yet, after repeated perturbations of the left leg, older adults required only one more step to recover. Interestingly, for the untrained right leg, we found an improvement of three steps in the recovery of the older adults, indicating interlimb transfer of the improvements. Age differences in reactive gait stability remain even when participants’ walk with equivalent stability. Furthermore, we show that healthy older adults can transfer improvements in balance recovery made during repeated perturbations to one limb to their recovery following a perturbation to the untrained limb.

Comparing the Effects of Single-Task versus Dual-Task Balance Training on Gait Smoothness and Functional Balance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Samira Javadpour ◽  
Ehsan Sinaei ◽  
Reza Salehi ◽  
Shahla Zahednejad ◽  
Alireza Motealleh
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Training Groups ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

To compare the effects of single- versus dual-task balance training on the gait smoothness and balance of community-dwelling older adults, 69 volunteers were randomized to single-, dual-task training, and control (no intervention) groups. Exercises were received in 18 sessions through 6 weeks. The gait smoothness was measured by the harmonic ratio of trunk accelerations using a triaxial accelerometer. Balance performance was assessed through the Fullerton Advanced Balance scale, Timed Up and Go test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence, and gait speed. After the trial, all variables improved significantly in the training groups. Moreover, differences in the mean change of all variables, except the Timed Up and Go test, were statistically significant between the interventional groups and the control group, but no significant difference was reported between the two training groups. This study suggests that balance training can improve gait smoothness as well as balance status in healthy older adults.

scholarly journals Effect of Speaker Age on Speech Recognition and Perceived Listening Effort in Older Adults With Hearing Loss

2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 838-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan J. McAuliffe ◽  
Phillipa J. Wilding ◽  
Natalie A. Rickard ◽  
Greg A. O'Beirne
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Signal Quality ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Significant Difference

Purpose Older adults exhibit difficulty understanding speech that has been experimentally degraded. Age-related changes to the speech mechanism lead to natural degradations in signal quality. We tested the hypothesis that older adults with hearing loss would exhibit declines in speech recognition when listening to the speech of older adults, compared with the speech of younger adults, and would report greater amounts of listening effort in this task. Method Nineteen individuals with age-related hearing loss completed speech recognition and listening effort scaling tasks. Both were conducted in quiet, when listening to high- and low-predictability phrases produced by younger and older speakers, respectively. Results No significant difference in speech recognition existed when stimuli were derived from younger or older speakers. However, perceived effort was significantly higher when listening to speech from older adults, as compared with younger adults. Conclusions For older individuals with hearing loss, natural degradations in signal quality may require greater listening effort. However, they do not interfere with speech recognition—at least in quiet. Follow-up investigation of the effect of speaker age on speech recognition and listening effort under more challenging noise conditions appears warranted.

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