Age Related Differences in the Strategies Used by Middle Aged Adults to Solve a Block Design Task

In the present study, it was proposed to investigate the effects of aging on the strategies used to solve a block design task and to establish whether these strategies may be associated with differential patterns of ability. Two groups of subjects, 30 young adults (aged 20–35 years) and 30 middle-aged adults (aged 45–60 years) were set a computer version of the Kohs task and a battery of tests. An age-related decrease in fluid intelligence (Gf) and visual-spatial ability (Gv) was observed, along with the fact that most of the older subjects used a global strategy rather than a synthetic one. On the other hand, while continuing to use strategies of the analytic type, the older subjects looked more frequently at the model and scored high on crystallized intelligence (Gc). These findings are discussed from two different points of view: the theory of hierarchical stimuli and the hypothesis that metacognitive ability, which is thought to rely on Gc, may increase with age, and thus compensate for the loss of Gf and Gv.

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Age-related effects on the neural processing of semantic complexity in a continuous narrative: Modulation by gestures already present in young to middle-aged adults

Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107725 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 151 ◽

pp. 107725

Author(s):

Paulina Cuevas ◽

Yifei He ◽

Jutta Billino ◽

Elisa Kozasa ◽

Benjamin Straube

Keyword(s):

Neural Processing ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Age Related ◽

Semantic Complexity ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Continuous Narrative

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Evaluating the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of mental traits: a polygenic score analysis and gene-environment-wide interaction study in UK Biobank cohort

Molecular Brain ◽

10.1186/s13041-020-00718-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xiao Liang ◽

ShiQiang Cheng ◽

Jing Ye ◽

XiaoMeng Chu ◽

Yan Wen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Genetic Effects ◽

Sex Hormone ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Interaction Study ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Bioavailable Testosterone ◽

Gene Environment ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Objective To evaluate the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of mental traits in middle-aged adults. Methods The SNPs associated with sex hormone traits were derived from a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS). Four sex hormone traits were selected in the current study, including sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, bioavailable testosterone and estradiol. The polygenic risk score (PRS) of sex hormone traits were calculated from individual-level genotype data of the United Kingdom (UK) Biobank cohort. We then used logistic and linear regression models to assess the associations between individual PRS of sex hormone traits and the frequency of alcohol consumption, anxiety, intelligence and so on. Finally, gene-environment-wide interaction study (GEWIS) was performed to detect novel candidate genes interacting with the sex hormone traits on the development of fluid intelligence and the frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption by PLINK2.0. Results We observed positive association between SHBG and the frequency of alcohol consumption (b = 0.0101, p = 3.84 × 10–11) in middle-aged males and females. In addition, estradiol was positively associated with the frequency of alcohol consumption (b = 0.0128, p = 1.96 × 10–8) in middle-aged males. Moreover, bioavailable testosterone was associated with the fluid intelligence (b = − 0.0136, p = 5.74 × 10–5) in middle-aged females. Finally, GEWIS identified one significant loci, Tenascin R (TNR) (rs34633780, p = 3.45 × 10–8) interacting with total testosterone for fluid intelligence. Conclusion Our study results support the genetic effects of sex hormone traits on the development of intelligence and the frequency of alcohol consumption in middle-aged adults in UK.

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A model to assess age-related changes in two-point discrimination of plantar skin

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association ◽

10.7547/87507315-89-8-383 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 89 (8) ◽

pp. 383-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

W Lynch ◽

J Mooney

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Statistical Analysis ◽

Linear Relationship ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Discrimination Accuracy ◽

Discrimination Ability ◽

Fixed Distance ◽

Age Related ◽

Older Subjects ◽

Age Related Changes

A device was constructed to assess two-point discrimination in the plantar skin of younger, middle-aged, and older adults. The device consisted of paired filaments, each delivering a tip force of 4.56 log units (equivalent to 3.63 g), at a fixed distance apart. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in two-point discrimination accuracy between these groups of subjects. Younger subjects showed greater accuracy of plantar two-point discrimination than either middle-aged or older subjects, with an apparent inverse linear relationship between subject age and plantar two-point discrimination ability. A model to assess age-related changes in two-point discrimination is presented.

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Misclassification of High-Risk Older Subjects Using Waist Action Levels Established for Young and Middle-Aged Adults-Results from the Rotterdam Study

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ◽

10.1111/j.1532-5415.2000.tb03876.x ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 48 (12) ◽

pp. 1638-1645 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Anu Molarius ◽

Jacob C. Seidell ◽

Tommy L.S. Visscher ◽

Albert Hofman

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Rotterdam Study ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Older Subjects ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Action Levels

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Effects of Age on Dual Task Walking Performance as Measured Using a Smartphone Application in Middle-Aged Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.638 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 168-168

Author(s):

Junhong Zhou ◽

Gabriele Cattaneo ◽

Wanting Yu ◽

Jose Tormos ◽

Lewis Lipsitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dual Task ◽

Age Group ◽

Stride Time ◽

Brain Health ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Single Task ◽

Age Related ◽

Walking Performance ◽

The Mean ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Abstract After the age of 65, one’s ability to walk while performing an additional cognitive task (i.e., dual-tasking) is predictive of both future falls and cognitive decline. However, while it is well-known that older adults exhibit diminished dual-task performance, the time course of age-related dual-task decline has not been established. We thus conducted an analysis of data collected within the ongoing Barcelona Brain Health Initiative, a prospective population-based study characterizing the determinants of brain health maintenance in middle-aged adults. Cognitively-unimpaired participants (n=655) aged 40-65 years without neuro-psychiatric disease completed laboratory-based trials of walking normally (single-task) and walking while performing a verbalized serial subtraction task (dual-task). A smartphone-based gait assessment application was used to capture data and derive both the mean stride time (ST) and stride time variability (STV, defined as the coefficient of variation about the mean stride time) of each trial. The dual-task costs (DTC) to each gait metric were obtained by calculating the percent change from single- to dual-task conditions. We categorized participants into five groups according to age (e.g. Group 1: 40-45 years; Group 5: 60-65 years). Age group did not have an effect on single-task gait outcomes (p>0.51). However, the oldest age group, as compared to each of the other groups, exhibited greater DTC to both ST and STV (p<0.03). These results indicate that dual-task walking performance in particular may begin to diminish in late middle age even in the absence of detectable cognitive issues, DTC may offer a sensitive metric to age-related change in cognitive function.

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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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Characteristics of Self-Defining Memories in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Current Aging Science ◽

10.2174/1874609813666201006142514 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Christine Cuervo-Lombard ◽

Delphine Raucher-Chéné ◽

Martial Van der Linden ◽

Virginie Voltzenlogel

Keyword(s):

Education Level ◽

The Self ◽

Future Research ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Age Related ◽

Two Samples ◽

Aged Subjects ◽

Verbal Knowledge ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Background: Self-Defining Memories (SDMs) are a specific type of autobiographical memory, and that plays a key role in the construction of personal identity. Objective: We investigated the characteristics of SDMs in elderly subjects. The originality of the present study is to compare our elderly group to middle-aged subjects instead of young adults, as previously reported in the literature to understand the age-related modifications in SDMs. Method: We recruited 41 elderly subjects with normal cognitive functioning and 37 middle-aged adults. They were matched for education level and verbal knowledge. Result: Older participants recalled the same number of specific memories than middle-aged participants. SDMs were predominantly constituted of episodic characteristics, with specific details, in both groups. However, middle-aged subjects gave more integrative meaning of SDMs and more redemptive events than older participants. The two samples differed for three content dimensions (exploration/recreation, relationship contents, and not classifiable). As predicted, older participants reported memories that were more positive, on average, than the middle-aged participants’ memories. Conclusion: Our study added some contributions to the understanding of the consequences of aging on the self. Future research should explore the continuity of SDMs characteristics across the lifespan.

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Young and Middle Aged Adults Differ in Neural Correlate of Sustained Attention: A fNIRS Study

Current Aging Science ◽

10.2174/1874609814666210716111022 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Shweta Shenoy ◽

Prachi Khandekar ◽

Abhinav Sathe

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Sustained Attention ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Middle Age ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽

Age Related ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Middle Aged Adults

: Sustained attention (SA) is a construct of cognition that tends to decline with age. There is a lack of literature regarding the neural correlates of SA in middle age, a link between young and old age. This study evaluated the differences in SA ability and its neural correlates using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) between young and middle-aged adults. 38 young and 25 middle-aged adults were evaluated for the changes in neural correlates (oxy and deoxyhemoglobin concentration in the prefrontal cortex) during a SA task known as cognition. The results showed that young adults performed significantly better than middle-aged adults on the SA task with no gender difference in their performance. There was a significant difference in the prefrontal activation pattern between young and middle-aged adults. We found right prefrontal dominance in young adults and left the prefrontal authority in middle-aged adults. This study concludes that the ability to maintain SA diminishes with age, advancing from young to middle age. Hemodynamic findings confirmed significant differences in neural resources in the prefrontal cortical areas between young and middle age. Findings document the neurobiological basis of age-related decline in the middle-aged population to understand changes in the brain's functioning during SA-related cognitive tasks.

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Dietary betaine intake is associated with skeletal muscle mass change over 3 years in middle-aged adults: the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114520002433 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Jing-An Long ◽

Rong-Huan Zhong ◽

Si Chen ◽

Fan Wang ◽

Yun Luo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Skeletal Muscle Mass ◽

Health Study ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Nutrition And Health ◽

Skeletal Mass ◽

Age Related ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Abstract A higher dietary intake or serum concentration of betaine has been associated with greater lean body mass in middle-aged and older adults. However, it remains unknown whether betaine intake is associated with age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM). We assessed the association between dietary betaine intake and relative changes in SMM after 3 years in middle-aged adults. A total of 1242 participants aged 41–60 years from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study 2011–2013 and 2014–2017 with body composition measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were included. A face-to-face questionnaire was used to collect general baseline information. After adjustment for potential confounders, multiple linear regression found that energy-adjusted dietary betaine intake was significantly and positively associated with relative changes (i.e. percentage loss or increase) in SMM of legs, limbs and appendicular skeletal mass index (ASMI) over 3 years of follow-up (β 0·322 (se 0·157), 0·309 (se 0·142) and 0·303 (se 0·145), respectively; P < 0·05). The ANCOVA models revealed that participants in the highest betaine tertile had significantly less loss in SMM of limbs and ASMI and more increase in SMM of legs over 3 years of follow-up, compared with those in the bottom betaine tertile (all Ptrend < 0·05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that elevated higher dietary betaine intake may be associated with less loss of SMM of legs, limbs and ASMI in middle-aged adults.

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