2016 AARP Social Engagement and Brain Health Survey: Dataset

(1) Background: There is increasing scholarly support for the notion that properly implemented and used, technology can be of substantial benefit for older adults. Use of technology has been associated with improved self-rating of health and fewer chronic conditions. Use of technology such as handheld devices by older adults has the potential to improve engagement and promote cognitive and physical health. However, although, literature suggests some willingness by older adults to use technology, simultaneously there are reports of a more cautious attitude to its adoption. Our objective was to determine the opinions towards information technologies, with special reference to brain health, in healthy older adults either fully retired or still working in some capacity including older adult workers and retired adults living in an independent elderly living community. We were especially interested in further our understanding of factors that may play a role in technology adoption and its relevance to addressing health related issues in this population; (2) Methods: Two focus groups were conducted in an inner-city community. Participants were older adults with an interest in their general health and prevention of cognitive decline. They were asked to discuss their perceptions of and preferences for the use of technology. Transcripts were coded for thematic analysis; (3) Results: Seven common themes emerged from the focus group interviews: physical health, cognitive health, social engagement, organizing information, desire to learn new technology, advancing technology, and privacy/security; and (4) Conclusions: This study suggests that in order to promote the use of technology in older adults, one needs to consider wider contextual issues, not only device design per se, but the older adult’s rationale for using technology and their socio-ecological context.

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Social Volunteering in Aging Adults Increases Regions of the Amygdala and Correlates With Enhanced Generativity

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2881 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 795-795

Author(s):

Michelle Carlson

Keyword(s):

Social Engagement ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Study ◽

Brain Health ◽

Volunteer Program ◽

Intention To Treat ◽

Intervention Impact ◽

Aging Adults ◽

The Brain

Abstract The Brain Health Study (BHS) of the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial (BECT) examined whether a randomized, controlled trial of an intergenerational social volunteer program, entitled Experience Corps, increased subregions of the amygdala related to socioemotional memory and risk for Alzheimer’s disease in aging adults. We further assessed functional correlates of these intervention-related changes and changes in aging adults’ developmental need to be generative, or, to give back to the well-being of others. The BHS simultaneously randomized 112 men and women (59 intervention; 53 control) within BECT to evaluate intervention impact on biomarkers of brain health at baseline and annual follow-ups during the two-year trial. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed program-specific increases in the shape of the centromedial and basomedial regions of the left amygdala (p’s≤0.05 adjusted), which were correlated with increases in generativity (p’s =0.06). Meaningful social engagement buffered amygdalar declines important to preservation of emotionally salient memory and risk for dementia. Part of a symposium sponsored by Brain Interest Group.

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A Novel BrainHealth Index Prototype Improved by Telehealth-Delivered Training During COVID-19

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.641754 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Sandra Bond Chapman ◽

Julie M. Fratantoni ◽

Ian H. Robertson ◽

Mark D'Esposito ◽

Geoffrey S. F. Ling ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Scale Up ◽

Well Being ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Strategy Training ◽

Analytic Structure ◽

Brain Health ◽

Online Platform ◽

Factor Analytic

Introduction: Brain health is neglected in public health, receiving attention after something goes wrong. Neuroplasticity research illustrates that preventive steps strengthen the brain's component systems; however, this information is not widely known. Actionable steps are needed to scale proven population-level interventions.Objectives: This pilot tested two main objectives: (1) the feasibility/ease of use of an online platform to measure brain health, deliver training, and offer virtual coaching to healthy adults and (2) to develop a data driven index of brain health. Methods: 180 participants, ages 18–87, enrolled in this 12-week pilot. Participants took a BrainHealth Index™ (BHI), a composite of assessments encompassing cognition, well-being, daily-life and social, pre-post training. Participants engaged in online training with three coaching sessions. We assessed changes in BHI, effects of training utilization and demographics, contributions of sub-domain measures to the BHI and development of a factor analytic structure of latent BrainHealth constructs.Results: The results indicated that 75% of participants showed at least a 5-point gain on their BHI which did not depend on age, education, or gender. The contribution to these gains were from all sub-domains, including stress, anxiety and resilience, even though training focused largely on cognition. Some individuals improved due to increased resilience and decreased anxiety, whereas others improved due to increased innovation and social engagement. Larger gains depended on module utilization, especially strategy training. An exploratory factor analytic solution to the correlation matrix of online assessments identified three latent constructs.Discussion/Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated the efficacy of an online platform to assess changes on a composite BrainHealth Index and efficacy in delivering training modules and coaching. We found that adults, college age to late life, were motivated to learn about their brain and engage in virtual-training with coaching to improve their brain health. This effort intends to scale up to thousands, thus the pilot data, tested by an impending imaging pilot, will be utilized in ongoing machine learning (ML) algorithms to develop a precision brain health model. This pilot is a first step in scaling evidence-based brain health protocols to reach individuals and positively affect public health globally.

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RESEARCH AND FINDINGS

Asia-Pacific Biotech News ◽

10.1142/s0219030311000565 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 15 (09) ◽

pp. 47-56

Keyword(s):

Social Engagement ◽

Soil Bacteria ◽

Carbon Fixation ◽

New Method ◽

Brain Health ◽

In Vitro Meat

Rice Research Receives $10 Million Grant. New Method to Increase Antibiotic Yields. Extra Genes May Make You Extremely Thin. Biofuel Potential in Panda Poop. Social Engagement Changes Fat Type. Bacteria Clean Up Uranium, Produce Electricity. Probiotics Promote Brain Health. Soil Bacteria Targets Cancer. More Muscle for In Vitro Meat. New Carbon-Fixation Pathway Unveiled in Ocean Depths.

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2020 AARP Delirium and Brain Health Survey: Healthcare Providers

10.26419/res.00376.002 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cheryl Lampkin ◽

Laura Mehegan ◽

G. Chuck Rainville

Keyword(s):

Health Survey ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Brain Health

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2016 AARP Sleep and Brain Health Survey

10.26419/res.00143.001 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laura Mehegan ◽

Chuck Rainville ◽

Laura Skufca

Keyword(s):

Health Survey ◽

Brain Health

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Age 20 Cognitive Ability Moderates the Long-Term Influence of Lifestyle Behaviors on Brain Aging in Late Midlife

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.384 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 116-117

Author(s):

Carol Franz ◽

Teresa Warren ◽

William Kremen

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Ability ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Cognitive Reserve ◽

Brain Aging ◽

Apoe Genotype ◽

Age Difference ◽

Lifestyle Behaviors ◽

Brain Health ◽

Positive Behaviors ◽

Brain Age

Abstract We examined whether the longitudinal association between lifestyle behaviors and brain age is moderated by early general cognitive ability (GCA). The sample comprises 356 participants from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging (VETSA). At mean age 40 (SD 2.7; range 34-44) a positive lifestyle index was created comprising three self-reported behaviors: not smoking, zero to moderate alcohol consumption, and high social engagement. GCA at mean age 20 was assessed with the Armed Forces Qualification Test. At mean age 68 (SD 2.6; range 61-72), participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging which was used to create predicted brain age difference (PBAD) scores. Multivariate models included GCA, lifestyle and their interaction as IVs, adjusted for age, ethnicity, APOE genotype, height, and family membership. Age 20 GCA and age 40 lifestyle significantly predicted age 68 PBAD [F=5.83; p=.02 and F=15.14; p<.001, respectively]. Both positive behaviors and higher age 20 GCA were associated with less brain aging. The GCA-lifestyle interaction was also significant. Those with both lower age 20 GCA and fewer positive behaviors had older brains relative to chronological age [F=5.00; p=. 03]. When GCA was high, however, participants had younger brains, regardless of lifestyle behaviors, suggesting a protective effect of early high GCA or cognitive reserve on later brain health. However, for those with lower cognitive reserve, positive lifestyle behaviors appeared to be protective against brain aging nearly three decades later. Results highlight the important role of cognitive reserve and lifestyle factors for later life brain health.

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2016 AARP Sleep and Brain Health Survey: Dataset

AARP Research Data ◽

10.26419/res.00143.002 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Mehegan ◽

Chuck Rainville ◽

Laura Skufca

Keyword(s):

Health Survey ◽

Brain Health

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