The Influence of Aging on Interaural Asymmetries in Middle Latency Response Amplitude

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (04) ◽  
pp. 324-334
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Weihing ◽  
Frank Musiek
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Present Sample ◽  
Hearing Sensitivity ◽  
Middle Latency Response ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Latency Response ◽  
Middle Latency ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Background: Auditory-evoked potentials (EPs) provide a more objective assessment of central auditory nervous system (CANS) dysfunction when compared to behavioral measures because they do not require a behavioral response (Anderson and Kraus, 2010). In this regard, the middle latency response (MLR) has been considered an important component of CANS assessment (Jerger et al, 1988); however, its large within-group variability limits its usefulness (Musiek et al, 1999). It has been argued that performing intratest calculations on the MLR (e.g., difference in EP amplitude when stimulating the left ear versus the right ear) can reduce the within-group variability of the MLR and enhance its clinical usefulness (Musiek et al, 1999; Weihing et al, 2012). To date, it has not been investigated how well these MLR intratest measures reduce within-group variability in adults of various ages, nor has it been shown that these intratest measures are sensitive to aging-related changes in the CANS. Purpose: The two primary goals of the present study were (1) to determine if calculating an intratest MLR measure, the difference in MLR Na-Pa peak-to-peak amplitude on left versus right ear stimulation (i.e., “ear effects”), will reduce within-group variability in adults of various ages; and (2) to determine if ear effect magnitude will change as a function of aging. Ear effects were measured in both quiet and in noise to determine if the addition of noise enhanced any age-related-effects. Research Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Study Sample: The researchers studied 30 adults ranging in age from 20–80 yr with hearing sensitivity of 25 dB HL or better at the octave frequencies from 500–2000 Hz, and no history of neurologic issues. Adults were assigned to one of three age groups based on their chronological age, which were young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults. Data Collection and Analysis: MLRs were acquired using a Nicolet Spirit 2000 during a single laboratory visit. To determine if within-group variability decreased significantly with ear effects, variability for absolute amplitude measures was compared to ear effect variability using the Pitman t-test. To examine potential effects of background noise and aging, data were analyzed using a mixed-factorial analysis of variance with the within-subjects factor “background noise” and the between-subjects factor “age group.” Results: Within-group variability was significantly reduced by calculating ear effects for the youngest group only. Additionally, the oldest adults in the present sample showed significantly larger ear effects than younger and middle-aged adults. This effect did not appear to be a result of differences in peripheral hearing sensitivity. Finally, introducing noise into the paradigm did not influence the observed effects. Conclusions: Ear effects become larger in older adults possibly as a result of age-related changes in the subcortical and/or cortical generators of the MLR. Failure of the ear effect calculation to reduce within-group variability in the middle-aged and older adults suggests that interaural asymmetries in MLR amplitude become more variable across participants who are older than 50 yr. Information obtained from this measure may benefit the development of treatment plans for older adults with hearing difficulties.

scholarly journals Event Centrality of Positive and Negative Autobiographical Memories in Older Adulthood

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.

scholarly journals 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 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Associations of Hearing Sensitivity, Higher-Order Auditory Processing, and Cognition Over Time in Middle-Aged Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 545-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha Merten ◽  
Mary E Fischer ◽  
Ted S Tweed ◽  
Monique M B Breteler ◽  
Karen J Cruickshanks
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Hearing Sensitivity ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Age-related hearing loss (impairment in hearing sensitivity and/or higher-order auditory processing) and cognitive decline are common co-occurring impairments in elderly adults. Their relation in the process of aging remains insufficiently understood. We aim to assess the temporal relations of decline in hearing sensitivity, higher-order auditory processing, and cognition in middle-aged adults. Methods This study included 1,274 Beaver Dam Offspring Study participants who participated in three examinations (baseline, 5-year, and 10-year follow-up). We assessed hearing sensitivity through pure-tone audiometry (PTA, averaged thresholds of 0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz of the better ear), higher-order auditory processing as word recognition in competing message (WRCM) using the Northwestern University 6 word list in the better ear, and cognition through trail-making test performance (TMT). Linear mixed-effects models and linear regression models were used to determine associations over time and to what extent these measures influence each other over time. Results The longitudinal decline between all functions was associated with the strongest relationships between PTA and WRCM. The effect of baseline PTA on WRCM 10 years later (standardized ß = –.30) was almost twice as big as the effect of baseline WRCM on PTA 10 years later (standardized ß = –.18). The effect of baseline WRCM on TMT 10 years later and vice versa were small (standardized ß = –.05). No directional relationship between PTA and TMT was identified (standardized ß ≤ .02). Conclusions While hearing sensitivity might affect higher-order auditory processing, associations between hearing and cognition appear bidirectional and weak in midlife. We need to be cautious before inferring causal effects of hearing on cognition.

scholarly journals Multidimensionality in Developmental Conceptions Across Adulthood

GeroPsych ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-72 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals 672 COVID-19 Anxiety and Sleep in Middle-aged and Older Adults: Impact of Age and Sex

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A262-A263
Author(s):  
Sadhika Jagannathan ◽  
Mikayla Rodgers ◽  
Christina S McCrae ◽  
Mary Beth Miller ◽  
Ashley Curtis
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sleep Efficiency ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Middle Aged Adults ◽  
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):

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

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-97 ◽  
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.

A-46 Impairments in Memory for “Who”, “When”, and “Where” are Detectable in Middle-Aged Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-905
Author(s):  
A Mustafa ◽  
I Beltran-Najera ◽  
P Gilbert ◽  
L Graves ◽  
H Holden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Correct Sequence ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Objective We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine age-¬related differences in performance on a new test assessing memory for “who, when, and where” and associations among these elements. The test was designed to assess aspects of episodic memory by simulating an everyday experience of meeting a series of different people in different places across time. Method Healthy young (ages 18¬-25), middle-aged (ages 40-55), and older adults (ages 60+) were asked to remember a sequence of pictures of different faces paired with different places. After viewing the sequence, the participants were asked to pair each face with the correct place and put the face-place pairs in the correct sequence. Participants also completed a battery of standardized neuropsychological tests. Results Young adults remembered significantly more face-place pairs in the correct sequence than middle-aged (p < .05) and older adults (p < .05). There were no significant differences between middle-aged and older adults in the number of face-place pairs in correct sequence. Furthermore, young adults remembered significantly more face-place pairs irrespective of sequence than older adults (p < .05). There were no significant differences between young and middle-aged adults or between middle-aged and older adults in the number of correct face-place pairs irrespective of sequence. Conclusions Using a new test that incorporates aspects of episodic memory, we found evidence for age-related differences in test performance beginning in middle age. We found that performance on the test correlated with performance on standardized measures of verbal memory and executive functioning but not visual confrontation naming.

scholarly journals Discriminative Mobility Characteristics between Neurotypical Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults Using Wireless Inertial Sensors

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 6644
Author(s):  
Clayton W. Swanson ◽  
Brett W. Fling
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Inertial Sensors ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Mobility Test ◽  
Sit To Stand ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Age-related mobility research often highlights significant mobility differences comparing neurotypical young and older adults, while neglecting to report mobility outcomes for middle-aged adults. Moreover, these analyses regularly do not determine which measures of mobility can discriminate groups into their age brackets. Thus, the current study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis for commonly performed aspects of mobility (walking, turning, sit-to-stand, and balance) to determine which variables were significantly different and furthermore, able to discriminate between neurotypical young adults (YAs), middle-aged adults (MAAs), and older adults (OAs). This study recruited 20 YAs, 20 MAAs, and 20 OAs. Participants came into the laboratory and completed mobility testing while wearing wireless inertial sensors. Mobility tests assessed included three distinct two-minute walks, 360° turns, five times sit-to-stands, and a clinical balance test, capturing 99 distinct mobility metrics. Of the various mobility tests assessed, only 360° turning measures demonstrated significance between YAs and MAAs, although the capacity to discriminate between groups was achieved for gait and turning measures. A variety of mobility measures demonstrated significance between MAAs and OAs, and furthermore discrimination was achieved for each mobility test. These results indicate greater mobility differences between MAAs and OAs, although discrimination is achievable for both group comparisons.

scholarly journals THE UNCANNY VALLEY REVISITED: AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCE AND THE EFFECT OF FUNCTION TYPE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S330-S330
Author(s):  
Yun-Chen Tu ◽  
Sung-En Chien ◽  
Yueh-Yi Lai ◽  
Jen-Chi Liu ◽  
Su-Ling Yeh
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Uncanny Valley ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Function Type ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
The Uncanny ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Due to declined birthrate and the increased aging population, solving the problem of labor shortage has become important. Introducing robotic labors could effectively help older adults’ daily lives. However, older adults’ acceptance of robots was lower than younger adults. Robot’s appearance might be one of the reasons. The Uncanny Valley (UV) refers to the phenomenon that people rate more positively as robots become more humanlike, but only up to a certain point; as it approaches near-perfect similarity of human appearance, likeability drops and forms an uncanny valley. Nonetheless, previous results supporting the UV were mainly from younger adults. We examined whether the UV is also applicable for older and middle-aged adults. We also examined whether the acceptance of function (companion vs. service) would change based on robot appearance, and whether robot-induced traits have any relation with the acceptance of robot function. We asked younger (N= 80, age 18-39), middle-aged (N= 87, age 40-59), and older (N= 88, age 60-87) adults to view each picture of 84 robots and evaluate their impression of each robot and intention of use regarding robot function. Contrary to the UV found for younger and middle-aged adults, older adults did not show UV–they preferred humanlike over non-humanlike robots, regardless of the robot function. Scores on each trait–except for authoritativeness–showed positive correlations with the acceptance of functions. These findings imply that the design of assistive robots should take UV into consideration by customizing robots’ appearances and functions to different age groups.

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