Experimental Aging Research最新文献

To examine why older adults avoid choices more, two pre-registered, U.S.-based studies (N₁ = 164, M_{age_1} = 50.71, N₂ = 485, M_{age_2} = 51.08) evaluated the roles of cognitive load and affect. In Study 2, half were randomized to a writing condition theorized to decrease avoidance. Across studies, older age was positively associated with avoiding choices and improved affect after doing so. Avoidance was linked to perceiving higher cognitive loads but neither load nor other covariates accounted for older adults' avoidance tendencies. The writing condition resulted in lower cognitive loads and more positive decision-related affect but did not decrease avoidance.

Background: Cognitive models of depression assert that attentional biases play an important role in the maintenance of depression. However, few studies have explored attentional bias in depressed older adults, and no consistent conclusions have been reached.

Methods: In the current study, we investigated attentional bias in older adults with non-clinical depression. Older adults aged over 60 with non-clinical depression and without depression were instructed to perform a free viewing task while their eye movements were tracked.

Results: The results showed that, compared to older adults without depression, non-clinically depressed older adults had longer total fixation durations and a greater number of fixations on sad stimuli. Moreover, non-depressed older adults exhibited a preference for pleasant images, whereas this effect was not observed in older adults with non-clinical depression.

Conclusion: This study suggested that non-clinically depressed older adults have attentional bias, which is manifested as increased attention to sad stimuli and decreased attention to pleasant stimuli.The current study has functional and potential functional implications.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess prevalence of back pain among older people living with HIV (PLH) in rural areas of the United States (US); compare the presence of comorbidities, socioeconomic factors, and sociodemographic factors among older PLH in rural areas of the US with and without back pain; and examine the associations between back pain, depression, and QOL among older PLH in rural areas of the US.

Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected among US rural dwelling PLH of at least 50 years of age. Multiple logistic regression was performed to examine the association between back pain and depression. Multiple linear regression was performed to assess the association between back pain and QOL.

Results: A total of 38.8% (n = 164) of participants self-reported back pain. PLH with back pain were more likely to have depression (60.87%, n = 98). PLH with back pain had lower mean QOL scores (53.01 ± 18.39). Back pain was associated with greater odds of having depression (OR 1.61 [CI 0.99-2.61], p = .054) and was significantly associated with lower QOL (p < .001).

Conclusions: Prevention strategies to reduce back pain and poor HIV outcomes among PLH living in rural areas of the US are needed.

Introduction: The Attentional Boost Effect (ABE) occurs whenever participants recognize stimuli paired earlier with to-be-responded targets better than stimuli earlier paired with to-be-ignored distractors or presented on their own (baseline). Previous studies showed that the ABE does not occur in older adults when the encoding time is too short (500 ms/word) or when encoding is incidental, likely due to aging-related reductions in cognitive resources or limitations of processing speed.

Method: In the present study, younger and older adults encoded words presented for 1000 ms under intentional instructions. In addition, to determine the potential impact of the retention interval, the recognition task was performed after a delay of 2 minutes (Experiment 1) or 20 minutes (Experiment 2).

Results: Under these conditions, older adults showed a significant ABE and the size of the effect was comparable to that achieved by younger adults. The magnitude of the ABE was vulnerable to the passage of time because the recognition advantage of target-paired words decreased sharply from 2 to 20 minutes.

Conclusions: Taken together, our data demonstrate that younger and older adults may have comparable ABE effects under specific conditions and are similarly sensitive to interference.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect and potential mechanism of cognitive intervention and rehabilitation training in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with mild cognitive impairment.

Methods: In this study, 128 elderly patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with mild cognitive impairment were randomly divided into the control group and the training group. The effects of the two groups were compared before and after the cognitive intervention. The expression of miR-134-5p was assessed by qRT-PCR. The relationships between miR-134-5p and Mini-Mental State Examination Scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale were evaluated.

Results: After 3-month management, the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, the Chinese version of the diabetes self-efficacy rating scale, and WHO quality of life brief were improved in both control group and training group, and the training group showed better improvement. Cognitive intervention and rehabilitation training restricted the expression of miR-134-5p. The levels of miR-134-5p were pertinent to cognitive function.

Conclusion: Cognitive intervention and rehabilitation training might prevent the development of diabetes mellitus complicated with mild cognitive impairment by inhibiting miR-134-5p.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate fear of falling, kinesiophobia, and sensory processing in older adults with hypertension and normotension.

Methods: Older adults, 62 with hypertension and 62 with normotension, aged 65-84 years were included in the study. The assessment of fear of falling was conducted using the Tinetti Falls Efficacy Scale, kinesiophobia was evaluated with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale, and sensory processing skills were analyzed with the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile.

Results: Significant differences were found between the groups in terms of vestibular processing, visual processing and activity level, fear of falling and kinesiophobia (p < .05). No significant differences were found between the groups with respect to taste/smell, tactile, and auditory processing skills. The findings revealed that older adults with hypertension exhibited diminished vestibular and visual processing abilities, reduced activity levels, and heightened concerns about falling and a tendency to experience kinesiophobia. Fear of falling and kinesiophobia were found to increase with decreasing vestibular processing skills and activity levels in both groups (p < .05). Regression analysis revealed that age, kinesiophobia, vestibular processing, and activity levels were significant determinants of fear of falling (p < .05).

Conclusion: It is recommended that older adults with hypertension be assessed in terms of sensory, functional, and mental health, with the objective of planning appropriate intervention approaches.

Introduction: Virtual reality devices have been widely used for the rehabilitation among older people with cognitive impairments. They enable the user to navigate in three-dimensional environments, which are constructed by a computer. Recent studies have been focused on the cognitive benefits of virtual reality for people with cognitive deficits. The current study aimed to investigate the overall impact of community-based virtual reality interventions in older adults with dementia and/or cognitive impairment.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus databases were searched for the years 2010-2022.

Results: Of the 245 articles 20 met the inclusion criteria. The results of the current systematic review indicated that virtual reality improved older adults' cognitive and motor skills and increased their positive emotions while minimizing less positive ones. However, there is insufficient data of its impact on their overall quality of life.

Conclusion: There is a need to implement and evaluate interventions that examine its impact not only on cognitive functioning, but also on other aspects of older people with cognitive deficits.

Background: Quality of life, social support, and loneliness are common problems among older adults in China , but the relationships among these issues have not been clearly identified.

Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the relationships among Quality of life, social support, and loneliness.

Methods: A total of 560 older adults were randomly selected , the social support rating scale (SSRS), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness scale, and Short-Form 12 (SF-12) were employed to measure their degree of social support, level of loneliness, and quality of life.

Results: The average physical component summary (PCS) score was 49.97±16.33, and the average mental component summary (MCS) score was 47.26±11.49. Loneliness plays a partial mediating role between social support and quality of life.

Conclusion: Loneliness and a lack of social support will affect the quality of life of the older adults. Thus, we need to urgently strengthen the care and support for the older adults and alleviate the loneliness of the older adults in the community.

We investigated the relationship between health literacy (HL) and functioning among older adults with and without chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). In a cross-sectional study, we assessed 121 older adults with CMP and 53 without pain using WHODAS 2.0 for functioning and the Newest Vital Sign for HL assessment. Cluster analysis identified groups based on functioning levels. A decision tree model was developed, to account for nonlinear interactions. We found a relationship of inadequate HL with lower functioning in older adults with CMP, particularly when aged over 70 and those younger but with lower education levels. Findings highlight the importance of screening HL among older adults with CMP and considering it for tailoring interventions.

Objectives: This exploratory study aimed to identify biomarkers of neuroplasticity that prevent cognitive decline. This study examined activity-dependent changes in the neurologic proteome that contributed to post-exercise improvements in processing speed in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Participants included 20 older adult Veterans with MCI recruited through the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) who participated in moderate-high intensity water-based activity thrice weekly for six months. Plasma protein concentration was measured using the Olink Target 96 Neurology Assay. Processing speed measures included the Trail Making Test Trial A (TMT-A), the Stroop Color (SC) and Word (SW) trials, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).

Results: Preliminary analyses revealed two proteins of interest: neuropilin-2 (NRP2) and neuroblastoma suppressor of tumorigenicity 1 (NBL1). Primary analyses used mixed effects models to determine the impact of changes in neurologic-related proteins on changes in processing speed after exercise. Results indicated that decreased levels of NRP2 were associated with improved outcomes on the SDMT after exercise. In contrast, changes in NBL1 had no significant effect on the relationship between exercise and processing speed.

Conclusion: These results support previous research linking NRP2 function to synaptic plasticity downscaling and present NRP2 as a potential target for cognitive intervention.