Experimental Aging Research最新文献

Objective: Cognitive dysfunction is a significant issue in old age and can cause many problems in older adults, especially those with diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the association between oral health status and DMFT index with cognitive dysfunction in community-dwelling older adults with T2D (type 2 diabetes).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 245 older people aged 60 years and older with T2D, visiting healthcare centers in north of Iran, using the cluster sampling method. Data collection tools included clinical-demographic questionnaire, the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) questionnaire. A P-value <.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean age of older adults in this study was 64.86 ± 3.99 years. The mean and standard deviation for the DMFT index, GOHAI index and MMSE scale were 9.39 ± 3.83, 34.29 ± 17.93 and 15.18 ± 10.04 respectively. The results showed statistically significant relationship between poor oral health status and the cognitive status of older adults with T2D (p < .001). Additionally, the relationship between oral health index domains (physical function, psychosocial function and pain) and cognitive status in older adults was significant (p < .001). Another finding indicated an inverse and significant relationship between the DMFT index and cognitive dysfunction in older adults (p < .001).

Conclusion: Poor oral health was associated with cognitive dysfunction among the community-dwelling older adults with T2D. Given the high prevalence of T2D in older adults and the critical importance of oral and dental health for cognition, it is necessary to develop interventions to improve oral health in older adults with T2D.

Objectives: Among the changes related to aging in the elderly, a decline in executive functions is notable. The present study aimed to investigate the comparative impact of active video games (AVG) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on executive functions in elderly individuals in Khuzestan province, Iran.

Methods: This research employed a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest design, including a control group and follow-up. The statistical population comprised all elderly residents of Khuzestan province. Sixty elderly participants (60 years and above) were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three experimental groups (tDCS, AVG, tDCS + AVG) and one control group. They received interventions for 5 weeks (2 sessions per week). Data were collected using the N-back, Stroop, and Wisconsin Card Sorting tests. Data analysis was performed using mixed-ANOVA with SPSS version 25, and significance was set at p < .05.

Results: The results of the study demonstrated that AVG and tDCS significantly improved working memory and cognitive flexibility in the elderly. Comparison between the two intervention groups indicated a greater effect of tDCS compared to AVG (p < .05). Additionally, the combined group showed better performance in posttest and memory follow-up compared to the other groups, although no significant difference was found in the attention component (p > .05).

Conclusion: Engaging in AVG and tDCS can contribute to improving executive functions in the elderly. Therefore, it is recommended that these therapeutic techniques be utilized in elderly care centers to enhance the executive performance of these individuals.

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.

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.

A sudden turn initiated at an unpredictable moment is referred to as reactive turning. This study was designed to seek an age-related decrease in reactive turning when the task demand for turning was increased using a task-switching paradigm. Twenty healthy older adults and 14 younger adults were instructed to walk and execute a 90-degree turn under two conditions. In the "reactive turning condition," participants were asked to turn abruptly when the initially presented travel direction (e.g. right) switched to the opposite direction (e.g. left) while walking. This switch occurred in only one-fifth of 40 trials. In the "pre-planned turning condition," participants were informed of the direction beforehand. The onset of the center of mass (COM) shift in older participants failed to reach significance compared to younger participants. However, correlation analyses showed impaired turning performance in older participants, as those with delayed COM shift exhibited larger pelvic rotations over a short period during reactive turning. This suggests that, owing to increased task demand, older adults had difficulty quickly responding and sufficiently rotating their bodies in the new direction. We conclude that reactive turning with increased task demand, using a task-switching paradigm, is a key factor in detecting age-related performance decline.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in older patients with neurological gait disorder accompanied by various comorbidities.

Materials and methods: We included Individuals aged ≥65 years with degenerative brain diseases or stroke causing gait disorders for >6 months in open-label, a pilot study. RAGT was performed for 30 min/day, 2 days/week for 12 weeks. The intensity was set to 60% of the individual's heart rate maximum reserve. Primary outcome measures were the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Secondary outcomes included Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and evaluation of satisfaction.

Results: Thirteen participants completed 24 sessions. Neurological diseases included stroke (n = 7) and Parkinson's disease (n = 6); all patients had at least two other diseases. After RAGT, TUG test results significantly improved, and BBS scores increased. Furthermore, BDI scores decreased, and scores of social functioning and mental health domain in the SF-36 increased. Participants rated high scores on satisfaction of RAGT.

Conclusions: Our finding showed that RAGT is a safe and effective intervention for enhancing physical function, improving quality of life, and reducing depression levels in older patients with neurological gait disorder accompanied by various comorbidities.

Objectives: Cognitive decline in non-pathological aging is widely prevalent among the aging population. The current study assessed the impact of cognitive training (Ct) with multiple modules targeting various facets of learning and memory and the additional influence of an enriched environment (Ct+ee) on hippocampal subfields of aging male rats.

Methods: Male Wistar rats aged 18 months were sorted into Control, Ct, and Ct+ee groups and were exposed to the respective modules for 30 days. Spontaneous behavioral tasks to assess working memory and recognition memory were performed. The hippocampal proper (CA1, CA3) and dentate gyrus (DG) neurons were analyzed for dendrite length, arborization, and spine density. The Synaptophysin, PSD 95 and BDNF, p53 and p-tau levels in the hippocampus were quantified.

Results: The Ct group and Ct+ee group performed significantly better than the control group in behavioural tasks and had improved dendrite profiles of DG and basal tree of CA1 region of hippocampus. The Ct+ee group had increased dendrite length, arborization, and spine density in CA1, CA3 and DG neurons. Ct and Ct+ee groups showed increased expression of synaptophysin, PSD95 and BDNF and decreased p53 and p-tau levels in the hippocampus.

Conclusion: Cognitive training modules targeting specific mnemonic functions and enriched environment with diverse cognitive stimulators had a comprehensive effect on the neuronal health augmenting the impoverished cognitive reserve in aging rats.

Background: Olfactory-based cognitive stimulation is frequently proposed for memory-impaired patients (namely dementia patients), but little is known about the scientific rationale underlying odor choice.

Objectives: Here, we aimed at investigating the evolution of the olfactory experience related to memory evocation in normal aging. Methods. We presented 20 odorants to 25 Young Adults (YA), 36 "young" Older Adults (OA; 65 - 74y) and 26 "old" OA (75 - 89y) and asked them to freely report what each odor evoked to them. Responses were analyzed using both univariate inferential statistics and multivariate descriptive analysis.

Results: Results showed that the ability to experience phenomenological properties of evoked memories decreases with advancing age. Odor identity is increasingly used as a retrieval cue with age, providing necessary support for OA retrieval strategies. However, semantic information does not enhance the chances for old-OA to experience memories' phenomenological properties.

Conclusion: Tailoring the choice of odors during stimulating activities is therefore crucial. In this respect, we provided a limited selection of the most well-characterized odorous stimuli and sorted them based on the phenomenological experience they're more likely to trigger across ages.