Advances in Gerontology最新文献

Based on available publications, the article systematizes information about some forms of lesions of the central nervous system (CNS), their pathogenesis and clinical manifestations in the case of COVID-19. The risk factors, mechanisms of development, diagnostic approach, and the age characteristics of patients with neurological complications of COVID-19 are discussed. The specific mechanisms of the neuroinvasiveness and neurovirulence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, regardless of the age of patients and the presence of risk factors, lead to systemic damage to the endothelium of small-caliber vessels, generalized thrombovasculitis, and an increased risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. At the same time, the most vulnerable category is elderly and senile patients with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders (arterial hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus), which sharply worsen treatment outcomes. The clinical experience accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic indicates the development of the following most frequent post-covid neurological complications and consequences in mainly elderly and senile patients: cranial mononeuropathies, chemosensory dysfunction, encephalopathy, insomnia, stroke, acute meningoencephalitis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, acute polyneuropathy Guillain–Barré syndrome, and transverse myelitis. The benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 far outweigh the risks of possible post-vaccination neurological complications and consequences, especially in elderly and senile patients.

The review presents the analysis of publications about the peculiarities of the manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in individuals of older age groups. The probable reasons and mechanisms of the development of neurological manifestations of the disease are reflected in the work. The clinical pattern in elderly patients is described in detail and the peculiarities of immune indices are noted. This article considers different variants of nervous-system damage with SLE that differ in a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Neurobehavioral disorders with SLE are one of the least studied aspects and can be both a manifestation of the main disease (including those coinciding with the processes of immunoaging) and adverse events during the treatment. At the same time, knowledge of the peculiarities of neurological manifestations with SLE with its onset in late ontogenesis in comparison with the data of laboratory and instrumental methods of examination allow early diagnosis to be carried out and adequate therapy for elderly patients to be established in a timely manner.

The health of a population is an important indicator of the general well-being of the population, and it has its practical significance, as it determines the costs of providing care, and social and medical assistance for the elderly. The study presents an assessment of healthy life-expectancy indicators of people over age 65 based on the results of the Russian epidemiological study EVCALIPT and a comparison of this results with data from other surveys in Russia and European countries.

The article presents the results of the treatment of elderly and senile patients with complications of colon cancer, in the perioperative care of which a multidisciplinary approach is used. The peculiarity of patients of older age groups is caused by polymorbidity, the phenomenon of mutual burdening. This requires the use of a non-standard approach in the treatment of complicated colon cancer. A comparative analysis of the results of the treatment of 289 elderly and senile patients with complicated colon cancer with a traditional method and using a multidisciplinary approach is conducted. The patients are distributed into two groups (main and control). In addition to introducing the principles of a multidisciplinary approach, additional diagnostic methods for more specific determination of the type, severity of complications and functional operability are used in the main group. Taking into account the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach, the operations for patients of the main group are performed using endovideosurgical technologies. A more favorable course of the postoperative period with a decrease in post-surgical complications (from 44.9 to 27.8%) and mortality (from 8.9 to 5.3%) is noted in the group of patients, in which a multidisciplinary approach and modern methods of diagnostics and treatment are used.

The world’s population is aging, and intergenerational conflicts between older adults and young people are becoming more serious. This study focused on ageism as a cause of intergenerational conflicts and older adults’ diminished mental health status. We conducted an online survey of older Japanese participants (n = 1.096). Our results indicated that older adults who perceived more ageism directed toward them (1) had more negative attitudes toward young people and (2) had lower life satisfaction, which persisted even after controlling for variables such as old age identity and depressive tendencies. Accordingly, we suggest that ageism may reinforce intergenerational conflicts between older adults and young people and compromise older adults’ mental health status. The findings of this study can aid gerontological and psychological research aimed at reducing ageism.

The review analyzes the published data of some studies on redox homeostasis in women with age-related physiological menopause. Despite the ambiguity of the presented results on the oxidative modification of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates, most studies allow us to consider this age period as one of the factors in the development of carbonyl stress, which is an integral part of aging. The presence of hyperglycemia and free-radical pathology are presented as the main causes of the development of carbonyl stress; age-related deficiency of estrogens, taking into account their antioxidant properties, is considered as one of the triggers for the development of this condition, and the glutathione system is defined as one of its main inhibitors.

Sleep disorders have a significant impact on physical and mental health. This study was aimed to determine the effect of physical activity (PA) on sleep outcomes in older adults living in Birjand, Iran. This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 1740 individuals, ≥60 years in urban and rural regions of Birjand. The Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire (LAPAQ), a sociodemographic and a sleep status questionnaire were used to collect data. Analyses of variance (ANOVA), univariate, multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. The average age of the participants was 69.73 ± 7.56 years. About 54.08% of participants had low physical activity. People with moderate to high physical activity had higher sleep quality, sleep satisfaction and sleep efficiency compared to inactive people (p < 0.05). Physical activity was also significantly inversely related to sleep duration. According to univariate linear regression model, both low and moderate to high physical activity were good predictors of sleep quality and sleep efficiency. Moderate to high physical activity predicted high sleep satisfaction and sleep duration in the participants (p < 0.05). The study findings showed that physical activity, particularly at moderate to high levels, resulted in higher quality, satisfaction and efficiency of sleep in older adults. The most influential factor on the relationship between physical activity and sleep was depressed mood.

In addition to the rapid spread of the pandemic in waves across the globe today, there is a growing problem called “long-COVID-19,” a term that describes the long-term effects of the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. How the disease proceeds after “recovery,” including long-term physical and psychological health consequences, and the future of COVID-19 survivors remains largely unclear. This is especially true for older age groups. This article summarizes the experience of foreign studies aimed at determining the duration and clarifying the nature of multi-organ complications after suffering from COVID-19, as well as ways of the long-term rehabilitation of patients in older age groups with post-COVID syndrome.

The role of neuronal inflammation developing during the formation of amyloid plaques and Lewy bodies is investigated. The influence of various exogenous and endogenous factors on the development of neuroinflammation is established, but the role of various infectious agents in the development of this process is much less studied. Today, the existence of a universal trigger mechanism of the neurodegenerative process is obvious: a specific pathogen of a bacterial or viral nature (including long-term persistent in nervous tissue in a latent state), reactivating, penetrates into certain cerebral structures, where it is influenced by either Aβ or resident macrophages of the central nervous system, which, in turn, are activated and induce the release of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to the development of neuronal inflammation, autophagy and neurodegeneration. The reactivation of latent infection, such as herpes, in APOE4 carriers significantly increases the risk of development of Alzheimer’s disease. Class-II genes of the HLA locus (HLA II) may be related to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. An increase in iron levels in the glia is induced by inflammation, which leads to neurodegeneration. Disruption of the homeostasis of redox-active metals, iron and copper, is an integral part of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The developing neuroinflammation leads to intensification of the processes of peroxidation, oxidation of metals and the development of ferroptosis.

The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of, and relationship between, subjective loneliness, general health and quality of life (QoL) among lonely community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional study was carried out among a sample of lonely (i.e. live alone without any assistance) older adults living in Gorgan city, Iran. The older adults were invited through a census sampling technique to complete six questionnaires, namely a 20-item UCLA loneliness scale, a six-item Lubben Social Network Scale, a 12-item Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, a 17-item Self-care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE), a General Health Questionnaire-12, and a Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization and Pleasure (CASP-19) questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions were done with subjective loneliness and QoL as outcome variables. In total, 213 (91% females) lonely older adults (mean age: 68.2 ± 6.2) participated. Hierarchical multiple linear regressions yield socio-demographic characteristics (p < 0.001), predictor group 1 (p < 0.001), predictor group 2 (p < 0.001) explained 12.5, 13.5 and 46.6% of the observed variance in loneliness, respectively. Moreover, socio-demographic characteristics (p < 0.001), predictor group 1 (p < 0.001), predictor group 2 (p < 0.001) and feeling of loneliness (p < 0.001) accounted for 16.9, 21.1, 48.6 and 55.3% of the observed variance in quality of life, respectively. Both subjective loneliness and QoL were moderate in our sample. We suggest the presence of a probable causal inference between subjective loneliness, general health, and QoL; implying the need of population strategies for correcting subjective loneliness for its own sake as well as to help have an improved general health and QoL among older adults. Beside several non-modifiable factors (such as age, ethnic groups), we suggest that corrective measures should be based on social support and networking, self-care behavior, leisure activities, adapted for age, literacy and racial specifications. Given its population health relevance, there should be increased research and intervention on loneliness among older adults.