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European Journal of Ageing Nov 2023Age discrimination is pervasive in most societies and bears far-reaching consequences for individuals' psychological well-being. Despite that, studies that examine...
Do we all perceive experiences of age discrimination in the same way? Cross-cultural differences in perceived age discrimination and its association with life satisfaction.
Age discrimination is pervasive in most societies and bears far-reaching consequences for individuals' psychological well-being. Despite that, studies that examine cross-cultural differences in age discrimination are still lacking. Likewise, whether the detrimental association between age discrimination and psychological well-being varies across contexts remains an open question. In this study, therefore, we examined cross-cultural differences in perceived experiences of age discrimination and their detrimental association with a specific indicator of psychological well-being, which is life satisfaction. The sample was drawn from the Ageing as Future study and comprised 1653 older adults (60-90 years) from the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the USA. Participants self-reported their experiences of age discrimination and their life satisfaction. Findings indicated that participants from Hong Kong and Taiwan reported experiences of perceived age discrimination more often than participants from the Czech Republic, Germany, and the USA. Furthermore, experiences of age discrimination were negatively associated with life satisfaction. Cultural context moderated this relation: We found a smaller detrimental association between perceived experiences of age discrimination and life satisfaction in Eastern cultures, that is, in contexts where such experiences were perceived to be more prevalent. These findings highlight the importance of examining age discrimination across cultures. Experiences of age discrimination are clearly undesirable in that they negatively affect psychological well-being. Our results indicate that a higher self-reported prevalence of perceived age discrimination in the samples studied weakens this negative association. We discuss these findings in terms of adaptation (versus sensitization) in response to discrimination.
PubMed: 37971678
DOI: 10.1007/s10433-023-00790-x -
Neurobiology of Aging Apr 2024We explored neural processing differences associated with aging across four cognitive functions. In addition to ERP analysis, we included task-related microstate...
We explored neural processing differences associated with aging across four cognitive functions. In addition to ERP analysis, we included task-related microstate analyses, which identified stable states of neural activity across the scalp over time, to explore whole-head neural activation differences. Younger and older adults (YA, OA) completed face perception (N170), word-pair judgment (N400), visual oddball (P3), and flanker (ERN) tasks. Age-related effects differed across tasks. Despite age-related delayed latencies, N170 ERP and microstate analyses indicated no age-related differences in amplitudes or microstates. However, age-related condition differences were found for P3 and N00 amplitudes and scalp topographies: smaller condition differences were found for in OAs as well as broader centroparietal scalp distributions. Age group comparisons for the ERN revealed similar focal frontocentral activation loci, but differential activation patterns. Our findings of differential age effects across tasks are most consistent with the STAC-r framework which proposes that age-related effects differ depending on the resources available and the kinds of processing and cognitive load required of various tasks.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Aged; Evoked Potentials; Electroencephalography; Cognition; Aging; Judgment
PubMed: 38286071
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.01.007 -
BMC Public Health Feb 2024Age-mixing (age-disparate [5-9 years difference] and intergenerational [≥ 10 years difference]) partnerships are hypothesized drivers of HIV in adolescent girls and...
BACKGROUND
Age-mixing (age-disparate [5-9 years difference] and intergenerational [≥ 10 years difference]) partnerships are hypothesized drivers of HIV in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW; 15-24 years). These partnerships are often associated with increased gender inequities which undermine women's agency and assertiveness. We assessed whether age-mixing partnerships were associated with HIV in Malawi and if endorsement of inequitable gender norms modifies this relationship.
METHODS
We analyzed data from the Malawi Population-based HIV Impact Assessment, a nationally representative household survey conducted in 2015-2016. Participants underwent HIV testing and completed questionnaires related to actively endorsed gender norms and sexual risk behavior. We used multivariate logistic regression and multiplicative interaction to assess associations among AGYW who reported the age of their primary sex partner from the last year.
RESULTS
The analysis included 1,958 AGYW (mean age = 19.9 years, SD = 0.1), 459 (23.4%) and 131 (6.7%) of whom reported age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships, respectively. AGYW in age-mixing partnerships accounted for 13% of all AGYW and were older, more likely to reside in urban areas, to be married or cohabitating with a partner, and to have engaged in riskier sexual behavior compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships (p < 0.05). HIV prevalence among AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships was 6.1% and 11.9%, respectively, compared with 3.2% in age-concordant partnerships (p < 0.001). After adjusting for residence, age, education, employment, wealth quintile, and ever been married or cohabitated as married, AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships had 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1-3.5) and 3.4 (95% CI: 1.6-7.2) greater odds of HIV, respectively, compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships. Among the 614 (31% of the study group) who endorsed inequitable gender norms, AGYW in age-disparate and intergenerational partnerships had 3.5 (95% CI: 1.1-11.8) and 6.4 (95% CI: 1.5-27.8) greater odds of HIV, respectively, compared with AGYW in age-concordant partnerships.
CONCLUSIONS
In this Malawi general population survey, age-mixing partnerships were associated with increased odds of HIV among AGYW. These findings highlight inequitable gender norms as a potential focus for HIV prevention and could inform interventions targeting structural, cultural, and social constraints of this key group.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Child, Preschool; Child; HIV Infections; Malawi; Risk Factors; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Partners
PubMed: 38389081
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17868-5 -
Nutrition, Metabolism, and... Dec 2023Arterial pressure-volume index (API) is a non-invasive tool for assessing small-to-medium-sized arterial stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the potential age-...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Arterial pressure-volume index (API) is a non-invasive tool for assessing small-to-medium-sized arterial stiffness. This study aimed to investigate the potential age- and sex-related differences in the API and explore the practical implications of such differences.
METHODS AND RESULTS
The study analysed 7620 subjects for whom API measurements were available. Linear regression and restrictive cubic spline models were used to investigate the associations between potential risk conditions and the API. Additionally, this study employed a backward stepwise regression method to identify the independent factors associated with a high API. Middle-aged to older women had higher API values and a higher prevalence of high API than men in the same age group. However, the opposite was observed among younger individuals, with women having lower API values than men. This study also identified a J-shaped relationship between API and age, where API values began to increase at a certain age and rapidly increased after that. In women, the API started to increase at 31 years of age and rapidly increased after 54 years of age. In men, the API started to increase at 38 years of age, followed by a rapid increase after 53 years of age.
CONCLUSION
This study's observation of a significant age-sex interaction in small-to-medium-sized arterial stiffening offers a valuable explanation for cardiovascular disease risk and provides important parameters for using API measurements to evaluate such risk.
Topics: Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Arteries; Blood Pressure; East Asian People; Hypertension; Pulse Wave Analysis; Risk Factors; Vascular Stiffness; Age Factors; Sex Factors
PubMed: 37788957
DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2023.08.006 -
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior Jun 2024Although substance use is widespread across the lifespan from early adolescence to older adulthood, the prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) differs between age... (Review)
Review
Although substance use is widespread across the lifespan from early adolescence to older adulthood, the prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) differs between age groups. These age differences in SUD rates necessitate an investigation into how age moderates reward sensitivity, and consequently influences the risks and consequences related to substance use. This theoretical review integrates evidence from the literature to address the dynamic interplay between age and reward in the context of substance use. Overall, increasing evidence demonstrates that age moderates reward sensitivity and underlying reward system neurobiology. Reward sensitivity undergoes a non-linear trajectory across the lifespan. Low levels of reward sensitivity are associated with childhood and late adulthood. In contrast, high levels are associated with early to late adolescence, followed by a decline in the twenties. These fluctuations in reward sensitivity across the lifespan contribute to complex associations with substance use. This lends support to adolescence and young adulthood as vulnerable periods for the risk of subsequent SUD. More empirical research is needed to investigate reward sensitivity during SUD maintenance and recovery. Future research should also involve larger sample sizes and encompass a broader range of age groups, including older adults.
Topics: Humans; Reward; Substance-Related Disorders; Adolescent; Age Factors; Adult; Young Adult; Child; Aging; Male; Female; Aged
PubMed: 38604456
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173766 -
International Journal of Sports Medicine Sep 2023Growth and maturation are central concerns in the organization of training and competitions in youth sports. This study examined maturity-associated variation in body...
Growth and maturation are central concerns in the organization of training and competitions in youth sports. This study examined maturity-associated variation in body size and adiposity among adolescent girls participating in competitive age group youth soccer. The sample included 441 players 10.08-16.73 years of age. Stature and body mass were measured and body composition was predicted. The Fels method was used to estimate skeletal age. Skeletally maturity status (late, average or early maturing) was based on the difference between chronological and skeletal age for each player. Mean stature approximated the 50 percentiles of the general population in all competitive age groups, while mean weight fluctuated between 50 and 75 percentiles. Age- and maturity-specific means for estimated fat mass ranged between 18.0% and 28.2%. The number of players classified as skeletally mature increased with competitive age groups (under-13: 0%; under-15: 8%; under-17: 49%). In general, early maturing girls tended to be heavier than their age group peers and especially when compared to late maturing players.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Soccer; Age Determination by Skeleton; Body Size; Body Height; Body Composition
PubMed: 34734401
DOI: 10.1055/a-1686-4563 -
Gut Microbes Dec 2023Women's health encompasses life-course healthcare, and mounting evidence emphasizes the pivotal contribution of gut microbiota. Therefore, understanding the temporal...
Women's health encompasses life-course healthcare, and mounting evidence emphasizes the pivotal contribution of gut microbiota. Therefore, understanding the temporal dynamics of gut microbiota and how age influences disease-gut microbiota associations is essential for improving women's health. By analyzing metagenomic data from 3625 healthy women, we revealed significant effects of age on gut microbiota and age-dependent patterns in microbial features, such as relative abundance, Shannon index, and microbial network properties. Additionally, declining trends in the predictive accuracy of gut microbiota for age groups were shown using iterative sub-sampling based random forest (ISSRF) model. Age-specific species markers were also identified, many of which were shared across age groups. To investigate the influence of age on disease-gut microbiota associations, metagenomic data from 681 women with various disease conditions and 491 matched healthy controls were collected. A substantial proportion of species markers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD), and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) differed in relative abundance across age groups, and were also age-specific species markers. Besides, the microbiota-based probabilities of IBD and ACVD were positively correlated with age. Furthermore, the age specificity of disease-gut microbiota associations was explored using the ISSRF model. Associations between IBD and gut microbiota were age-specific, with reduced stability of disease species markers in childhood and adolescence, possibly due to decrease in the effect size between patients and controls. Our findings provided valuable insights into promoting healthy aging and developing personalized healthcare strategies for women.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Microbiota; Women's Health; Atherosclerosis
PubMed: 38059752
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2290320 -
European Journal of Medical Research Jan 2024Female fertility declines with increased maternal age, and this decline is even more rapid after the age of 35 years. Follicular fluid (FF) is a crucial...
BACKGROUND
Female fertility declines with increased maternal age, and this decline is even more rapid after the age of 35 years. Follicular fluid (FF) is a crucial microenvironment that plays a significant role in the development of oocytes, permits intercellular communication, and provides the oocytes with nutrition. Exosomes have emerged as being important cell communication mediators that are linked to age-related physiological and pathological conditions. However, the metabolomic profiling of FF derived exosomes from advanced age females are still lacking.
METHODS
The individuals who were involved in this study were separated into two different groups: young age with a normal ovarian reserve and advanced age. The samples were analysed by using gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS) analysis. The altered metabolites were analysed by using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis to identify the functions and pathways that were involved.
RESULTS
Our data showed that metabolites in exosomes from FF were different between women of young age and women of advanced age. The set of 17 FF exosomal metabolites (P ≤ 0.05) may be biomarkers to differentiate between the two groups. Most of these differentially expressed metabolites in FF were closely involved in the regulation of oocyte number and hormone levels.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we identified differences in the metabolites of exosomes from FF between women of young age and women of advanced age. These different metabolites were tightly related to oocyte count and hormone levels. Importantly, these findings elucidate the metabolites of the FF exosomes and provide a better understanding of the nutritional profiles of the follicles with age.
Topics: Female; Humans; Adult; Follicular Fluid; Ovarian Follicle; Exosomes; Oocytes; Hormones
PubMed: 38173013
DOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01586-6 -
Poultry Science Nov 2023Chemical composition, amino acids (AAs), and fatty acid (FAs) profiles, and health and nutrition values of breast muscle of ROSS 308 broiler chickens were studied after...
Chemical composition, amino acids (AAs), and fatty acid (FAs) profiles, and health and nutrition values of breast muscle of ROSS 308 broiler chickens were studied after being slaughtered at 28, 35, 42, and 49 d of age (n = 126 males and 126 females/slaughter age). The slaughter age significantly affected some AAs levels including glutamic acid, valine, isoleucine, histidine, and leucine, and some FAs level including capric acid, tetradecanoic acid, eicosanoic acid, total saturated fatty acids, 9-pentadecenoic acid, hexadecatetraenoic acid, α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, linoleic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, adrenic acid, omega 6, sum polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ʃ PUFAs), and unsaturation index. Subsequently, the slaughter age significantly affected some health indexes including the n-6/n-3 ratio, thrombogenic index, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, and health-promoting index. Valine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, and glutamic acid levels increased with increasing slaughter age until 35 d of age and then decreased with increasing slaughter age until 49 d of age. Moreover, the health indices of fatty acids were best at slaughter age of 35 d, followed by 49 d, and the lowest health-promoting indices were at 42 d, followed by 28 d. The sex did not affect (P ˃ 0.05) all the evaluating parameters including chemical composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and related health indices. There was no significant interaction effect between sex and slaughter age in all evaluating parameters except in stearidonic acid level. In conclusion, amino acids and fatty acids profiles and health and nutritional values of male and female ROSS 308 broiler chicken breast muscle can be affected by slaughter age. The study provides valuable insights into the nutritional value of meat, including its composition, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles, and associated health indices, for both male and female fast-growing ROSS 308 broiler chickens, as the slaughter age increases.
Topics: Animals; Male; Female; Chickens; Amino Acids; Histidine; Leucine; Isoleucine; Fatty Acids; Muscles; Meat; Nutritive Value; Valine; Glutamates; Animal Feed
PubMed: 37748245
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103085 -
Neuropsychiatrie : Klinik, Diagnostik,... Mar 2024Family factors are linked to the development of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). However, due to a lack of direct comparison, it is still unknown whether...
BACKGROUND
Family factors are linked to the development of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). However, due to a lack of direct comparison, it is still unknown whether the two entities of eating disorders differ with respect to the age gaps between parents and their affected children.
METHODS
In a cohort of 568 patients from the FamFINED study (FAMily Factors INvolved in Eating Disorders) diagnosed with eating disorders, we assessed the relationships between the parent-child age differences and family dysfunction, as determined by means of the General Family Questionnaire ("Allgemeiner Familienbogen" [FBA]).
RESULTS
Data showed that the age difference between the mother and the affected child was significantly higher in AN compared to BN patients (29.3 ± 5.3 vs. 28.3 ± 5.1 years, p = 0.017). Logistic regression confirmed that, also in adjusted models, the mother-child age difference significantly differed between the diagnoses of the two eating disorders (exp (B) = 0.918, 95% confidence interval 0.87-0.97, p = 0.004). However, the paternal age difference did not reach a statistical significance in the comparison between the two groups (p = 0.071).
CONCLUSIONS
The two entities of eating disorders differed significantly with respect to the age difference between the mother and the affected subject. The maternal age difference was higher in anorectic than in bulimic patients from the same study population. Further research is required to identify the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying these age-dependent effects.
Topics: Humans; Bulimia Nervosa; Anorexia; Anorexia Nervosa; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Parent-Child Relations
PubMed: 36287385
DOI: 10.1007/s40211-022-00433-0