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Ageing Research Reviews Aug 2021Aging involves a diverse set of biological changes accumulating over time that leads to increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Epigenetic clocks are now widely used... (Review)
Review
Aging involves a diverse set of biological changes accumulating over time that leads to increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Epigenetic clocks are now widely used to quantify biological aging, in order to investigate determinants that modify the rate of aging and to predict age-related outcomes. Numerous biological, social and environmental factors have been investigated for their relationship to epigenetic clock acceleration and deceleration. The aim of this review was to synthesize general trends concerning the associations between human epigenetic clocks and these investigated factors. We conducted a systematic review of all available literature and included 156 publications across 4 resource databases. We compiled a list of all presently existing blood-based epigenetic clocks. Subsequently, we created an extensive dataset of over 1300 study findings in which epigenetic clocks were utilized in blood tissue of human subjects to assess the relationship between these clocks and numeral environmental exposures and human traits. Statistical analysis was possible on 57 such relationships, measured across 4 different epigenetic clocks (Hannum, Horvath, Levine and GrimAge). We found that the Horvath, Hannum, Levine and GrimAge epigenetic clocks tend to agree in direction of effects, but vary in size. Body mass index, HIV infection, and male sex were significantly associated with acceleration of one or more epigenetic clocks. Acceleration of epigenetic clocks was also significantly related to mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Our findings provide a graphical and numerical synopsis of the past decade of epigenetic age estimation research and indicate areas where further attention could be focused in the coming years.
Topics: Acceleration; Aging; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Epigenomics; HIV Infections; Humans; Male
PubMed: 33930583
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101348 -
Ageing Research Reviews Sep 2021Alterations in olfactory functions are proposed to be early biomarkers for neurodegeneration. Many neurodegenerative diseases are age-related, including two of the most... (Review)
Review
Alterations in olfactory functions are proposed to be early biomarkers for neurodegeneration. Many neurodegenerative diseases are age-related, including two of the most common, Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The establishment of biomarkers that promote early risk identification is critical for the implementation of early treatment to postpone or avert pathological development. Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is seen in 90% of early-stage PD patients and 85% of patients with early-stage AD, which makes it an attractive biomarker for early diagnosis of these diseases. Here, we systematically review widely applied smelling tests available for humans as well as olfaction assessments performed in some animal models and the relationships between OD and normal aging, PD, AD, and other conditions. The utility of OD as a biomarker for neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and future research directions are also discussed.
Topics: Aging; Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Humans; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Olfaction Disorders; Parkinson Disease; Smell
PubMed: 34325072
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101416 -
Obesity Reviews : An Official Journal... Feb 2023Aging and obesity are two global concerns in public health. Sarcopenic obesity (SO), defined as the combination of age-related sarcopenia and obesity, has become a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Aging and obesity are two global concerns in public health. Sarcopenic obesity (SO), defined as the combination of age-related sarcopenia and obesity, has become a pressing issue. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarize the current clinical evidence relevant to SO. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched, and 106 clinical studies with 167,151 elderlies were included. The estimated prevalence of SO was 9% in both men and women. Obesity was associated with 34% reduced risk of sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] 0.66, 95% CI 0.48-0.91; p < 0.001). The pooled hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause mortality was 1.51 (95% CI 1.14-2.02; p < 0.001) for people with SO compared with healthy individuals. SO was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and related mortality, metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, arthritis, functional limitation, and lung diseases (all ORs > 1.0, p < 0.05). The attenuated risk of sarcopenia in elderlies with obesity ("obesity paradox") was dependent on higher muscle mass and strength. Apart from unifying the diagnosis of SO, more research is needed to subphenotype people with obesity and sarcopenia for individualized treatment. Meanwhile, the maintenance of proper body composition of muscle and fat may delay or attenuate the adverse outcomes of aging.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Aged; Sarcopenia; Obesity; Aging; Body Composition; Cardiovascular Diseases
PubMed: 36443946
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13534 -
Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and... Oct 2020The objective of this systematic review was to examine the associations between sleep timing (e.g., bedtime/wake-up time, midpoint of sleep), sleep...
The objective of this systematic review was to examine the associations between sleep timing (e.g., bedtime/wake-up time, midpoint of sleep), sleep consistency/regularity (e.g., intra-individual variability in sleep duration, social jetlag, catch-up sleep), and health outcomes in adults aged 18 years and older. Four electronic databases were searched in December 2018 for articles published in the previous 10 years. Fourteen health outcomes were examined. A total of 41 articles, including 92 340 unique participants from 14 countries, met inclusion criteria. Sleep was assessed objectively in 37% of studies and subjectively in 63% of studies. Findings suggest that later sleep timing and greater sleep variability were generally associated with adverse health outcomes. However, because most studies reported linear associations, it was not possible to identify thresholds for "late sleep timing" or "large sleep variability". In addition, social jetlag was associated with adverse health outcomes, while weekend catch-up sleep was associated with better health outcomes. The quality of evidence ranged from "very low" to "moderate" across study designs and health outcomes using GRADE. In conclusion, the available evidence supports that earlier sleep timing and regularity in sleep patterns with consistent bedtimes and wake-up times are favourably associated with health. (PROSPERO registration no.: CRD42019119534.) This is the first systematic review to examine the influence of sleep timing and sleep consistency on health outcomes. Later sleep timing and greater variability in sleep are both associated with adverse health outcomes in adults. Regularity in sleep patterns with consistent bedtimes and wake-up times should be encouraged.
Topics: Accidents; Adiposity; Adult; Aging; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Cognition; Exercise; Female; Health Status; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Morbidity; Quality of Life; Sedentary Behavior; Sleep Hygiene; Time Factors
PubMed: 33054339
DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2020-0032 -
Ageing Research Reviews Feb 2022The prevalence of treatment-resistant geriatric depression (GD) highlights the need for treatments that preserve cognitive functions and recognize polypharmacy in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of treatment-resistant geriatric depression (GD) highlights the need for treatments that preserve cognitive functions and recognize polypharmacy in elderly, yet effectively reduce symptom burden. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a proven intervention for treatment-resistant depression in younger adults but the efficacy of TMS to treat depressed older adults is still unclear. This review provides an updated view on the efficacy of TMS treatment for GD, discusses methodological differences between trials in TMS application, and explores avenues for optimization of TMS treatment in the context of the ageing brain.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted to identify published literature on the antidepressant efficacy of TMS for GD. Databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were searched for English language articles in peer-reviewed journals in March 2021.
RESULTS
Seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (total n = 260, active n = 148, control n = 112) and seven uncontrolled trials (total n = 160) were included. Overall, we found substantial variability in the clinical response, ranging from 6.7% to 54.3%.
CONCLUSIONS
The reviewed literature highlights large heterogeneity among studies both in terms of the employed TMS dosage and the observed clinical efficacy. This highlights the need for optimizing TMS dosage by recognizing the unique clinical features of GD. We showcase a set of novel approaches for the optimization of the TMS protocol for depression and discuss the possibility for a standardized TMS protocol tailored for the treatment of GD.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Depression; Humans; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34839043
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101531 -
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Oct 2023Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that aims to correct the typical changes that occur with aging to the periorbital area. The outcomes of this surgery... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Upper eyelid blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that aims to correct the typical changes that occur with aging to the periorbital area. The outcomes of this surgery are aesthetic, as well as functional. Many studies have described an impact on the cornea, intraocular pressure, dry eye syndrome, and visual quality. The aim of this systematic review is to compare the different surgical techniques and their outcomes.
METHODS
The authors performed a literature review through online databases PubMed, Web of Science, Clinicaltrials.gov, and CENTRAL libraries. Information was collected about the surgery techniques and the functional and aesthetic outcomes as well as complications of the interventions. Six types of upper blepharoplasty surgery were studied. Data were analyzed using Cochrane RevMan.
RESULTS
Twenty studies were included in our systematic review and nine in our meta-analysis. We presented results about intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness, flattest keratometry, steepest keratometry, corneal astigmatism, visual acuity, Schirmer test 1 and 2, tear film break-up time and the ocular surface disease index questionnaire, according to type of surgery. Our meta-analysis showed no significant results.
CONCLUSIONS
No significant results were found; however, many studies reported an impact of upper blepharoplasty surgery in the outcomes studied. Only a small number of complications were reported, and patients were satisfied with the aesthetic outcomes.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors https://www.springer.com/00266 .
Topics: Humans; Blepharoplasty; Eyelids; Aging; Esthetics; Face; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 37430010
DOI: 10.1007/s00266-023-03436-6 -
American Journal of Public Health Aug 2019Research has found a strong link between ageism, in the form of negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination toward older people, and risks to their physical and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Research has found a strong link between ageism, in the form of negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination toward older people, and risks to their physical and mental health. Little is known, however, about the effectiveness of strategies to reduce ageism. To assess the relative effects of 3 intervention types designed to reduce ageism among youths and adults-education, intergenerational contact, and combined education and intergenerational contact-by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, AgeLine, EBSCO, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Global Index Medicus, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Epistemonikos, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Campbell Collaboration, PROSPERO, GreyLit, and OpenGrey. We identified additional records by hand-searching reference lists of relevant review articles as well as records included in the meta-analysis. Two independent reviewers completed the search and screening process. . Eligible studies were those that (1) evaluated an intervention designed to reduce ageism, (2) examined at least 1 ageism outcome in relation to older adults, (3) used a design with a comparison group (randomized or nonrandomized), and (4) were published after 1970, when the ageism concept was developed. Two independent reviewers extracted study-level data from records using a common data collection spreadsheet. They also assessed study quality by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) tool to assess quality of outcome evidence. Primary outcomes were attitudes toward older people and accuracy of knowledge about aging and older people. Secondary outcomes included comfort with older adults, anxiety about one's own aging, and interest in working in the field of geriatrics or gerontology. We carried out meta-analyses with statistical mixed models. We identified 63 eligible studies (1976-2018) with a total sample of 6124 participants. Ageism interventions demonstrated a strongly significant effect on attitudes (differences of standardized mean differences [d] = 0.33; < .001), knowledge (d = 0.42; < .001), and comfort (d = 0.50; < .001), but no significant effect on anxiety (d = 0.13; = .33) or working with older adults (d = -0.09; = .40). Combined interventions with education and intergenerational contact showed the largest effects on attitudes. We found stronger effects for females and for adolescent and young adult groups. Interventions are associated with substantial reduction in ageism and should be part of an international strategy to improve perceptions of older people and the aging process. Additional research using more rigorous designs to examine the effects of interventions is strongly recommended. Ageism has well-established negative effects on the physical and mental health of older people. Findings suggest that relatively low-cost, feasible strategies involving education and intergenerational contact can serve as the basis of effective interventions to reduce ageism.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ageism; Aging; Bias; Female; Frail Elderly; Health Promotion; Humans; Intergenerational Relations; Male; Middle Aged; Young Adult
PubMed: 31219720
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2019.305123 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Nov 2020Accelerated telomere shortening has been associated with several age-related diseases and/or decreased lifespan in humans. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is considered... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Accelerated telomere shortening has been associated with several age-related diseases and/or decreased lifespan in humans. The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is considered to be 1 of the most recognized diets for disease prevention and healthy aging, partially due to its demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties which may impact on telomere length (TL). The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the associations between MedDiet adherence and TL maintenance. MEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched up to December 2018 for studies evaluating the association between MedDiet adherence and TL in blood cells. Two reviewers, working independently, screened all titles and abstracts to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria [cross-sectional, case-control, and prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published in English and excluded nonoriginal articles]. Data were pooled by the generic inverse variance method using the random effects model and expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD). Heterogeneity was identified using the Cochran Q test and quantified by the I2 statistic. A total of 8 original cross-sectional studies were included for the quantitative meta-analysis, comprising a total of 13,733 participants from 5 countries. A positive association between adherence to the MedDiet and TL was observed in all meta-analyses, with the exception of those conducted only in men: SMD (95% CI) of 0.130 (0.029; 0.231) for all subjects, 0.078 (0.005; 0.152) for women, and 0.095 (-0.005; 0.195) for men. Only 1 prospective cohort study and 1 RCT were identified, therefore, we could not undertake a meta-analysis for these study designs. The present meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies demonstrates that higher MedDiet adherence is associated with longer TL. At the same time, larger and high-quality prospective studies and clinical trials are warranted to confirm this association.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet, Mediterranean; Humans; Prospective Studies; Telomere; Telomere Shortening
PubMed: 32730558
DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmaa079 -
Science Translational Medicine May 2023Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has attracted interest as a technique for causal investigations into how rhythmic fluctuations in brain neural... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has attracted interest as a technique for causal investigations into how rhythmic fluctuations in brain neural activity influence cognition and for promoting cognitive rehabilitation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of tACS on cognitive function across 102 published studies, which included 2893 individuals in healthy, aging, and neuropsychiatric populations. A total of 304 effects were extracted from these 102 studies. We found modest to moderate improvements in cognitive function with tACS treatment that were evident in several cognitive domains, including working memory, long-term memory, attention, executive control, and fluid intelligence. Improvements in cognitive function were generally stronger after completion of tACS ("offline" effects) than during tACS treatment ("online" effects). Improvements in cognitive function were greater in studies that used current flow models to optimize or confirm neuromodulation targets by stimulating electric fields generated in the brain by tACS protocols. In studies targeting multiple brain regions concurrently, cognitive function changed bidirectionally (improved or decreased) according to the relative phase, or alignment, of the alternating current in the two brain regions (in phase versus antiphase). We also noted improvements in cognitive function separately in older adults and in individuals with neuropsychiatric illnesses. Overall, our findings contribute to the debate surrounding the effectiveness of tACS for cognitive rehabilitation, quantitatively demonstrate its potential, and indicate further directions for optimal tACS clinical study design.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Cognition; Brain; Aging; Cognitive Training
PubMed: 37224229
DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo2044 -
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Aug 2023Skin and soft tissue aging has been an important topic of discussion among plastic surgeons and their patients. While botulinum toxin, facial fillers, chemical peels,... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Skin and soft tissue aging has been an important topic of discussion among plastic surgeons and their patients. While botulinum toxin, facial fillers, chemical peels, and surgical lifts preside as the mainstay of treatment to restore appearance of youth, emergent technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, proteostasis, flap biology, and stem cell therapies, have gained traction in addressing the aging process of skin and soft tissue. Several studies have introduced these advancements, but it remains unclear how safe and effective these therapeutics are in facial rejuvenation, and how they may fit in the existent treatment workflow for soft tissue aging.
MATERIALS/METHODS
A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and assess therapeutics utilized in addressing skin and soft tissue aging. Variables collected included year of publication, journal, article title, organization of study, patient sample, treatment modality, associated outcomes. In addition, we performed a market analysis of companies involved in promoting technologies and therapeutics within this space. PitchBook (Seattle, WA), a public market database, was utilized to classify companies, and record the amount of venture capital funding allocated to these categories.
RESULTS
Initial review yielded four hundred and two papers. Of these, thirty-five were extracted after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Though previous literature regards CRISPR-Cas9 technology as the most favorable anti-aging innovation, after reviewing the current literature, stem cell therapies utilizing recipient chimerism appeared to be the superior skin anti-aging technique when accounting for possible disadvantages of various techniques. The psychosocial and cosmetic outcomes from using cell therapy to modulate allograft survival and tolerance may confer more long-term proposed benefits than the technologies in CRISPR-Cas9, flap biology innovations, and autologous platelet-rich plasma use. Market analysis yielded a total of 87 companies, which promoted innovations in technology, biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, cell-based therapies, and genetic therapy.
CONCLUSION
This review provides physicians and patients with relevant, usable information regarding how therapeutics can impact treatment regimen for facial aesthetics and skin rejuvenation. Furthermore, the goal of this research is to elucidate the varying therapeutics to restore appearance of youth, present associated outcomes, and in doing so, present plastic surgeons and their colleagues with greater insight on the role of these therapeutics and technologies in clinical practice. Future studies can further assess the safety and efficacy of these innovations and discuss how these may fit within surgical plans among patients seeking rejuvenation procedures.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Cosmetic Techniques; Aging; Skin Aging; Face; Rejuvenation; Esthetics
PubMed: 37154849
DOI: 10.1007/s00266-023-03322-1