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Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Dec 2013Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) risk. Higher PWV values have been observed in Africans; however, there are no established...
Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) risk. Higher PWV values have been observed in Africans; however, there are no established age- and gender-adjusted reference values for this population. Therefore, PWV was measured using a validated device (Complior SP) in 544 subjects recruited from an occupational cohort of employees of a public university in Angola. Since high blood pressure (BP) is an important factor influencing PWV, a subsample of 301 normotensive subjects (aged 22-72 years) was selected for this study. A subset of 131 individuals without CV risk factors was considered the healthy group (HG), while the entire group (n = 301) comprised the less healthy group (LHG). Predictors of PWV were evaluated using multiple regression analyses and age- and gender-specific percentile tables and curves were constructed. Age and PWV means were 36 ± 9.7 years and 6.6 ± 1.0 m/s in the HG, respectively, and 39.9 ± 10.2 years and 7.3 ± 1.3 m/s in the LHG. Age and plasma uric acid (UA) were the only significant PWV predictors in the HG, while age, mean BP (MBP), and gender showed significant prediction of PWV in the multiple regression analysis in the LHG. Age- and gender-adjusted reference values of PWV were provided for healthy and less healthy normotensive Africans. Considering the small sample size of our cohort, these preliminary results should be used cautiously until data on robust sample of the general population can be obtained.
Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aging; Angola; Blood Flow Velocity; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Pulse Wave Analysis; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 23319362
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-012-9504-9 -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Aug 2015Reliance on the visual frame of reference for spatial orientation (or visual field dependence) has been reported to increase with age. This has implications on old...
Reliance on the visual frame of reference for spatial orientation (or visual field dependence) has been reported to increase with age. This has implications on old adults' daily living tasks as it affects stability, attention, and adaptation capacities. However, the nature and underlying mechanisms of this increase are not well defined. We investigated sensorimotor and cognitive factors possibly associated with increased visual field dependence in old age, by considering functions that are both known to degrade with age and important for spatial orientation and sensorimotor control: reliance on the (somatosensory-based) egocentric frame of reference, visual fixation stability, and attentional processing of complex visual scenes (useful field of view, UFOV). Twenty young, 18 middle-aged, and 20 old adults completed a visual examination, three tests of visual field dependence (RFT, RDT, and GEFT), a test of egocentric dependence (subjective vertical estimation with the body erect and tilted at 70°), a visual fixation task, and a test of visual attentional processing (UFOV®). Increased visual field dependence with age was associated with reduced egocentric dependence, visual fixation stability, and visual attentional processing. In addition, visual fixation instability and reduced UFOV were correlated. Results of middle-aged adults fell between those of the young and old, revealing the progressive nature of the age effects we evaluated. We discuss results in terms of reference frame selection with respect to ageing as well as visual and non-visual information processing. Inter-individual differences amongst old adults are highlighted and discussed with respect to the functionality of increased visual field dependence.
Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Attention; Cognition; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Orientation; Psychomotor Performance; Space Perception; Spatial Processing; Visual Fields; Young Adult
PubMed: 26122710
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-015-9805-x -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Oct 2013Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a deficit in β-cell function and mass, and its incidence increases with age. Autophagy is a highly regulated intracellular process...
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a deficit in β-cell function and mass, and its incidence increases with age. Autophagy is a highly regulated intracellular process for degrading cytoplasmic components, particularly protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Impaired or deficient autophagy is believed to cause or contribute to aging and age-related disease. Autophagy may be necessary to maintain structure, mass, and function of pancreatic β-cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of age on β-cell function and autophagy in pancreatic islets of 4-month-old (young), 14-month-old (adult), and 24-month-old (old) male Wistar rats. We found that islet β-cell function decreased gradually with age. Protein expression of the autophagy markers LC3/Atg8 and Atg7 exhibited a marked decline in aged islets. The expression of Lamp-2, a good indicator of autophagic degradation rate, was significantly reduced in the islets of old rats, suggesting that autophagic degradation is decreased in the islets of aged rats. However, protein expression of beclin-1/Atg6, which plays an important role in the induction and formation of the pre-autophagosome structure by associating with a multimeric complex of autophagy regulatory proteins (Atg14, Vps34/class 3 PI3 kinase, and Vps15), was most prominent in the islets of adult rats, and was higher in 24-month-old islets than in 4-month-old islets. The levels of p62/SQSTM1 and polyubiquitin aggregates, representing the functions of autophagy and proteasomal degradation, were increased in aging islets. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine, a marker of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA oxidative damage, exhibited strong immunostaining in old islets. Analysis by electron microscopy demonstrated swelling and disintegration of cristae in the mitochondria of aged islets. These results suggest that β-cell and autophagic function in islets decline simultaneously with increasing age in Wistar rats, and that impaired autophagy in the islets of older rats may cause accumulation of misfolded and aggregated proteins and reduce the removal of abnormal mitochondria in β-cells, leading to reduced β-cell function. Dysfunctional autophagy in islets during the aging process may be an important mechanism leading to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Autophagy; Autophagy-Related Protein 7; Blotting, Western; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Disease Progression; Immunohistochemistry; Insulin-Secreting Cells; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Ubiquitin-Activating Enzymes
PubMed: 22843415
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-012-9456-0 -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Jun 2014Ageing is the greatest challenge that health-care systems will have to deal with this century. This is because a wide spectrum of pathological impairments emerge in the... (Review)
Review
Ageing is the greatest challenge that health-care systems will have to deal with this century. This is because a wide spectrum of pathological impairments emerge in the later part of the human life course which sharply increase mortality and reduce quality of life. Dysfunction of the immune system with advancing age is of crucial importance to the development of disability in later life and finally death. Understanding immune ageing, immunosenescence, has long been recognised as an essential prerequisite for the delivery of effective interventions which will improve late life health. Ten years ago, the ImAginE consortium undertook a broad ranging series of projects which added significantly to our understanding of how fundamental ageing mechanisms drove immune decline. In the decade which followed, abundant evidence has accumulated from nonhuman model systems that ageing results from the progressive operation of a relatively few common processes which act across the major organ systems. These advances in fundamental understanding both allow better clarification of the potential cross-system dysregulation that occurs in ageing and open new avenues for intervention. Over the course of a 2-day workshop, the original ImAginE participants have considered these issues and present some suggestions for current priority areas in immunosenescence.
Topics: Aging; Humans; Immune System; Quality of Life
PubMed: 24532368
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-014-9619-2 -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Apr 2016The differential characteristics of absolute power in the EEG theta (4-8 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz) frequency bands have been analysed in young (18-25 years old,...
The differential characteristics of absolute power in the EEG theta (4-8 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz) frequency bands have been analysed in young (18-25 years old, n = 14) and mature adults (45-65 years old, n = 12) during the incidental or intentional behavioural conditions of learning and recalling in a visuospatial task. A printed drawing of a maze including eight figures of common objects in specific placements, solved by connecting its entrance and exit points, allowed the subject's performance efficiency to be measured based on the number, position accuracy and/or identity of incidentally or intentionally learned and remembered objects. Meanwhile, EEG recordings from frontal, parietal and temporal derivations were obtained to determine the power values of the theta (4-8 Hz) and gamma (30-45 Hz) bands for each behavioural condition and derivation. Relative to the young adults, the mature adults generally showed lower absolute theta power values, mainly due to their low theta powers under the basal and incidental learning conditions, and higher absolute gamma power values in the frontal and temporal regions. Furthermore, higher theta band power in the frontal regions was related to higher performance efficiency in both incidental and intentional learning, regardless of the subjects' age. A significant negative correlation between the parameters of individual incidental or intentional learning performance and age was also found. Indeed, a differential accuracy of remembered information seems to be associated with age and incidental or intentional learning/memory testing conditions. These data support an increasing vulnerability of visuospatial learning abilities at mature ages and as ageing progresses.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Electroencephalography; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Male; Memory, Short-Term; Middle Aged; Spatial Learning; Young Adult
PubMed: 26961695
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-016-9896-z -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Apr 2016Aging is a complex process that is accompanied with changes in both muscle mass and muscle function (strength and performance). Therefore, the current longitudinal study...
Aging is a complex process that is accompanied with changes in both muscle mass and muscle function (strength and performance). Therefore, the current longitudinal study aimed to provide a better insight in 10-year aging-related changes in whole-body muscle mass and strength performance of the leg extensors during the adult life span. Data were gathered within the framework of the first- (2002-2004: baseline) and third-generation Flemish Policy Research Center Sport (2012-2014: follow-up). Results are based on muscle characteristics data of 591 Flemish Caucasian adults (19-73 years, 381 men). Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) was determined with bioelectrical impedance analysis. Biodex Medical System 3® dynamometer was used to measure isometric (PTstatic120°) and isokinetic (PTdynamic60° and PTdynamic240°) strength, ballistic movement speed (S 20 %), and muscular endurance (work) of the knee extensors. Overall strength performance was higher at both evaluation moments in men compared to women (p < 0.01). But only S 20 % declined significantly faster in men compared to women (p < 0.01). Age and baseline strength performance were negatively related with the change in strength performance, even when corrected for SMM, protein intake, and energy expenditure during sports (E sport). In conclusion, strength performance was not associated with E sport in this study, but protein intake was associated with isometric strength in men, and with ballistic and isokinetic strength in women. Changes in S 20 % were significantly greater in men compared to women. Baseline values of strength performance and age were associated with changes in strength performance parameters, even after correction for SMM, protein intake, and E sport.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aging; Belgium; Body Composition; Energy Metabolism; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Forecasting; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Retrospective Studies; White People; Young Adult
PubMed: 26961694
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-016-9900-7 -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Jun 2006
PubMed: 19943134
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-006-9012-x -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Sep 2007Our purpose was to examine the effects of age and gender on physical performance. We assessed a one-hour swimming performance and participation of 4,271 presumably...
Our purpose was to examine the effects of age and gender on physical performance. We assessed a one-hour swimming performance and participation of 4,271 presumably healthy men and women, aged 19-91 years, from the 2001-2003 United States Masters Swimming long-distance (1 h) national competition. The decline in performance with increasing age was found to be quadratic rather than linear. The equation which best fit variation in 1 h swimming distance in meters (m) according to variations in age in years (y) in men was: distance (m) = 4058 + 2.18 age-0.29 age (http://www.acsmmsse.org/pt/re/msse/positionstandards.htm;jsessionid=DiRVACC7YS3mq27s5kV3vwpEVSokmmD1ZJLC7pdnol3KcfoSu0t!1096311956!-949856145!9001!-1), with the same equation for women except that 380 m needed to be subtracted from the calculated value at all ages (about a 10% difference). There was a large overlap in performance between men and women. The overall mean decline in performance with age was about 50% and was parallel in men and women. The mean difference in distance for a 1-year increment in age was -9.7 m at 21 y of age, -21.3 m at 40 y, and -44.5 m at 80 y. Far greater declines of about 96% in numbers participating with advanced age (80 y and over, 4% of peak numbers) were observed than in the 40-49 y age group. In conclusion, the declines in performance were parallel in men and women at all ages, and the 1-year age-related declines in performance were about twice as great at 40 y and more than four-times as great at 80 y than at 20 y of age, with even greater age-related declines in participation being noted for both men and women.
PubMed: 19424833
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-007-9034-z -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Sep 2011Many investigations in recent years have targeted understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of aging. Collectively, genetic factors and biological mechanisms...
Many investigations in recent years have targeted understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of aging. Collectively, genetic factors and biological mechanisms appear to influence longevity in general and specifically; reduction of the insulin/IGF-1 signaling cascade has extended life span in diverse species. Genetic alteration of mammals for life extension indicates correlation to serum IGF-1 levels in mice, and IGF-1 levels have been demonstrated as a physiological predictor of frailty with aging in man. Longevity and aging data in the dog offer a close measure of the natural multifactorial longevity interactions of genetic influence, IGF-1 signaling, and environmental factors such as exposure, exercise, and lifestyle. The absence of genetic alteration more closely represents the human longevity status, and the unique species structure of the canine facilitates analyses not possible in other species. These investigations aimed to measure serum IGF-1 in numerous purebred and mixed-breed dogs of variable size and longevity in comparison to age, gender, and spay/neuter differences. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine plasma IGF-1 levels in the adult dog, including a wide range of breeds and adult body weight. The sample set includes animals ranging from just a few months of age through 204 months and ranging in size from 5 to 160 lb. Four groups were evaluated for serum IGF-1 levels, including intact and neutered males, and intact and spayed females. IGF-1 loss over time, as a function of age, decreases in all groups with significant differences between males and females. The relationship between IGF-1 and weight differs depending upon spay/neuter status, but there is an overall increase in IGF-1 levels with increasing weight. The data, currently being interrogated further for delineation of IGF-1 receptor variants and sex differences, are being collected longitudinally and explored for longevity associations previously unavailable in non-genetically modified mammals.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Biomarkers; Body Size; Dogs; Female; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Longevity; Male
PubMed: 20865338
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-010-9182-4 -
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Apr 2013Aging is associated with an increased susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders which has been linked to chronic inflammation. This process generates oxygen-reactive...
Aging is associated with an increased susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders which has been linked to chronic inflammation. This process generates oxygen-reactive species, ultimately responsible for a process known as oxidative stress, leading to changes in nitric oxide (NO), and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cyclic GMP) signaling pathway. In previous studies, we showed that human aging was associated with an increase in NO Synthase (NOS) activity, a decrease in basal cyclic GMP levels in human platelets, and an increase in thiobarbituric acid-reactant substances (TBARS) in erythrocytes. The aim of the present work was to evaluate NOS activity, TBARS and cyclic GMP levels in hippocampus and frontal cortex and its correlation to platelets and erythrocytes of 4-, 12-, and 24-month-old rats. The result showed an age-related decrease in cyclic GMP levels which was linked to an increase in NOS activity and TBARS in both central areas as well as in platelets and erythrocytes of rats. The present data confirmed our previous studies performed in human platelets and erythrocytes and validate NOS activity and cyclic GMP in human platelet as well as TBARS in erythrocytes as biomarkers to study age-related disorders and new anti-aging therapies.
Topics: Aging; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Biomarkers; Blood Platelets; Cyclic GMP; Erythrocytes; Frontal Lobe; Hippocampus; Male; Nitric Oxide; Oxidative Stress; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
PubMed: 22278206
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-011-9365-7