More and more people are living longer, but living to extreme old age is unusual and tends to run in some families. A new study at Columbia University Medical Center, sponsored by the National Institutes on Aging, aims to learn more about the secrets to a long healthy life. Investigators are seeking long-lived families to help investigate this important question.
Caloric Restriction Only Benefits Obese Mice, according to a new study in The Journal of Nutrition. The results suggest that caloric restriction may not be a universally beneficial anti-aging strategy, as commonly believed.
Although a new nursing home quality rating system has several dimensions, experts say it fails to address perhaps the most important question: Are the residents who live there happy?
Like guards controlling access to a gated community, nuclear pore complexes are communication channels that regulate the passage of proteins and RNA to and from a cell's nucleus. Recent studies by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies offer new insights about the pores' lifespan and how their longevity affects their function.
It is well known that moderate drinking can have positive health benefits "” for instance, a couple of glasses of red wine a day can be good for the heart. But if you're a senior in good health, light to moderate consumption of alcohol may also help prevent the development of physical disability.
Outdoor temperature and blood pressure appear to be correlated in the elderly, with higher rates of hypertension in cooler months, according to a report in the January 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
With 30 million drivers in the US aged 65 and over, we count on older Americans to recognize when they can no longer drive safely and decide that it's time to stay off the road. A new study finds that a decrease in vision function is a key factor in bringing about this decision.
Cells shut down and stop dividing when their DNA is damaged, providing protection against cancer. However, a new study has found these cells also spew proteins into the cells' surrounding environment. The process, called cellular senescence, causes inflammation and sets up conditions that support the development of age-related diseases including, ironically, cancer.
Researchers have uncovered what may be a universal cause of aging, one that applies to both single cell organisms such as yeast and multicellular organisms, including mammals. This is the first time that such an evolutionarily conserved aging mechanism has been identified between such diverse organisms. The mechanism probably dates back more than one billion years. The study shows how DNA damage eventually leads to a breakdown in the cell's ability to properly regulate which genes are switched on and off in particular settings.
As economic gloom permeates the lives of Americans, older adults face increasing anxiety and depression. George Grossberg, M.D., Saint Louis University psychiatrist, can offer advice to deal with economic worry.
NYU School of Medicine researcher Dr. Danny Reinberg was awarded a Howard Hughes Institute of Medicine Collaborative Innovation Award for new research on ant epigenetics- helping to unravel the impact lifestyle and environment have on genes. The research will investigate what ants can teach us about aging and behavior. Results of the ant study may translate to other species including humans, using gene regulation in ants as a model for aging.
Aging "“ we are all doing it. It is relentless and terminal. We stand in modern times with a span of a century to our name, at most. Technological wizardry abounds, so why do the factors that determine life span still elude us? If you ask Arizona State University researcher Juergen Liebig, he would point to his favorite study animal, the ant, to provide answers.
Research by K-State aging experts is helping nursing home staff become more comfortable dealing with residents' sexual expression.
The only known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease slows down the brain's ability to export a toxic protein known as amyloid-beta that is central to the damage the disease causes, scientists have found. The research provides new clues into the workings of a protein known as apolipoprotein E4, or ApoE4, which increases the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System report that a daily single oral dose of an investigational drug, MK-677, increased muscle mass in the arms and legs of healthy older adults without serious side effects, suggesting that it may prove safe and effective in reducing age-related frailty.
People with more education and more mentally demanding occupations may have protection against the memory loss that precedes Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the October 21, 2008, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
A landmark study by North Carolina State University researchers shows that African-American seniors who have trouble falling asleep are at higher risk of having memory problems "“ raising the possibility that identifying and treating sleep difficulties in the elderly may help preserve their cognitive functioning.
Calorie restriction, a diet that is low in calories and high in nutrition, may not be as effective at extending life in people as it is in rodents, according to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
A team of researchers systematically studied diaries that examined the stresses of daily life in conjunction with helping an older parent. Results clearly suggest a downward trajectory of health and well-being among midlife adults helping an elderly parent.
Each year, one in three Americans age 65 and older fall, and 30 percent of them suffer injuries requiring medical attention.
New research results suggest that sleep apnea "“ which has often been linked to increased rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality "“ may actually contribute to higher survival rates in the elderly. The findings by Technion-Israel Institute of Technology researchers were presented last week at the European Sleep Research Society Congress in Glasgow, Scotland.
Many theories have sought to explain what causes the baggy lower eyelids that come with aging, but UCLA researchers have now found that fat expansion in the eye socket is the primary culprit.
Elderly patients who are prescribed a conventional, or first-generation, antipsychotic medication are at an increased risk of death from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases as compared to those who take an atypical, or second-generation, antipsychotic medication.
For older Americans "“ who vote in larger numbers than any other age group "“ there are significant barriers in exercising their right to vote. Jason Karlawish, MD, associate professor of Medicine and Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, recommends that to help break down the logistical and geographical voting barriers many older Americans face, the United States must develop a model for mobile polling.
Baby boomers are suffering more sports-related injuries as they take up activities later in life compared to a generation ago. This has resulted in more trips to the emergency room, but there are ways to stay healthy well into middle age and beyond.
The occupations that already employ above-average shares of workers age 55 and older rely on an educated workforce and are expected to grow at least 20 percent by 2016, double the 10 percent rate forecast for the national labor force. A new study examines how changes in the nature of work, different occupations, the characteristics of older workers, and overall labor force growth might affect future job prospects for older Americans.
Many baby boomers take bisphosphates to treat osteoporosis as well as certain types of cancers. But the use of these medications has been linked to osteonecrosis of the jaw, a condition in which the jaw bone loses tissue and dies. While it is more common in cancer patients, Jon Suzuki, D.D.S., Ph.D, M.B.A, says dentists and medical professionals should also monitor those who take it for osteoporosis.
Orthopaedic surgeons provide tips to get baby boomers moving.
This August is Menopause Awareness Month, a good time for women to discuss with their doctors female sexual dysfunction, a real but often-overlooked medical condition. It may be surprising to learn that approximately forty million American women suffer from some type of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), which can arise from many causes, including increasing age, certain surgical procedures, the use of prescription pharmaceuticals, disease, or chemical imbalances.
Two Grinnell College experts available on chronic disease and meditation.
Since 2001, researchers at the U.Va.'s Cognitive Aging Laboratory have been testing and tracking hundreds of volunteer participants, ranging in age from the mid-20s to 98 to gain insight to changes in cognition over time, and to possibly discover ways to alleviate or slow the rates of decline. "We will also better understand the processes of cognitive impairment, the declines that may predict eventual Alzheimer's disease or other dementias," says U.Va. Professor of psychology Tim Salthouse.
Now approaching retirement, many members of the "Me Generation" aren't ready to slow down, even if their bodies are. Foot and ankle surgeons say Baby Boomers are more likely than previous generations to seek care when arthritis develops in their toes, feet and ankles.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have created a list of prescription drugs that increase the risk of falling for patients aged 65 and older who take four or more medications on a regular basis.
A geriatric care manager is a skilled professional who can assist aging family members struggling amidst treacherous weather conditions. Geriatric care managers are able to help to ensure the safety and well-being of elders and to relieve the concerns of adult children living at a distance.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic, with their national and international collaborators, have discovered how a class of agents now in testing to treat Alzheimer's disease work, and say they may open up an avenue of drug discovery for this disease and others.
Investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a genetic variation associated with an earlier age of onset in Alzheimer's disease. Unlike genetic mutations previously linked to rare, inherited forms of early-onset Alzheimer's disease "” which can strike people as young as their 30s or 40s "” these variants influence an earlier presentation of symptoms in people affected by the more common, late-onset form of the disease.
June is Seniors' Month. We've heard a lot on research about the downside of aging, but what about the upside? When it comes to aging, it shouldn't all be bad news "“ and it certainly isn't. Researchers now believe the boomer generation might be healthier seniors than previous generations. CIHR researchers are available to speak about research being done about becoming a healthy senior citizen.
Tufts University researcher Bess Dawson-Hughes, M.D., chaired the committee that recently updated the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. The new Clinician's Guide incorporates the World Health Organization (WHO) absolute fracture prediction algorithm (FRAX®).
Socializing with friends and family can do more than lift the spirits of elderly women "” it can improve cognition and might help prevent dementia, according to a new study that followed women over the course of five years. "It's important to think about ways to try to reduce the amount of isolation people have "” even those with families," said lead researcher Valerie Crooks.
Healthy seniors who are physically active and exercise for more than 60 minutes each week can lessen their chances of disability as they age, finds a new long-term study. The researchers concluded that being physically active, regardless of body weight, helped lessen disability.
Researchers have shown, in unprecedented detail, how a small molecule is able to selectively take apart abnormally folded protein fibers connected to Alzheimer's disease and prion diseases. Finding a way to dismantle misfolded proteins has implications for new treatments for a host of neurodegenerative diseases.
The anti-inflammatory drugs naproxen and celecoxib do not appear to improve cognitive function in older adults with a family history of Alzheimer's disease, and naproxen may have a slightly detrimental effect, according to an article posted online today that will appear in the July 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
It's wrong to assume that fatigue or memory loss is an inevitable sign of aging. They also are common symptoms of an underactive thyroid -- a condition that generally responds to treatment, according to the May issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.
The Misericordia University Assistive Technology Research Institute has spent the last year researching and developing the Elder Interface for computer users that have special needs. In the near future, the new program will be available in computers for people that need to change the way the screen, mouse and keyboard behave. The simplified interface includes larger icons, fonts and other special features.
New research suggests that, in aging men, physical activity can reduce the risk of developing of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) and Erectile Dysfunction (ED).
A new study shows that older people remain vital members of society, despite a popular notion that they are more likely to be socially isolated. Although older individuals have fewer intimate relationships, they may respond to loss by becoming more likely to volunteer, attend religious services and spend time with their neighbors than those in their 50s.
Americans grow happier as they grow older, according to one of the most thorough examinations of happiness in America. The study also found that baby boomers are not as content as other generations, African Americans are less happy than whites, men are less happy than women, happiness can rise and fall between eras, and that, with age the differences narrow.
More than a third of Americans now die under the care of a hospice service, a huge increase from just a decade ago and a major advance in end-of-life care. But a new study reveals major gaps in the availability of hospice care across the country "“ gaps that the researchers attribute directly to the way hospice care is currently funded.
Geisinger research shows that using the Electronic Health Record to review patient files helps cut the amount of psychoactive medications taken by elderly patients. In this month's Journal of General Internal Medicine, Geisinger researchers outline how they curtailed polypharmacy in the elderly and how to reduce medication-associated falls.
The new Elder Economic Security Standard Index (Elder Index) for California, developed at UCLA, shows that the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), used to determine income eligibility for most public programs, covers less than half of the basic costs experienced by adults age 65 and older in the state.
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