Differences In Age-related Changes Research Articles

Racial Differences in Age-Related Changes in Left Ventricular Structural and Functional Echocardiographic Measurements Among Healthy Japanese and American Participants ― A Subanalysis of the World Alliance Society of Echocardiography Normal Values Study ―

Racial Differences in Age-Related Changes in Left Ventricular Structural and Functional Echocardiographic Measurements Among Healthy Japanese and American Participants ― A Subanalysis of the World Alliance Society of Echocardiography Normal Values Study ―

Differences in Changes in the Glutamate/GABA System Activity in the Rat Retina during Aging and the Development of Retinopathy at Nighttime and Daytime

Age is a leading risk factor for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the cause of vision loss in elderly. There are no effective methods of therapy for this complex neurodegenerative disease due to the incomplete knowledge of its etiology and pathogenesis. It is assumed that development of aging imbalance of neurotransmitter systems (glutamate, GABA) in the retina, their desynchronosis, may be a precondition for the development progression of AMD. Information about their state in the retina during aging, and especially development of AMD, is extremely limited. We previously assessed age-related changes in the daytime glutamate/GABA system in the retinas of Wistar and senescence-accelerated OXYS rats that develop AMD-like pathology. Here, we evaluated aging changes in the synthesis and degradation enzymes, receptor subunits, and transporters of these neurotransmitters at nighttime and compared them with detected earlier in the daytime. Differences in age-related changes in the expression of the components of the glutamate and GABAergic systems at night and daytime were revealed during “healthy” aging in Wistar rats and during premature aging in OXYS rats. This may be due to disruption of the circadian rhythm. It is established that the progression of AMD-like retinopathy in OXYS rats occurs against the background of changes in the glutamatergic system at the nighttime (increased of glutamine synthetase, NMDARr1 level and decreased GLAST level), which facilitate the retinal neurodegenerative changes. Pronounced changes in the GABAergic system, which could make a significant contribution to the development of the pathological process were not identified.

Sex Differences in Age-Related Changes in Functional Activity and Expression of the Main Regulatory Proteins of the Renin–Angiotensin System in the Aorta and Myocardium of Rats

Sex Differences in Age-Related Changes in Functional Activity and Expression of the Main Regulatory Proteins of the Renin–Angiotensin System in the Aorta and Myocardium of Rats

Differences in Age-Related Changes in the Thymus in Rats Developmentally Exposed to Endocrine Disrupter Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane.

We studied features of age-related changes in the thymus of mature male Wistar rats developmentally exposed to the endocrine disruptor dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). The study was carried out at the stage of early thymus involution. Differences in the thymus morphology associated with imbalance of morphogenetic processes in the cortex and medulla were observed after puberty in rats developmentally exposed to DDT. Increased proliferation of thymocytes, higher content of lymphoblasts, and concomitant decrease in T-cell migration in comparison with the control were found. Our findings indicate lower functional maturity of the thymus and prolonged disorders in the program of postnatal thymus development induced by the endocrine disruptor DDT.

Sex Differences in Age-Related Changes in Functional Activity and Expression of the Main Regulatory Proteins of the Renin-Angiotensin System in the Aorta and Myocardium of Rats

The sex differences of age-related changes in the functional activity and expression of receptor and regulatory proteins of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the aorta and myocardium of rats is evaluated. It was found that with age in females, the sensitivity of the aorta to the vasoconstriction action of angiotensin II increases, while in older males it remains unchanged. In the aorta of old females, a decrease in the mRNA levels of ACE, MasR and ACE2 was revealed by 1.6, 1.8 and 4.4 times, respectively. It has been shown that during aging in the left ventricle of females, the level of MasR and ACE2 mRNA decreases, in males, on the contrary, the level of ACE and MasR mRNA increases. The results obtained indicate the sexual characteristics of age-related changes in RAS activity in the vessels and heart of rats.

Ageing Affects Thymopoiesis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Development in a Strain-Dependent Manner

Introduction: Considering significance of mechanisms of central tolerance for development of autoimmune diseases, including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and suppressive influence of circulating proinflammatory cytokines and alterations in brain-thymus communication, characteristic for the central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune diseases, on thymopoiesis, the study interogated putative strain-based thymus-related specificities relevant for the opposite effects of ageing on susceptibility of Dark Agouti (DA) and Albino Oxford (AO) rats to EAE. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative changes in thymopoiesis including underlying mechanisms were examined using flow cytometry and RT-qPCR quantification of mRNAs for molecules relevant for integrity of stroma and T-cell development, respectively. Results: With ageing, differently from DA rats, in AO rats the surface density of CD90, a negative regulator of selection threshold, on thymocytes undergoing lineage commitment was upregulated (consistent with TGF-β expression downregulation), whereas the generation of natural CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (nTregs) was impaired reflecting differences in thymic expression of cytokines supporting their development. Additionally, specifically in old AO rats, in whom EAE development depends on IL-17-producing CD8+ T cells, their thymic differentiation was augmented, reflecting augmented thymic IL-4 expression. In turn, differently from old DA rats developing self-limiting EAE, in age-matched AO rats developing EAE of prolonged duration, EAE development led to impaired generation of nTregs and accumulation of proinflammatory, cytotoxic CD28–CD4+ T cells in the periphery. Discussion: The study indicates that strain differences in age-related changes in the efficacy of central tolerance, in addition to enhanced thymic generation of CD8+ T cells prone to differentiate into IL-17-producing cells, could partly explain the opposite effect of ageing on DA and AO rat susceptibility to EAE induction. Additionally, it suggested that EAE development leading to a less efficient thymic output of CD4+ cells and nTregs in old AO rats than their DA counterparts could contribute to prolonged EAE duration in AO compared with DA rats. Conclusion: The study warns to caution when designing therapeutic interventions to enhance thymic activity in genetically diverse populations, e.g., humans, and interpreting their outcomes. Furthermore, it indicates that CNS autoimmune pathology may additionally worsen thymic involution and age-related immune changes.

Sex-Based Differences in Age-Related Changes of the Vertebral Column from a Bronze Age Urban Population in Ancient China

The health disparities between males and females in bioarchaeological settings are important indicators of gender-based differences in socioeconomic roles. In this study, sex-based differences of the vertebral column in spine pathology were investigated in human skeletons excavated from a Bronze Age cemetery of the Western Zhou Dynasty at the Dahekou site in Shanxi, China. Results demonstrated that females had a higher prevalence of vertebral compressive fractures, with the majority found in those between twenty-five and thirty years old, suggesting that the fractures were a consequence of osteoporosis and its early onset in females. In contrast, males expressed overall more severe ageing in all vertebral divisions compared to females. Males also had a higher prevalence of vertebral facet joint osteoarthritis in cervical and thoracic divisions than females. Likewise, the incidence of facet joint osteoarthritis was more asymmetric between the left and right joints in males than in females. These findings reflect disparities of vertebral health between the two sexes in an urban setting, in which ageing and injuries of the vertebral column might be driven by different mechanisms. Age-related changes in female vertebral columns may have been more influenced by conditions of hormone deficiency such as menopause, while male vertebral columns might have been more prone to age-related changes due to heavy labor-induced physical stressors. Further studies on the differentiation of ageing mechanisms between the two sexes based on physiology, socioeconomic roles, and living conditions are warranted. The studies are necessary in understanding how multiple sociocultural and physiological factors contribute to health disparities in historic and contemporary environments.

Age differences in sadness reactivity and variability.

Sadness is a negative emotion typically elicited by loss experiences. Given that losses increase with age, sadness should be relatively salient in this life phase. Such sadness experiences may serve an adaptive function in old age, if they facilitate detachment from unattainable goals. Thus, we predicted increased and less variable levels of sadness to occur among older, as compared with younger, adults in response to film clips involving loss-related themes. To test this prediction, a sample of 52 younger (Mage = 23.75 years, SD = 4.52) and 52 older adults (Mage = 71.21 years, SD = 6.11) watched four films and reported their sadness on multiple occasions during each film. In partial support of the hypotheses, the results showed that older, as compared with younger, adults reported greater sadness in response to one out of four film clips. However, there was no conclusive evidence for age differences in sadness variability within or across the films. Additional analyses revealed that age differences were not significant for another emotion, anxiety, in neither reactivity nor variability. Finally, although there were no age differences in mean levels of interest in the films, interest showed less variability among older, as compared with younger, adults. These findings are discussed from the perspective of a discrete emotions theory proposing distinct functions and associated differential age-related changes for different negative emotions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Age-related changes in physiology in individuals with bipolar disorder

BackgroundIndividuals with bipolar disorder have a reduced life expectancy and may experience accelerated biological ageing. In individuals with bipolar disorder and healthy controls, we examined differences in age-related changes in physiology. MethodsUK Biobank recruited more than 500,000 participants, aged 37–73, between 2006 and 2010. Generalised additive models were used to examine associations between age and grip strength, cardiovascular function, body composition, lung function and heel bone mineral density. ResultsThe main dataset included 271,118 adults (mean age = 56.04 years; 49.60% females). We found statistically significant differences between cases and controls for grip strength, blood pressure, pulse rate and body composition, with standardised mean differences of up to -0.24 (95% CI -0.28 to -0.19). Evidence of differences in lung function, heel bone mineral density or arterial stiffness was limited. Case-control differences were most evident for age-related changes in cardiovascular function (both sexes) and body composition (females). Differences did not uniformly narrow or widen with age and differed by sex. For example, the difference in systolic blood pressure between male cases and controls was -1.3 mmHg at age 50 and widened to -4.7 mmHg at age 65. Diastolic blood pressure in female cases was 1.2 mmHg higher at age 40 and -1.2 mmHg lower at age 65. LimitationsAnalyses did not distinguish between bipolar disorder subtypes. Results may not generalise to other age groups. ConclusionsDifferences between bipolar disorder cases and controls were most evident for cardiovascular and body composition measures. Targeted screening for cardiovascular and metabolic health in middle age is warranted to potentially mitigate excess mortality.

Age-related changes in physiology in individuals with lifetime bipolar disorder

AimsIndividuals with bipolar disorder have reduced life expectancy and may experience accelerated biological ageing. In individuals with lifetime bipolar disorder and healthy controls, we examined differences in age-related changes in physiology.MethodThe UK Biobank study recruited >500,000 participants, aged 37–73 years, between 2006–2010. Generalised additive models were used to examine associations between age and grip strength, cardiovascular function, body composition, lung function and bone mineral density. Analyses were conducted separately in males and females with bipolar disorder compared to healthy controls.ResultAnalytical samples included up to 272,462 adults (mean age = 56.04 years, SD = 8.15; 49.51% females). We found statistically significant differences between bipolar disorder cases and controls for grip strength, blood pressure, pulse rate and body composition, with standardised mean differences of up to -0.238 (95% CI -0.282 to -0.193). There was limited evidence of differences in lung function, heel bone mineral density or arterial stiffness. Case-control differences were most evident for age-related changes in cardiovascular function (in both sexes) and body composition (in females). These differences did not uniformly narrow or widen with age and differed by sex. For example, the difference in systolic blood pressure between male cases and controls was -1.3 mmHg at age 50 and widened to -4.7 mmHg at age 65. Diastolic blood pressure in female cases was 1.2 mmHg higher at age 40 and -1.2 mmHg lower at age 65.ConclusionDifferences in ageing trajectories between bipolar disorder cases and healthy controls were most evident for cardiovascular and body composition measures and differed by sex.

Sex-Specific Age-Related Changes in Methylation of Certain Genes.

The aim of the study was to conduct a functional analysis of sex-specific age-related changes in DNA methylation.Materials and MethodsThe study used a GSE87571 methylation dataset obtained from the blood DNA of 729 individuals aged 14 to 94 using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip (USA). Gene ontology analysis was performed for 3 groups of genes (females, males, and duplicates) using the PANTHER database. The DAVID platform was used to perform KEGG metabolic pathway analysis.ResultsThe studies revealed unique for males and females changes in methylation of CpG sites, associated with certain metabolic processes. It was demonstrated that most of the CpG sites, for which methylation changes with age were revealed in both sexes, are associated with the genes responsible for the development and functioning of the nervous system. In males, unique age-related methylation changes affect CpG sites associated with changes in the immune system and lipid metabolism. In females, most CpGs are associated with changes involved in transcription and translation processes. Analysis of biological functions by KEGG revealed that a unique process associated with age-related changes in methylation of the glutamatergic system is typical for males. In females, unique biological processes with age-related changes include genes responsible for the development of diabetes and genes associated with cAMP signaling cascades (KEGG:04024).ConclusionOur studies reveal fundamental features of sex-dependent changes in methylation of CpG sites with variance increasing, which may indicate differences in age-related changes.

Males and females differ in how their behaviour changes with age in wild crickets

Because females produce and lay eggs or nurture embryos, they are constrained in the timing of their investment in reproduction. Males may have more opportunity to concentrate reproductive investment earlier in life, mating with as many females as possible soon after becoming adult. This fundamental difference leads to the prediction that because males can bias allocation towards increased reproductive investment early in life, they will use up resources earlier in their lives and hence senesce faster than females. A first step towards testing this prediction is to determine whether there are between-sex differences in age-related changes in behaviour. To do this we recorded the behaviour of crickets, Gryllus campestris, in a natural population living in and around their burrows in a meadow in northern Spain. Following individuals of both sexes through their adult lives, we recorded a range of nonreproductive behaviours, including how often they moved in and out of their burrows, how long they spent at the entrance, how long they spent outside, how quickly they left a burrow after fleeing inside to escape predation and whether they fed. We found evidence for substantial age-related changes in two of the movement traits in males, but not in females. Males moved less often and spent less time outside their burrows as they aged, whereas females showed no age-related changes in either trait. Feeding was not affected by age in males, but females fed more often as they got older. Our findings are consistent with the prediction that males senesce faster than females; experiments in nature will be needed to determine whether this pattern arises from life history trade-offs between reproduction and other traits.

Age related T2-FSE-MRI basal ganglia and inter-nuclei changes in normal aging

To evaluate clinically easy to obtain parameters such as area and T2 MR signal intensity (SI) profiles from right and left caudate, putamen and thalamus nuclei and to describe age-related and inter-nuclei changes in both genders in healthy subjects, 71 healthy subjects (22–80 years old, 52 females) were evaluated with 1.5 T MRI conventional axial T2-Fast axial spin echo sequences obtaining SI and cross-sectional areas from caudate, putamen and thalamus nuclei using manually defined ROIs. Regression analysis were performed between age and MR parameters for inter-nuclei, gender and hemisphere side. Male basal ganglia show lower SI than those from females. Aging was differentially associated to a progressive lowering of basal nuclei SI in both genders. Male basal ganglia show SI changes following a positive quadratic function. Aging modifies differentially SI from all nuclei pair combination in both genders, showing mainly negative quadratic function. Age-related reduction of female caudate and a right lateralization for caudate nucleus SI in both genders were found. Healthy age-related nonlinear changes in SI from basal ganglia were defined for both genders. Basal ganglia show differential age-related changes. These results can be helpful to differentiate normal from abnormal aging changes.

Developmental changes in resting-state functional networks among individuals with and without internalizing psychopathologies.

Three well-established intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) involved in cognitive-affective processing include the cognitive control network (CCN), default mode network (DMN), and salience and emotional network (SEN). Despite recent advances in understanding developmental changes in these ICNs, the majority of research has focused on single seeds or networks in isolation with limited age ranges. Additionally, although internalizing psychopathologies (IPs), such as anxiety and depression, are often characterized by maladaptive cognitive-affective processing styles, it is not clear how IP history influences age-related changes in brain networks. The current study aimed to characterize the normative development of the CCN, DMN, and SEN across a large age-span (7-29year olds) of typically developing (TD) individuals (n=97). We also explore how age may impact differences in network connectivity between TD individuals and patients with IPs (n = 136). Among TD individuals, DMN and CCN connectivity strengthened with age, whereas connectivity between the SEN and ventromedial prefrontal cortex weakened across development. When exploring group (IP vs. TD) differences, the IP group was characterized by greater connectivity between the CCN and cerebellum and between the SEN and caudate from childhood to early adulthood, relative to TD individuals. In addition, patients with IPs, versus TD individuals, exhibited reduced connectivity between the SEN and medial frontal gyrus from adolescence to adulthood. The current findings shed light on differential age-related changes in brain network patterns among psychiatrically free, TD individuals and those with internalizing disorders, and may provide plausible targets for novel mechanism-based treatments that differ based on developmental stage.

Differential Age-Related Changes in Structural Covariance Networks of Human Anterior and Posterior Hippocampus.

The hippocampus plays an important role in memory function relying on information interaction between distributed brain areas. The hippocampus can be divided into the anterior and posterior sections with different structure and function along its long axis. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of normal aging on the structural covariance of the anterior hippocampus (aHPC) and the posterior hippocampus (pHPC). In this study, 240 healthy subjects aged 18–89 years were selected and subdivided into young (18–23 years), middle-aged (30–58 years), and older (61–89 years) groups. The aHPC and pHPC was divided based on the location of uncal apex in the MNI space. Then, the structural covariance networks were constructed by examining their covariance in gray matter volumes with other brain regions. Finally, the influence of age on the structural covariance of these hippocampal sections was explored. We found that the aHPC and pHPC had different structural covariance patterns, but both of them were associated with the medial temporal lobe and insula. Moreover, both increased and decreased covariances were found with the aHPC but only increased covariance was found with the pHPC with age (p < 0.05, family-wise error corrected). These decreased connections occurred within the default mode network, while the increased connectivity mainly occurred in other memory systems that differ from the hippocampus. This study reveals different age-related influence on the structural networks of the aHPC and pHPC, providing an essential insight into the mechanisms of the hippocampus in normal aging.

Prefrontal'naya kora mozga muzhchin i zhenshhin v starcheskom vozraste

The study was carried out on a series of frontal total paraffin sections with a thickness of 20 ^m, colored with cresyl violet by the Nissl method. The cytoarchitectonic of the cortex of the area 10 of the prefrontal cortex of the frontal region of the brain of men (10 hemispheres) and the brain of women (10 hemispheres) in old age was studied. Modern morphometric methods were used in the work. As a result of the study, sex differences in age-related changes in the leading cytoarchitectonic characteristics of the cortex of the 10th frontal region of the brain of men and women were revealed. It is established that the thickness of the cortex of the area 10, the thickness of the associative layer III, the area of the profile field of the neurons of this layer in old age when compared with the elderly varies more in men than in women.

The Great Recession worsened blood pressure and blood glucose levels in American adults

Longitudinal, individual-specific data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) provide support for the hypothesis that the 2008 to 2010 Great Recession (GR) negatively impacted the health of US adults. Results further advance understanding of the relationship by (i) illuminating hypothesized greater negative impacts in population subgroups exposed to more severe impacts of the GR and (ii) explicitly controlling for confounding by individual differences in age-related changes in health over time. Analyses overcome limitations of prior work by (i) employing individual-level data that avoid concerns about ecological fallacy associated with prior reliance on group-level data, (ii) using four waves of data before the GR to estimate and control for underlying individual-level age-related trends, (iii) focusing on objective, temporally appropriate health outcomes rather than mortality, and (iv) leveraging a diverse cohort to investigate subgroup differences in the GR's impact. Innovative individual fixed-effects modeling controlling for individual-level age-related trajectories yielded substantively important insights: (i) significant elevations post-GR for blood pressure and fasting glucose, especially among those on medication pre-GR, and (ii) reductions in prevalence and intensity of medication use post-GR. Important differences in the effects of the GR are seen across subgroups, with larger effects among younger adults (who are likely still in the labor force) and older homeowners (whose declining home wealth likely reduced financial security, with less scope for recouping losses during their lifetime); least affected were older adults without a college degree (whose greater reliance on Medicare and Social Security likely provided more protection from the recession).

Strain specificities in age-related changes in mechanisms promoting and controlling rat spinal cord damage in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

The study investigated strain specificities in age-related differences in CD8+ T cell- and microglial cell-mediated mechanisms implicated in induction/perpetuation and/or control of neuroinflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in Albino Oxford (AO) and Dark Agouti (DA) rats exhibiting age-related changes in the susceptibility to EAE in the opposite direction (increase in relatively resistant AO rats vs decrease in DA rats). In the inductive phase of EAE, the greater number of fully differentiated effector CD8+ T lymphocytes was found in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) from aged rats of both strains than in strain-matched young rats, but this was particularly prominent in AO rats, which exhibited milder EAE of prolonged duration compared with their DA counterparts. Consistently, dLN IFN-γ+ and IL-17+ CD8+ T cell counts were greater in aged AO than in DA rats. Additionally, the magnitudes of myelin basic protein (MBP)-induced rise in the frequency of IFN-γ+ and IL-17+ CD8+ T cells (providing important help to neuroantigen-specific CD4+ T cells in EAE models characterized by clinically mild disease) were greater in dLN cell cultures from aged AO rats. Consistently, the magnitudes of MBP-induced rise in the frequency of both IFN-γ+ and IL-17+ CD8+ T cells were greater in spinal cord mononuclear cell cultures from aged AO rats compared with their DA counterparts. Besides, with aging CD4+CD25+Foxp3+/CD8+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell ratio changed in spinal cord in the opposite direction. Consequently, in aged AO rats it was shifted towards CD8+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (exhibiting lower suppressive capacity) when compared with DA rats. Moreover, the frequency of CX3CR1+ cells among microglia changed with aging and the disease development. In aged rats, in the effector phase of EAE it was lower in AO than in DA rats. This was accompanied by higher frequency of cells expressing IL-1β (whose down-regulation is central for CX3CR1-mediated neuroprotection), but lower that of phagocyting cells among microglia from aged AO compared their DA counterparts. The study indicates the control points linked with strain differences in age-related changes in EAE pathogenesis.

Individual testosterone decline and future mortality risk in men

Male aging is characterized by a decline in testosterone (TS) levels with a substantial variability between subjects. However, it is unclear whether differences in age-related changes in TS are associated with general health. We investigated associations between mortality and intra-individual changes in serum levels of total TS, SHBG, free TS and LH during a ten-year period with up to 18 years of registry follow-up. 1167 men aged 30-60 years participating in the Danish Monitoring Trends and Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA1) study and who had a follow-up examination ten years later (MONICA10) were included. From MONICA10, the men were followed up to 18 years (mean: 15.2 years) based on the information from national mortality registries via their unique personal ID numbers. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the association between intra-individual hormone changes and all-cause, CVD and cancer mortalities. A total of 421 men (36.1%) died during the follow-up period. Men with most pronounced decline in total TS (<10th percentile) had a higher all-cause mortality risk compared to men within the 10th to 90th percentile (hazard ratio (HR): 1.60; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-2.36). No consistent associations were seen in cause-specific mortality analyses. Our study showed that higher mortality rates were seen among the men who had the most pronounced age-related decline in TS, independent of their baseline TS levels.

Sex differences in age-related changes in the sleep-wake cycle.

Age-related changes in sleep and circadian regulation occur as early as the middle years of life. Research also suggests that sleep and circadian rhythms are regulated differently between women and men. However, does sleep and circadian rhythms regulation age similarly in men and women? In this review, we present the mechanisms underlying age-related differences in sleep and the current state of knowledge on how they interact with sex. We also address how testosterone, estrogens, and progesterone fluctuations across adulthood interact with sleep and circadian regulation. Finally, we will propose research avenues to unravel the mechanisms underlying sex differences in age-related effects on sleep.