Level In Older Adults Research Articles

The happy elderly as a being-toward-death: a phenomenological research.

Little research has been done on elderly adults from an optimistic perspective. What is it like to be a happy elderly person who is moving toward death? How can we approach their health promotion? This study aimed at exploring ways of being happy in older adults in Chile. We used a phenomenological approach, using Martin Heidegger’s philosophical frame. Participants were chosen after applying the Lyubomirski scale – those who fell into the “happy” category were invited to a semi-structured interview. We identified categories in happy elderly people; such as being autonomous, traveling, dancing, childcare, reading, pets, enjoy material goods. Thus, being able to understand the happy elderly person as being placed in the world without any choice other than accepting life and death as best as possible, with an optimistic regard about the past, an ability to reinvent themselves, and an awareness of being closer to death. There is still not enough knowledge available about the psychological resources that promote a welfare state in old age in juxtaposition with the losses at this stage of life. Studies show that happiness levels in older adults are very good, albeit in a context of high concentration of emotional and material losses, and the imminence of death. Unlike the common standpoint that conceives older adults within a biomedical framework, we believe it is necessary to promote an ontological understanding of old age; that is to say an understanding beyond bodily conditions, which includes the meaning of life experiences, and happiness as a tool for active and healthy aging.

Slow gait, white matter characteristics, and prior 10-year interleukin-6 levels in older adults.

To examine the relationship between gait speed and prior 10 years interleukin-6 (IL-6) burden in older adults. We then assessed whether white matter characteristics influence this relationship. In 179 community-dwelling older adults, gait speed was assessed on an automated walkway and serum IL-6 was assayed on ELISA. Concurrently, white matter characteristics were assessed on MRI by quantifying volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a marker of small vessel disease, and normal-appearing white matter on fractional anisotropy (NAWM-FA), a marker of axonal integrity. IL-6 was assayed at regular intervals at gait assessment and over the prior 10 years and estimates of sustained 10-year IL-6 exposure and the rate of change in IL-6 over 10 years were obtained. Multivariate linear regressions were used to examine the relationships among sustained IL-6 exposure, rate of change in IL-6, gait speed, and white matter characteristics. In this sample (age 83 years, 58% female, 41% black, gait speed 0.9 m/s), higher sustained IL-6 levels, but not the rate of change in IL-6 or IL-6 at gait assessment, was significantly related to slower gait (β = -0.27, p < 0.001) and to higher WMH (β = 0.23, p = 0.002), but not NAWM-FA, withstanding covariate adjustments. WMH accounted for 30% attenuation in the relationship between higher sustained IL-6 levels and slower gait speed (p = 0.043) in the mediation analyses. Sustained exposure to high IL-6 over 10 years rather than the rate of change in IL-6 or an isolated high IL-6 level may adversely affect gait speed by influencing cerebral WMH.

Association of hematology profile with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and Bsml polimorphism in community-dwelling older adults

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the association between serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and the Vitamin D Receptos gene BsmI polymorphism in the blood profile of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 142 older males and females. A questionnaire collected socio demographic information, medical history, and factors associated with sun exposure. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. Biological material was collected to analyze biochemical parameters 25-hydroxy vitamin D, parathormone, serum calcium, urea, creatinine, liver enzymes, and blood profile) and to verify the presence of the vitamin D receptos gene BsmI polymorphism. Results: Most participants were female (80.3%). The mean levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were 32.1±7.3 ng/dL, 13.5±1.5 d/dL, and 40.0±4.4%, respectively. Fifty-eight (40.8%) participants had vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (25.7±3.3 ng/mL), and 18 (12.6%) had anemia. Serum vitamin D was associated with hemoglobin (p=0.030) and hematocrit (p=0.032). However, when subjects were categorized as anemic or not anemic, said association was not maintained (p=0.270). Moreover, the BsmI polymorphism was not associated with hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, regardless of vitamin D status. Conclusion: The serum level of vitamin D is associated with hematocrit and hemoglobin levels in older adults. However, these blood parameters were not associated with the vitamin D receptor gene BsmI polymorphism.

Mouthwashes: Do They Work and Should We Use Them? Part 2: Anticaries, Antihalitosis and Dry Mouth Relief Efficacy of Mouthwashes.

This article will review the anticaries, antihalitosis and dry mouth relief efficacy of mouthwashes. Fluoride mouthwashes may provide an additional benefit to toothpaste and gel in children with a high risk of dental caries, but toothpaste alone may be a more acceptable mode of delivery. There may be a beneficial effect of fluoride mouthwashes on caries levels in older adults, particularly those at higher risk of root caries. The available data of the antihalitosis effect of mouthwashes neither supports nor contra-indicates their use. The key area where a mouthwash may be of use in the treatment of patients with a dry mouth is through the anticaries effect of fluoride. Clinical relevance: The evidence supporting the use of anticaries, antihalitosis and dry mouth relief mouthwashes is evaluated. This provides guidance for dentists and dental care professionals of when it is appropriate to recommend the use of a mouthwash in these situations.

Physical activity and incidence of sarcopenia: the population-based AGES-Reykjavik Study.

the prevalence of sarcopenia increases with age. Physical activity might slow the rate of muscle loss and therewith the incidence of sarcopenia. to examine the association of physical activity with incident sarcopenia over a 5-year period. data from the population-based Age, Gene/Environment, Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study were used. people residing in the Reykjavik area at the start of the study. the study included people aged 66-93 years (n = 2309). the amount of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. Sarcopenia was identified using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People algorithm, including muscle mass (computed tomography imaging), grip strength (computerised dynamometer) and gait speed (6 m). mean age of the participants was 74.9 ± 4.7 years. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 7.3% at baseline and 16.8% at follow-up. The incidence proportion of sarcopenia over 5 years was 14.8% in the least-active individuals and 9.0% in the most-active individuals. Compared with the least-active participants, those reporting a moderate-high amount of MVPA had a significantly lower likelihood of incident sarcopenia (OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.45-0.91). Participants with a high amount of MVPA had higher baseline levels of muscle mass, strength and walking speed, but baseline MVPA was not associated with the rate of muscle loss. a higher amount of MVPA seems to contribute to counteracting the development of sarcopenia. To delay the onset of sarcopenia and its potential adverse outcomes, attention should be paid to increasing physical activity levels in older adults.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy augmentation of SSRI reduces cortisol levels in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial.

Elevated cortisol in stress and aging, such as has been seen in late-life anxiety disorders, is postulated to accelerate cognitive and physiological decline in this large and increasing population. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are both effective treatments for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in older adults. On the other hand, there is very little research examining the effect of combining these therapies on peak cortisol levels. For the current analyses, we examined the effectiveness of CBT augmentation on peak cortisol levels in older adults diagnosed with GAD. The sample consisted of 42 individuals with late-life GAD who received an acute course of the SSRI escitalopram and then entered a 16-week randomized phase. Twenty-one participants were randomized to receive 16 sessions of CBT in addition to continuing escitalopram and the remaining 21 participants continued on escitalopram without CBT. Generalized estimating equations were performed to assess the effectiveness of CBT augmentation on peak cortisol levels (30 min after waking). Older adults with GAD who received both escitalopram and CBT demonstrated a significant reduction in peak cortisol levels at posttreatment compared to the group who received escitalopram without CBT augmentation. CBT augmentation of SSRI treatment reduced peak cortisol levels for older adults with GAD. Since persistently high cortisol levels in aging are thought to increase age-related cognitive and medical problems, our findings suggest that there may be a benefit to health and cognition of CBT augmentation for late-life anxiety disorders.

Association of Physical Activity and Body Fatness with Vitamin D Deficiency in Older Adults

Background: This study investigated the association between physical activity and body fatness with serum vitamin D level in older adults. Methods: A total of 233 older adults (39 men and 194 women) aged older than 65 years were voluntarily recruited from a local community. Physical activity was monitored using a uniaxial accelerometer. Body fatness was measured using a standardized protocol. Subjects were classified as sufficient ( > 30 ng/mL), insufficient (20-29 ng/mL), or deficient ( < 20 ng/mL) based on serum vitamin D level. Pearson correlation analyses were used to calculate bivariate correlations between variables. Logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio of serum vitamin D inadequacy. Results: There were linear increases in physical activity parameters including daily steps (P < 0.001), low-intensity physical activity (P < 0.001), moderate-intensity physical activity (P < 0.001), and high-intensity physical activity (P < 0.001) and linear decreases in body fatness parameters such as body mass index (P = 0.039) and waist circumference (P = 0.020) across incremental vitamin D levels. Vitamin D level was positively associated with daily steps (P < 0.001), low-intensity physical activity (P < 0.001), moderate-intensity physical activity (P < 0.001), and highintensity physical activity (P < 0.001) and negatively associated with body mass index (P = 0.001), percentage body fat (P = 0.005), and waist circumference (P = 0.003). Compared to the active group (reference), the inactive group (P = 0.001) had a significantly higher odd ratio for serum vitamin D deficiency even after adjusting for age and sex (P = 0.002). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that physical activity and vitamin D supplementation should be promoted for healthy aging.

Depression and Suicidal Ideation among Older Adults of Kashmir

The present study was undertaken to map the ground trends of depression and suicidal ideation among elderly Kashmiris in association with connected socio-demographic variables and also to find the relationship of depression with suicidal ideation. The sample consisted of 184 older adults (102 elderly males &amp; 82 elderly females) taken from different districts of Kashmir. The age of the sample group ranged from 58-76 years with mean age of 67 years. Purposive sampling technique was used for research purpose. Aaron Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI-II 1996) and Beck &amp; Steer’s Suicide Ideation scale (BSSI 1991) was used. T-test was used to test the significance of difference in depression and suicidal ideation between various groups and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was used to determine the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation. The findings of the present study revealed that there is no significant mean difference in the depression level of older adults with respect to various socio-demographic variables. Further, the findings of the present study reveal that there is significant mean difference in the suicidal ideation of educated and uneducated elderly as is true for rural and urban older adults. However, no significant mean difference was found in suicidal ideation of male &amp; female older adults and also no significant mean difference was found in the suicidal ideation of those elderly whose spouse are alive and those who are widowed. Results further reveal that depression has significant positive correlation with suicidal ideation indicating that depression acts as risk factor for suicidal ideation.

Can attitudes and beliefs about exercise predict future physical activity level in older adults with knee pain?

Can attitudes and beliefs about exercise predict future physical activity level in older adults with knee pain?

The Association between Belgian Older Adults' Physical Functioning and Physical Activity: What Is the Moderating Role of the Physical Environment?

BackgroundBetter physical functioning in the elderly may be associated with higher physical activity levels. Since older adults spend a substantial part of the day in their residential neighborhood, the neighborhood physical environment may moderate associations between functioning and older adults’ physical activity. The present study investigated the moderating role of the objective and perceived physical environment on associations between Belgian older adults’ physical functioning and transport walking, recreational walking, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.MethodsData from 438 older adults were included. Objective physical functioning was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Potential moderators included objective neighborhood walkability and perceptions of land use mix diversity, access to recreational facilities, access to services, street connectivity, physical barriers for walking, aesthetics, crime-related safety, traffic speeding-related safety, and walking infrastructure. Transport and recreational walking were self-reported, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was assessed through accelerometers. Multi-level regression analyses were conducted using MLwiN to examine two-way interactions between functioning and the environment on both walking outcomes. Based on a previous study where environment x neighborhood income associations were found for Belgian older adults’ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, three-way functioning x environment x income interactions were examined for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.ResultsObjectively-measured walkability moderated the association between functioning and transport walking; this positive association was only present in high-walkable neighborhoods. Moreover, a three-way interaction was observed for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Only in high-income, high-walkable neighborhoods, there was a positive association between functioning and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. No functioning x walkability interactions were observed for recreational walking, and none of the perceived environmental variables moderated the positive association between physical functioning and the physical activity outcomes.ConclusionsFor older adults with better physical functioning, living in a high-walkable neighborhood could be beneficial to engage in more transport walking. Living in high-income, high-walkable neighborhoods and having better functioning might also be beneficial for more engagement in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. This might suggest a protective role of neighborhood walkability for preventing declining physical functioning and consequently decreasing physical activity levels in older adults. However, given the cross-sectional design of the present study, this suggestion needs to be confirmed through longitudinal assessment investigating over-time changes in the observed associations.

Leukocyte Telomere Length is Associated With Serum Vitamin B12 and Homocysteine Levels in Older Adults With the Presence of Systemic Inflammation.

Folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine (HCY) are involved in the metabolism of nucleic acid precursors and it has been hypothesized that they also influence telomere length, a biomarker of aging. However, previous studies have reported inconsistent findings, and data for older adults are limited. Our study aimed to evaluate associations between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and serum folate, vitamin B12, and HCY levels among adults aged 55 years and over. In a cross-sectional study in 798 men and women aged 55-79 years, serum folate, vitamin B12, and HCY levels were measured using chemiluminescent immunometric assays, and relative LTL was assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. To evaluate associations between LTL and serum folate, vitamin B12, and HCY levels, multiple linear regression models were used. In multiple models adjusted for age, sex, serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, and other potential confounding factors, we found no association between LTL and serum folate, vitamin B12, and HCY levels. However, we did find a significant inverse association between HCY levels and LTL in participants with serum hs-CRP levels of ≥ 2 mg/L (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was a trend toward an association between HCY and vitamin B12 levels in these individuals (p = 0.08). In those with serum hs-CRP levels of < 2 mg/L, HCY was inversely associated with vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.001) and had no association with LTL. Our findings suggest that increased serum HCY levels, when combined with the presence of systemic inflammation, may play a role in accelerating biological aging.

Association between Nutritional Status Determined By Mini Nutritional Assessment and Serum Marker Levels in Older Adults at Eldercare Facilities

Malnutrition in the older adult is an ongoing situation in Mexico and is most apparent in individuals that reside in hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement homes. For that reason, it is necessary to evaluate the nutritional status of these adults by means of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and levels of three serum indicators that are commonly ordered when making malnutrition diagnosis. An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 older adults residing in eldercare facilities. Nutritional status was evaluated by means of the MNA and three serum indicators (albumin, ferritin, and hemoglobin). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, and a Student’s t test, based on gender and reference values, was used to compare mean values of the three serum indicators.  A Chi-square test was used to compare proportions in individuals, based on gender, who had normal nutritional status or were malnourished, and who were at-risk of malnutrition.  A One-way ANOVA with Scheffé post hoc test was used to identify the association between serum indicators and nutritional status of older adults. Of the 100 older adults studied, 53% were men and 47% were women. The mean age was 85±0.7 years. According to the MNA, 20% had normal nutritional status, 55% were at-risk of malnutrition, and 25% were malnourished. The mean indicator values were: albumin 4.7±0.04 g/dL, ferritin 74.2±8.7 ng/mL, and hemoglobin 13.0±0.1 g/dL. No significant association was found between serum indicators and each MNA classification; however, when the same indicators were compared between the sexes, hemoglobin showed a significant difference (P=0.037). Women had lower values but those values did not extend beyond the established physiological range for this population. There was a 55% prevalence of risk of malnutrition in the nutritional status of older adults living in Mexican eldercare facilities in a Mexican province and it was even more frequent in women.ÂÂ

Association between omega-3 index and blood lipids in older Australians

Management of hyperlipidaemia remains a cornerstone therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) has been shown to modulate blood lipid profiles and reduce the risk of developing CVD. However, studies relating objective measures of long-term dietary n-3 PUFA intake and circulating lipid levels in older adults are limited. Thus, we aimed to determine whether there is an association between erythrocyte n-3 PUFA status (omega-3 index, O3I) and blood lipid profiles in older adults. A sample of adults aged 65–95 years who participated in the Retirement Health and Lifestyle Study was evaluated. Outcome measures included O3I (% eicosapentaenoic acid+% docosahexaenoic acid) and fasting blood lipid profiles [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and triglyceride (TG)]. Two hundred and seventy-six subjects were included in the analyses. The mean±SD age was 77.6±7.4 years, and 40.9% were males. O3I was significantly higher in females compared to males. O3I was inversely associated with plasma TG (P<.001) and TC/HDL-cholesterol ratio (P<.05), and positively associated with HDL-cholesterol (P<.05), in all subjects. Associations between O3I and TG were evident in both females (r=−0.250, P<.01) and males (r=−0.225, P<.05). In females only, the odds of being hypertriglyceridaemic were highest in those with lowest O3I (P=.006). Trends for hypercholesterolaemia and elevated LDL risk were converse between males and females. Long-term n-3 PUFA status is associated with blood lipid profiles in older Australians. Our findings support the development and implementation of age-specific dietary strategies to reduce the risk of CVD via improving the O3I.

Phone behaviour and its relationship to loneliness in older adults

Objectives: Loneliness and social isolation are two important health outcomes among older adults. Current assessment of these outcomes relies on self-report which is susceptible to bias. This paper reports on the relationship between loneliness and objective measures of isolation using a phone monitoring device.Method: Phone monitors were installed in the homes of 26 independent elderly individuals from the ORCATECH Life Laboratory cohort (age 86 ± 4.5, 88% female) and used to monitor the daily phone usage for an average of 174 days. Loneliness was assessed using the 20-item University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness scale. A mixed effects negative binomial regression was used to model the relationship between loneliness and social isolation, as assessed using the total number of calls, controlling for cognitive function, pain, age, gender, and weekday. A secondary analysis examined the differential effect of loneliness on incoming and outgoing calls.Results: The average UCLA Loneliness score was 35.3 ± 7.6, and the median daily number of calls was 4. Loneliness was negatively associated with telephone use (IRR = 0.99, p < 0.05). Daily phone use was also associated with gender (IRR = 2.03, p < 0.001) and cognitive status (IRR = 1.51, p < 0.001). The secondary analysis revealed that loneliness was significantly related to incoming (IRR = 0.98, p < 0.01) but not outgoing calls.Conclusions: These results demonstrate the close relationship between loneliness and social isolation, showing that phone behaviour is associated with emotional state and cognitive function. Because phone behaviour can be monitored unobtrusively, it may be possible to sense loneliness levels in older adults using objective assessments of key aspects of behaviour.

Patterns of Physical Activity Among Older Adults in New York City: A Latent Class Approach.

Little research to date has explored typologies of physical activity among older adults. An understanding of physical activity patterns may help to both determine the health benefits of different types of activity and target interventions to increase activity levels in older adults. This analysis, conducted in 2014, used a latent class analysis approach to characterize patterns of physical activity in a cohort of older adults. A total of 3,497 men and women aged 65-75 years living in New York City completed the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) in 2011. PASE scale items were used to classify subjects into latent classes. Multinomial regression was then used to relate individual and neighborhood characteristics to class membership. Five latent classes were identified: "least active," "walkers," "domestic/gardening," "athletic," and "domestic/gardening athletic." Individual-level predictors, including more education, higher income, and better self-reported health, were associated with membership in the more-active classes, particularly the athletic classes. Residential characteristics, including living in single-family housing and living in the lower-density boroughs of New York City, were predictive of membership in one of the domestic/gardening classes. Class membership was associated with BMI even after controlling for total PASE score. This study suggests that individual and neighborhood characteristics are associated with distinct physical activity patterns in a group of older urban adults. These patterns are associated with body habitus independent of overall activity.

Physical activity in non-frail and frail older adults.

IntroductionPhysical activity (PA) is important for healthy ageing. Better insight into objectively measured PA levels in older adults is needed, since most previous studies employed self-report measures for PA assessment, which are associated with overestimation of PA.AimThis study aimed to provide insight in objectively measured indoor and outdoor PA of older adults, and in PA differences by frailty levels.MethodsData were collected among non-frail (N = 74) and frail (N = 10) subjects, aged 65 to 89 years. PA, measured for seven days with accelerometers and GPS-devices, was categorized into three levels of intensity (sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA).ResultsOlder adults spent most time in sedentary and light PA. Subjects spent 84.7%, 15.1% and 0.2% per day in sedentary, light and moderate-to-vigorous PA respectively. On average, older adults spent 9.8 (SD 23.7) minutes per week in moderate-to-vigorous activity, and 747.0 (SD 389.6) minutes per week in light activity. None of the subjects met the WHO recommendations of 150 weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA. Age-, sex- and health status-adjusted results revealed no differences in PA between non-frail and frail older adults. Subjects spent significantly more sedentary time at home, than not at home. Non-frail subjects spent significantly more time not at home during moderate-to-vigorous activities, than at home.ConclusionsObjective assessment of PA in older adults revealed that most PA was of light intensity, and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA was very low. None of the older adults met the World Health Organization recommendations for PA. These levels of MVPA are much lower than generally reported based on self-reported PA. Future studies should employ objective methods, and age specific thresholds for healthy PA levels in older adults are needed. These results emphasize the need for effective strategies for healthy PA levels for the growing proportion of older adults.

Effect of Resistance Training on Intermuscular Adipose Tissue in Older Adults at Risk of Mobility Limitations

High levels of intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) in older adults are associated with muscle weakness and mobility limitations. This study determined if IMAT levels in older adults at risk of mobility limitations can be reduced following 12‐weeks of high‐load (HL)or low‐load blood flow restricted (BFR) resistance training. Twenty‐seven older adults (77.6 + 8.9 years; 27.3 +2.7 kg·m‐2) with low quadriceps muscle strength were randomly assigned to twice weekly sessions of HL (70% one repetition maximum, 1RM), BFR (30% 1RM coupled with a vascular restriction of 1.5 times systolic blood pressure at the proximal thigh) or attention control (CON) for 12‐weeks. HL and BFR groups engaged in three sets of leg extension, leg press, and leg curl training to muscular failure. The CON group performed light upper body resistance training that was not expected to result in muscle adaptations. T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted to measure the volumes of skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and IMAT in the thigh region before and after training. Following training, there were no differences in IMAT (P=0.22) and there were no differences in IMAT response between groups (P=0.38). SAT did not change over time (P=0.33) and there were no differences in SAT response between groups (P=0.39). Muscle volume significantly increased in the BFR group only (~5%; P=0.03) and was unchanged in the HL (~1.4%; P=0.18) and CON (~0.1; P=0.84). Twelve weeks of HL or BFR resistance training did not affect IMAT levels in older adults but it did improve muscle volume only after BFR training.Supported by NIH grant 1R15 A6040700‐01A1.

Higher levels of adiponectin in vascular endothelial cells are associated with greater brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in older adults

Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived protein, exerts anti-atherosclerotic effects on the vascular endothelium. Recently adiponectin protein has been reported in murine vascular endothelial cells, however, whether adiponectin is present in human vascular endothelial cells remains unexplored. We sought to examine 1) adiponectin protein in vascular endothelial cells collected from older adults free of overt cardiovascular disease; 2) the relation between endothelial cell adiponectin and in vivo vascular endothelial function; and 3) the relation between endothelial cell adiponectin, circulating (plasma) adiponectin and related factors. We measured vascular endothelial function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation using ultrasonography), vascular endothelial cell adiponectin (biopsy coupled with quantitative immunofluorescence) and circulating adiponectin (Mercodia, ELISA) in older, sedentary, non-smoking, men and women (55–79years). We found that higher endothelial cell adiponectin was related with greater flow-mediated dilation (r=0.43, P<0.05) and greater flow-mediated dilation normalized for shear stress (r=0.56, P<0.01), but was not related with vascular smooth muscle responsiveness to nitric oxide (r=0.04, P=0.9). Vascular endothelial cell adiponectin was not related with circulating adiponectin (r=−0.14, P=0.6). Endothelial cell and circulating adiponectin were differentially associated with adiposity, metabolic and other factors, but both were inversely associated with renal function (r=0.44 to 0.62, P≤0.04). In conclusion, higher endothelial cell adiponectin levels are associated with higher vascular endothelial function, independent of circulating adiponectin levels in older adults.

Visual-Somatosensory Integration is Linked to Physical Activity Level in Older Adults.

Studies examining multisensory integration (MSI) in aging consistently demonstrate greater reaction time (RT) facilitation in old compared to young adults, but often fail to determine the utility of MSI. The aim of the current experiment was to further elucidate the utility of MSI in aging by determining its relationship to physical activity level. 147 non-demented older adults (mean age 77 years; 57% female) participated. Participants were instructed to make speeded responses to visual, somatosensory, and visual-somatosensory (VS) stimuli. Depending on the magnitude of the individuals' RT facilitation, participants were classified into a MSI or NO MSI group. Physical activity was assessed using a validated physical activity scale. As predicted, RTs to VS stimuli were significantly shorter than those elicited to constituent unisensory conditions. Multisensory RT facilitation was a significant predictor of total number of physical activity days per month, with individuals in the NO MSI group reporting greater engagement in physical activities compared to those requiring greater RT facilitation.

Inferring loneliness levels in older adults from smartphones

The number of older adult has increased significantly in most current societies. One problem that is accentuated in the stage of old age is loneliness which is a serious health risk. Therefore, new methods for early detection of this condition that make use of new non-intrusive technologies are required. Loneliness includes four main factors (family, spousal, social and existential crisis). In this paper, four predictive models to determine the level of loneliness of each factor are proposed, focusing on the activities that can be monitored using a Smartphone. Predictive models have been evaluated on basis of their accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, type I and type II error rates. This paper also presents the results of the experimentation of the proposed approach in practice and with real users through a mobile application called “!'Vive!” that implements the predictive models.