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Video games offer the potential of “experiential medicine”

Scientists at UC San Francisco's Neuroscape Center have developed video game interventions that improve key aspects of cognition in aging adults, including short-term memory, attention and long-term memory. The games use adaptive closed-loop algorithms to challenge players, keeping them engaged while adapting difficulty levels.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 3, 2022

How does what we eat affect our healthspan and longevity? It’s a complex dynamic system

A recent study published in BMC Biology found that normal variation in dietary patterns affects the aging process. The researchers identified key patterns of specific nutrients associated with minimal biological aging, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to nutrition and aging. The findings suggest that balanced nutrient intak...

Young-onset type 2 diabetes linked to substantially higher relative risk of cardiovascular disease and death, finds study of 1.9 million adults

A new study of 1.9 million adults found that young-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with a substantially higher relative risk of cardiovascular disease and death. Individuals diagnosed with early-onset T2D aged 40 or younger had five times more likelihood to develop heart disease, seven times more likely to be hospitalized with hear...

Ethnicity, poverty, low community involvement linked to lasting loneliness

A study of 641 participants found that midlife and older Hispanic/Latinx adults were more likely to experience prolonged loneliness, with 16% persistently lonely. The researchers suggest that culturally important familism was disrupted by social distancing, and reduced access to transportation and community activities may contribute to...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateAug 30, 2022

Physical activity may have a stronger role than genes in longevity

A recent study published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that higher levels of light physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with lower risk of death. In contrast, higher sedentary time was linked to increased mortality risk, regardless of genetic predisposition for longevity.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalJournal of Aging and Physical Activity·TypeObservational study·DateAug 24, 2022

Staff and facility administrator retention has been challenging for long-term care facilities

Staff turnover affects both residents and their families, compromising the quality of care. Continuity of nursing home staff and leadership is essential for delivering personalized care, as frontline workers deliver 90% of care. Researchers emphasize the need to attract and retain well-trained staff who enjoy working with older adults.

SourceRegenstrief Institute·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateAug 4, 2022

Having a partner more important than children to staving off loneliness during pandemic, new study finds

A new study published in the European Journal of Ageing found that having a partner had a greater impact on reducing loneliness among older adults during the pandemic's first wave. Not having a partner was the most significant factor, with those without a partner experiencing a higher risk of moving into loneliness.

SourceUniversity of Rhode Island·JournalEuropean Journal of Ageing·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 3, 2022

Research team receives $7 million funding award to study most effective way of sharing clinic visit information with older adults

A Dartmouth-led research team will assess the effectiveness of visit information provided to older adult patients and caregivers in improving quality of life. The CHRONICLE Trial aims to determine whether audio recordings or written summaries are more effective in sharing healthcare visit information.

15-minute city within reach for Vancouver: SFU study

A recent SFU study found that 79% of Vancouver residents have access to a grocery store within a 15-minute walk, while 99% can reach one via cycling. However, there are inequities in access across populations and neighbourhoods, disproportionately affecting children, older adults, and racialized populations.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalTransportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives·DateMay 18, 2022

Clinical study shows postbiotic urolithin a improves muscle strength and exercise performance in middle aged adults

A new clinical study published in Cell Reports Medicine found that daily intake of postbiotic Urolithin A improved muscle strength by 12% in middle-aged adults. The supplement supported the cells' ability to renew their powerplants, the mitochondria, during the aging process.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 17, 2022

Oncoscience: Altos Labs and the quest for immortality - Dr. Blagosklonny’s perspective

Dr. Blagosklonny discusses the potential of combining rapamycin with other modalities to live long enough to benefit from future discoveries in cellular reprogramming. He emphasizes that Altos Labs needs to develop rapamycin-based drug combinations to achieve additional decades of life extension, potentially within 3-5 years.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncoscience·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateMay 11, 2022

New tool to create hearing cells lost in aging

Scientists have discovered a master gene that programs ear hair cells into either outer or inner ones, enabling the development of these cells to restore hearing. This breakthrough could provide a previously unavailable tool to create specific hair cells and improve treatments for age-related hearing loss.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature·DateMay 4, 2022

Faecal transplants reverse hallmarks of ageing

Scientists have found that transplanting faecal microbiota from young mice into old mice can reverse hallmarks of ageing in the gut, eyes, and brain. The study suggests that gut microbes play a role in regulating some of the detrimental effects of ageing, offering a potential solution in the form of gut microbe replacement therapy.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalMicrobiome·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 4, 2022

Asia and Africa have similar aging burden as the west

A new study reveals that Asia and Africa have a similar aging burden to the West, with a Health-Adjusted Dependency Ratio (HADR) that indicates the impact of ill-health on dependency ratios. The HADR metric suggests that demographic age is not the only factor determining dependency, and that health levels play a significant role.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalThe Lancet Healthy Longevity·DateMay 4, 2022

The answer to keeping moose populations healthy? Wolves

A new study found that wolves preferentially target adult moose with osteoarthritis, an age-related disease, over prime-aged adults. This selective predation helps maintain a balance in prey populations, reducing the incidence of diseases such as osteoarthritis.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution·DateApr 20, 2022