A positive association between active lifestyle and hemispheric lateralization for motor control and learning in older adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 314 ◽  
pp. 38-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinsung Wang ◽  
Arthur D’Amato ◽  
Jennifer Bambrough ◽  
Ann M. Swartz ◽  
Nora E. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Control ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Hemispheric Lateralization ◽  
Active Lifestyle

The relationship between executive function and fine motor control in young and older adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 41-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. Corti ◽  
Andrew R. Johnson ◽  
Hayley Riddle ◽  
Natalie Gasson ◽  
Robert Kane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Control ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Fine Motor ◽  
Fine Motor Control ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 restriction measures on loneliness among older adults in Austria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin Stolz ◽  
Hannes Mayerl ◽  
Wolfgang Freidl
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Opening Phase

Abstract Background To halt the spread of COVID-19, Austria implemented a 7-week ’lockdown’ in March/April 2020. We assess whether the ensuing reduction in social contacts led to increased loneliness among older adults (60+). Methods Three analyses were conducted: (1) A comparison between pre-pandemic (SHARE: 2013-2017) and pandemic (May 2020) levels of loneliness (UCLA-3 scale), (2) an assessment of the cross-sectional correlation between being affected by COVID-19 restriction measures and loneliness (May 2020), and (3) a longitudinal analysis of weekly changes (March-June 2020) in loneliness (Corona panel). Results We found (1) increased loneliness in 2020 compared with previous years, (2) a moderate positive association between the number of restriction measures older adults were affected from and their loneliness, and (3) that loneliness was higher during ’lockdown’ compared to the subsequent re-opening phase, particularly among those who live alone. Conclusion We provide evidence that COVID-19 restriction measures in Austria have indeed resulted in increased levels of loneliness among older adults. However, these effects seem to be short-lived, and thus no strong negative consequences for older adults’ mental health are expected. Nonetheless, the effects on loneliness, and subsequent mental health issues, might be both more long-lasting and severe if future restriction measures are enacted repeatedly and/or over longer time periods.

scholarly journals Wisdom and fluid intelligence are dissociable in healthy older adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Cutter A. Lindbergh ◽  
Heather Romero-Kornblum ◽  
Sophia Weiner-Light ◽  
J. Clayton Young ◽  
Corrina Fonseca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Older Adults

ABSTRACT Objectives: The relationship between wisdom and fluid intelligence (Gf) is poorly understood, particularly in older adults. We empirically tested the magnitude of the correlation between wisdom and Gf to help determine the extent of overlap between these two constructs. Design: Cross-sectional study with preregistered hypotheses and well-powered analytic plan (https://osf.io/h3pjx). Setting: Memory and Aging Center at the University of California San Francisco, located in the USA. Participants: 141 healthy older adults (mean age = 76 years; 56% female). Measurements: Wisdom was quantified using a well-validated self-report-based scale (San Diego Wisdom Scale or SD-WISE). Gf was assessed via composite measures of processing speed (Gf-PS) and executive functioning (Gf-EF). The relationships of SD-WISE scores to Gf-PS and Gf-EF were tested in bivariate correlational analyses and multiple regression models adjusted for demographics (age, sex, and education). Exploratory analyses evaluated the relationships between SD-WISE and age, episodic memory performance, and dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortical volumes on magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Wisdom showed a small, positive association with Gf-EF (r = 0.181 [95% CI 0.016, 0.336], p = .031), which was reduced to nonsignificance upon controlling for demographics, and no association with Gf-PS (r = 0.019 [95% CI −0.179, 0.216], p = .854). Wisdom demonstrated a small, negative correlation with age (r = −0.197 [95% CI −0.351, −0.033], p = .019), but was not significantly related to episodic memory or prefrontal volumes. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that most of the variance in wisdom (>95%) is unaccounted for by Gf. The independence of wisdom from cognitive functions that reliably show age-associated declines suggests that it may hold unique potential to bolster decision-making, interpersonal functioning, and other everyday activities in older adults.

scholarly journals Effects of aging on motor control strategies during bimanual isometric force control

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-275
Author(s):  
Yan Jin ◽  
JiWon Seong ◽  
YoungChae Cho ◽  
BumChul Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Control ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Force Control ◽  
Isometric Force ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Force Variability ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Force Accuracy

Aging-induced degeneration of the neuromuscular system would result in deteriorated complex muscle force coordination and difficulty in executing daily activities that require both hands. The aim of this study was to provide a basic description of how aging and dual-task activity would affect the motor control strategy during bimanual isometric force control in healthy adults. In total, 17 young adults (aged 25.1 ± 2.4 years) and 14 older adults (aged 72.6 ± 3.4 years) participated in the study. The subjects were instructed to press both hands simultaneously to match the 1 Hz sine curve force under two conditions (with or without calculation) with continuous visual feedback. Differences in bimanual motor synergy, bimanual coordination, force accuracy, force variability, and calculation speed were compared. This study found that the specific motor control strategy of older adults involved a decreased bimanual force control ability with both increased VUCM and VORT, and was not influenced by dual tasking. These findings might have implications for establishing interventions for aging-induced hand force control deficits.

scholarly journals Technology Adaptivity Mediates the Effect of Technology Biography on Internet Use Variability

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Seifert ◽  
Stefan T Kamin ◽  
Frieder R Lang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Path Model ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Activities ◽  
Past Experiences

Abstract Background and Objectives Increasing numbers of older adults use the internet, but relatively little is known about the range and determinants of different online activities among older internet users. This study explores the interplay between technology-related biographical experiences and subjective technology adaptivity to explain the variability of internet use. Older adults who report having had more biographical experiences with technologies were expected to use a greater range of online activities. In addition, subjective technology adaptivity was expected to serve as a mediator of this relationship. Research Design and Methods The analyses are based on a sample of 707 community-dwelling older participants of the University of the Third Age between 60 and 95 years of age (mean age = 72.49 years; 48% female) who use the internet. The measures include self-reports of online activities, technology-related biographical experiences, subjective technology adaptivity, and personal characteristics (age, gender, education, income, living-together status, and subjective health). Correlations and a path model with mediator effects were used to explore the research hypothesis. Results The bivariate effects on the variability of internet use showed that study subjects participated in a greater range of online activities when they lived together with other people and were male, younger, and had higher levels of subjective technology adaptivity, technology-related biographical experiences, and educational level. The direct effects on the mediator show higher levels of subjective technology adaptivity for people who reported greater technology-related biographical experiences and for those who reported higher levels of subjective health. Discussion and Implications The results show that the positive association between people’s past experiences with and stances toward technology in their own lifetimes and their range of diverse internet activities is mediated by subjective technology adaptivity. The findings also help to illustrate which biographical factors and which current individual factors explain differences in actual online behavior.

scholarly journals Neural Correlates of Age-Related Changes in Precise Grip Force Regulation: A Combined EEG-fNIRS Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisa Berger ◽  
Fabian Steinberg ◽  
Fabian Thomas ◽  
Michael Doppelmayr
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Control ◽  
Force Control ◽  
Grip Force ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Dominant Hand ◽  
Grip Force Control ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Changes

Motor control is associated with suppression of oscillatory activity in alpha (8–12 Hz) and beta (12–30 Hz) ranges and elevation of oxygenated hemoglobin levels in motor-cortical areas. Aging leads to changes in oscillatory and hemodynamic brain activity and impairments in motor control. However, the relationship between age-related changes in motor control and brain activity is not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate age-related and task-complexity-related changes in grip force control and the underlying oscillatory and hemodynamic activity. Sixteen younger [age (mean ± SD) = 25.4 ± 1.9, 20–30 years] and 16 older (age = 56.7 ± 4.7, 50–70 years) healthy men were asked to use a power grip to perform six trials each of easy and complex force tracking tasks (FTTs) with their right dominant hand in a randomized within-subject design. Grip force control was assessed using a sensor-based device. Brain activity in premotor and primary motor areas of both hemispheres was assessed by electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Older adults showed significantly higher inaccuracies and higher hemodynamic activity in both FTTs than did young adults. Correlations between grip force control owing to task complexity and beta activity were different in the contralateral premotor cortex (PMC) between younger and older adults. Collectively, these findings suggest that aging leads to impairment of grip force control and an increase in hemodynamic activity independent of task complexity. EEG beta oscillations may represent a task-specific neurophysiological marker for age-related decline in complex grip force control and its underlying compensation strategies. Further EEG-fNIRS studies are necessary to determine neurophysiological markers of dysfunctions underlying age-related motor disabilities for the improvement of individual diagnosis and therapeutic approaches.

scholarly journals Happiness and Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults: Investigating the Mediational Roles of Disability, Depression, Social Contact Frequency, and Loneliness

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 4954
Author(s):  
Jit Hui Tan ◽  
Edimansyah Abdin ◽  
Shazana Shahwan ◽  
Yunjue Zhang ◽  
Rajeswari Sambasivam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Frequency Of Contact ◽  
Contact Frequency

Background: Understanding the lower level of happiness among older adults with cognitive impairment has been a largely neglected issue. This study (1) reports on the level of happiness among older adults in Singapore and (2) examines the potential mediating roles of depression, disability, social contact frequency, and loneliness in the relationship between cognitive scores and happiness. Methods: Data for this study were extracted from the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study: a cross-sectional; comprehensive single-phase survey conducted among Singapore citizens and permanent residents that were aged 60 years and above (n = 2565). The Geriatric Mental State examination (GMS) was administered to the participants. Questions pertaining to socio-demographic characteristics; happiness; loneliness; social contact; depression; and, disability were utilized in this study. Logistic regression analyses and mediation analyses were used to explore the correlates of happiness and potential mediating factors. Results: Overall, 96.2% of older adults in Singapore reported feeling either fairly happy or very happy. In the regression analysis, individuals of Malay descent, those who were married/cohabiting, or had higher education levels were more likely to report feeling happy. After controlling for socio-demographic factors, higher cognitive scores were associated with higher odds of reporting happiness. We found that the positive association between cognition and happiness was fully mediated by disability, depression, loneliness, and frequency of contact with friends. Conclusion: The majority of the older adult population reported feeling fairly or very happy. While cognitive impairment has shown limited reversibility in past studies, unhappiness among older adults with cognitive impairment might be potentially mitigated through interventions addressing accompanying issues of social isolation, disability, and depression

The Association between Hearing Loss, Postural Control, and Mobility in Older Adults: A Systematic Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (06) ◽  
pp. 575-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maayan Agmon ◽  
Limor Lavie ◽  
Michail Doumas
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Objective Measures ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Risk Of Falls

Background: Degraded hearing in older adults has been associated with reduced postural control and higher risk of falls. Both hearing loss (HL) and falls have dramatic effects on older persons’ quality of life (QoL). A large body of research explored the comorbidity between the two domains. Purpose: The aim of the current review is to describe the comorbidity between HL and objective measures of postural control, to offer potential mechanisms underlying this relationship, and to discuss the clinical implications of this comorbidity. Data Collection and Analysis: PubMed and Google Scholar were systematically searched for articles published in English up until October 15, 2015, using combinations of the following strings and search words: for hearing: Hearing loss, “Hearing loss,” hearing, presbycusis; for postural control: postural control, gait, postural balance, fall, walking; and for age: elderly, older adults. Results: Of 211 screened articles, 7 were included in the systematic review. A significant, positive association between HL and several objective measures of postural control was found in all seven studies, even after controlling for major covariates. Severity of hearing impairment was connected to higher prevalence of difficulties in walking and falls. Physiological, cognitive, and behavioral processes that may influence auditory system and postural control were suggested as potential explanations for the association between HL and postural control. Conclusions: There is evidence for the independent relationship between HL and objective measures of postural control in the elderly. However, a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship is yet to be elucidated. Concurrent diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of these two modalities may reduce falls and increase QoL in older adults.

Money and happiness: does age make a difference?

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1289-1306 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHANG-MING HSIEH
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Social Surveys ◽  
The Relationship

ABSTRACTAlthough the factors that influence people's perception of happiness have long been a focus for scholars, research to date has not offered conclusive findings on the relationships between income, age and happiness. This study examined the relationship between money and happiness across age groups. Analysing data from United States General Social Surveys from 1972 to 2006, this study finds that even after controlling for all the major socio-demographic variables, income (whether household income or personal equivalised income) had a significant positive association with happiness for young and middle-age adults, but it was not the same case with older adults. After controlling for the major socio-demographic variables, there was no evidence of a significant relationship between income (whichever definition) and happiness for older adults. The results also showed that the effect of household income on happiness was significantly smaller for older adults than for young or middle-age adults in the model controlling for major socio-demographic variables. The relationship between household income and happiness no longer differed significantly across age groups after social comparison variables were included. The relationship between equivalised income and happiness did not vary significantly by age group after controlling for the major socio-demographic variables.

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