Environmental Influences on Diseases in Later Life

2004 ◽  
pp. 19-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Tappy ◽  
G. Seematter ◽  
J.-L. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Later Life

scholarly journals Heritability of an Age-Dependent Categorical Phenotype: Cognitive Dysfunction

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandra A. Reynolds ◽  
Amy Fiske ◽  
Laura Fratiglioni ◽  
Nancy L. Pedersen ◽  
Margaret Gatz
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
Ordinal Data ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Relative Magnitude ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Best Fitting ◽  
Brief Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Cognitively Intact

AbstractWe investigated the extent to which cognitive dysfunction is shaped by genetic or environmental influences, and whether these factors differ in women and men. All members of the Swedish Twin Registry aged 65 and older were screened by telephone using the TELE, a brief cognitive assessment instrument (Gatz et al., 2002), and the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale (Blessed et al., 1968) from relatives of those who scored poorly on the TELE. Data were available for 4308 pairs where both members responded and 5070 pairs where only one member was alive and participated. To analyze all available data, we used a raw data method extended to ordinal data. As the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction increases with age, we incorporated age-adjusted thresholds. The best fitting model from biometric analyses indicated 35% of the variation in liability to cognitive dysfunction could be explained by heritable influences and the remaining 65% by nonfamilial environmental influences. Differences by gender were not significant. As this is a normative population including cognitively intact individuals, preclinical dementia cases and demented individuals, the relative magnitude of genetic and environmental effects is of particular interest in light of high heritabilities found for dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. The findings emphasize the extent to which research is needed to uncover nonfamilial environmental influences on cognitive dysfunction in later life.

scholarly journals Genetic and environmental influences on semantic verbal fluency across midlife and later life

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Gustavson ◽  
Matthew S. Panizzon ◽  
William S. Kremen ◽  
Chandra A. Reynolds ◽  
Marianne Nygaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Semantic Verbal Fluency

Environmental influences on healthy and active ageing: a systematic review

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAEL ANNEAR ◽  
SALLY KEELING ◽  
TIM WILKINSON ◽  
GRANT CUSHMAN ◽  
BOB GIDLOW ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Antisocial Behaviour ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Adult Health

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the evidence for environmental influences on older adult health and activity participation, identifies current knowledge gaps and limitations within this literature, and offers recommendations for future research via a systematic appraisal of 83 quantitative and qualitative studies. A Cochrane-type review procedure was followed, which incorporated structured database searches, inclusion and exclusion criteria, quality appraisal of included studies, and peer review. The review findings identify support for both personal and environmental influences on health and activity participation in later life. Reported personal influences include ethnicity and cultural norms, energy and motivation, sex, age, education, genetic heritage, self-efficacy, and personal financial circumstances. Reported environmental influences on activity participation include climate, level of pollution, street lighting, traffic conditions, accessibility and appropriateness of services and facilities, socio-economic conditions, aesthetics, pedestrian infrastructure, community life, exposure to antisocial behaviour, social network participation, environmental degradation, level of urbanism, exposure to natural settings, familiarity with local environment and others. Recommendations for future research include the need for innovative research methods; involvement of older adults as research collaborators; investigation of wider aspects of the active ageing concept; in-depth assessment of the environmental characteristics of areas; investigation of the pathways leading from environment to health and activity participation; and more theoretically informed research or increased contribution of research to theory development.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Semantic Verbal Fluency Across Midlife and Later Life

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Gustavson ◽  
◽  
Matthew S. Panizzon ◽  
William S. Kremen ◽  
Chandra A. Reynolds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Semantic Verbal Fluency

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Social Support in Later Life: A Longitudinal Analysis

2001 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Bergeman ◽  
J. M. Neiderhiser ◽  
Nancy L. Pedersen ◽  
Robert Plomin
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Later Life

Leisure Activities and the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults in Croatia

GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ljiljana Kaliterna Lipovčan ◽  
Tihana Brkljačić ◽  
Zvjezdana Prizmić Larsen ◽  
Andreja Brajša-Žganec ◽  
Renata Franc
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Financial Status

Abstract. Research shows that engagement in leisure activities promotes well-being among older adults. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between subjective well-being (flourishing) and leisure activities (total number of different activities in the previous year) in a sample of older adults in Croatia, thereby considering the variables of sex, marital status, financial status, and self-perceived health. The differences in the examined variables between the groups of older adults who reported to be engaged in new activities with those who did not were also examined. The sample of N = 169 older adults aged 60 years and above was drawn from a convenience sample of adult internet users in Croatia. Participants reported their self-perceived health and the number of leisure activities they engaged in over the previous year as well as completing the Flourishing Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that older adults who were engaged in more various leisure activities, who perceived better financial status, and who were married reported higher levels of flourishing. A comparison of the two groups of older adults with and without engagement in leisure activities showed that those engaged in at least one leisure activity were more likely to be women, reported higher levels of flourishing, and perceived their own financial status as better. This study indicated that engaging in leisure activities in later life might provide beneficial effects for the well-being of older adults.

Images of Aging in the Psychotherapeutic Context

GeroPsych ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva-Marie Kessler ◽  
Catherine E. Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Process ◽  
Images Of Aging ◽  
Client Communication

Both psychotherapists and their clients have mental representations of old age and the aging process. In this conceptual review, we draw on available research from gerontology, social and developmental psychology, and communication science to consider how these “images of aging” may affect the psychotherapeutic process with older clients. On the basis of selected empirical findings we hypothesize that such images may affect the pathways to psychotherapy in later life, therapist-client communication, client performance on diagnostic tests as well as how therapists select and apply a therapeutic method. We posit that interventions to help both older clients and therapists to reflect on their own images of aging may increase the likelihood of successful treatment. We conclude by making suggestions for future research.

Can a Theory of Suicide Predict All “Suicides” in the Elderly?

Crisis ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoon A. Leenaars
Keyword(s):  
Sigmund Freud ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Comprehensive Model ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Psychiatric Study

Summary: Older adults consistently have the highest rates of suicide in most societies. Despite the paucity of studies until recently, research has shown that suicides in later life are best understood as a multidimensional event. An especially neglected area of research is the psychological/psychiatric study of personality factors in the event. This paper outlines one comprehensive model of suicide and then raises the question: Is such a psychiatric/psychological theory applicable to all suicides in the elderly? To address the question, I discuss the case of Sigmund Freud; raise the topic of suicide and/or dignified death in the terminally ill; and examine suicide notes of the both terminally ill and nonterminally ill elderly. I conclude that, indeed, greater study and theory building are needed into the “suicides” of the elderly, including those who are terminally ill.

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