Diet-Microbiota-Health Interactions in Older Subjects: Implications for Healthy Aging

2014 ◽  
pp. 141-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.B. Lynch ◽  
I.B. Jeffery ◽  
S. Cusack ◽  
E.M. O'Connor ◽  
P.W. O'Toole
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Older Subjects

Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Their Contribution to Healthy Aging

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Maria Mello ◽  
Giulia Paroni ◽  
Julia Daragjati ◽  
Alberto Pilotto
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Gastrointestinal Microbiota ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Older Subjects

Studies on populations at different ages have shown that after birth, the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota composition keeps evolving, and this seems to occur especially in old age. Significant changes in GI microbiota composition in older subjects have been reported in relation to diet, drug use and the settings where the older subjects are living, that is, in community nursing homes or in a hospital. Moreover, changes in microbiota composition in the old age have been related to immunosenescence and inflammatory processes that are pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the pathways of frailty. Frailty is an age-related condition of increased vulnerability to stresses due to the impairment in multiple inter-related physiologic systems that are associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes, such as falls, delirium, institutionalization, hospitalization and death. Preliminary data suggest that changes in microbiota composition may contribute to the variations in the biological, clinical, functional and psycho-social domains that occur in the frail older subjects. Multidimensional evaluation tools based on a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) have demonstrated to be useful in identifying and measuring the severity of frailty in older subjects. Thus, a CGA approach should be used more widely in clinical practice to evaluate the multidimensional effects potentially related to GI microbiota composition of the older subjects. Probiotics have been shown to be effective in restoring the microbiota changes of older subjects, promoting different aspects of health in elderly people as improving immune function and reducing inflammation. Whether modulation of GI microbiota composition, with multi-targeted interventions, could have an effect on the prevention of frailty remains to be further investigated in the perspective of improving the health status of frail ‘high risk' older individuals.

scholarly journals Effects of glycine and n-acetylcysteine on glutathione levels and mitochondrial energy metabolism in healthy aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 689-690
Author(s):  
Philipp Gut ◽  
Giulia Lizzo ◽  
Eugenia Migliavacca ◽  
Leonidas Karagounis ◽  
Tim Heise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Study Endpoint ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Glutathione Status ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Young Subjects

Abstract Glutathione is an intracellular antioxidant that neutralizes reactive oxygen species and prevents tissue damage. Dietary supplementation with the glutathione precursors glycine and n-acetylcysteine supports the maintenance of normal glutathione levels in several age-related diseases, but the optimal doses and their efficacy in healthy elderly are not established. We report results from a randomized controlled clinical trial in 114 healthy volunteers (mean age = 65 years) receiving glycine and n-acetylcysteine (GlyNAC) at three different doses for two weeks (1.2g/1.2, 2.4g/2.4g, 3.6g/.3.6g of each amino acid). Older subjects showed increased oxidative damage and a lower reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH:GSSG) compared to young subjects, but unchanged total glutathione levels. GlyNAC did not increase levels of circulating glutathione compared to placebo treatment, the primary study endpoint. However, stratification analyses suggest that subjects with high oxidative stress and low glutathione status responded with glutathione generation. We find that unrelated to glutathione status, healthy aging was associated with lower levels of fasting glycine that can be increased towards those observed in young subjects with supplementation. Using preclinical models, we find that tissue glycine depletion is a common feature of healthy aging. Supplementation of old mice with glycine efficiently improved age-related decline of mitochondrial respiratory function in skeletal muscle and prevented a gene program associated with protein catabolism observed in control-treated animals. In conclusion, GlyNAC is safe and well-tolerated and may selectively increase glutathione levels in older subjects with oxidative stress and glutathione demand. Our data further suggest that glycine may support mitochondrial function independently of NAC.

Changes in Esophageal and Lower Esophageal Sphincter Motility with Healthy Aging

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. Besanko ◽  
Carly M. Burgstad ◽  
Charles Cock ◽  
Richard Heddle ◽  
Alison Fraser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Esophageal Sphincter ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
High Resolution Manometry ◽  
Baseline Recording ◽  
Swallowing Difficulties ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Esophageal Sphincter ◽  
Integrated Relaxation Pressure

Background & Aims: Swallowing difficulties become increasingly prevalent in older age. Differences exist in lower esophageal sphincter (LES) function between older and younger patients with dysphagia, but the contribution of aging per se to these is unclear.Methods: Esophageal motor function was measured using high resolution manometry in older (aged 81±1.7 yrs) and younger (23±1.7 yrs) asymptomatic healthy adults. After baseline recording, motility was assessed by swallowing boluses of liquid (right lateral and upright postures) and solids. Basal LES pressure, integrated relaxation pressure, distal esophageal peristaltic amplitude and velocity were measured. Data are presented as mean ą SEM.Results: Despite a trend for lower basal LES pressure (15.7±2.9 mmHg vs. 21.0±0.2mmHg; P=0.08),completeness of LES relaxation was reduced in older subjects (liquid RL: P=0.003; UR: P=0.007; solid: P=0.03), with higher integrated relaxation pressure when upright (liquid: 6.9±1.1 vs. 3.1±0.4 mmHg; P=0.01; solids: 8.1±1.1 vs. 3.6±0.3 mmHg; P=0.001) and a longer time to recovery after liquid boluses (right lateral: P=0.01; upright: P=0.04). In young, but not older adults, esophageal peristaltic velocity was increased when upright (3.6±0.2 cm/sec; P=0.04) and reduced with solids (3.0±0.1 cm/sec; P=0.03). Distal contraction amplitude was higher with solids in the young (51.8±7.9 mmHg) but not older (41.4±6.2 mmHg; P=0.03) individuals. In elderly subjects, the distal contractile integral was higher with liquid swallows in the upright posture (P=0.006).Conclusion: There are subtle changes in LES function even in asymptomatic older individuals. These agerelated changes may contribute to the development of dysphagia.

scholarly journals Effect of Exogenous Cholecystokinin (CCK)-8 on Food Intake and Plasma CCK, Leptin, and Insulin Concentrations in Older and Young Adults: Evidence for Increased CCK Activity as a Cause of the Anorexia of Aging

2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (12) ◽  
pp. 5830-5837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline G. MacIntosh ◽  
John E. Morley ◽  
Judith Wishart ◽  
Howard Morris ◽  
Jan B. M. J. Jansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Protein Energy Malnutrition ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Postprandial Glucose ◽  
Saline Control ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Young Subjects ◽  
The Impact

Healthy aging is associated with reductions in appetite and food intake—the so-called anorexia of aging, which may predispose to protein-energy malnutrition. One possible cause of the anorexia of aging is an increased satiating effect of cholecystokinin (CCK). To investigate the impact of aging on the satiating effects of CCK, 12 young and 12 older healthy subjects received 25-min iv infusions of saline (control) and CCK-8, 1 ng/kg per min or 3 ng/k per min, on 3 separate days before a test meal. Older subjects ate less than young subjects, and food intake was suppressed 21.6% by CCK-8, compared with the control day (P < 0.05). The suppression of energy intake by CCK-8 in older subjects was twice that in young subjects (32 ± 6% vs. 16 ± 6% sem, P < 0.05) and was related to plasma CCK-8 concentrations, which were higher at baseline (P < 0.05) and increased more during CCK-8 infusions in older than young subjects (P < 0.01). The extent of suppression of food intake per given rise in plasma CCK-8 concentrations did not differ between the two age groups (P = 0.35). Endogenous CCK concentrations were higher at baseline in older subjects (P < 0.001) and decreased during the CCK-8 but not control infusions (P < 0.01), suggesting that CCK suppresses its own release. Plasma leptin concentrations were not affected by CCK infusion, whereas postprandial insulin concentrations were lowered and the peak postprandial glucose concentration was delayed but not affected by CCK-8 infusion. Because older people retain their sensitivity to the satiating effects of exogenous CCK and plasma endogenous CCK concentrations are higher in older people, increased CCK activity may contribute to the anorexia of aging.

Age-Related Differences in Processing Dynamic Information to Identify Vowel Quality

1992 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 892-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Allen Fox ◽  
Lida G. Wall ◽  
Jeanne Gokcen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Vowel Quality ◽  
Perceptual Cues ◽  
Dynamic Information ◽  
Process Dynamic ◽  
Center Condition ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Control Version ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Whole Word

This study examined age-related differences in the use of dynamic acoustic information (in the form of formant transitions) to identify vowel quality in CVCs. Two versions of 61 naturally produced, commonly occurring, monosyllabic English words were created: a control version (the unmodified whole word) and a silent-center version (in which approximately 62% of the medial vowel was replaced by silence). A group of normal-hearing young adults (19–25 years old) and older adults (61–75 years old) identified these tokens. The older subjects were found to be significantly worse than the younger subjects at identifying the medial vowel and the initial and final consonants in the silent-center condition. These results support the hypothesis of an age-related decrement in the ability to process dynamic perceptual cues in the perception of vowel quality.

1271: Effects of Darifenacin and Extended-Release Oxybutynin on Memory in Older Subjects

2006 ◽  
Vol 175 (4S) ◽  
pp. 409-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Kay ◽  
Thomas Crook ◽  
Ludmyla Rekeda ◽  
Raul Lima
Keyword(s):  
Extended Release ◽  
Older Subjects

Effects of a Group Program to Increase Cognitive Performance Through Cognitively Stimulating Leisure Activities in Healthy Older Subjects

GeroPsych ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina A. Tesky ◽  
Christian Thiel ◽  
Winfried Banzer ◽  
Johannes Pantel
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Group Program ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Older Subjects

To investigate the effects of leisure activities on cognitive performance of healthy older subjects, an innovative intervention program was developed. Frequent participation in cognitively stimulating activities (i.e., reading, playing chess, or playing music) is associated with reduced risk of dementia. AKTIVA (active cognitive stimulation – prevention in the elderly) is an intervention program designed to enhance cognitive stimulation in everyday life by increasing cognitive stimulating leisure activities. The present study determines the effects of AKTIVA on cognitive function, mood and attitude toward aging in a sample of older participants from the general population. Several measurement instruments were used including the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog), the Trail-Making Test (TMT), and the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q). Initially, the sample consisted of 307 older persons (170 female, 72 ± 7 years). The intervention was evaluated with a randomized, controlled pre-post follow-up design. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: AKTIVA intervention (n = 126), AKTIVA intervention plus nutrition and exercise counseling (n = 84), no-intervention control group (n = 97). The AKTIVA intervention consisted of 8 weekly sessions and two booster sessions after a break of 4 months. Participation in the group program resulted in positive effects on cognitive function and attitude toward aging for subassembly groups. Older persons (≥ 75 years) showed enhanced speed of information processing (by TMT Version A) (F = 4.17*, p < .05); younger participants (< 75 years) showed an improvement in subjective memory decline (by MAC-Q) (F = 2.55*, p < .05). Additionally, AKTIVA enhanced the frequency of activities for leisure activities for subassembly groups. The results of this study suggest that the AKTIVA program can be used to increase cognitively stimulating leisure activities in the elderly. Further research is necessary to identify the long-term effects of this intervention particularly with respect to the prevention of dementia.

Longitudinal Changes in Individual BrainAGE in Healthy Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease

GeroPsych ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Franke ◽  
Christian Gaser
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Brain Aging ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Additional Increase ◽  
Longitudinal Changes ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
The Brain

We recently proposed a novel method that aggregates the multidimensional aging pattern across the brain to a single value. This method proved to provide stable and reliable estimates of brain aging – even across different scanners. While investigating longitudinal changes in BrainAGE in about 400 elderly subjects, we discovered that patients with Alzheimer’s disease and subjects who had converted to AD within 3 years showed accelerated brain atrophy by +6 years at baseline. An additional increase in BrainAGE accumulated to a score of about +9 years during follow-up. Accelerated brain aging was related to prospective cognitive decline and disease severity. In conclusion, the BrainAGE framework indicates discrepancies in brain aging and could thus serve as an indicator for cognitive functioning in the future.

Psychophysiological Responses to Stress Related to Anxiety in Healthy Aging

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Adorni ◽  
Agostino Brugnera ◽  
Alessia Gatti ◽  
Giorgio A. Tasca ◽  
Kaoru Sakatani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Stressful Condition ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Situational Stress ◽  
Anxiety Response ◽  
Nirs Signal ◽  
Psychophysiological Correlates

Abstract. The aim of the study was to explore the effects of situational stress and anxiety in a group of healthy elderly, both in terms of psychophysiological correlates and cognitive performance. Eighteen participants ( Mage = 70 ± 6.3; range 60–85) were assessed for anxiety and were instructed to perform a computerized math task, under both a stressful and a control condition, while near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) signal and electrocardiography (ECG) were recorded. NIRS results evidenced an increased activation of right PFC during the entire procedure, even if effect sizes between left and right channels were larger during the experimental condition. The amount of right activation during the stressful condition was positively correlated with anxiety. Response times (RTs) were slower in more anxious than in less anxious individuals, both during the control and stressful conditions. Accuracy was lower in more anxious than in less anxious individuals, only during the stressful condition. Moreover, heart rate (HR) was not modulated by situational stress, nor by anxiety. Overall, the present study suggests that in healthy elderly, anxiety level has a significant impact on cerebral responses, and both on the amount of cognitive resources and the quality of performance in stressful situations.

Prospective Memory Development Across the Lifespan

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha Zuber ◽  
Matthias Kliegel
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Memory ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Present Model ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Everyday Functioning ◽  
Integrative Framework

Abstract. Prospective Memory (PM; i.e., the ability to remember to perform planned tasks) represents a key proxy of healthy aging, as it relates to older adults’ everyday functioning, autonomy, and personal well-being. The current review illustrates how PM performance develops across the lifespan and how multiple cognitive and non-cognitive factors influence this trajectory. Further, a new, integrative framework is presented, detailing how those processes interplay in retrieving and executing delayed intentions. Specifically, while most previous models have focused on memory processes, the present model focuses on the role of executive functioning in PM and its development across the lifespan. Finally, a practical outlook is presented, suggesting how the current knowledge can be applied in geriatrics and geropsychology to promote healthy aging by maintaining prospective abilities in the elderly.

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