Age- and sex-associated modification of plasma melatonin concentrations in man. Relationship to pathology, malignant or not, and autopsy findings

1985 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Touitou ◽  
M. Fevre-Montange ◽  
J. Proust ◽  
E. Klinger ◽  
J. P. Nakache
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Women ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Autopsy Findings ◽  
Plasma Melatonin ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Pineal Function ◽  
Diagnostic Applications ◽  
Inflammatory Syndrome

Abstract. Plasma melatonin concentrations were determined in 757 unselected elderly patients aged 80.9 ± 9.7 years. The daytime (8–9.30 h) plasma levels of melatonin were in the so-called normal range in only one third of the population whereas 65% of the subjects had abnormal levels of the hormone, most often decreased i.e. less than 0.17 nmol/l (53%) and sometimes increased i.e. 0.43 nmol/l or higher (12%). A control group of healthy elderly subjects showed the same distribution as the entire population. A sex-difference with significantly higher levels of plasma melatonin in elderly women was observed. With respect to pathology and autopsy findings high levels of the hormone correlated with cancer, chronic renal failure, cardiovascular disease, biological inflammatory syndrome and diabetes. Low levels correlated with neurologic disease, tobacco or alcohol addiction. However, some of these relations were found to be sex-related as they were observed in women but not in men. Our data indicate that pineal function seems to be often altered in elderly human subjects and suggest potential diagnostic applications of melatonin determination.

Patterns of plasma melatonin with ageing and mental condition: stability of nyctohemeral rhythms and differences in seasonal variations

1984 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvan Touitou ◽  
Michèle Fèvre ◽  
Andrè Bogdan ◽  
Alain Reinberg ◽  
Jean De Prins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Women ◽  
Senile Dementia ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Mental Condition ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Peak Time ◽  
Seasonal Rhythms ◽  
Plasma Melatonin ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract. Effects of ageing and mental condition on the nyctohemeral and seasonal rhythms of plasma melatonin in human subjects were investigated. Four groups of subjects were formed for a transverse study: 7 healthy young men (24 years), 6 elderly women, 6 elderly men and 6 elderly patients (2 men and 4 women) suffering from senile dementia (70–80 years). The subjects were synchronized. Blood samples were taken every 4 h during 24 h in January, March, June and October. In comparison to young men, the plasma levels of melatonin were markedly decreased (by about one half) in elderly subjects without any difference according to sex or mental condition. Nyctohemeral rhythms of the hormone were validated in all groups and at all sampling sessions. The nyctohemeral acrophases were remarkably stable (around 03.00 h) whatever the season, age or sex. A seasonal variation was found in all groups (except elderly women) with differences between young and elderly subjects: plasma melatonin levels were significantly lower in January than in June in young men, whereas in elderly subjects they were significantly lower in October than in January/March. No significant difference was observed in mesor, amplitude or acrophase of nyctohemeral and seasonal rhythms of plasma melatonin in patients with senile dementia when compared with healthy elderly subjects. The stability of the nyctohemeral peak time whatever the age group or season as opposed to the differences in the seasonal pattern of plasma melatonin according to the age groups raises the problems of both outdoor photoperiod and ageing in ruling the secretion of melatonin in man.

scholarly journals Effect of cortisol levels on working memory performance in elderly subjects with Alzheimer's disease

2008 ◽  
Vol 66 (3b) ◽  
pp. 619-624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Nery de Souza-Talarico ◽  
Paulo Caramelli ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
Eliane Corrêa Chaves
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Acute Administration ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Cortisol Levels

BACKGROUND: Subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have elevated cortisol levels as a result of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Acute administration of hydrocortisone has been associated with working memory (WM) performance in young adults. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether cortisol levels are associated with WM performance in subjects with AD. METHOD: Eighty subjects were included, comprising 40 patients with mild AD and 40 healthy elderly controls. WM was assessed using the Digit Span Backward test (DSB). Saliva samples were collected to determine cortisol levels. RESULTS: AD subjects had poorer performance on the DSB than controls (p=0.002) and also presented higher levels of cortisol than control group (p=0.04). No significant correlation was observed between the DSB and cortisol levels in both groups (r= -0.29). CONCLUSION: In this study, elevated cortisol levels were not associated with poorer WM performance in patients with AD or in healthy elderly subjects.

scholarly journals Greater Cortical Thickness in Elderly Female Yoga Practitioners—A Cross-Sectional Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui F. Afonso ◽  
Joana B. Balardin ◽  
Sara Lazar ◽  
João R. Sato ◽  
Nadja Igarashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Superior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Yoga Practitioners

Yoga, a mind-body activity that requires attentional engagement, has been associated with positive changes in brain structure and function, especially in areas related to awareness, attention, executive functions and memory. Normal aging, on the other hand, has also been associated with structural and functional brain changes, but these generally involve decreased cognitive functions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare brain cortical thickness (CT) in elderly yoga practitioners and a group of age-matched healthy non-practitioners. We tested 21 older women who had practiced hatha yoga for at least 8 years and 21 women naive to yoga, meditation or any mind-body interventions who were matched to the first group in age, years of formal education and physical activity level. A T1-weighted MPRAGE sequence was acquired for each participant. Yoga practitioners showed significantly greater CT in a left prefrontal lobe cluster, which included portions of the lateral middle frontal gyrus, anterior superior frontal gyrus and dorsal superior frontal gyrus. We found greater CT in the left prefrontal cortex of healthy elderly women who trained yoga for a minimum of 8 years compared with women in the control group.

scholarly journals Effects of Exercise on Physical Fitness and Strength According to the Frailty Level of Female Elderly with Hypertension

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 368-376
Author(s):  
Kyung-Wan Baek ◽  
Min Chul Lee ◽  
Tae-Bong Jeon ◽  
Jun-Il Yoo ◽  
Jin Sung Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
Biceps Brachii ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Blood Lipid Profile ◽  
Test Record

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of exercise on physical fitness and strength according to their frailty level of the hypertensive female elderly aged over 65.METHODS: Female elderly subjects (>65 year) with hypertension (n=90) were classified according to their level of frailty (Fr_), and were divided into control group (Ctrl) and exercise group (Ex). Hypertensive female elderly in exercise groups were subjected to 8-week combined exercise of aerobic (stretching and walking) and resistance (elastic band and weight training) exercise twice per week (50 minutes×2 times×8 weeks). Body composition, functional fitness and skeletal muscle strength were evaluated as main variables (Ctrl, n=27; Ex, n=23; Fr_Ctrl, n=17; Fr_Ex, n=23).RESULTS: Body composition, blood pressure, fasting glucose level (include hemoglobin A<sub>1c</sub>) and blood lipid profile did not interact with the exercise intervention and frailty level. Records of 30-second chair stretch test, two-minute walk test and arm curl increased after exercise intervention regardless of frailty level. The strength of quadriceps femoris increased after exercise intervention regardless of the level of frailty. However, the strength of biceps femoris (<i>p</i><.001), biceps brachii (<i>p</i><.05) and triceps brachii (<i>p</i><.001) was significantly increased in the Fr_Ex compared to pre-intervention of exercise.CONCLUSIONS: The classification according to the level of frailty in hypertensive female elderly can have a significant effect on the degree of muscle strength improvement by exercise intervention. In addition, this study newly discovered that the improvement of 30-s chair stretch test record in the hypertensive elderly women appeared faster than the improvement of the rapid-gait test record independently of the level of frailty.

Differences in the seasonal rhythmicity of plasma prolactin in elderly human subjects: detection in women but not in men

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvan Touitou ◽  
Alain Carayon ◽  
Alain Reinberg ◽  
André Bogdan ◽  
Hervé Beck
Keyword(s):  
Sex Difference ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Mental Condition ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Plasma Prolactin ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Young And Elderly Subjects ◽  
Seasonal Rhythmicity

Effects of age, sex and mental condition on the circadian and circannual rhythmicity of plasma prolactin in human subjects were investigated. Circannual changes were recorded on a circadian basis in January, March, June and October in four groups of subjects: seven young men, six elderly men, six elderly women and six senile demented patients (two men and four women). Blood samples were drawn every 4 h over a 24-h period at the four sampling sessions. Circadian rhythms of the hormone were validated in all groups and at all sampling sessions except twice in elderly demented subjects. The 24-h mean levels of prolactin in plasma were approximately the same in young and elderly subjects. The circadian acrophases were most often located in the vicinity of 02.00–04.00 h. The circannual rhythmicity of the hormone showed a sex difference; the rhythm was not validated in either young or elderly men but was detected in the groups of elderly women and elderly demented patients (mainly women). The acrophases were located in May. This paper strongly suggests a sex difference in the circannual rhythmicity of plasma prolactin levels in elderly subjects.

scholarly journals Action Mechanism of Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Used to Treat Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly Women

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Yusni Yusni ◽  
Firdalena Meutia
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
Cortisol Levels

Objective. Rosella is a safe medicinal herb used by people in Indonesia. They believe that rosella is effective in controlling metabolic syndrome, working with antihypertension, antidiabetic, antidyslipidemia and antiobesity effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of rosella in controlling metabolic syndrome through the secretion of blood nitric oxide (NO) and the cortisol pathway. Methods. This study was a quasiexperimental, pretest-posttest with control group design. The total subjects were 18 people, women, and the elderly. Subjects were selected randomly into 2 groups: control group (n = 8) and treatment group (n = 8). The treatment was rosella tea, a dose of 2 grams, duration 2 times a day, given in the morning (08.00–8.30 a.m.) and evening (06.30–7.00 p.m.) after meals for 21 days. Examination of NO and cortisol levels was carried out using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results. There was a significant decrease in bodyweight (BW) (p=0.021), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p=0.049), glucose preprandial (FPG) (p=0.014), total cholesterol (CT) (p=0.001), triglycerides (TGs) (p=0.014), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (p=0.001), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (p=0.010) after consuming rosella. NO levels were significantly increased (p=0.012), whereas cortisol levels decreased significantly (p=0.008) after therapy with rosella tea in elderly women. Conclusion. Rosella has shown evidence to control and lower blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile, and cortisol in the elderly with metabolic syndrome. Rosella is a traditional medicine that has the potential to be developed as a therapy for metabolic syndrome patients.

Mood Alterations following an Indoor and Outdoor Exercise Program in Healthy Elderly Women

2005 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 707-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Matsouka ◽  
C. Kabitsis ◽  
Y. Harahousou ◽  
I. Trigonis
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Women ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Minimal Amount ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Multiple Components ◽  
Recreational Exercise ◽  
Positive Engagement ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-wk. recreational exercise program on mood state of 55 sedentary elderly women, ages 60 to 75 years, as well to examine the minimal amount of weekly exercise needed to produce these changes. The variables comprising mood state were Positive Engagement, Revitalization, Tranquility, and Physical Exhaustion. Subjects were allocated to three exercise groups ( n = 15 each) and one control group ( n = 10). Exercise was performed for 45 min. three times, twice, or once a week by one group each. Subjects were pre-and posttested on the selected variables. Those who participated three times a week had significantly more positive mood profiles than nonexercisers and those who exercised once a week, but profiles for those who exercised three or two times a week were similar. It is concluded that the group's improvement in both positive and negative affect corresponded to the frequency of exercise in their program. However, participation at least two times a week is necessary for significant mood alterations. Findings are discussed in terms of improvements in design and measurement and the need to focus research on multiple components of fitness in relation to mood state in an elderly sample.

Effects of a Nutritional Supplement Fortified with Vitamin B-12 on Well Nourished, Free-Living Elderly Subjects

2006 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Hirsch ◽  
Laura Leiva ◽  
Pía de la Maza ◽  
Vivian Gattás ◽  
Gladys Barrera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Serum Vitamin ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Nutritional Supplement ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Vitamin B 12

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is prevalent among the elderly population but it is often unrecognized because the clinical manifestations are not present. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a nutritional supplement fortified with vitamin B-12 on well nourished, free-living elderly subjects. Patients and methods: Healthy elderly subjects attending two of four clinics were allocated to receive, over six months’ duration, a nutritional supplement with 3.8 µg of vitamin B-12. Subjects attending the other two clinics served as controls. Serum vitamin B-12 levels were measured at baseline and 6 months after the supplementation was started. Results: After 6 months of consuming the supplement fortified with vitamin B-12, serum B-12 concentration increased from 350.1 ± 166.5 pmol/L to 409.0 ± 166.1 and decreased in the control group from 319.4 ± 129.1 to 290.1 ± 135.7 (ANOVA, p < 0.005). Conclusion: A supplementation with 3.8 µg /day of vitamin B-12 led to significant improvements in the serum concentrations of vitamin B-12 in older persons.

Enhanced circadian rhythm of melatonin in anorexia nervosa

1989 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 574-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Tortosa ◽  
Manuel Puig-Domingo ◽  
Miguel-Angel Peinado ◽  
Josep Oriola ◽  
Susan M. Webb ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Pineal Gland ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Melatonin Secretion ◽  
Plasma Melatonin ◽  
Pineal Function ◽  
The Mean

Abstract. Plasma melatonin circadian profiles were investigated in a group of 4 patients with anorexia nervosa and 4 healthy regularly cycling women. There were no differences in the mean age of both groups, whereas the anorexia nervosa patients had lower mean body weight (37.8 ± 2.0 vs 57.0 ± 4.9 kg) and body mass index (13.9 ± 1.1 vs 20.8 ± 2.0). Samples were collected every 2 h and plasma melatonin was measured by using a RIA with an iodinated tracer. Anorexia nervosa patients exhibited higher diurnal (60.7 ± 1.8 vs 25.4 ± 1.72 pmol/l, P< 0.02) and nocturnal (419.2 ± 37.4 vs 108.0 ± 33.6 pmol/l), P< 0.001) mean plasma melatonin concentrations. There were no differences in the time peak for nocturnal melatonin secretion in both groups, detected at 02.00 h. In anorexia nervosa, the melatonin circadian profile paralleled that observed in the control group, indicating that the increased melatonin values for anorexia nervosa were probably due to an enhanced secretory pineal function rather than an impaired melatonin metabolism. These results suggest a participation of the pineal gland in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa.

scholarly journals Sensitivity and specificity of the body mass index for the diagnosis of overweight/obesity in elderly

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1519-1527 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco de Assis Guedes de Vasconcelos ◽  
Braian Alves Cordeiro ◽  
Cassiano Ricardo Rech ◽  
Edio Luiz Petroski
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Elderly Women ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Low Sensitivity

The aim of this article was to verify the sensitivity and specificity of the body mass index (BMI) cut-off points proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) for the diagnosis of obesity in the elderly. A cross-sectional study was made with 180 healthy elderly subjects from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Body fat percentage (%BF) was determined using DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). The BMI cut-off point of the NSI offers better sensitivity and specificity for men (73.7% and 72.5% respectively). For women, the lower the cut-off point the better the sensitivity, with a BMI of 25kg/m² (sensitivity of 76.3% and specificity of 100%) being the most accurate for diagnosing obesity in elderly women. The WHO cut-off point offered very low sensitivity (28.9%). The results of this investigation lead to the conclusion that the cut-off points proposed by the WHO and the ones adopted by the NSI and by Lipschitz are not good indicators of obesity for the elderly of either sex, since they offer low sensitivity.

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