Gerontology News and Research

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Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging.

Loss of senescent cells improves pulmonary function in mice

Most cells can divide only a limited number of times and eventually undergo permanent cell cycle arrest, a state known as cellular senescence.

5 Aug 2016

Penn's ADCC receives $8.8 million grant to continue research on treatment for AD and related dementias

The University of Pennsylvania's Alzheimer's Disease Core Center has been awarded an estimated $8.8 million over five years from the National Institute on Aging to continue its mission of investigating mechanisms, diagnostics, treatments and strategies for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias including Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), Lewy Body dementia (LBD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).

3 Aug 2016

Regular physical exercise could lead to higher brain volumes and decreased dementia risk

Using the landmark Framingham Heart Study to assess how physical activity affects the size of the brain and one's risk for developing dementia, UCLA researchers found an association between low physical activity and a higher risk for dementia in older individuals.

2 Aug 2016

Researchers quantify impact of hyperkyphosis on decline in pulmonary function

Researchers from the Harvard affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research, have published a recent article in Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, suggesting that preventing or slowing progression of hyperkyphosis may reduce pulmonary decline in older adults.

29 Jul 2016

Duke Health study shows physical declines start earlier than detected

Physical declines begin sooner in life than typically detected, often when people are still in their 50s, according to a Duke Health study that focused on a large group of U.S. adults across a variety of age groups.

22 Jul 2016

Patient characteristics, outcomes differ for indoor and outdoor fallers, study shows

Falling can have serious consequences for older adults, including a loss of function and increased risk of institutionalization.

20 Jul 2016

Researchers discover novel neuroprotection strategies to slow progression of Parkinson's disease

Using a robust model for Parkinson's disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers and colleagues have discovered an interaction in neurons that contributes to Parkinson's disease, and they have shown that drugs now under development may block the process.

20 Jul 2016

Delirium in older surgical patients may be linked to long-term cognitive decline

Researchers from the Harvard Medical School - affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research have found increasing evidence that delirium in older surgical patients may be associated with long-term cognitive decline.

14 Jul 2016

Researcher receives $1.9 million grant to study development of memory networks in children

Noa Ofen, Ph.D., a Wayne State University researcher in lifespan cognitive neuroscience, received a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health to study the development of memory networks in children.

13 Jul 2016

Study examines how frequently older adults with diagnosed and undiagnosed dementia perform unsafe activities

Dementia currently affects some 5 million people in the U.S., and that number is expected to triple by 2050. Having dementia affects the way you think, act, and make decisions.

23 Jun 2016

In-hospital program improves community mobility, posthospitalization function in older adults

Decreased mobility during hospitalization for older adults is associated with increased risk of death, nursing home admission and functional decline. University of Alabama at Birmingham investigators found that patients who participated in a mobility program were less likely to experience a decline in mobility when compared to the usual care provided during hospilization.

16 Jun 2016

Researchers explore why women have ubiquitous survival advantage than men

Women live longer than men. This simple statement holds a tantalizing riddle that Steven Austad, Ph.D., and Kathleen Fischer, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham explore in a perspective piece published in Cell Metabolism on June 14.

15 Jun 2016

Video conference technology connects hospital specialists and nursing home staff to care for dementia patients

Nursing homes in the United States care for increasing numbers of people with dementia, yet many lack access to geriatric psychiatrists, behavioral neurologists and other specialists who may help manage symptoms associated with dementia, including behavioral issues.

7 Jun 2016

Hearing problems impact life space mobility of older adults

Research has found that hearing loss has wide-ranging impacts not only on older people's ability to communicate, but also on their ability to move about and participate in different hobbies and activities. This has been revealed in studies funded by the Academy of Finland whose results have been published in international scientific journals.

7 Jun 2016

Johns Hopkins study highlights added risks of undiagnosed dementia in older adults

A Johns Hopkins study on data from more than 7,000 older Americans has found that those who show signs of probable dementia but are not yet formally diagnosed are nearly twice as likely as those with such a diagnosis to engage in potentially unsafe activities, such as driving, cooking, and managing finances and medications.

2 Jun 2016

Right carbohydrate intake linked to healthy aging

Most people know that a diet high in fiber helps to keep us "regular." Now Australian researchers have uncovered a surprising benefit of this often-undervalued dietary component.

2 Jun 2016

Fasting-mimicking diet may help decrease multiple sclerosis symptoms

Evidence is mounting that a diet mimicking the effects of fasting has health benefits beyond weight loss, with a new USC-led study indicating that it may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

27 May 2016

Self-care can help nurses manage compassion fatigue

The heart of healthcare is stressed. With longer shifts, staffing shortages and healthcare changes taxing our nurses, it's no surprise that up to 80 percent report suffering compassion fatigue at some point in their careers, according to recent studies.

26 May 2016

Intensive blood pressure lowering therapies can cut heart disease risk in older adults

Intensive therapies to reduce high blood pressure can cut the risk of heart disease in older adults without increasing the risk for falls, according to doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

21 May 2016

Older adults become more sensitive to pain, study shows

When older relatives complain about their pains, show a little empathy, because new research suggests that as we age, we may all become more sensitive to pain. A small, preliminary University of Florida Health study has suggested for the first time that inflammation may occur more quickly and at a higher magnitude -- and stays around longer -- when older adults experience pain versus when younger adults experience pain.

5 May 2016