Gerontology
Widowhood accelerates cognitive decline in those at risk for Alzheimer's disease
March 4th, 2020 The death of a spouse often means the loss of intimacy, companionship and everyday support for older adults. A study finds that widowhood can have another profound effect: It may accelerate cognitive decline. Investigators from Brigham and Women's...
Deal me in — playing games can protect cognitive skills in old age
December 4th, 2019 People who play non-digital games – such as cards, crosswords and board games – are more likely to stay mentally sharp in later life, a longitudinal University of Edinburgh study found. The participants were part of the Lothian Birth Cohort...
Rethinking old age: 70 is the new 65, says UK Office of National Statistics
November 20th, 2019 It may be time to rethink how we measure and define old age in the UK because more people are surviving into their late 80s and beyond. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) team says although 65 has traditionally been seen as the start of...Slow walkers at age 45 have older brains and bodies
The walking speed of 45-year-olds, particularly their fastest walking speed without running, can be used as a marker of their ageing brains and bodies, a study by researchers from King’s College London and Duke University has found. Slower...
Age as a litmus test for choosing the next US president
September 11th, 2019 With three Democrats in their 70s vying to challenge the 73-year old Donal Trump, the oldest first-term president in US history, age’s importance will be tested as never before. ABC News reports that only a few years separate President Donald...Losing hearing in middle age may increase dementia risk
Hearing loss in middle age is associated with higher odds of cognitive decline and dementia in later years, Reuters Health reports a large study in Taiwan suggests. Researchers tracked more than 16,000 men and women and found that a new diagnosis of...
Daily 'tickling' of the vagus nerve may improve mood and sleep
August 7th, 2019 Scientists found that a short daily therapy, stimulating the vagus nerve with an electrical current, delivered for two weeks led to both physiological and wellbeing improvements, including a better quality of life, mood and sleep. The therapy,...
Master athletes demonstrate what is physically possible in later life
June 19th, 2019 A growing band of of "master athletes" demonstrate that "we often confuse the effects of inactivity with the ageing process itself", write Stephen Harridge and Norman Lazarus, both of King's College London, in a BBC News report. While many...
Poor sense of smell in older adults linked to 50% increased mortality risk
May 8th, 2019 A new Michigan State University study suggests that older adults with poor sense of smell may see an almost 50% increase in their risk of dying within 10 years – surprisingly in healthier individuals. “Poor sense of smell becomes more common...Hypertension linked to regular sleeping pill use in older people
Older adults with hypertension followed from 2008-2010 through 2012-2013, using sleeping pills on a regular basis was linked with use of an increasing number of blood pressure medications over time, a study has found. The association was observed...Human mortality 'plateau' more likely statistical error than hint of immortality
Human error, not human biology, largely accounts for the apparent decline of mortality among the very old, according to a report by Saul Newman of Australia National University in Canberra. The result casts doubt on the hypothesis that human...Sleep disturbances increase risk of falls in the elderly
Disturbances during sleep decreases capability to control posture and balance according to researchers from the department of engineering and Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick. This is the first study demonstrating the...
Half of older patients exposed to potentially inappropriate prescribing
November 28th, 2018 Around half of older patients are exposed to potentially inappropriate prescribing, each year, and hospitalisation is independently associated with an increased risk, finds a study in Ireland. Inappropriate prescribing can include the...
Back pain associated with 24% increased mortality in older women
November 14th, 2018 Researchers at Boston Medical Centre found that frequent, persistent back pain is associated with earlier death in a study of more than 8,000 older women who were followed for an average of 14 years. After controlling for important socio-demographic...Lacking resilience makes men more vulnerable to depression
Men who lack resilience are exponentially more vulnerable to becoming severely depressed after their spouse dies, according to a study from Florida State University researchers. Brittany King, a graduate student in the department of sociology, along...