HomeGerontology
Gerontology
Meditation could preserve the ‘little grey cells’
Building on earlier work that suggested people who meditate have less age-related atrophy in the brain’s white matter, University of California researchers have found that meditation appeared to help preserve the brain’s grey matter, the tissue that contains neurons.
Elderly continue to enjoy sex
Older people are continuing to enjoy active sex lives well into their seventies and eighties, according to research from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Elderly need more protein than RDA
US researchers found that a higher amount of protein intake than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) in older adults improved whole body net protein balance and muscle protein synthesis.
Elderly in care at risk of dehydration
A British study on 20,000 old and infirm people found them to be at increased risk of dehydration, leading to high sodium levels, an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.
Add happiness for healthier bones
Older women who are satisfied with their lives may have better bone health, a 1,100-woman study from the University of Eastern Finland found.
Team finds more reliable algorithm for diagnosing Alzheimer's
An international team of researchers has spent 10 years working towards a simpler, more reliable approach to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Medical News...
Sleep deprivation linked to premature ageing of the brain
Researchers at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore have found that less sleep in older adults is linked to premature ageing of the brain. Science...
‘Living with multiple chronic diseases now the norm’
With nearly four in five older Americans living with multiple chronic medical conditions, a new study finds that the more ailments you have after...
Air pollution may hasten cognitive decline in elderly
The tiny particles in vehicle exhaust and other sources of air pollution may hasten cognitive decline in older adults. Reuters Health reports that scientists...
Centenarians not likely to die of chronic disease
Pneumonia and frailty are more likely to be the cause of death among people aged 100 and older, rather than chronic conditions such as...
Oxytocin found to rejuvenate old muscle and other tissue
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that the hormone oxytocin is indispensable for healthy muscle maintenance and repair, and that in...
Cynicism and distrust can ‘breed’ dementia
Older people who harbour a cynical distrust of others are about three times more likely to develop dementia than individuals who have a more...
Handshake could predict ageing process
A strong handshake can say a lot about a person. But says, a Science Daily report, Warren Sanderson, Professor of Economics with joint appointment...
New finding could slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease
An anti-depressant drug could be used to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. BBC News reports that research into 23 people, and transgenic mice,...
Transfusions of young blood could reverse ageing
Researchers in the US are closing in on a therapy that could reverse harmful ageing processes in the brain, muscles, heart and other organs....
Spending time online can prevent depression in the elderly
Older Americans who regularly spent time online were about a third less likely to suffer from depression, in a study that compared them to...
Link found between problem drinking and later-life memory loss
Drinking too much can lead to memory loss in later life. The Guardian reports that scientists questioned 6,542 middle-aged Americans about their past alcohol...
Anticholinergic medications affect physical functioning in older adults
A class of medications previously linked to cognitive impairment in older adults also appears to negatively affect their physical functioning. Science Newsline reports that...
Extreme loneliness worse than obesity as health risk
Extreme loneliness on a long-term basis can be worse than obesity in terms of increasing the potentially lethal health risks that lead to premature...