View clinical trials related to Aging.
Filter by:This study seeks to determine the feasibility of an exercise training progression with the consumption of beetroot juice prior to exercise in postmenopausal women. Results from this investigation will be used to determine preliminary effect sizes for exercise training only (control) and exercise training + beetroot juice (EX+BR) to inform the direction of larger randomized clinical trials on pre-post changes in measures of cardiovascular health and endothelial function.
In recent years, there has been significant interest in dietary flavonoids (biologically active plant-derived compounds) as potential therapeutics. This is due to the capacity of flavonoids to enhance processes related to energy metabolism and cardiovascular health. We are interested in implementing a short-term supplementation regime (daily cocoa-flavanoid ingestion), in order to explore the possible beneficial effects of flavonoid-based interventions on responses to exercise. Hence, the objective of our study is to examine the impact of short term cocoa-flavanoid supplementation on processes related to energy use (oxygen utilisation). Our aim is to develop a novel intervention which improves cardiovascular health and enhances exercise tolerance.
The goal of MEM-ASA is to investigate the prevalence of anxiety/depression, sleep disturbances and alcohol use disorder in elderly with cognitive complaints. In memory clinics of Normandy (France), all patients aged over 50 year-old are systematically questioned about anxiety, depression, sleep quality and alcohol use disorder. They also perform a neuropsychological assessment. Questionnaires are given to the patient and his/her caregiver to be filled in at home. Levels of anxiety/depression, sleep quality and alcohol consumption are related to neuropsychological performance, diagnosis and responses to the questionaires.
Elderly patients with advanced cancer stage constitute an important demand for palliative care, a scenario in which metabolic and nutritional status changes may be present. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chocolate consumption for 4 continuous weeks on nutritional status, quality of life, body composition, oxidative stress and inflammatory activity of elderly cancer patients in palliative care.
Near vision deterioration during aging results from a decrease in accomodation amplitude (AA). Myocardial regeneration is limited, and cardiac aging is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Thus, the investigators investigated the association between cardiac aging and AA. The subjects (500, mean 50-year-old subjects, with equal males and females) were divided into two groups according to AA measured with a Raf ruler. Biomicroscopy was used to capture images of the lens nucleus in the unaccommodated state, followed by images of a 4 diopter (D) accommodated state. The nucleus diameter change at 1 D accomodation was measured using ImageJ. Cardiac conduction system differences were evaluated using electrocardiography, and cardiac autonomic aging was assessed based on heart rate variability. Myocardial aging was assessed based on diastolic dysfunction.
Climate change not only affects the planet's natural resources, but also severely impacts human health. An individual's ability to adequately cope with short- or long-term increases in ambient temperature is critical for maintaining health and wellbeing. Prolonged increases in temperature (heatwaves) pose a serious health risk for older adults, who have a reduced capacity to efficiently regulate body temperature. However, information regarding the impact of age on body temperature regulation during prolonged exposure to extreme heat is lacking, as is research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing heat strain in such situations. This project will address these important knowledge gaps by exposing healthy young and older adults to a prolonged (9 hour) heat exposure, with conditions representative of heatwaves in temperate continental climates. An additional cohort of older adults will complete the same heatwave simulation but will be briefly (2 hours) exposed to cooler conditions (22-23°C) mid-way through the session (akin to visiting a cooling centre or cooled location). The investigators will evaluate age-related differences in the capacity to dissipate heat via direct air calorimetry (a unique device that permits the precise measurement of the heat dissipated by the human body) and their effect on the regulation of body temperature. The investigators anticipate that older adults will exhibit progressive increases in the heat stored in the body throughout the simulated heatwave, resulting in progressive increases in body core temperature. Further, older adults exposed to brief-mid day cooling will rapidly gain heat upon re-exposure to high ambient temperatures. As a result, by the end of exposure body temperatures will be similar to the group not removed from the heat.
The Xbox Kinect seems to be a good alternative for the older adults to perform physical activities at times that are typically associated with sedentary behaviors. The Xbox Kinect active video game has been used in various parts of the world as entertainment. The study of metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological responses during these activities may bring relevant information regarding the intensity of the exercises and, consequently, about the possibility of using these games to maintain and / or improve the cardiorespiratory fitness of the older adults. In addition, the present study may clarify the responses of activities on Xbox Kinect in elderly people with anxiety and depression symptoms. Will be selected 100 older adults. All volunteers will initially perform assessments of resting metabolic rate, cardiorespiratory fitness, functional tests, as well as subjective assessments of physical activity level, anxiety and mood. Subsequently, they will perform activities with body movements on the Xbox Kinect, which will be compared with sedentary behavior activity (TV / Movie). All activities will be monitored by means of a gas analyzer, which will record information about the behavior of energy expenditure, resting heart rate and activity. In addition, assessments of perception of effort and fun during activities will be made through subjective scales. The effects of Xbox Kinect activity on anxiety symptoms and mood will also be assessed.
Prolonged periods of reduced activity are associated with decreased vascular function and muscle atrophy. Physical inactivity due to acute hospitalization is also associated with impaired recovery, hospital readmission, and increased mortality. Older adults are a particularly vulnerable population as functional (vascular and skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction) and structural deficits (loss in muscle mass leading to a reduction in strength) are a consequence of the aging process. The combination of inactivity and aging poses an added health threat to these individuals by accelerating the negative impact on vascular and skeletal muscle function and dysfunction. The underlying factors leading to vascular and skeletal muscle dysfunction are unknown, but have been linked to increases in oxidative stress. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of how vascular function is impacted by inactivity in humans and how these changes are related to skeletal muscle function. It is our goal to investigate the mechanisms that contribute to disuse muscle atrophy and vascular dysfunction in order to diminish their negative impact, and preserve vascular and skeletal muscle function across all the lifespan.
An individual's ability to adequately cope with short- or long-term increases in ambient temperature is critical for maintaining health and wellbeing. Prolonged increases in temperature (heatwaves) pose a serious health risk for older adults, who have a reduced capacity to regulate body temperature. Currently, however, there is a lack of information regarding how different environmental conditions experienced during heatwaves impact body temperature regulation and physiological function. This is particularly important in the context of ambient conditions in the home, where older adults spend the majority of their time. This project will address this important issue by exposing healthy older adults to prolonged (8-hour) simulated heatwaves comprising a range of environmental conditions representative of an actively cooled domicile through to a worst-case scenario (i.e., no capacity for home cooling). The investigators will directly measure their ability to regulate their body temperature and the associated impact on the autonomic control of the heart. The investigators anticipate that physiological strain will be mild during prolonged exposure to conditions below the currently recommended thresholds set by Toronto Public Health (26°C). However, at higher indoor temperatures, impairments in body temperature and cardiovascular regulation will be seen.
Loss of muscle mass and strength is a well-established outcome of normal aging. Muscle strength and mobility are also dependent on the quality and strength of connective tissue, which surrounds skeletal muscle. These layers, which are continuous with tendons, allow for the effective transfer of tension from skeletal muscle to bone to enable movement. Importantly, skeletal muscle strength is directly related to connective tissue strength. Greater tendon connective tissue cross-sectional area and stiffness optimize force transfer through tendon to maximize musculoskeletal function. As with skeletal muscle, tendon connective tissue quality declines with age. Previous research indicates that resistance training can improve muscle strength in older adults, but may not counter the effects of aging on tendon. The specific problem is that no approaches are available that benefit both skeletal muscle and tendon health to minimize loss of muscle mass and quality while also improving connective tissue quality and function in older adults. A critical need exists to assess approaches that improve both muscle and connective tissue strength and function. This need is highly relevant for older women, due to their higher risk of sarcopenia than men. Resistance training, especially when combined with higher protein intake, has been consistently shown to improve muscle mass and strength in older adults. Further, emerging research indicates that diets rich in total and indispensable amino acids (as in beef) augment exercise-induced improvements in tendon cross-sectional area in rodents and young humans. However, limited research exists on the impact of beef consumption combined with resistance training on muscle and tendon tissue outcomes, especially in older women. This research study will assess the effects of consuming a healthy, protein-rich diet emphasizing lean beef, compared to a healthy, normal-protein, lower beef diet (control 1), and a healthy protein-rich, lower beef diet emphasizing non-beef/red meat protein (control 2) on resistance training-induced changes in muscle and tendon tissue size, strength, and quality in older women.