View clinical trials related to Ageing.
Filter by:Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the human body and has many important roles in determining our physical abilities and overall wellbeing. One major function of skeletal muscle is to carry out many daily tasks, such as rising from a chair or getting on a bus, tasks often referred to as functional abilities. During healthy ageing muscle size is reduced by approximately 0.5-2% a year (known as sarcopenia), with concurrent reductions in functional abilities. This can result in a reduction in quality of life and loss of independence, both of which are clearly not desirable. The incidence of sarcopenia is around 20% between 50-70 years and around 50% in those over 80 years, with the absolute numbers and the average age of the population rising. One method through which muscle function can be enhanced and retard the progression of sarcopenia, across all age groups, is through exercise. The effectiveness of exercise will depend on a number of genetic and environmental factors, with nutritional intake being one of the most important and easily altered. Recent research has suggested that altering the type of fatty acids consumed may have a positive effect on muscle function. Little research is yet to be carried out in elderly humans. This is important as that findings from animal models are not definitively transferrable to humans. The main aim of the current proposal, therefore, is to investigate the effect the consumption of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in oily fish, on the response to a resistance training programme in the elderly. A further aim is to determine the mechanisms which result in these adaptive responses. The project will be centred round a large 18 week resistance training/nutritional (EPA/DHA) intervention with both males and females over the age of 65 years. There are three main research questions and experiments stemming from this intervention. 1) Does the consumption of EPA and DHA result in a greater increase in strength, power and functional abilities in response to resistance training? To answer this question a series of measures of muscular performance and functional abilities will be assessed. 2) Does the consumption of EPA and DHA increase the size and quality of muscles, reduce the amount of fat found within the muscle and decrease inflammation? To address this question the participants will have MRI images of their muscles and blood samples taken before and after the intervention. This will allow the calculation of muscle mass/fat content and circulating levels of inflammatory markers. 3) Does the consumption of EPA and DHA enhance the activity of the molecules involved in controlling muscle mass after a single bout of resistance exercise? For this question muscle samples will be obtained before and after a single training session and measure changes in molecules previously identified as important in the changes in muscle mass in response to exercise. A fourth aim running throughout the proposal is 4) Do males and females respond differently to the combination of EPA/DHA and resistance exercise? Differences in protein metabolism have previously been noted between genders and yet the investigation of these differences is often overlooked. The investigators will investigate this by studying responses in groups of males and females. In summary, the aim of the proposed project is to test the hypothesis that the consumption of fatty acids found in oily fish will improve the response of an elderly population to a resistance training intervention. The major outcome of the proposal would be in establishing a beneficial effect of fish oil on muscular adaptation in the elderly, opening up a widely available therapeutic strategy for an improvement in the quality of life in the elderly population. Such strategies are of particular importance due to the increasing age of the UK population.
The first study of my PhD showed that acute supplementation of berry extracts can modulate cognitive behaviour in healthy adults. There is a growing body of evidence supporting an improvement in memory and learning performance in animal models following the ingestion of flavonoid rich fruits (Shukitt-Hale et al 2008;Spencer 2008; Spencer et al., 2008). However, study 2, showed no effect on any aspects of memory in healthy young adults after supplementation of the berry extracts. It is hypothesised that the lack of behavioural effects on memory of the berry juice in study 2 was because of the cohort used. These healthy adult participants were already performing near to their peak (Salthouse et al., 2009), and unlike study one, participants were not mentally fatigued enough to reveal subtle cognitive benefits. The aims of the study are to examine if acute supplementation of two berry extracts in an older population can augment memory, attention and executive function. Secondly, the time course of these behavioural effects will be measured by multiple cognitive assessments throughout the day after consumption of the extracts.
Neuroplasticity-based approaches seem very promising to maintain cognitive health in older adults and postpone the onset of cognitive-decline and dementia symptoms. The aims of this project are threefold: 1. the evaluation of the effects of a neuroplasticity-based-cognitive randomized computer-based intervention consisting in training with non-action video games on brain and cognitive functions that decline with ageing, including attention and spatial working memory (WM), in older adults using behavioral measures and electrophysiological recordings (event-related potentials -ERPs- and event-related spectral perturbations -ERSPs); 2. the study of the effects of age and 3 months maintenance on the cognitive and neural signatures of transfer effects to attentional and spatial WM tasks; and 3. to investigate the neuroinflammatory mechanisms assessed by non-invasive methods in saliva from participants underlying cognitive training-induced effects. A better understanding of these mechanisms elucidates pathways that may be targeted in the future, either by behavioral or neuropsychological interventions. To achieve these aims, the investigators will recruit between 60-80 older adults volunteers to participate in the randomized, controlled, single-blind study. After screening, participants will be randomly distributed in one of these two groups: experimental and active control. Participants in the experimental group will receive 16 1 hour computerized training with non-action video games. The active control group will receive 16 1 hour training sessions with a social video game. The design is a mixed factorial design with type of intervention (experimental, active control) and assessment session (pre, post, maintenance). The results from the proposed research project will clarify the existence of transfer-of-benefit and neural mechanisms underlying cognitive improvement. The hypothesis is that mental stimulation through non-action video games will improve attention and memory, promoting brain and mental health, and extending independence among elderly people by avoiding the negative personal and economic consequences of long-term care.
The investigators aim to investigate the association of midlife dietary and lifestyle factors on cardiac functional changes in the elderly. The investigators hypothesize that even in those without clinically manifest cardiovascular disease, the extent of underlying abnormalities in cardiovascular structure and function in the elderly would be independently related to midlife dietary and lifestyle factors.
Canadians are living longer than ever before. However, many in our society age with long term chronic medical conditions which have a major impact on their need for healthcare, their quality of life and well-being. Encouragement of lifestyle practices which promote healthy aging and self-management techniques to deal with chronic disease is important in improving peoples' well-being The purpose of this study is to study the impact of peer delivered education and support for seniors living in the community to see if training given to other seniors improves healthy ageing behaviours and their health literacy.
The research on ageing during the last couple of decades has increasingly focused on questions regarding the quality of life and life satisfaction of the old people. Yet the research indicates that when it comes to the final stage of life, the end includes unnecessary suffering and the quality of life drops. Palliative care has traditionally been provided successfully to younger persons dying from incurable illnesses while older people dying of multiple morbidities or "old age" has received far less of this type of care. However, sixty percent of all people who died in Sweden in 2010 were at least 80 years old and it is well known that dying among older people often is a prolonged period of suffering. One reason might be that it is more difficult to identify when the final stages of life begins for older persons. The purpose of this project is to implement and evaluate how a knowledge-based model for palliative care in nursing homes affects the quality of life and the participation in the care process for older persons in nursing homes and their next of kin. A second aim is to explore the staff's implementation process of palliative care and the role of the leadership. The final aim is to investigate which factors (barriers and facilitators) that affect the implementation process of this model.
The proportion of older acute care physicians (ACPs) has been increasing. Ageing is associated with physiological changes and research investigating how such age-related physiological changes affect clinical performance is lacking. Specifically, Crisis Resource Management (CRM) consists of essential clinical skills in acute care specialties which when absent, can significantly impact patient safety. As such, the goals of this study are to investigate whether ageing has a correlation with baseline CRM skills of ACPs and whether ageing influences learning from high fidelity simulation.
Background : The transitional care OMAGE-P combines three best practices recommendations from the French National Authority for Health (HAS) (i) a comprehensive review of diagnosis and treatments (ii) a standardized medical report and (iii)a patient education program specifically designed for older people with multiple chronic conditions and polypharmacy. This transitional care is implemented in a pilot general hospital with the support of French ministry of Health and Regional Agency for Health of Ile de France . The aim of the study is to assess the impact of the OMAGE P transitional care on the readmissions of non demented older people aged 75 years and over within the 3 months following their discharge to home and its cost-effectiveness . Study Population: non demented people aged 75 years and over admitted in emergency (ie via an emergency department ) in the participating units Study design: Observational prospective monocentric non randomized comparative study Exposed patients: eligible patients admitted in participating units and who does not oppose to the collection of his personal data. The hospital physician in charge will conduct the comprehensive review of diagnosis and treatments and will do the standardized medical report. Patient education program will be conduct by the hospital physician and the OMAGE nurse during the hospitalization (two sequences) and during 2 to 4 home visits in the month following patient 's discharge from hospital. Non exposed patients: eligible patients from the usual care arm of the RCT OMAGE. To ensure that risk for emergency readmissions is not different between exposed and non exposed , the rate of emergency readmissions of non exposed group will be compared with the one of eligible patient admitted in the participating units in 2013 and 2014. Setting: General hospital of Eaubonne : geriatric department (acute geriatric unit, rehabilitation unit , geriatric mobile unit ) and internal medicine department Number of subjects to be included: 484 (242 in each arm). The data for the 242 non exposed patients are still available, 242 patients has to be included in the exposed group
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is an effective process to identify and address the needs of older patients. In the United Kingdom this usually takes place in acute care or in the patients home. This project will assess the feasibility of implementing this service in primary care.
United Kingdom (UK) physical activity guidelines for older people state that "All older adults should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended periods" and "there is sufficient evidence to support a recommendation to reduce sedentary behaviour in older adults, but it is not currently possible to suggest a specific time limit." The aim of this study is to identify key physiological and psychological outcomes influenced by acute periods of inactivity and what older people feel after these acute periods of inactivity. The investigators' main objective is to determine, through direct measurement and self report, the acute functional and cognitive effects of differing periods of sitting time. A secondary objective is to inform older people, professionals and organisations working with older people and policy makers on what duration of sedentary behaviour will lead to adverse outcomes in older people. The investigators will recruit ambulatory men and women aged 70 y and over who will be studied on three separate occasions, approximately one week apart to complete sedentary bouts of 1 h, 2 h and 4 h in a randomised crossover design. The investigators will explore the relationship between sitting time and changes in lower limb explosive power(primary outcome) measured before and after each bout. Secondary outcomes will include timed chair rise; Timed Up and Go; blood pressure; perception of musculoskeletal comfort/pain, vitality; mood and cognitive function. The investigators will also measure the stress hormone cortisol in samples of saliva taken at the start of the sitting session, 1 h, 2h and 4 h later. Characterising the acute effects of sitting time in older adults will enable the design of interventions to reduce sedentary time as well as inform professionals and policy makers on what duration of sedentary behaviour will lead to adverse outcomes.