Frailty Affects Risk of Alzheimer’s and Physical Activity Improves Cognition
August 12, 2008
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Both the amount of physical activity and the level of frailty affect the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Increased physical activity improves cognition, and increased frailty increases the risk of Alzheimer’s. This provides another reason for keeping active as you age.
A study shows that those elderly with a high level of frailty were at increased risk for getting Alzheimer’s. The findings demonstrated that those with Alzheimer’s disease were twice as likely to be frail as those who did not have the pathology of this disease.
Due to the association of frailty and Alzheimer’s, the researchers suggest that when a person becomes frail, it might be a good time to test them for Alzheimer’s and perhaps diagnose it early, if it is developing.
The findings do not indicate whether being frail increases the risk of Alzheimer’s or whether becoming frail is associated with the development of the disease.
In another study, the level of physical activity was linked to cognition. Those who had higher physical activity levels were found to have higher cognition levels. Interestingly, this held true when the researchers measured activity, but not for self reported activity. Different people have different ideas of how much physical activity that they do.
Again it may be a chicken and egg situation. Does less activity lead to lower cognition, or are those who have lower cognition levels liable to do less exercise. I think I am not going to wait for them to find out, but will try to keep my moderate exercise (mainly walking) program. Better safe than sorry. I just want to poop out one day, and not have a long increasingly restricted decline. Time will tell.
photo credit: daniel arnold!
Technorati Tags: frailty, Alzheimer’s, physical activity, cognition
Popularity: 11% [?]
Live Longer And Happy
August 6, 2008
Apparently, if you are happy you are likely to live longer. New analysis suggests that being happy will make you live longer. This sounds like a no-brainer, but there has been research that showed it happiness has on effect on longevity, and even that it may shorten your life.
Before seeing this, I was unaware that there is a Journal of Happiness Studies. I was even more surprised to find that I can access it online. The most recent issue had articles including, Happiness in the Garden of Epicurus. We get the word epicure form this Greek philosopher. I now know, that according to him, the chief good was to decrease pain and increase pleasure. Sounds good to me.
According to the article
Happiness does not heal, but happiness protects against falling ill. As a result, happy people live longer. The size of the effect on longevity is comparable to that of smoking or not.
What is not clear is how they measure happiness and how exactly you can make yourself happy.
The studies do not address whether it is a direct or indirect effect on longevity. If you are happy, presumably you are less likely to engage in unhealthy behavior such as binge drinking or eating. A negative attitude is supposed to suppress your immune system, so perhaps you are less likely to get ill.
So to warp the Vulcan blessing, “Live Longer and Happy”.
photo credit: sutefani in orlando
Technorati Tags: happy, happiness, live longer, longevity
Popularity: 17% [?]
Weight Loss = Bone Loss
July 30, 2008
The maintenance of bones in the body is a balance between formation and breakdown. Osteoblasts are cells that responsible for bone formation. Osteoclasts are cells that remove bone (known as bone resorption). In an adult bone many things, such as levels of vitamin D and calcium can influence this balance between making and removing bone.
A recent study has shown that loss of significant amounts of weight on a severe calorie restriction diet can affect this balance in a negative way, with their being an increased rate of bone breakdown relative to formation. This will lead to a net loss of bone.
Further, the research found that there was an increased rate of breakdown and formation which can lead to more fragile bones, and that this persisted in the maintenance phase of the diet.
Both low carb or low fat, severe calorie restricted diets had the same effect on bone breakdown.
The loss of bone makes biological sense. One of the functions of bones is to support our weight. Lose some weight and the body senses it has less weight to carry. However, it is a good idea to try and maintain bone density, both for the strength and to stop bones becoming more fragile
It is also likely that with severe restriction of food that the diet may not contain sufficient calcium or vitamin D. This research suggests that when going on a long term diet to lose a significant amount of weight that care should be taken to have a balanced diet and in particular consume plenty of calcium and either supplement with vitamin D or get sufficient sun exposure.
However, probably the best way to stop the bone loss is to do plenty of high-impact weight bearing activities.
photo credit: Simon Goldenberg
Technorati Tags: bone loss, fragile bones, high-impact activity, calorie restriction, weight loss
Popularity: 20% [?]
Kinerase Cream and Lotion
July 10, 2008
Kinerase cream and lotion are two products that seem to, at least in part, live up to the hype. They are recommended for improving the look of aging skin and seem to improve skin pigmentation with less blotchiness and a more even skin tone, and perhaps a reduction in minor wrinkles.
Both products contain kinerase or N6-furfuryladenine. The lotion, but not the cream, also contains retinyl palmitate, which is a retinoid that is converted in the skin to retinoic acid (retin-A). The lotion therefore packs more power but for some people may be more irritating unlike the cream.
N6-furfuryladenine is found in most cells of the body. Originally it was isolated from plants but has been found in nuclei of cells including human. Another common name is kinetin. In the scientific literature, kinetin is the name that is used.
Studies of keratinocytes (skin cells) and fibroblasts (also found in skin) have shown that kinerase treatment delays aging, particularly in the presence of high levels of calcium. In human studies there is some evidence of improved skin tone and more even pigmentation, and reduction in minor wrinkles. Recently kinerase has been found to be helpful for rosacea.
As well as being a signaling molecule that plays a role in regulation of maintenance and repair of cells, kinerase has been shown to have antioxidant effects. Additionally there is evidence that N6-furfuryladenine may improve the skin barrier and so reduce the loss of moisture from the skin.
As people get older they are more likely to become calcium deficient. Since, as stated above, high calcium levels added to the effect of kinerase, it may be that as well as reducing the rate of osteoporosis, calcium may help slow aging of skin too.
Kinerase Cream and Kinerase Lotion
can be found at my favorite online skin store Dermadoctor.
Currently they have free shipping on domestic orders over $49.
Technorati Tags: kinerase, kinetin, N6-furfuryladenine, skin, pigmentation
Popularity: 33% [?]
Medication and the Aged
June 30, 2008
One of the problem with many drugs that are on the market is they were only tested on a certain population. It used to be that drugs were basically tested on white males in their middle years. Now there is much more testing on women but there is still not much testing on the aged. Why does being elderly make a difference? Here are two of the reasons.
As we age there are a range of changes in our bodies. This has implications for the medications we take. One of these is that the relative amount of fluid in our bodies decreases. Most drugs are not evenly distributed throughout the body, but are found either predominantly in either in fluid or in fat. The majority of drugs are in fluids, which includes blood, inside cells, between cells etc.
For a drug that is found in fluids, if the amount of fluid in the body is less, then for the same dose the concentration of the drug will be higher. Same amount in a smaller volume. This can mean that for the same dose the concentration of the drug in the body can be higher.
Additionally, some processes in the body slow down, whereas others do not. There are a range of mechanisms for clearing medications from the body (that’s why we have to keep taking them). Different drugs are cleared by different mechanisms. If one of these mechanisms is slower or does not work as well, for the same dose there will be drug may build up in the body.
Drugs have what is known as a therapeutic window. Below a certain concentration in the body, they have little or no effect. Above a certain concentration in the body, there will start to be serious side effects. Different drugs have different sized windows. If a drug has a narrow window, then an increase in concentration in the body can have serious consequences.
The bottom line is that a drug that works and is well tolerated in a younger person may or may not be suitable for an elderly person. This problem is compounded by the fact that as we age, we usually need to take many more medications. Many physicians do not fully consider the age of the person once they have reached adulthood. If you are involved in the care of any elderly persons, having them see a physician who specializes in gerontology may be helpful for quality of life, including less side effects and potential medication problems.
Technorati Tags: medication, drug, clearance, volume of distribution
Popularity: 32% [?]
Dissolving Glass For Bone Replacement
June 13, 2008
Aging takes a toll on our bones. Eventually, there are many people who need some form of bone replacement such as in a knee or hip. Dissolving glass may be the new answer. Further, after accidents or some diseases new bone is required for people of all ages.
Researchers at the Universities of Kent and Warwick have developed a new form of glass that will after a period of time in the body dissolve. The glass provides a structure for bone cells to attach too, so new bone can grow.
The glass can be made to contain calcium and other substances that will promote new bone growth. This new glass has been demonstrated to activate bone cells causing them to migrate, grow and increase in number to make new bone.
As the new bone grows the glass will dissolve away, leaving the new bone. The glass does not contain any toxic chemicals and effectively just disappears.
A report of this ongoing research is in Science Daily and has a picture of the bone cells grown on the glass.
The researchers are working on making new stronger versions that would be strong enough for joint replacement. They say that clinical trials could be expected to start with 5 years.
I think this is really exciting and may overcome many of the problems associated with bone replacement particularly in joints. Your own new bone has to be better, in many cases, than the metal or other foreign substances used for bone replacement.
photo credit: lavandarfields
Technorati Tags: bone replacement, bone growth, dissolving glass, joint replacement
Popularity: 29% [?]
Age-Related Macular Degeneration – Eat Your Omega-3 Fatty Acids
June 11, 2008
Recent findings suggest that eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may cut the risk of age-related macular degeneration by a third. Knowing a number of people with macular degeneration and the effects on their daily life, if I wasn’t eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acid, I certainly would start.
If you don’t know anybody with macular degeneration, you don’t know how it affects vision by either having the center of the visual field totally blurry and/or everything distorted and wavy. If you want to see what it commonly does to vision check out the excellent page from the National Eye Institute (NEI) and scroll down until you see two side-by-side images of what is seen with normal vision and with macular degeneration.
For humans our vision is one of our key senses. If you have had good eyesight until “maturity” then you have not developed the compensatory mechanisms and are no so adaptable. It makes life really difficult.
I was going to describe macular degeneration, and the wet and dry types in this post, but the NEI page does a better job than I would have done. Read the whole page.
A really good friend of mine developed wet macular degeneration in his early 50’s. I have seen how it has restricted his ability to do certain things. Reading is really tough and tiring, taking a lot of concentration, and certain fine tasks are impossible. He has to ask people to help with some things.
So eat your omega-3 fatty acids but don’t go mad. Moderate consumption of everything is the best.
Common good sources include fatty fish, ground flax seeds (whole seeds go straight through you, and if you have diverticulosis or diverticulitis may give you problems), nuts and kiwifruit.
Also get regular eye exams. Early diagnosis will slow the progression.
photo credit: LaurenHolloway
Technorati Tags: age related macular degeneration, wet, omega 3 fatty acids
Popularity: 34% [?]
Facial Aging Is Mainly Due To Changes In Fat Pockets
June 3, 2008
New studies reveal that major changes in our faces, as we age, are not due to thinning skin and less collagen but are due to changes in fat.
It turns out that we have fat compartments in our face. These compartments are separate from each other and are contained within fibrous connective tissue.
In young people there is a smooth transition between these compartments. However, as we age the different compartments change in different ways. These fat pockets can change shape, and shrink or grow. The result is that there is no longer a smooth transition between the compartments and where they have shrunk the skin gets looser and the face more hollow. These changes are part of our faces looking older.
The shrinking of some of the fat compartments probably plays a much bigger role in having loose skin and a saggy look, than the skin thinning and reduction in the synthesis of collagen.
One of the major fat pockets for affecting how we look is a deep fat pocket in the cheek. When this fat compartment shrinks, the nasolabial folds (the folds that rum down beside and nose and mouth) become more obvious, the under eye area and our upper lip all start to look older. Replacement of this fat will reduce the prominence of the nasolabial fold, fill out the area below the eye and make the upper lip look fuller.
These new findings are sure to have an impact on the methods that are used for skin rejuvenation. As more is learned about these fat compartments, targeted techniques will be developed using fillers for fat pockets including the deep fat pocket in the face.
It is probable that the use of targeted fillers will often replace face lifts. The returning of the face to a youthful shape which will make the skin less loose, rather than tightening the skin over an “old shaped” face will look more natural and not involve surgical incisions.
The research is published in Plast. Reconstr. Surgery (2008) 121: pages 1804-9 (PubMed), and the same journal volume, pages 2107-2112 (PubMed not yet available).
Technorati Tags: skin, facial aging, fat pockets, filler, cheek
Popularity: 53% [?]
Aging Brains Have Improved Function!
May 27, 2008
As we age we seem to have more trouble getting distracted and find it harder to concentrate. However, new research suggests in some respects that aging brains have improved function, and not that our brainpower is decreasing.
An article in the NYT describes some interesting studies that indicate that the loss of focus that occurs as we age is actually a benefit. The research suggests that as we get older we are actually taking in more information and sifting through it. The result is that though it slows us down and may make us more distracted, that choices and decisions are based on more data. This can mean that problem solving is improved, and perhaps we have more wisdom.
In studies when young and older adults were given readings that contained unexpected words and phrases. The younger participants were faster at completing the reading, and not distracted by the inappropriate words, reading almost as if they were not there. The older participants were slower, and got even slower if the unexpected words were relevant to the topic of the reading. However, later when the participants were asked questions about the “wrong but relevant” words and phrases, the older participants scored much better.
This research suggests that older adults are both retaining this data, and able to process the extra data.
The assimilation of a wide range of information and inputs can result in better decision-making. As noted in the article, “Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important”, and “A broad attention span may enable older adults to ultimately know more about a situation and the indirect message of what’s going on than their younger peers. We believe that this characteristic may play a significant role in why we think of older people as wiser.”
So we are getting smarter!
photo credit: paperfairys
Technorati Tags: brain aging, brain function, wise
Popularity: 40% [?]
Lyric, A New Hearing Aid
April 17, 2008
I know several people, who have in the last couple of years, got hearing aids. They all complain about them and seem to have a particularly bad time when we are somewhere that there are multiple sources of sound such as a busy restaurant. Some of them seem to hardly wear their hearing aids since they find them so annoying and useless.
I just read about a new hearing aid called Lyric. This hearing aid seems to solve many of the problems associated with the currently available aids. It is only obtainable in a few clinics at present, but should become more widely available soon.
The new hearing aid is placed in the ear very close to the eardrum. So it is not visible on the surface like current hearing aids, also it is not an implant since no surgery is required.
The Lyric is worn 24 hours a day and does not need to be removed for showering. However, swimming and diving are not recommended.
Since it is so close to the eardrum what it picks up is much closer to what would be picked up by the eardrum with good hearing. Plus since it is so close to the eardrum there is less amplification needed than for the current standard hearing aid, so batteries will last longer.
The volume is turned up and down, and the unit on and off using a magnet and once the battery has died the whole implant is removed with a magnet and replaced with a new implant. The batteries last for up to 120 days.
A spongy layer surrounds the unit, which apparently helps stop build up of fluid and so reduces the chances of infection. The layer also protects the hearing aid from earwax.
The cost is per year including all the units needed and insertion and removal. According to the NYT, for both ears the cost ranges frorm $2,900 to $3,600 per year.
Their website is www.lyrichearing.com
The Lyric and devices like it are going to be in great demand in a few years when the iPod generation start to have hearing loss.
photo credit: theginjaninja1979
Technorati Tags: Lyric, hearing aid
Popularity: 60% [?]
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