The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jun 2010
Age-associated differences in activation of Akt/GSK-3beta signaling pathways and inhibition of mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening in the rat heart.
Pretreatment with isoflurane decreased myocardial infarction size in young rats (3-5 months) but not in old rats (20-24 months). To understand the mechanisms underlying the failure to protect the old myocardium, differences in phosphorylation of Akt/GSK-3beta and age-associated differences in mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening in the aging heart in vivo were measured. Isoflurane significantly increased Akt and GSK-3beta phosphorylation in the young groups. ⋯ Isoflurane preconditioning significantly reduced the fall in NAD(+) levels induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury in the young animals, reflecting the inhibition of mPTP opening. In the old animals, however, isoflurane failed to prevent the fall in NAD(+) levels induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury. Lack of isoflurane-induced cardioprotective effects, seen in the old animals, can be explained by age-related differences in Akt/GSK-3beta signaling pathway and the inability to reduce mPTP opening following ischemia/reperfusion injury.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Mar 2010
Comparative StudySurgery-induced inflammation in relation to age, muscle endurance, and self-perceived fatigue.
Elective abdominal surgery can be considered as a model for an important acute inflammatory trigger in human participants. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of surgery-induced inflammation on muscle strength, endurance, and self-perceived fatigue and its relation with age. ⋯ Surgery-induced inflammation is related to reduced muscle endurance and the sensation of fatigue. Elderly patients suffer from a higher impact of surgery on muscle endurance.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Mar 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyThe relationship between cognitive function and physical performance in older women: results from the women's health initiative memory study.
Cognitive function and physical performance are associated, but the common sequence of cognitive and physical decline remains unclear. ⋯ Baseline global cognitive function and change in global cognitive function were associated with physical performance change, but baseline physical performance was not associated with cognitive change in this cohort. These analyses support the hypothesis that cognitive decline on average precedes or co-occurs with physical performance decline.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Feb 2010
Ecological measurement of fatigue and fatigability in older adults with osteoarthritis.
Fatigue is associated with loss of independence in older adults; however, little is known about optimal treatment or how fatigue manifests in daily life activities. "Fatigability" was recently proposed to clarify the fatigue-activity relationship. The purpose of this study was to present a new measurement method of fatigability and begin to test its validity. ⋯ Although fatigue among people with OA was more associated with subjective reports of physical function and symptoms, pairing fatigue reports with physical activity tapped objective factors that may be related to the biomechanical demands of daily life activities. Thus, fatigability measurement may help discern how symptoms relate to daily life function and help to refine treatment approaches in OA.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jan 2010
Comparative StudySurvival in older men may benefit from being slightly overweight and centrally obese--a 5-year follow-up study in 4,000 older adults using DXA.
Whether overweight in old age is hazardous remains controversial. Body mass index (BMI) overestimates adiposity and fails to measure central adiposity. We used dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure adiposity and hypothesized that overall adiposity, distribution of adiposity, and muscle mass might individually affect survival. ⋯ Older men were resistive to hazards of overweight and adiposity; and mild-grade overweight, obesity, and even central obesity might be protective. This may bear significant implication on the recommended cutoff values for BMI and WHR in the older population.