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Gerontology & Geriatrics news

Genetics

New textbook sheds light on aging

A new textbook provides an overview on the present understanding of aging—from the basic biology of aging to age-related diseases and to the role of lifestyle and the environment. The textbook "Aging: How Science Works," ...

Genetics

Study finds potential link between DNA markers and aging process

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and the epigenetics company TruDiagnostic have uncovered DNA markers associated with retroelements, remnants of ancient viral genetic material in our genes that act as highly accurate ...

Medical research

Bone fracture rates in women found to vary dramatically by race

A new paper finds that bone fracture rates in older women differ by race, quite significantly. While researchers have known for years that the risk of bone fracture is highest for White women, this is the first study to show ...

Gerontology & Geriatrics

Recalibrating principles of epigenetic aging clocks in human health

As detailed in the opening of this editorial, DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks are used as biomarkers of biological age in human health. Multiple epigenetic clocks have rapidly emerged in the past decade by modeling ...

Gerontology & Geriatrics

Q&A: Staying safe as we age—understanding falls in older adults

Falls are a major concern for older adults and for those that love and care for them. They are a leading cause of injury for adults older than 65, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than ...

Gerontology & Geriatrics

Clearing a path for non-invasive muscle therapy for the elderly

Mechanotherapy, the concept of using mechanical forces to stimulate tissue healing, has been used for decades as a form of physical therapy to help heal injured muscles. However, the biological basis and optimal settings ...

Addiction

Improving quality of life for older adults with alcohol problems

Substance use problems, particularly alcohol problems, are "invisible epidemic" among older adults. In his thesis "Alcohol and aging: a multimethod study on heterogeneity and multidimensionality," Wossenseged Birhane Jemberie, ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

Is bone health linked to brain health?

People who have low bone density may have an increased risk of developing dementia compared to people who have higher bone density, according to a study published in Neurology. The study does not prove that low bone density ...

Gerontology & Geriatrics

Your guide to bedpans and bedpan alternatives

Sometimes a person may not be able to make it to the bathroom on their own, either because they are recovering from surgery or have long-term health issues.

Health

For clues to healthy brain aging, look to the Bolivian Amazon

Some of the lowest rates of heart and brain disease ever reported by science are found among Indigenous communities inhabiting the tropical forests of lowland Bolivia. New USC research on two of these societies, the Tsimané ...

Neuroscience

Mental decline comes later than previously thought, finds study

Recent research from University Medical Center Utrecht (UMC Utrecht) shows that our brain declines later than previously thought. Instead of after our 25th year of life, it happens when we are between the ages of 30 and 40. ...

Gerontology & Geriatrics

Smart sock alerts older people to risk of falling

Older people will be alerted to the increased risk of falls thanks to a new smart sock created by electronic textiles (e-textiles) experts at Nottingham Trent University.

Psychology & Psychiatry

Examining palliative care and physician assisted death

In a new article, Sándor Kőmüves looks at the phenomena of palliative care and physician assisted death and their interrelationships on several levels. The researcher begins with an analysis of the definition of palliative ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Seniors with anxiety frequently don't get help. Here's why

Anxiety is the most common psychological disorder affecting adults in the U.S. In older people, it's associated with considerable distress as well as ill health, diminished quality of life, and elevated rates of disability.