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Gerontology & Geriatrics news

Psychology & Psychiatry

International research finds emotional support can help prevent depression in later life

An international study led by Dr. Suraj Samtani and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology has found that emotional support, such as having someone to talk to when feeling stressed, is linked to significantly lower ...

Neuroscience

Childhood loneliness linked to cognitive decline in adulthood

Childhood loneliness is associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk in adulthood, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Health

Green-Mediterranean diet may slow brain aging

Following a green-Mediterranean diet—which includes green tea and the aquatic plant Mankai—is associated with slower brain aging, according to a study.

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

For migrants, dementia can mean losing a language—and a whole world

You may have lived in Australia for most of your adult life, speaking English every day. But if you acquired the language later in life and then develop dementia—a brain condition that affects thinking, memory and everyday ...

Neuroscience

Tinnitus linked to cognitive impairment in older adults

In adults aged 60 years and older, tinnitus, especially severe and prolonged tinnitus, is significantly associated with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Brain Sciences.

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

Study of identical twins links faster aging to memory decline

New research from University of Virginia psychologists has found that "epigenetic clocks"—tools scientists use to estimate a person's biological age—can predict cognitive decline. The study, which focused on middle-aged ...

Overweight & Obesity

Weight change may contribute to cognitive decline in older adults

Adults over 65 whose weight decreases or fluctuates by more than 5% may experience faster cognitive decline, according to researchers in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State. The team has published its findings ...

Health

Meal timing in later life may matter for health and longevity

As we age, what and how much we eat tends to change. However, how meal timing relates to health remains less understood. Researchers at Mass General Brigham and their collaborators studied changes to meal timing in older ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

For seniors: The mental health payoff of staying curious

In a pair of new studies, researchers found that older adults who challenge themselves to learn new things are less likely to experience loneliness or depression, even during times of major upheaval.

Genetics

Genes reveal why some older people suffer from frailty

A new study has identified genetic variants linked to brain function, immune defense and metabolism that contribute to the development of frailty in older people. The study, published in Nature Aging by researchers from Karolinska ...

Medical economics

Residential care increases social participation but gaps remain

A new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus finds that older adults become more socially active after moving into long-term care communities like nursing homes or assisted living facilities but we ...

Health

Free air conditioner programs help amid life-threatening heat

With heat advisories blanketing the eastern half of the U.S., air conditioners are once again working over time as essential resources to keep millions cool. But they're unevenly distributed: Many poor households are unable ...

Health

Using a fan can make older adults hotter in a dry heat

Montreal Heart Institute-led research has found that older adults using an electric fan at 38 °C and 60% relative humidity experienced a modest fall in core temperature and greater comfort. Fan use at 45 °C and 15% relative ...