Cognition in healthy aging

The study of cognitive change across a life span, both in pathological and healthy samples, has been heavily influenced by developments in cognitive psychology as a theoretical paradigm, neuropsychology and other bio-medical fields; this alongside the increase in new longitudinal and cohort designs, complemented in the last decades by the evaluation of experimental interventions. Here, a review of aging databases was conducted, looking for the most relevant studies carried out on cognitive functioning in healthy older adults. The aim was to review not only longitudinal, crosssectional or cohort studies, but also by intervention program evaluations. The most important studies, searching for long-term patterns of stability and change of cognitive measures across a life span and in old age, have shown a great range of inter-individual variability in cognitive functioning changes attributed to age. Furthermore, intellectual functioning in healthy individuals seems to decline rather late in life, if ever, as shown in longitudinal studies where age-related decline of cognitive functioning occurs later in life than indicated by cross-sectional studies. The longitudinal evidence and experimental trials have shown the benefits of aerobic physical exercise and an intellectually engaged lifestyle, suggesting that bio-psycho-socioenvironmental factors concurrently with age predict or determine both positive or negative change or stability in cognition in later life

Are psycho-behavioral factors accounting for longevity?

The general objective of this article is to critically review the state of the art regarding current factors accounting for aging, longevity and successful longevity. There are two major constructs which most authors are employing to account for longevity: genetic or intrinsic components versus environmental or extrinsic factors. This classification has important flaws: (i) From an epigenetic standpoint, such a polar classification could lead to misconceptions since both factors are interdependent through lifelong interactions. (ii) There are no specifications regarding these “environmental” factors, which include a broad heterogeneity of conditions (physical, economic, social, and cultural aspects as well as behavioral ones such as lifestyle) but do not include personal conditions, such as psychological characteristics. The review of the new paradigm called successful aging yields an important set of psycho-behavioral factors, and although population indexes such as Disability Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) or Healthy Life expectancy (HLE) have been developed, authors do not take into consideration healthy or successful longevity as a potential prolongation of the new paradigm of active or successful aging. There is a broad corpus of research literature supporting the importance of psycho-behavioral (PB) factors intervening in the ways of aging, specifically intelligence and cognitive functioning, positive emotion and control, personality traits, psychosocial, physical conditions, and lifestyles, all of which are highly associated with active aging, health, longevity, and survival. The importance of these factors accounting for longevity, and successful longevity must be taken into consideration as a pending issue in gerontolog

Health, psycho-social factors, and ageism in older adults in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic

Older adults are a population at risk for COVID-19. This study has two independent objectives: to report the impact of COVID-19, as well as psycho-social responses during lockdown, in a sample of older adults in Spain, and to explore through the review of published surveys what extent ageism has increased at the population level. The first objective was to search through an online questionnaire collecting information about self-reported health, lifestyles, psycho-social conditions, and a diversity of concerns. This questionnaire was administered to a volunteer sample of 315 older Spanish men and women (301 COVID-19-free and 14 diagnosed with COVID-19). All individuals reported that they had information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Their self-perception of health was also quite good, most maintaining healthy lifestyles and few reporting unhealthy behaviors. They reported few changes in family and interpersonal relations during lockdown. Those diagnosed with COVID-19 reported higher levels of anxiety, irritation, and fear, in comparison with the COVID-19-free group. Interestingly, instead of being concerned about health, the greatest concern in both groups (COVID-free and those diagnosed with COVID) were politics and the future. Our second objective, to explore ageism during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, was examined across various surveys conducted in several populations by several authors. Results showed an increase in ageism in Spain. Although some new information about health perception, psychosocial responses, and concerns during this unknown stressful situation was obtained, much more research with representative samples is required in order to arrive at more accurate conclusion

A training intervention to reduce paternalistic care and promote autonomy: A preliminary study

Introduction: Paternalism, assuming control of aged care, is a widespread orientation in older adults care. Paternalistic attitudes and practices are commonly understood as a threat to the freedom and autonomy of a person, making patients more dependent. Therefore, the reduction of these attitudes and behaviors is a primary goal for any older adult health and social care situation. The aim of this preliminary study is to develop a behavioral intervention to decrease paternalistic behaviors in formal caregivers and to increase those care behaviors which promote autonomy at post-intervention (1 week) and at follow-up (14 weeks). Methods: A sample of 118 professional caregiver volunteers working in day care centers and nursing homes were assigned to quasi-experimental (N=47) and control (N=71) conditions. The intervention consisted of 3 weekly group sessions. Individual and contextual measures were collected: 1) the primary outcome variable was the type of care (paternalistic versus autonomist) measured through the self-report Paternalist/Autonomist Care Assessment (PACA); 2) A 10-item caregiver self-register of paternalistic behaviors was carried out, 3) Finally, in order to assess the potential effects on observed behavior both in caregiver and older adult functioning at a contextual level, the five institutions were assessed through the SERA-RS. Results: Compared with the control group, caregivers in the behavioral intervention group displayed significantly lower paternalistic appraisals at posttest and follow-up. Regarding the intervention group, caregivers at posttest and follow-up showed significantly greater occurrence of autonomist behaviors being promoted and lower paternalistic appraisal. The results regarding the effect on the institutions showed better personnel performance and older adult functioning. Conclusion: Caregivers who followed the intervention learned to better identify older adult needs; although we did not find significant differences in autonomy occurrence compared with the control group, a behavioral intervention may promote more autonomist environments and, therefore, better personnel and older adult functioningThis study has been supported by MINECO Project: PSSI2014-5264-P-ICESEN

Benefits of Volunteering in Young People at Risk of Social Exclusion

Studies on the benefits of volunteering in young people have received some attention, although important knowledge gaps still exist concerning this matter. The main aim of this study is to analyse the different profiles of those who choose to take part in voluntary activities and those who do not; another aim being to analyse the benefits of volunteering in young people. A total of 66 young people participating in training programmes in Spain completed a questionnaire and took part in a follow-up survey six months later. The study found that the young volunteers were more likely to volunteer in the future, perceiving a greater social support and attaching more importance to interpersonal values. After completing their volunteer experience, the young volunteers, as opposed to the non-volunteers, had a positive image of volunteering and perceived themselves as more likely to find a job. The results obtained are discussed

Paternalism vs. autonomy: are they alternative types of formal care?

This study has been supported by MINECO Project: PSI2014-52464-P-ICESE

Behavioral lifestyles and survival: A meta-analysis

The aim of the study is to determine the association between Behavioral Lifestyles (regular physical activity, healthy diet, sleeping, and weight control) and longevity in the elderly. A search strategy was conducted in the PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), and Scopus databases. The primary outcome was mortality/survival. Four variables (mean of participant's age at the baseline of the study, follow-up years of the study, gender, and year of publication) were analyzed to evaluate the role of potential moderators. Ninety-three articles, totaling more than 2,800,000 people, were included in the meta-analysis. We found that the lifestyles analyzed predict greater survival. Specifically, doing regular physical activity, engaging in leisure activities, sleeping 7–8 h a day, and staying outside the BMI ranges considered as underweight or obesity are habits that each separately has a greater probability associated with survival after a period of several yearsThis study is one of the objectives of the Research Project granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation: Project: PID2019-109761RB-I0

Impacto del COVID-19 en personas mayores en España: Algunos resultados y reflexiones

El COVID19 se informa desde China (Wuan) a finales de diciembre de 2019 y se extiende por Taiwán, Corea, Singapur y Hong Kong. En enero llega a Francia y el 31 de ese mes es diagnosticado el primer caso de COVID-19 en España, un “turista alemán”, en la isla canaria de La Gomera. No obstante, no es hasta el 24 febrero cuando son detectados, simultáneamente, casos en Madrid, Cataluña y Valencia, llegando el 9 de marzo un cierto descontrol que lleva al Gobierno a establecer medidas drásticas de cuarentena y confinamiento. Este escueto, y no completo, recorrido geográfico e histórico, corre en paralelo a declaraciones de la OMS (2015, 2018). Así, el 5 y 10 de enero de 2020 la OMS publica alarmas de referencia para la comunidad mundial de investigación y salud pública y un amplio conjunto de descripción sintomática y orientaciones técnicas con recomendaciones para todos los países sobre el modo de detectar casos, realizar pruebas de laboratorio y gestionar los posibles casos y el establecimiento como primer grupo “de población de riesgo a los mayores de 70 años”. Finalmente, el 30 de enero, el director general de la OMS declara que el brote está causado por un nuevo coronavirus, 2019-nCov, constituyendo una “emergencia de salud pública de importancia internacional” y finalmente el 12 de marzo el COVID-19 se declara como una pandemia, es decir, una “emergencia de salud pública mundial”

Macrofauna asociada al alga stypocaulon scoparium en el Estrecho de Gibraltar y comparación con el resto de la Península Ibérica

Se estudió la macrofauna asociada al alga Stypocaulon scoparium en el estrecho de Gibraltar y el resto de la península Ibérica. Se seleccionaron un total de 14 estaciones, 3 de ellas localizadas en el Estrecho y las 11 restantes distribuidas en las costas cantábricas, atlánticas y mediterráneas de la península Ibérica. En cada estación se midieron parámetros fisicoquímicos (temperatura, oxígeno disuelto, conductividad, pH y turbidez), se estimó la cobertura del alga y se recolectaron muestras de la misma en el submareal somero (1- 3 m de profundidad) mediante buceo en apnea. Se separaron e identificaron un total de 48.430 individuos pertenecientes a 16 grupos distintos de artrópodos, moluscos, anélidos y equinodermos. Atendiendo a los parámetros fisicoquímicos, los análisis de clasificación mostraron una mayor similaridad del área del Estrecho con las estaciones atlánticas. La costa mediterránea se caracterizó por una mayor temperatura y conductividad, mientras que la atlántica mostró valores más altos de oxígeno disuelto y turbidez, consecuencia un mayor oleaje. La cobertura del alga S. scoparium fue significativamente mayor en el Estrecho de Gibraltar que en las estaciones restantes y se registró una mayor diversidad de invertebrados asociados a este alga en el Estrecho que en otras zonas de la Península. Los crustáceos anfípodos fueron los más abundantes, seguidos de poliquetos y moluscos gasterópodos. El Análisis Canónico de Correspondencias (CCA) mostró que anfípodos, isópodos, quironómidos y crinoideos correlacionaron principalmente con la cobertura del alga, mientras que la abundancia de gasterópodos estuvo condicionada por la turbidez y la de los grupos restantes por la conductividad y temperatura principalmente. El estrecho d

Patrones de abundancia de la macrofauna asociada a macroalgas marinas a largo de la Península Ibérica

macroalgae were studied on a spatial scale along the Iberian Peninsula. Nineteen stations and four dominant algae were selected (intertidal zone: Corallina elongata and Asparagopsis armata; subtidal zone: Stypocaulon scoparium and Cladostephus spongiosus). Five environmental factors were also considered (seawater temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and pH). The Atlantic coast was characterized by lower temperature and conductivity as well as higher values of oxygen and turbidity than the Mediterranean coast. A total of 106274 macrofaunal specimens were sorted and examined (68% arthropods, 27% molluscs, 4% annelids and 1% echinoderms). Crustaceans were the dominant group in all the macroalgae (ca. 80% in C. elongata and A. armata, ca. 50% in S. scoparium and C. spongiosus) followed by molluscs, which were more abundant in the subtidal algae (ca. 40%) than in intertidal ones (ca.10%). Abundance patterns of macrofauna along the Iberian Peninsula were similar in the four studied algae. Most of crustaceans belonged to the order Amphipoda, which showed high densities (>1000 ind/1000 ml algae) along the whole Peninsula; isopods showed the highest abundances in the Atlantic, while tanaids, cumaceans and decapods were more abundant in the Mediterranean. Among molluscs, gasteropods showed highest abundances along the Atlantic coasts, whereas bivalves showed higher densities along the MediterraneanSe llevó a cabo un estudio espacial de los patrones de abundancia y distribución de la macrofauna asociada a macroalgas a lo largo de la Península Ibérica. Se seleccionaron 19 estaciones y 4 algas dominantes (zona intermareal: Corallina elongata y Asparagopsis armata; zona submareal: Stypocaulon scoparium y Cladostephus spongiosus). Se consideraron también cinco variables ambientales (temperatura del agua, conductividad, oxígeno disuelto, turbidez y pH). La costa atlántica se caracterizó por valores más bajos de temperatura y conductividad, y más altos de oxígeno y turbidez. Se examinaron 106274 individuos de la macrofauna (68% artrópodos, 27% moluscos, 4% anélidos y 1% equinodermos). Los crustáceos fueron dominantes en todas las macroalgas (alrededor del 80% en C. elongata y A. armata, y en torno al 50% en S. scoparium y C. spongiosus), seguidos por los moluscos, que fueron más abundantes en el submareal (40%) que en el intermareal (10%). Los patrones de abundancia de la macrofauna a lo largo de la Península Ibérica fueron similares en las cuatro algas estudiadas. La mayoría de los crustáceos pertenecieron al orden Amphipoda, que mostró densidades muy altas (>1000 ind/1000 ml alga) en toda la Península; los isópodos mostraron las mayores densidades en el Atlántico, mientras que los tanaidáceos, cumáceos y decápodos fueron más abundantes en el Mediterráneo. Entre los moluscos, los gasterópodos mostraron abundancias mayores en el Atlántico, mientras que los bivalvos dominaron en el Mediterráneo. Teniendo en cuenta que todas las estaciones seleccionadas no tenían influencia antrópica importante, los patrones de abundancia obtenidos podrían explicarse en base a diferencias naturales en la temperatura del agua, oxígeno, conductividad y turbidez, existiendo un gradiente transicional entre taxones de aguas más cálidas (del norte de Africa y del Mediterráneo) y taxones de aguas más frías (del Mar del Norte y el Ártico)