Jieun Yoon

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) and group exercise participation (GEP) influence happiness. Higher SES may be necessary for the GEP. However, the interrelationships among these factors remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between SES and happiness among older adults, focusing on the potential mediating role of GEP. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 1375 community‐dwelling older adults aged 60–89 years residing in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Of these, 1062 participants (581 men and 481 women) with available data from a self‐administered questionnaire returned by mail were included in the final analysis. To integrate key SES variables (economic status, educational level, and work engagement), principal component analysis was used. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and mediation analysis were used to examine the mutual relationships between SES, GEP, and happiness. Results: ANCOVA confirmed significant effects for SES and GEP but no interaction effect. In the mediation analysis of the total sample, SES was associated with happiness directly ( β = 0.194) and indirectly via GEP (SES–GEP β = 0.100; GEP–happiness β = 0.112). In sex‐stratified analyses, a similar association was observed among women. In contrast, SES and GEP were independently associated with happiness in men. Conclusions: This study observed that SES and GEP were positively associated with happiness in older adults. SES facilitates GEP in women, whereas in men, both factors independently contribute to their happiness. Our results suggest that a portion of women's happiness is based on SES fulfillment, which leads to GEP and reinforces their happiness.

Background: To extend healthspan has risen demand to maintain cognitive function through the exploitation of bioactive compounds from natural sources. We assessed the effects of daily intake of cumin essential oil (CEO), primarily composed of cuminaldehyde, on cognitive function in the elderly. Methods: Thirty-eight participants (ages 65–86) were randomly assigned to either the CEO group ( n = 19) or the placebo group ( n = 19) for a 12-week trial (UMIN no. 000050328). Cognitive performance on Cognitrax test and relevant blood biomarkers were assessed before and after the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of covariance, adjusted for age and years of education, was performed. Results: The analysis revealed a significant group × time interaction for the CEO group in psychomotor speed ( p = 0.012) and reaction time ( p = 0.022). Additionally, a simple main effect analysis indicated that psychomotor speed and reaction time scores were significantly improved in the CEO group post-intervention compared to pre-intervention ( p = 0.048 and p = 0.012, respectively). Exploratory biomarker analyses showed significant main effects of time; however, no significant group × time interactions were observed for any biomarker, suggesting that these biological changes were not uniquely attributable to CEO supplementation in this pilot study. Conclusion: Overall, this study suggest that the daily intake of CEO, rich in cuminaldehyde, have a beneficial effect on cognitive function in the elderly. These findings provide foundational knowledge that could contribute to strategies aimed at extending the healthy life expectancy of older adults. Clinical trial registration: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000057216 , identifier UMIN000050328.

Background/Objectives: Daily sleep patterns are associated with cognitive health and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, it remains unclear how suboptimal irregular sleep manifests in AD from the preclinical stage to dementia. This study aimed to establish the dose–response association between sleep irregularity and psychometrically defined stage-specific AD as well as executive dysfunction, among adults with subjective cognitive and sleep issues. Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 532 Japanese adults (mean age = 63.9 years) between March 2023 and April 2024. Sleep irregularity was quantified using the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI) with 24/7 accelerometer data. A modified Poisson regression with cubic splines was performed to establish the dose–response association. Results: This study identified novel non-linear associations. The prevalence ratios of cognitive impairment, defined as being in the preclinical and more advanced stages of AD, significantly declined beyond a median SRI of 60. Participants within this SRI range also showed significantly lower prevalence ratios of poorer Trail Making Test B performance. All results were independent of age, sleep duration, and risk of depression. Conclusions: Maintaining balanced-to-regular daily sleep patterns might be optimal for AD progress from its preclinical stages, with a potential benchmark at SRI of 60, especially for those individuals at risk for cognitive decline and sleep disorders. Further research is needed to replicate this benchmark in diverse populations and to evaluate the effect of rigid sleep regularity on cognitive health.

[Purpose] Self-perceived voice disorders (VD) and hearing loss (HL) are common communication barriers in older adults, yet their combined impact on social participation remains underexplored. This study examined the additive effects of self-perceived VD and HL on frequency of going out (FGO) and social interactions in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. [Participants and Methods] In this longitudinal study, 134 adults aged ≥65 years were surveyed at baseline and one year later. Self-perceived VD and HL were assessed using Voice Handicap Index-10 (cutoff ≥5) and Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (cutoff ≥8). FGO was measured as days per week participants went outside, and social interaction was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6. [Results] Repeated-measures analyses showed that self-perceived VD was associated with decreased FGO. Participants with both self-perceived VD and HL showed an additional decrease of about 1 day per week after one year. Participants with either impairment alone or with neither showed no significant change. No significant associations were observed between VD or HL and LSNS-6 family or friend subscale scores. [Conclusion] Co-occurring self-perceived VD and HL may exacerbate social isolation by limiting expressive and receptive communication. Addressing even one of these conditions could help maintain mobility and social interaction.

The Japanese population has the world’s longest life expectancy but faces the challenge of extending the healthy life expectancy without developing chronic diseases. Therefore, the effectiveness of products derived from olives used in the Mediterranean diet as a potential dietary solution has attracted attention. This study examined the effects of desert olive tree pearls (DOTPs), which contain 162 times more polyphenol hydroxytyrosol than olive oil, on the cognitive function of middle-aged and older adults using the Cognitrax test. Participants (aged 51–82 years) were assigned to the DOTP intake (n = 36) or placebo group (n = 36) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. The participants received 3 g of DOTPs or placebo in olive oil twice daily for 12 weeks. Among cognitive domains, complex attention had a significant time × group interaction effect (p = 0.049) between the DOTP and placebo groups. The simple main effect for this item was significantly different (p < 0.001 and p = 0.572, respectively). Time effects were significant (p < 0.05) for the psychomotor speed, reaction time, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, and executive function domains. Therefore, DOTPs have the potential to alleviate cognitive problems faced by middle-aged and older adults in Japan.

Introduction: Dual‐task (DT) exercise can act as a substitute, which can help improve both physical and cognitive functions. Thus, this study investigated the effects of a game‐like cognitive DT exercise called “Synapsology” (SYNAP) among the oldest residents of a nursing home. Methods: Participants (aged 85–97 years) were assigned to the intervention group (n = 12) and the control group (n = 12). The intervention group underwent 60‐minute sessions, twice a week for 24 weeks. Results: A comparison of the Mini‐Mental State Examination scores and six physical function tests, before and after the intervention, shows that the SYNAP had a positive impact on the cognitive and physical functions among the intervention group. Discussion: These findings suggest that SYNAP may help maintain or improve cognitive and physical functions among older adults compared to no interventions. Therefore, SYNAP would act as a beneficial tool amidst a “superaging” society like Japan.

Not only does Japan has the world's longest healthy life expectancy, but also the world's longest average life span. This study investigated the effect of a novel dual-task (DT) exercise called "Synapsology" (SYNAP), developed as a game-like activity to improve older adults' physical and cognitive functions. Participants (n=24) with a mean age of 70.6 years (65-77 years) were randomly assigned to the SYNAP exercise group (SG, n=15) and the control group (CG, n=9). The SG participated in the DT intervention consisting of 60-minute sessions, twice a week, for 8 weeks. Physical function in timed-up-and-go had significant pre- and post- trial differences (P=0.017) in SG. In addition, cognitive function results in the a 25-hole trail-making peg test (P=0.004) and an oxidative stress marker (P=0.039) had a statistically significant difference within the SG. However, there were no significant differences in the physical and cognitive functions between SG and CG. In the study, older adults who participated in cognitive-motor DT intervention improved significantly with regard to motor ability and cognitive function results. Thus, a game-like DT exercise may help maintain the healthy life of older adults compared to no intervention.

Maslinic acid (MA) is a component derived from a natural olive-based extract known to have pharmacological functions that include suppressing inflammation. This study examined how MA, in conjunction with whole-body vibration training (WBVT), can improve knee and muscle function in elderly women with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The study was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized intervention study that enrolled individuals with knee pain. Participants were 26 females aged 65–85 years with knee OA. They performed WBVT and ingested either 16.7 mg of MA or a placebo daily for 20 weeks. We compared the effect of WBVT with placebo (WBVT/P) and WBVT with MA (WBVT/MA) in participants with various degrees of knee OA (Kellgren and Lawrence (K-L) grade) using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score and isokinetic dynamometer measurements to evaluate knee and muscle function with two-way ANOVA. Based on the results of two-way ANOVA analysis of muscle function measurements, there was significant interaction (time × group) (P = 0.03) in the “isokinetic extension peak torque” domain for severe OA (K-L grade ≥ 3). The simple main effect of time in the WBVT/MA group (P = 0.04) contributed to this interaction. The JOA score for WBVT/MA supported the main effect of group as having a significant correlation in the “pain on walking” (P = 0.04) and “range of motion” (P < 0.01) domains. Participants with severe knee OA in the WBVT/MA group improved in these domains, whereas the WBVT/P group had few positive results. Participants with severe OA who ingested MA in conjunction with WBVT improved their knee and muscle function. This study suggests that ingesting the anti-inflammatory supplement MA while participating in WBVT, elderly women can reduce knee OA and improve their knee muscle strength.