Age-related differences in ambulatory blood pressure during daily stress: Evidence for greater blood pressure reactivity with age.

Prior research on age and emotions has found that older adults may show better physiological regulation to stressful stimuli than do younger adults. However, the stress reactivity literature has shown that age is associated with higher cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory stress (J. R. Jennings et al., 1997). The authors investigated these conflicting findings further by examining daily ambulatory blood pressure in 428 middle-aged to older adults. Consistent with the age and reactivity literature, relatively old individuals showed significantly greater increases in ambulatory diastolic blood pressure compared with younger individuals when dealing with daily stressors. However, results also revealed that relatively old individuals reported less of an increase in negative affect during daily stress compared with their younger counterparts. The results of this study are consistent with the age-related increase in cardiovascular risk but highlight the complex links between stress and different facets of the aging process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in irrelevant-speech effects.

Three experiments examined age-related differences in irrelevant-speech effects. Younger and older adults were required to recall short prose texts or lists of semantically related words presented visually together with distractor speech. In all experiments, older adults made more semantically related intrusion errors from the irrelevant speech than younger adults. Results of a source memory test suggested that these age-related differences in interference are most likely due to both inhibitory deficits and source-monitoring problems. The results lend partial support to the inhibition deficit theory of cognitive aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in timing with breaks.

Two groups of participants differing in age were compared on a time production task during which timing was temporarily interrupted. Produced intervals lengthened with increasing delay before the break occurrence, and the effect was more pronounced in older than in younger adults. A reaction time response to the signal beginning the break period was required also. Older participants responded more slowly to this signal, but they benefited to a greater extent from a lengthening of the time preceding its presentation. These results suggest that performance of older participants is affected by attention sharing and preparation involved in timing with breaks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in achievement goal differentiation.

Validity of the 2 × 2 achievement goal framework for school-aged children and adolescents was examined, using self-report responses from 1,196 Korean elementary and middle school students. Confirmatory factor analysis models hypothesizing 4 distinct achievement goal factors demonstrated the best fit in all age groups. Nevertheless, achievement goals of these young students were strongly correlated with each other, regardless of the goal definition or valence. The correlation became increasingly weaker with the increasing age of the respondents. Students in Grades 1–4 endorsed a mastery-approach goal most strongly, but those in Grades 5–9 endorsed a performance-approach goal. Performance-avoidance and mastery-avoidance goals received significantly lower average ratings than did the 2 approach goals in all age groups. Whereas both mastery-approach and performance-approach goals correlated positively with self-efficacy, strategy use, and performance in math, only the performance-approach goal correlated positively with anxiety. Anxiety also correlated positively with the 2 avoidance goals. A performance-avoidance goal further demonstrated positive correlation with help-seeking avoidance, whereas a mastery-avoidance goal did so with strategy use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in calcium accumulation in human arteries

To elucidate the accumulation of calcium in the human arteries, the calcium contents of the thoracic aorta, coronary, common carotid, basilar, internal thoracic, axillary, radial, femoral, popliteal, and dorsalis pedis arteries, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The calcium content began to increase in both the thoracic aorta and femoral artery around the age of 50 years (yrs), in the popliteal artery at the age of 60 yrs, in the coronary, basilar and dorsalis pedis arteries at the age of 70 yrs, and in the common carotid artery at the age of 80 yrs. In the same time, the calcium content did not increase significantly in the internal thoracic and radial arteries. Accumulation of calcium in human arteries was classified into two groups: The first is an age-related increase of calcium content in the arteries like the thoracic aorta, coronary, common carotid, basilar, axillary, femoral, popliteal and dorsalis pedis arteries. The second is non-age-related, such as the internal thoracic and radial arteries. To examine the localization of this calcium accumulation, the thoracic-aortic and femoral-arterial walls were separated into the three tunicae, intima, media and adventitia. In the case of the thoracic aorta, the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred primarily in the tunica media of aorta, secondarily in the tunica intima. With regard to the femoral artery, the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred only in the tunica media, only in the tunica intima, or in both the tunicae media and intima. Therefore, the manner of accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in the femoral-arterial wall was different from that in the aortic wall. Comparing the upper and lower limb arteries, the calcium content was found to be higher in the femoral, popliteal, and dorsalis pedis arteries of the lower limb than that of the axillary and radial arteries of the upper limb.     

Normal values for ambulatory blood pressure and differences between casual blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure: results from a Danish population survey

Oncogenic forms of the Abl and Src tyrosine kinases trigger the destruction of the Abi proteins, a family of Abl-interacting proteins that antagonize the oncogenic potential of Abl after overexpression in fibroblasts. The destruction of the Abi proteins requires tyrosine kinase activity and is dependent on the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. We show that degradation of the Abi proteins occurs through a Ras-independent pathway. Significantly, expression of the Abi proteins is lost in cell lines and bone marrow cells isolated from patients with aggressive Bcr-Abl-positive leukemias. These findings suggest that loss of Abi proteins may be a component in the progression of Bcr-Abl-positive leukemias and identify a novel pathway linking activated nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases to the destruction of specific target proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.     

Age-related differences in collision detection during deceleration.

Observers were presented with displays simulating a 3-D environment with obstacles in the path of motion. During the trial, observer motion decelerated at a constant rate and was followed by a blackout prior to the end of the display. On some trials the rate of deceleration resulted in stopping before the collision, whereas on other trials the rate of deceleration resulted in a collision with the obstacles. The observer's task was to detect which trials simulated an impending collision. Proportion of collision judgments was greater for older as compared with younger observers when a collision was not simulated. Older observers showed less sensitivity to detect collisions than younger observers did, particularly at high speeds. The age-dependent results are discussed in terms of analyses based on τ? and constant deceleration. The results suggest that increased accident rates for older drivers may be due to an inability to detect collisions at high speeds. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences and similarities in dual-task interference.

Differences between younger adults (mean age, 20.7 years) and older adults (mean age, 72.7 years) in dual-task performance were examined in 7 experiments in which the overlap between 2 simple tasks was systematically varied. The results were better fit by a task-switching model in which age was assumed to produce generalized slowing than by a shared-capacity model in which age was assumed to reduce processing resources. The functional architecture of task processing appears the same in younger and older adults. There was no evidence for a specific impairment in the ability of older adults to manage simultaneous tasks. There was evidence for both input and output interference, which may be greater in older adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in profiles of mood-change trajectories.

As a group, older adults report positive affective lives. The extent to which there are subgroups of older adults whose moods are less positive, however, is unclear. Our aim in the present study was to identify and characterize different subgroups of adults who exhibit distinct trajectories of mood change across a relatively short time period. Seventy-nine young and 103 older adults continuously reported their moods while viewing emotional and neutral faces. Cluster analysis revealed four subgroups of mood-change trajectories. Both the most positive and the most negative subgroups included more older than young adults (ps     

Age-related differences in visual search in dynamic displays.

The authors examined the ability of younger and older adults to detect changes in dynamic displays. Older and younger adults viewed displays containing numerous moving objects and were asked to respond when a new object was added to the display. Accuracy, response times, and eye movements were recorded. For both younger and older participants, the number of eye movements accounted for a large proportion of variance in transient detection performance. Participants who actively searched for the change performed significantly worse than did participants who employed a passive or covert scan strategy, indicating that passive scanning may be a beneficial strategy in certain dynamic environments. The cost of an active scan strategy was especially high for older participants in terms of both accuracy and response times. However, older adults who employed a passive or covert scan strategy showed greater improvement, relative to older active searchers, than did younger adults. These results highlight the importance of individual differences in scanning strategy in real-world dynamic, cluttered environments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The significance of blood pressure measurements in patients with peripheral vascular disease

The pressure drop across a stenosis is related only to its geometry and the flow through it. Flow may be manipulated by changing peripheral resistance, enabling information to be gained about the severity of the stenosis. As changes in blood flow may produce changes in local blood pressure in patients with peripheral arterial disease, measurements of blood pressure should be made at flow conditions appropriate to the symptoms under investigation, or should be performed by methods which do not intrinsically alter flow.     

The effect of cuff width on systolic blood pressure measurements in neonates

The width of the blood pressure cuff was found to have an effect on the accuracy of systolic blood pressure measured in the arm and thigh in neonates. Data were collected in 26 infants of a variety of birth weights and gestational ages. They show that the effect of cuff size can be minimized by selecting a cuff width equal to approximately 50% of the extremity circumference.     

Ethnic differences in the hypertensive heart and 24-hour blood pressure profile

Black hypertensive persons have been observed to have a greater degree of left ventricular hypertrophy than white hypertensives. However, previous studies have matched groups for blood pressure (BP) measured in the clinic, and it has been demonstrated that black hypertensives have an attenuated nocturnal BP dip. Clinic BPs may thus underestimate mean 24-hour BP in this group. To investigate whether the differences in left ventricular hypertrophy can be accounted for by the greater mean 24-hour BP in black hypertensives, 92 previously untreated hypertensives were studied with 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and echocardiography. The 46 black hypertensives (24 men and 22 women) were matched with the 46 white hypertensives for age, gender, and mean 24-hour BP. Despite similar mean 24-hour BPs (blacks, 142/93 mm Hg; whites, 145/92 mm Hg; P=.53/.66), the black group had a smaller mean nocturnal dip than the white group (blacks, 8/8 mm Hg; whites, 16/13 mm Hg; P<.01). In addition, mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was greater (blacks, 130 g/m2; whites, 107 g/m2; P<.001). Mean 24-hour systolic BP was significantly related to LVMI in both groups (blacks, r=.45, P<.01; whites, r=.56, P<.01). However, systolic BP dip correlated inversely with LVMI only in the black group (blacks, r=-.30, P<.04; whites, r=.05, P=.76). In a multiple regression model, LVMI was independently related to both mean daytime BP and mean nocturnal BP dip in black subjects but only to mean daytime BP in white subjects. In conclusion, the increased left ventricular hypertrophy observed in black hypertensives compared with white hypertensives is not accounted for by differences in mean 24-hour BP. However, LVMI in black hypertensives appears to be more dependent on nocturnal BP than that in white hypertensives; this, coupled with the attenuated BP dip in black hypertensives, suggests that the BP profile rather than 24-hour BP may be important in determining the differences in left ventricular hypertrophy.     

Age-related differences in employee absenteeism: A meta-analysis.

Meta-analyses were performed on 34 samples that included correlations of the age and employee absenteeism relationship. Samples were categorized into 2 groups for voluntary absenteeism and involuntary absenteeism based on the frequency index and the time-lost index, respectively. Results indicated that both voluntary and involuntary absence are inversely related to age. Unexplained variance remained for each of the absence measures after variance due to sampling error and measurement unreliability was statistically estimated. Work demand was negatively associated with age, but not in the expected direction. Work demand did not moderate the age–absence relationship for either voluntary or involuntary absence. Sex moderated the relationship between age and voluntary absenteeism only. For men, the relationships were negative; for women, they did not differ significantly from 0. Implications for research and human resource management practices regarding aging and absenteeism are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in the pleasantness of chemosensory stimuli.

Investigated the existence of changes in preference for various concentrations of single tastes and of the same single tastes in more complex chemosensory mixtures, using 300 participants from 3 different age groups (i.e., 18–26, 32–45, and 65–93 yrs). Ss rated for pleasantness 4 concentrations of sodium chloride, sucrose, and citric acid presented in both aqueous and beverage bases. Results show significant effects of age, stimulus background, stimulus, concentration, and of several interactions, and they suggest that elderly Ss find salt and sugar pleasanter at higher concentrations than younger Ss do. It is suggested that an investigation of chemosensory preference and chemosensory intensity be conducted simultaneously in a single group of elderly and young persons. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related differences in three tests of visual imagery.

Adult age differences were explored on 3 short tests of ability to generate and manipulate mental images. Age-related decrements were found in all 3 tests and were especially marked on the Clock Test. The tests are all reliable, as shown by test–retest reliability coefficients. Correlations also revealed that the Brooks Letter Test and the East–West Test appear to tap one common underlying ability, whereas the Clock Test measured a somewhat different ability. The East–West and Clock tests, in particular, may provide rapid and easily administered assessment of age-related changes in aspects of mental imagery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age-related ocular blood flow changes

PURPOSE: Pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF is influenced by well-known parameters, such as intraocular pressure (IOP), heart rate, scleral rigidity, blood pressure, and posture. Age is also likely to influence POBF strongly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate POBF in relation to age in normal subjects. METHODS: Relevant data were collected from a sample of 105 normal subjects, ranging in age from 10 to 80 years. To measure the effect of age on POBF, the subjects were divided into seven groups of 15 subjects each; the age range of each group spanned one decade, beginning with age 10. POBF and pulse amplitude (PA) were measured in sitting and supine positions and after suction cup application. RESULTS: Using linear regression analysis, there was a significant correlation between PA and age in the supine position (P = 0.012) and after suction cup application (P = 0.002); in the sitting position, there was a borderline level of statistical significance (P = 0.053). In the sitting position, POBF was 819 +/- 212 microliters/minute in the second decade and 630 +/- 194 microliters/minute in the eighth decade. In the sitting position and after suction cup application, but not in the supine position, a statistically significant correlation between POBF decrease and age was found with linear regression analysis (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Using multiple regression analysis, POBF values revealed a significant correlation with age (P < 0.001), but not with systolic and diastolic brachial pressure. Considering all the subjects, analysis of variance for repeated measures highlighted a significant decrease of POBF from the sitting to the supine position and associated with an IOP increase (P < 0.001) without significant changes of PA. After suction cup application, there was a significant reduction of both PA and POBF (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed that as age increased, PA decreased in all three series of measurements. POBF decreased with age, and in subjects older than 50 years, the decrease was more evident. These findings are especially noticeable after IOP increase with suction cup. It must be considered that the age-related value of POBF is a fundamental parameter to evaluate correctly the hemodynamic aspects of the pathologies affecting the eye.     

Loneliness is a unique predictor of age-related differences in systolic blood pressure.

A population-based sample of Caucasians, African Americans, and Latino Americans, 50-68 years of age (M = 57.5), from Cook County, Illinois (N = 229), was tested to examine how loneliness and co-occurring psychosocial factors (depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social support, and hostility) were related to indices of cardiovascular and endocrine functioning. Extending prior research, the authors found that loneliness was associated with elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and age-related increases in SBP, net of demographic variables, health behavior variables, and the remaining psychosocial factors. Loneliness was not associated with differences in autonomic or endocrine functioning. Although the results are limited by the cross-sectional methods used, they are consistent with the hypothesis that cardiovascular disease contributes to increased morbidity and mortality among lonely individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)