Review
Andrology
Alexander W. Pastuszak, Marc Gittelman, James P. Tursi, Jonathan S. Jaffe, David Schofield, Martin M. Miner
Summary: Endogenous diurnal testosterone variation decreases naturally with age. Men with testosterone deficiency lack diurnal testosterone variation and exhibit a flatter testosterone profile compared to men with normal testosterone levels. Some testosterone replacement options provide intraday testosterone level variations similar to normal circadian secretion, while others provide a flatter exposure profile reflective of depot release, and some exceed the frequency and physiological range of natural diurnal testosterone variation.
Article
Physiology
Matthew C. Babcock, Lyndsey E. DuBose, Kerry L. Hildreth, Brian L. Stauffer, William K. Cornwell, Wendy M. Kohrt, Kerrie L. Moreau
Summary: Low testosterone levels are associated with greater age-associated reductions in cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (cBRS) in middle-aged/older men, possibly due to increased inflammation.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Matthew C. Babcock, Lyndsey E. DuBose, Kerry L. Hildreth, Brian L. Stauffer, William K. Cornwell, Wendy M. Kohrt, Kerrie L. Moreau
Summary: The study suggests that low testosterone may contribute to reductions in cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity in middle-aged/older men, with increased inflammation potentially playing a role in this process.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Lauren C. Chasland, Louise H. Naylor, Bu B. Yeap, Andrew J. Maiorana, Daniel J. Green
Summary: Exercise training improves endothelium-dependent vasodilator function in middle-to-older-aged men with central adiposity and low/normal testosterone levels, while administration of testosterone at therapeutic doses does not directly impact vascular function and does not add to the benefits of exercise.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Matthew C. Babcock, Lyndsey E. DuBose, Teresa L. Witten, Brian L. Stauffer, Kerry L. Hildreth, Robert S. Schwartz, Wendy M. Kohrt, Kerrie L. Moreau
Summary: Low testosterone in middle-aged/older men is associated with age-associated endothelial dysfunction, potentially due to increased oxidative stress and inflammation.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Viola Vaccarino, Minxuan Huang, Zeyuan Wang, Qin Hui, Amit J. Shah, Jack Goldberg, Nicholas Smith, Belal Kaseer, Nancy Murrah, Oleksiy M. Levantsevych, Lucy Shallenberger, Emily Driggers, J. Douglas Bremner, Yan Sun
Summary: While no association was found between DNAm age acceleration and cognitive function scores at baseline, a longitudinal analysis showed that for each additional year of age acceleration using Horvath's method, there was a 3% decline in composite executive function scores and a 2.5% decline in memory function scores within twin pairs. These results suggest that middle-aged men with older DNAm age compared to their twin brothers experienced a faster rate of cognitive decline over the subsequent 11.5 years, highlighting the role of epigenetic modifications in cognitive aging.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Marcelo Rodrigues dos Santos, Shalender Bhasin
Summary: The increase in life expectancy for men has drawn attention to quality-of-life issues related to reproductive aging. Testosterone levels decline with age and can be improved with treatment, although long-term effects on major cardiovascular events and prostate cancer risk remain unclear.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MEDICINE, VOL 72, 2021
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Stephanie M. Zellers, William G. Iacono, Matt McGue, Scott Vrieze
Summary: This study used a genetically informative prospective design spanning three decades to evaluate the average developmental trajectories and covariation of commonly used substances. The results showed that substance use increased during adolescence and either stabilized or declined in adulthood. These trajectories were influenced by both genetic and non-shared environmental factors, and there were genetic correlations among different substances. Additionally, there were phenotypic and genetic correlations among common factors of substance use at different ages.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Thiberiu Banica, Charlotte Verroken, Tim Reyns, Ahmed Mahmoud, Guy T'Sjoen, Tom Fiers, Jean-Marc Kaufman, Bruno Lapauw
Summary: This study indicates that serum androgen levels start declining early in adult life, independently from changes in BMI and other lifestyle factors. The decline in androgen levels most likely arises from a primary decrease in testicular function.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Mathis Grossmann, Channa N. Jayasena, Bradley D. Anawalt
Summary: Although testosterone replacement therapy is commonly used for men with classical hypogonadism, its role in age-related decline of testosterone remains unclear due to limited evidence from long-term clinical trials. However, men aged 50 years and above with comorbidities and higher body mass index often exhibit symptoms of androgen deficiency and low testosterone levels. Clinicians face a challenging dilemma in initiating testosterone therapy and must carefully assess the benefits and risks based on limited clinical trial data. In this article, a practical approach to the assessment and management of such men is presented using a case scenario.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Wesley K. Lefferts, Krista S. Reed, Rachel E. Rosonke, Jacqueline A. Augustine, Kerrie L. Moreau
Summary: The mechanisms underlying sex differences in brain aging are still unclear but may be related to changes in cerebral pulsatile blood flow. This study found that women exhibit accelerated increases in cerebral pulsatility during midlife, likely driven by exaggerated increases in carotid stiffness and pulse pressure compared with men.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Chang Liu, Zeyuan Wang, Qin Hui, Jack Goldberg, Nicholas L. Smith, Amit J. Shah, Nancy Murrah, Lucy Shallenberger, Emily Diggers, James Douglas Bremner, Yan Sun, Viola Vaccarino
Summary: This study used a robust co-twin control study design and found an association between depression and DNA methylation age acceleration. The results suggest a potential causal relationship between depression and accelerated aging.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Joyce N. Njoroge, William Tressel, Mary L. Biggs, Alvin M. Matsumoto, Nicholas L. Smith, Emily Rosenberg, Calvin H. Hirsch, John S. Gottdiener, Kenneth J. Mukamal, Jorge R. Kizer
Summary: The study found that lower calculated free testosterone was significantly associated with a higher risk of heart failure, suggesting a contribution of testosterone deficiency to heart failure incidence among older men. Further research is needed to determine if testosterone replacement therapy could be an effective strategy in reducing heart failure risk in older men.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Andrology
Ravinder Anand-Ivell, Kee Heng, Katie Severn, Leen Antonio, Gyorgy Bartfai, Felipe F. Casanueva, Ilpo T. Huhtaniemi, Aleksander Giwercman, Mario Maggi, Terence W. O'Neill, Margus Punab, Giulia Rastrelli, Jolanta Slowikowska-Hilczer, Jos Tournoy, Dirk Vanderschueren, Frederick C. W. Wu, Richard Ivell
Summary: Insulin-like peptide 3, a biomarker for Leydig cell function, declines with age in men, unlike testosterone. It is negatively regulated by luteinizing hormone and sex hormone-binding globulin, and positively regulated by follicle-stimulating hormone. It is also negatively associated with increased body weight and smoking. These findings provide a reference range for insulin-like peptide 3 levels in men of different ages.
Article
Biology
Jennifer A. Fortunato, Ryan L. Earley
Summary: Understanding the factors underlying behavioural variance is crucial in predicting behavioural response to selection and evolution. Behavioural variation can change across ontogeny, with varying contributions of genetics and environment across ages. This study investigated variation in aggression among individuals and genotypes across development stages. Results showed that aggression was repeatable and heritable only in juveniles, and the changes in aggression between juvenile and adult stages varied significantly among individuals and genotypes. These findings suggest that juvenile aggression is more likely to evolve rapidly through natural selection and that the trajectory of behavioural change across lifespan has evolutionary potential. Determining when genetic variation explains behavioural variation can enhance our understanding of key life-history stages for strong evolutionary response.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Lana J. Sargent, Marissa Mackiewicz, Youssef Roman, Ana Diallo, Sally Russell, Katherine Falls, Kristin M. Zimmerman, Dave L. Dixon, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley, Sarah Hobgood, Sarah K. Lageman, Faika Zanjani, Elvin T. Price
Summary: Older adults, especially those aged 60 and above, are the biggest consumers of medications and are more susceptible to medication-related adverse events. The Translational Approaches to Personalized Health (TAPH) team focuses on studying pharmacogenomic data in older adults to improve health outcomes.
CTS-CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Courtney T. Blondino, James S. Clifford, Juan Lu, Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley
Summary: The study found that the severity of internalizing symptoms was more strongly associated with conventional cigarette and alcohol use, as well as alcohol-exclusive use, while the severity of externalizing symptoms was more strongly associated with electronic cigarette and alcohol use, particularly when considering nicotine dependence. The relationship between externalizing symptoms and electronic cigarette use depended on whether alcohol was used with electronic cigarettes.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Joshua N. Pritikin, Michael C. Neale, Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley, Shaunna L. Clark, Brad Verhulst
Summary: Most GWAS analyses focus on SNP associations with single traits, while multivariate analyses can reveal hidden information obscured in multi-step analysis. Although multivariate GWAS methods offer powerful capabilities, their adoption has been slow, likely due to the high computational demands and difficulties in specifying models.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Bukola Usidame, Ethlyn McQueen Gibson, Ana Diallo, Courtney Blondino, James Clifford, Faika Zanjani, Lana Sargent, Elvin Price, Patricia Slattum, Pamela Parsons, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley
Summary: This study aimed to examine the association between current tobacco and/or alcohol use and preferences for seeking support for substance use and mental health services among African Americans aged 50 and older. The results showed that high-risk use of tobacco and alcohol was associated with a lower likelihood of preferring traditional settings for seeking support, but this association became non-significant after adjusting for mental health symptoms.
JOURNAL OF PREVENTION & INTERVENTION IN THE COMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Pamela Parsons, Kelly King Horne, Amy Popovich, Leland Waters, Elvin Price, Ana Diallo, Lana Sargent, Ethlyn McQueen-Gibson, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley, Taylor Wilkerson, Faika Zanjani
Summary: Older adults and racial minorities are overrepresented in homeless populations, and they face challenges in accessing suitable shelter and housing options, leading to increased health risks and premature mortality. This study establishes a community coalition to address older adult homelessness through a lens of racial equity, aiming to improve their living conditions and outcomes.
JOURNAL OF PREVENTION & INTERVENTION IN THE COMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Jennifer A. Coleman, Camilla W. Nonterah, Jennifer A. Joy-Gaba, Curtis Phills, Kristen C. Jacobson
Summary: The research found evidence of pro-White bias in the social psychology literature, including preference toward lighter-colored animals. Implicit pro-White bias was present across various stimuli and species, with significant racial differences observed between White and Black participants. Factors such as pet ownership and attitudes did not show a significant association with pro-White bias, indirectly supporting the existence of Black dog syndrome.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Daniel E. Gustavson, Chandra A. Reynolds, Timothy J. Hohman, Angela L. Jefferson, Jeremy A. Elman, Matthew S. Panizzon, Michael C. Neale, Mark W. Logue, Michael J. Lyons, Carol E. Franz, William S. Kremen
Summary: The study demonstrated that AD-PRSs were associated with declines in episodic memory and executive function in cognitively normal middle-aged men, with these declines potentially driven by a combination of APOE and non-APOE genetic influences.
JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Carol E. Franz, Sean N. Hatton, Jeremy A. Elman, Teresa Warren, Nathan A. Gillespie, Nathan A. Whitsel, Olivia K. Puckett, Anders M. Dale, Lisa T. Eyler, Christine Fennema-Notestine, Donald J. Hagler, Richard L. Hauger, Ruth McKenzie, Michael C. Neale, Matthew S. Panizzon, Rahul C. Pearce, Chandra A. Reynolds, Mark Sanderson-Cimino, Rosemary Toomey, Xin M. Tu, McKenna Williams, Hong Xian, Michael J. Lyons, William S. Kremen
Summary: The study found that young adult general cognitive ability and lifestyle play important roles in brain aging. Regardless of GCA level, favorable lifestyle behaviors can predict less advanced brain aging, while unfavorable lifestyles may accelerate brain aging. Early lifestyle modifications may help reduce the risk of dementia.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alexis C. Garduno, Gail A. Laughlin, Jaclyn Bergstrom, Xin M. Tu, Kevin M. Cummins, Carol E. Franz, Jeremy A. Elman, Michael J. Lyons, Chandra A. Reynolds, Michael C. Neale, Nathan A. Gillespie, Hong Xian, Ruth E. McKenzie, Rosemary Toomey, William S. Kremen, Matthew S. Panizzon, Linda K. McEvoy
Summary: This study found minimal associations between alcohol consumption and cognitive aging among middle-aged men. Performance declined over time in all domains. Former drinkers had worse verbal fluency performance, and at-risk drinkers showed faster working memory decline. Light and moderate drinking did not have a protective association with the rate of cognitive decline. However, light drinkers may have better memory performance at older ages.
JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Linda K. McEvoy, Jaclyn Bergstrom, Xinming Tu, Alexis C. Garduno, Kevin M. Cummins, Carol E. Franz, Michael J. Lyons, Chandra A. Reynolds, William S. Kremen, Matthew S. Panizzon, Gail A. Laughlin
Summary: The study found that middle-aged men who consume alcohol in moderation have lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and better cardiometabolic health than men who consume little or no alcohol, independent of a variety of health, behavioral, psychosocial, and earlier life factors.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Courtney T. Blondino, Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley
Summary: The use of conventional cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and sedatives is often associated with internalizing and externalizing disorders. It is uncertain how these relationships extend to electronic cigarettes and prescription drugs, and if there are gender differences.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2022)
Article
Gerontology
Riki E. Slayday, Tyler R. Bell, Michael J. Lyons, Teresa S. Warren, Rosemary Toomey, Richard Vandiver, Martin J. Sliwinski, William S. Kremen, Carol E. Franz
Summary: This study found that lower erectile function was associated with poorer cognitive performance, while sexual satisfaction was unrelated to cognitive performance. Decreasing sexual health may signal an increased risk for cognitive decline. Discussing and tracking sexual health in middle-aged men may help to identify those likely to face memory decline.
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
William S. Kremen, Matthew S. Panizzon, Carol E. Franz
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Shanshan Xiao, Natalie C. Ebner, Amirhossein Manzouri, Tie-Qiang Li, Diana S. Cortes, Kristoffer N. T. Mansson, Hakan Fischer
Summary: The mechanisms through which intranasal oxytocin affects the brain are not fully understood, but recent research suggests that brain regions with a higher density of oxytocin receptors may play a key role. This study used resting-state fMRI to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin administration on connectivity between these receptor-enriched regions and other regions in the brain, and found that the effects varied depending on the age of the participants.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lisa Haase, Antonia Vehlen, Julia Strojny, Gregor Domes
Summary: This study found no significant changes in the cortisol awakening response (CAR) over the menstrual cycle, and no significant association with variations in estradiol and progesterone. These results suggest that CAR is largely robust against hormonal variations across the menstrual cycle.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Derek Schaeuble, Tyler Wallace, Sebastian A. Pace, Shane T. Hentges, Brent Myers
Summary: Depression and cardiovascular disease are influenced by daily life stress, but the biological mechanisms behind this connection are not well understood. This study shows that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a role in regulating stress responses and behavior, with sex-specific effects. In males, the vmPFC-PH circuitry promotes positive motivation and reduces stress responses, while in females it elevates stress responses. This suggests that cortical regulation of stress reactivity and behavior is mediated by projections to the hypothalamus in a sex-specific manner.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jose M. Guzman, Montana H. Boone, Gabriela L. Suarez, Colter Mitchell, Christopher S. Monk, Luke W. Hyde, Nestor L. Lopez-Duran
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased life stress and internalizing disorders, with a disproportionate impact on women. This study focused on the neuroendocrinology of stress-related disorders and found that women have lower cortisol responses and higher DHEA responses to stress. However, lower cortisol and higher DHEA are associated with internalizing disorders in women, while the opposite is true in men. The study also examined the relationship between COVID-related stress and internalizing symptoms and found gender differences in the association between DHEA and cortisol and internalizing outcomes. These findings suggest distinct neuroendocrine pathways for stress-related disorders in young men and women.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meriah L. Dejoseph, Keira B. Leneman, Alyssa R. Palmer, Emily R. Padrutt, Otiti A. Mayo, Daniel Berry
Summary: Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for the development of the stress response system. This study found a modest positive relation between the adrenocortical and sympathetic systems, as well as between the adrenocortical and parasympathetic systems. The strength of these associations varied based on methodological and sociodemographic characteristics.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Qiong Xiang, Jia-Sheng Tao, Shuai Dong, Xiao-Lin Liu, Liang Yang, Li-Ni Liu, Jing Deng, Xian-Hui Li
Summary: Chronic hyperglycemia accelerates the pathological process of cognitive dysfunction, but the heterogeneity of hippocampal cells under long-term high glucose conditions is not well known. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on diabetic mice, and distinct cell sub-clusters and important genes involved in neuroplasticity regulation were identified.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Roger Mcintosh, Hannah Hoogerwoerd, Salman S. Ahmad, Cassandra Michel, Kaitlyn Dillon, Mahendra Kumar, Gail Ironson
Summary: The study found that a 4-session guided written emotional disclosure intervention led to significant reductions in total output and concentration of epinephrine in urine for up to 6 months in individuals living with HIV. This effect was especially pronounced in women. However, there were no significant changes in norepinephrine output in urine.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Meredith Gruhn, Adam Bryant Miller, Tory A. Eisenlohr-Moul, Sophia Martin, Matthew G. Clayton, Matteo Giletta, Paul D. Hastings, Matthew K. Nock, Karen D. Rudolph, George M. Slavich, Mitchell J. Prinstein, Margaret A. Sheridan
Summary: This study investigates how early life adversity characterized by threat impacts the association between neural activity and cortisol production during emotion processing. The results suggest that threat exposure may moderate the relationship between neural activation and cortisol response.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2024)