Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Dylan V. Pearson, Yi Shen, J. Devin McAuley, Gary R. Kidd
Summary: Sensitivity to temporal properties of auditory patterns tends to be poorer in older listeners, contributing to their poorer speech understanding. This study examined sensitivity to speech rhythms in young and older normal-hearing subjects, finding that both rely on speech rhythms to generate temporal expectancies for upcoming events. However, older listeners do not exhibit lower thresholds for shortened gaps, indicating a change in speech-timing expectancies with age.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charlotte P. C. Kwok, Jessie O. T. Kwok, Rachel W. K. Yan, Kaspar K. W. Lee, Marcus Richards, Wai C. Chan, Helen F. K. Chiu, Ruby S. Y. Lee, Linda C. W. Lam, Allen T. C. Lee
Summary: This study examined the association between dementia and incident visual impairment in visually unimpaired older adults. It found that baseline dementia was not independently associated with a higher risk of developing visual impairment. These findings suggest the need for re-evaluating the role of dementia as a risk factor for visual impairment.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Raza N. Malik, Daniel S. Marigold, Mason Chow, Tania Lam
Summary: This study developed a novel paradigm to investigate the deployment of sustained covert visual attention in obstacle-crossing planning. The results suggest that the brain uses peripheral vision to plan one step at a time during obstacle crossing, in contrast to planning multiple steps in advance.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Carly J. Sombric, Gelsy Torres-Oviedo
Summary: The study found a positive relationship between cognitive and motor perseveration in older adults, but not in younger individuals. Practicing motor tasks can reduce motor perseveration in older adults.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Safiyyah M. Okoye, Chanee D. Fabius, Lisa Reider, Jennifer L. Wolff
Summary: Persons living with dementia are at higher risk of falling compared to those without dementia. Vision impairment and living with a spouse were significant predictors of falls among individuals with dementia. Tailored fall prevention strategies should be developed for persons with dementia.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Zahra Khalaji, Maryam Nezakat Alhosseini, Shila Safavi Hamami, Takehiro Iwatsuki, Gabriele Wulf
Summary: This study investigates the enhancing effect of consecutive implementation of enhanced expectancies, autonomy support, and external focus on the learning of a square-stepping task in older adults.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Gabrielle Aubin, Natalie Phillips, Atul Jaiswal, Aaron Paul Johnson, Sven Joubert, Vanessa Bachir, Eva Kehayia, Walter Wittich
Summary: Age-related vision changes can become pathological and are correlated with cognitive decline and a higher risk of dementia. Low vision rehabilitation may protect against cognitive decline by providing compensatory strategies. This study examined correlations between visual and cognitive functions in older adults receiving low vision rehabilitation.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Akie Saito, Wataru Sato, Sakiko Yoshikawa
Summary: Previous studies using visual search paradigms have provided inconsistent results regarding rapid detection of emotional faces among older adults. This study aimed to examine older adults' ability to detect faces with emotional meaning by excluding the influence of visual factors. Results showed that older adults who were successful at learning could detect neutral faces associated with reward or punishment more rapidly, suggesting that they retain the ability to detect faces that evoke emotions.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Alison R. Huang, George W. Rebok, Bonnielin K. Swenor, Nicholas Reed, Michael Griswold, Xiaoqian Zhu, Jennifer A. Deal
Summary: The study found that older adults with dual sensory impairment had the most accelerated decline in memory, indicating a higher risk for cognitive decline.
ALZHEIMERS & DEMENTIA
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Ashwini Kulkarni, HyeYoung Cho, Shirley Rietdyk, Satyajit Ambike
Summary: Community ambulation requires gait adaptations to navigate environmental obstacles. While crossing obstacles, foot positions and step length are controlled for stability, with older adults displaying weaker synergies compared to young adults. This decline may be associated with aging-related functional deficits and tripping-related falls.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jignasa Mehta, Gabriela Czanner, Simon Harding, David Newsham, Jude Robinson
Summary: Reduced visual function, impaired stereoacuity, and decreased high spatial frequency contrast are significant risk factors for falls in older adults. Older adults with a hearing impairment are also at higher risk. Living in a less deprived area and socializing more outside of the home decrease the risk of falls.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yi-Chen Chen, Su-Ling Yeh, Tsung-Ren Huang, Yu-Ling Chang, Joshua O. S. Goh, Li-Chen Fu
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of constructing age-related cognitive profiles with attention evaluation instruction based on a social companion robot for older adults at home.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Sumire D. Sato, Julia T. Choi
Summary: Healthy aging is associated with reduced corticospinal drive to leg muscles during walking, with younger adults demonstrating higher coherence in both the beta-gamma and alpha band frequencies. Slow leg TA-TA coherence in the beta-gamma band was the strongest predictor of early adaptation in double support time, while early adaptation in step length symmetry was predicted by age group alone.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Yurun Cai, Jennifer A. Schrack, Hang Wang, E. Jian-Yu, Amal A. Wanigatunga, Yuri Agrawal, Jacek K. Urbanek, Eleanor M. Simonsick, Luigi Ferrucci, Bonnielin K. Swenor
Summary: Worse contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and best-corrected visual acuity were associated with fewer activity counts, less active time, and more fragmented activity patterns. Differences in activity levels were most pronounced from 6 AM to 6 PM in participants with visual impairments compared to those without.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xinyao Hu, Xu Zeng, Yang Xu, Chuang Luo, Liyao Jia, Zhong Zhao, Zhenglong Sun, Xingda Qu
Summary: The study introduced a novel wearable soft robotic intervention that effectively reduced step length variability for older adults with medium-high fall risks, suggesting its potential as an effective solution to fall prevention for this population.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Pornprom Chayasit, Kristen Hollands, Mark Hollands, Rumpa Boonsinsukh
Summary: This study compared the immediate effects of voluntary-induced stepping response training (VSR) and DynSTABLE perturbation training (DST) on protective stepping in stroke patients. The results showed that both types of training improved step width, but DST led to increased step length and more positive center of mass (CoM) position. Single-step incidence increased, while multiple-step incidence decreased in both groups. Only participants in the VSR group showed a higher percentage of protective stepping with the affected leg after the training.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Thijs Ackermans, Natasha Francksen, Carolyn Lees, Fyllis Papatzika, Adamantios Arampatzis, Vasilios Baltzopoulos, Paulo Lisboa, Mark Hollands, Thomas O'Brien, Constantinos Maganaris
Summary: Predicting stair fall risk using biomechanical parameters has potential, while the traditional single-parameter methods have limited accuracy.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Toby C. T. Mak, William R. Young, Thomson W. L. Wong
Summary: This study aimed to investigate conscious control in gait performance of older adults through increased task difficulty or attentional focus manipulation. The results showed that visual-spatial and conscious movement processing increase with task difficulty, while external attentional focus can reduce conscious control and promote movement automaticity.
EXPERIMENTAL AGING RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Timmion K. Skervin, Neil M. Thomas, Andrew J. Schofield, Mark A. Hollands, Constantinos N. Maganaris, Richard J. Foster
Summary: The perception-action link between perceived riser height and vertical foot clearance was shown in response to modified versions of the horizontal-vertical illusion in both young and older adults. This link was effective without detriment to additional stair safety measures. Further evaluation of these illusions on private/public stairs, especially those with inconsistently taller steps, may be beneficial for improving stair safety for older adults.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Alexander Stamenkovic, Mark A. Hollands, Paul J. Stapley
Summary: The study found that preparatory postural muscle activity does not significantly change even with modifications to the quality of the base of support during reaching from a standing position, suggesting that it is not tuned for balance maintenance but rather for voluntary movement towards a predefined location.
Article
Neurosciences
Adam J. Cocks, William R. Young, Toby J. Ellmers, Robin C. Jackson, A. Mark Williams
Summary: The study found that fear of falling in older adults is associated with adopting en-bloc turning strategies and slower gait velocity, and these associations persist even when controlling for functional balance ability.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Fuengfa Khobkhun, Mark Hollands, Jim Richards
Summary: Turning speeds affect whole-body coordination and stepping behavior in older and younger adults, with key features changing as speed increases.
Article
Neurosciences
Neil M. Thomas, Timmion K. Skervin, Richard J. Foster, Johnny V. Parr, Mark G. Carpenter, Thomas D. O'Brien, Constantinos N. Maganaris, Vasilios Baltzopoulos, Carolyn Lees, Mark A. Hollands
Summary: Plain step surface decor reduces anxiety and increases foot clearances in young and higher ability older adults, while patterned decor slows descent, increases margins of stability, and reduces steps looked ahead in all ages and abilities. Step-edge highlighters increase confidence and reduce anxiety, while also increasing foot clearance in younger and higher ability older adults. Older adults with lower ability show no adaptation to step-surface visual properties.
HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timmion K. Skervin, Neil M. Thomas, Andrew J. Schofield, Mark A. Hollands, Constantinos N. Maganaris, Thomas D. O'Brien, Vasilios Baltzopoulos, Richard J. Foster
Summary: The study showed that foot clearance reductions over inconsistently taller risers can be offset by a stair horizontal-vertical illusion. The illusion also improved foot overhang and stability, providing a practical solution for inconsistently taller stair risers.
Article
Environmental Sciences
George Collett, William R. Young, Wendy Martin, Rhona M. Anderson
Summary: This study found a significant prevalence of clinically relevant anxiety among British nuclear test veterans, with a focus on responsibility for family health and anger towards authorities. It suggests that family health issues may lead to guilt among veterans, and highlights the importance of authorities ensuring transparency in dealing with radiation exposure scenarios to reduce anger.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Natasha Francksen, Thijs Ackermans, Denis Holzer, Constantinos Maganaris, Mark Hollands, Mike Roys, Thomas 'Brien
Summary: Inconsistent dimensions on stairs increase the risk of falls as individuals are unable to detect and alter their behavior in advance. However, repeated trials show that adaptation to inconsistent steps is possible. Future research should explore this phenomenon further and develop strategies to prevent stair falls.
APPLIED ERGONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fuengfa Khobkhun, Mark Hollands, Jim Richards
Summary: This study investigated the effects of turning amplitude on whole-body coordination and found that increasing turning amplitude resulted in increased step duration and turn speed. Furthermore, turning amplitude affected the onset latency of movement for the head, thorax, pelvis, and feet, as well as peak angular separations and stepping characteristics, with differences observed between groups.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Fuengfa Khobkhun, Mark Hollands, Jarugool Tretriluxana, Prachaya Srivanitchapoom, Jim Richards, Amornpan Ajjimaporn
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential effects of a 4-week task-specific movement training program on improving turning ability and clinical outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease.
PHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Tiphanie E. Raffegeau, William R. Young, Peter C. Fino, A. Mark Williams
Summary: Virtual reality (VR) is a cost-effective tool with the potential to reduce falls and locomotor impairments in older adults. However, current VR-based approaches do not fully replicate the perceptual, cognitive, and motor demands of daily life. There is a need to leverage VR to address affective factors and understand how anxiety influences balance and falls in older adults. Developing VR-based tools that replicate the affective demands of real-world falls can enhance fall prevention interventions and reduce falls in older adults.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Timmion K. Skervin, Neil M. Thomas, Andrew J. Schofield, Mark A. Hollands, Constantinos N. Maganaris, Thomas D. O'Brien, Vasilios Baltzopoulos, Richard J. Foster
Summary: This study compared the measurement of stair toe clearance using a novel photogate setup and optoelectronic systems. The results showed that the photogates could accurately measure real-world stair toe clearances.
