A study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that high-intensity progressive resistance and impact training (HiRIT) may improve bone mineral density (BMD), body composition, physical function, and muscle strength, while also reducing the risk for fragility fracture in middle-aged and older men with osteopenia and osteoporosis, reports Endocrinology Advisor . The Lifting Intervention for Training Muscle and Osteoporosis Rehabilitation for Men trial aimed to consider how eight months of HiRIT or machine-based isometric axial compression exercise impacted determinants of osteoporotic fracture risk in middle-aged and older men with low BMD, versus a matched control group. Participants included 93 men randomly assigned to HiRIT, isometric axial compression exercise, or a control group with no lifestyle changes. HiRIT had superior effects to those of the control lifestyle for trochanteric and lumbar spine BMD, but no significant between-group differences were seen in percent change for femoral neck BMD. HiRIT also enhanced broadband ultrasound attenuation, stiffness index, lean mass, timed up-and-go, and 5-time sit-to-stand compared with the control lifestyle and measures of muscle strength. Impacts of isometric axial compression exercise were superior to those of the control lifestyle for lean mass and 5-time sit-to-stand, while HiRIT was superior to isometric axial compression exercise for lumbar spine BMD, stiffness index, and 5-time sit-to-stand. No between-group differences were observed in the number of falls, or the number of men who fell, sustained one or more falls, or had recurrent falls. The number of fragility fractures also indicated no between-group differences.

Researchers employed a population-based cohort of subjects to explore the relationship between serum vitamin B12 at the time of Parkinson's Disease (PD) diagnosis and dementia risk, reports Physician's Weekly . Receiver operating curves were estimated for vitamin B12 cutoffs maximizing sensitivity and specificity for determining who developed dementia. People with PD who did not develop dementia had higher baseline levels of vitamin B12 at diagnosis compared to those who developed dementia. Dementia risk was significantly reduced in the third tertile compared with the second tertile, and skewed towards significance compared to the first tertile. Each 100-unit boost in vitamin B12 levels had a hazard ratio of 0.31 for future dementia, while a vitamin B12 cutoff of less than 587 ng/L was 87 percent sensitive and 70 percent specific in distinguishing subjects with dementia. PD sufferers with vitamin B12 levels lower than 587 ng/L were 5.4 times more likely to develop dementia, with half having dementia within five years of PD diagnosis versus 11 percent in those with a vitamin B12 level of 587 ng/L or higher. The researchers concluded that higher levels of serum vitamin B12 at PD diagnosis correlated with lower risk of future dementia.

Harvard Medical School Professor Brad Manor wrote in the Harvard Health Blog that "dual-tasking" — standing or walking while concurrently performing a separate cognitive or physical task — causes the most falls among older adults, reports Yahoo! Finance . Examples could include reading while walking, or talking and carrying a cup of coffee while strolling. Manor said standing upright or walking down a well-lit hallway entail continuously stabilizing the body's center of mass over the relatively small base of support generated by how one positions their feet on the ground. "This control requires quick reflexes, as well as strong muscles of the trunk, hips, legs, ankles, and toes," he noted. "However, to avoid falling we also need to pay attention to our body and environment, predict and perceive unsafe movements of our body, and adjust accordingly." Older people spend more cognitive effort on such tasks, diverging resources from controlling the center of mass over their feet, which often leads to falls. Preventive steps Manor suggested include boosting environmental awareness, minimizing distractions in crowded rooms and elsewhere, and avoiding talking while moving.

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing 52 million Americans ages 65 and older into extreme quarantine, severing them from family, friends, social activities, and daily routines, reports the Wall Street Journal . Particularly vulnerable to complications or death from COVID-19 are those living in congregate settings, like assisted living communities, and who have underlying health conditions. "We've had this global awakening about the detrimental impact of isolation and now there's this sudden imperative around social distancing," said Encore.org CEO Marc Freedman. He added that his organization is attempting to fill that void, and he has been making daily video calls to his 83-year-old mother. Sending flowers is also another idea to keep seniors connected and feeling loved and valued as concerned friends and family keep a distance in order to keep their older loved ones safe. Senior residents at nursing communities are at particularly high risk of isolation, and with friends and family not allowed to visit because of the virus. This can worsen depression, confusion, and functional decline.

Apparent widescale ignorance of social distancing mandates in Florida has given rise to fears that the state will become the next epicenter for COVID-19, which could potentially jeopardize the lives of millions of senior residents — not least due to a shortage of coronavirus tests, reports USA Today . Health officials have completed 27,000 tests in the Sunshine State thus far, while New York conducts more than 18,000 tests daily. This means that the number of people infected in Florida is likely far more than the 2,355 coronavirus cases estimated by the Florida Department of Health as of Thursday. Despite ordering closures of bars and other restrictive measures to contain the epidemic, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted calls to issue a shelter-in-place order similar to those in New York and California, leaving health officials throughout the state worrying that the tests available so far will not meet demand. Adding to the concern is the difficulty of finding labs that can turn around tests quickly. Whereas doctors at the Gessler Clinic in Winter Haven used to receive test results from private labs Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp within two days, "now it's up to seven to 10 days," according to the clinic's Jose Martinez-Salas.

A study in JAMA Neurology suggests that untreated sleep apnea could increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to U.S. News & World Report . The researchers first reviewed brain imagery for indications of beta-amyloid plaque in regions associated with Alzheimer's, as well as signs of neurological activity linked to Alzheimer's. About 75 percent of participants had breathing interruptions while sleeping. Untreated sleep-disordered breathing was associated with more of the early changes in brain structure and activity that elevate the risk of Alzheimer's. "Sleep is thought of as a period of brain recharge," said George Perry at the University of Texas at San Antonio. "And less-effective sleep will lead to reduced amyloid removal and oxygenation. Both of these changes are detrimental to brain metabolism."

West Virginia physician Vic Wood is making house calls on the senior patients he cares for to protect them from the coronavirus, reports WTRF . He has purchased two vans for this operation. "There's a real need out there," Wood said. "And I certainly hope that other providers and other doctors pick up on this model and go to the patient." Wood also believes the house calls will likely continue "long after this virus is gone."

Texas-based grocer H-E-B this past week announced a pilot program to help seniors get the groceries they need during the coronavirus outbreak, reports Fox San Antonio . Under the new Senior Support Line delivery program, people 60 years and older can order certain supplies and groceries from a curated list over the phone or online through the Favor delivery website and app. "The line will be staffed with volunteers to accept/process home delivery orders via phone daily 9 a.m.-1 p.m.," H-E-B stated. "All fees will be waived for the first 30 days, with a $10 tip included in the order for the Favor Runner."

A study in Neurology suggests that taking low-dose aspirin daily may not prevent dementia, according to U.S. News & World Report . The anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin have been hyped as protection against cognitive problems from Alzheimer's and other dementias, but the large randomized trial implies that the drug will not decelerate mental decline. "The findings are very relevant to the care of older people and indicate that aspirin should not be prescribed solely on the basis of potential cognitive benefits," said Joanne Ryan of Monash University. Since aspirin benefits people with heart disease, it has been thought that it may also reduce dementia risk by lowering the risk of inflammation and small clots or by preventing blood vessel constriction in the brain. Ryan's team gathered data on more than 19,000 seniors without dementia or heart disease, who were mostly 70 or older. Half took low-dose aspirin and the rest were given an inactive placebo, and 575 participants developed dementia. The researchers observed no difference in the risk for mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer's between those who took aspirin and those who did not — and neither was any difference perceived between the two groups in rate of mental decline. "These findings were consistent across men and women, different ethnic groups, and regardless of the health status of the individual when they first entered the study," Ryan said.

A study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute published in Nature Neuroscience found that cells associated with Alzheimer's disease are far more diverse than previously thought, reports Being Patient . The researchers examined glial cells, which help maintain and shield neurons, to determine whether they exhibit a similar level of diversity and heterogeneity to neurons. They investigated astrocytes in mice and human brains, using the large-area spatial transcriptomic technique to map gene expressions of astrocytes within the cerebral cortex. The researchers integrated these maps with single-cell genomic data, building a three-dimensional, high-resolution visual of astrocytes within the brain. This revealed that astrocytes possess distinct molecular configurations in different regions of the cerebral cortex, and are structured into multiple layers that overlap neuronal layers in the cortex. Earlier research showed that astrocytes are linked to brain health and the risk of Alzheimer's disease, and one study led to a drug that blocks a receptor of astrocytes in mice, enhancing brain function and ability to learn new tasks. Researchers also discovered that astrocytes in people with Alzheimer's generate more beta-amyloid than in healthy people. The latest study's methodology will enable scientists to compare how molecular characteristics of glial cells in brains with Alzheimer's differ from brains lacking the disease, said Omer Bayraktar at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.