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Background: To determine the retinal capillary function (RCF, the efficiency of blood flow transferring in the capillary network) and its relation to cognitive function in healthy older people without known cognitive impairment following an 8-week high-speed circuit resistance training program (HSCT). Methods: Eleven subjects in the HSCT group and 7 age-matched nontraining controls (CON) were recruited. The HSCT group trained 3 times per week for 8 weeks, whereas CON performed no formal training. One eye of each subject from both groups was imaged at baseline and 8-week follow-up. Retinal blood flow (RBF) was measured using a retinal function imager, and retinal capillary density (RCD, expressed as fractal dimension Dbox) was measured using optical coherence tomography angiography. RCF was defined as the ratio of RBF to RCD. Cognitive function was assessed during both visits using the NIH Toolbox Fluid Cognition Battery. Results: RCF was 2.07 ± 0.64 nL⋅s−1·Dbox−1 (mean ± SD) at baseline, and significantly increased to 2.59 ± 0.54 nL⋅s−1·Dbox−1 after training (P = 0.0003) in the HSCT group, reflecting an increase of 25%. The changes of RBF were not related to the changes of RCD in the HSCT group (r = −0.18, P = 0.59). There was no significant change of RCF in the CON group (P = 0.58). In the HSCT group, the Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test and Fluid Cognition Composite Score were significantly increased after HSCT (P = 0.01). Furthermore, the changes in Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test (FLNK) were positively correlated to increases in RCF (r = 0.77, P = 0.005). Conclusions: This is the first prospective study to demonstrate that the increased RCF after HSCT was related to improved cognition in cognitively normal older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disorder with an insidious onset and slowly progressive disease course. To date, there are no effective treatments, but biomarkers for early diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression offer a promising first step in developing and testing potential interventions. Cerebral vascular imaging biomarkers to assess the contributions of vascular dysfunction to AD are strongly recommended to be integrated into the current amyloid-b (Ab) [A], tau [T], and neurodegeneration [(N)]--the "AT(N)" biomarker system for clinical research. However, the methodology is expensive and often requires invasive procedures to document cerebral vascular dysfunction. The retina has been used as a surrogate to study cerebral vascular changes. There is growing interest in the identification of retinal microvascular changes as a safe, easily accessible, low cost, and time-efficient approach to enhancing our understanding of the vascular pathogenesis associated with AD. Evidence acquisition: A systemic review of the literature was performed regarding retinal vascular changes in AD and its prodromal stages, focusing on functional and structural changes of large retinal vessels (vessels visible on fundus photographs) and microvasculature (precapillary arterioles, capillary, and postcapillary venules) that are invisible on fundus photographs. Results: Static and dynamic retinal microvascular alterations such as retinal arterial wall motion, blood flow rate, and microvascular network density were reported in AD, mild cognitive impairment, and even in the preclinical stages of the disease. The data are somewhat controversial and inconsistent among the articles reviewed and were obtained based on cross-sectional studies that used different patient cohorts, equipment, techniques, and analysis methods. Conclusions: Retinal microvascular alterations exist across the AD spectrum. Further large scale, within-subject longitudinal studies using standardized imaging and analytical methods may advance our knowledge concerning vascular contributions to the pathogenesis of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Yoga has been shown to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. However, the impact of meditation on dynamic factors such as gait, reactive balance and proprioception has yet to be examined. The purpose of this study was to test if a novel yoga meditation program (YoMed) is as effective as a standard proprioceptive training in improving proprioception, balance and power in older individuals who have fallen.Design: Sixteen older persons were randomly assigned to either the YoMed Group (YM) or Proprioception Training Group (PT). Each group received 45 min of training, 3 days per week, for 6 weeks. Pretest and post-test outcome measures were used to quantify the comparative effects of the interventions.Setting: Research Laboratory.Interventions: Yoga meditation and proprioceptive training.Main Outcome Measures: The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), the Tenetti Balance and Gait Assessment, dynamic posturography, joint position sense, joint kinesthesia and leg extensor power.Results: The primary findings of the study were that neither the YM or PT intervention groups showed statistical improvements in any variable with the exception of the dynamic posturography overall score (DMA), which showed a significant improvement by the YM group (d = 1.238; p = 0.049). Additionally changes in a number of variables that did not reach significance demonstrated effect sizes in the medium to high range.Conclusion: These results indicate the potential for the YoMed program to be used as a clinical intervention in older individuals. Given these results a longer study using a larger sample size and individuals at higher risk of falling is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the prevalence and morbidity of depression and anxiety in later life, the inadequacies of current treatment approaches for averting years living with disability, the disparities in access to the mental healthcare delivery system, and the workforce shortages to meet the mental health needs of older Latinos, development and testing of innovative strategies to prevent depression and anxiety are of great public health significance and have the potential to change practice. Although impediments to good depression and anxiety outcomes exist for all older adults, they are even more pronounced for older Latinos, who tend to have fewer socioeconomic resources. These factors underscore the need for prevention-based interventions that are effective, scalable, relevant, respectful, and specific to this population. The Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) program is a community health worker-led, multicomponent, health promotion intervention. The diverse needs and circumstances of older Latinos (highly sedentary, culture-specific health beliefs, service disparities) were incorporated into the design of HOLA to reduce risk factors and improve health-related outcomes associated with common mental disorders in this group. The authors describe HOLA (highlighted in this case example) and why health promotion interventions like HOLA may hold promise as effective, practical, and nonstigmatizing interventions for preventing common mental disorders in older Latinos who are at risk for developing these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the difference in muscle activation between high-speed yoga and standard-speed yoga and to compare muscle activation of the transitions between poses and the held phases of a yoga pose.Design: Randomized sequence crossover trial SETTING: A laboratory of neuromuscular research and active aging Interventions: Eight minutes of continuous Sun Salutation B was performed, at a high speed versus a standard-speed, separately. Electromyography was used to quantify normalized muscle activation patterns of eight upper and lower body muscles (pectoralis major, medial deltoids, lateral head of the triceps, middle fibers of the trapezius, vastus medialis, medial gastrocnemius, thoracic extensor spinae, and external obliques) during the high-speed and standard-speed yoga protocols.Main Outcome Measures: Difference in normalized muscle activation between high-speed yoga and standard-speed yoga.Results: Normalized muscle activity signals were significantly higher in all eight muscles during the transition phases of poses compared to the held phases (p<0.01). There was no significant interaction between speed×phase; however, greater normalized muscle activity was seen for highspeed yoga across the entire session.Conclusions: Our results show that transitions from one held phase of a pose to another produces higher normalized muscle activity than the held phases of the poses and that overall activity is greater during highspeed yoga than standard-speed yoga. Therefore, the transition speed and associated number of poses should be considered when targeting specific improvements in performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare energy expenditure and volume of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production during a high-speed yoga and a standard-speed yoga program.Design: Randomized repeated measures controlled trial.Setting: A laboratory of neuromuscular research and active aging.Interventions: Sun-Salutation B was performed, for eight minutes, at a high speed versus and a standard-speed separately while oxygen consumption was recorded. Caloric expenditure was calculated using volume of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.Main Outcome Measures: Difference in energy expenditure (kcal) of HSY and SSY.Results: Significant differences were observed in energy expenditure between yoga speeds with high-speed yoga producing significantly higher energy expenditure than standard-speed yoga (MD=18.55, SE=1.86, p<0.01). Significant differences were also seen between high-speed and standard-speed yoga for volume of oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide produced.Conclusions: High-speed yoga results in a significantly greater caloric expenditure than standard-speed yoga. High-speed yoga may be an effective alternative program for those targeting cardiometabolic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of resistance training to reduce fall risk in older people. Topics discussed include goal of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2020 initiative to reduce ratio of older adults with moderate-to-severe functional limitations, the Medicine initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM's) and some of resistance training test for older people like, Standing Balance Test and Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest).

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a specially designed power yoga program (YOGA) on bradykinesia, rigidity, muscular performance and quality of life in older patients with PD.Design: Randomized controlled trial.Setting: University laboratory, US.Intervention: Twenty-six patients with mild to moderate PD were randomly assigned to a YOGA or control group (CON). The YOGA program was three months, incorporating two sessions/wk of yoga classes.Main Outcome Measures: Upper and lower limb bradykinesia and rigidity scores from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, one repetition maximums (1RM) and peak powers on biceps curl, chest press, leg press, hip abduction and seated calf, and quality of life (PDQ-39).Results: The YOGA group produced significant improvement in both upper and lower limbs bradykinesia scores, rigidity score, 1RM for all 5 machines and leg press power (p<.05). Significant improvements were seen in the PDQ-39 overall score, mobility and activities of daily living domain for the YOGA group.Conclusion: The 3-month YOGA program significantly reduced bradykinesia and rigidity, and increased muscle strength and power in older patients with PD. Power training is an effective training modality to improve physical function and quality of life for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To compare muscle activation patterns in 14 dominant side muscles during different yoga poses across three skill levels. DESIGN: Mixed repeated-measures descriptive study. SETTING: University neuromuscular research laboratory, Miami, US. PARTICIPANTS: A group of 36 yoga practitioners (9 M/27 F; mean±SD, 31.6±12.6 years) with at least 3 months yoga practice experience. INTERVENTIONS: Each of the 11 surya namaskar poses A and B was performed separately for 15s and the surface electromyography for 14 muscles were recorded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Normalized root mean square of the electromyographic signal (NrmsEMG) for 14 muscles (5 upper body, 4 trunk, 5 lower body). RESULTS: There were significant main effects of pose for all fourteen muscles except middle trapezius (p<.02) and of skill level for the vastus medialis; p=.027). A significant skill levelxpose interaction existed for five muscles (pectoralis major sternal head, anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, upper rectus abdominis and gastrocnemius lateralis; p<.05). Post hoc analyses using Bonferroni comparisons indicated that different poses activated specific muscle groups; however, this varied by skill level. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that different poses can produce specific muscle activation patterns which may vary due to practitioners' skill levels. This information can be used in designing rehabilitation and training programs and for cuing during yoga training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the applicable resistance training methodologies to older individuals focusing on endurance, power, and hypertrophy. The exercise prescription initiative is recommended to enhance health and well-being focusing on the assessed limitation of the subject. The tests applicable to evaluate neuromascular performance include maximal grip strength, isoinertial testing, and push-ups.

Abstract: Pluchino A, Lee SY, Asfour S, Roos BA, Signorile JF. Pilot study comparing changes in postural control after training using a video game balance board program and 2 standard activity-based balance intervention programs. Objective: To compare the impacts of Tai Chi, a standard balance exercise program, and a video game balance board program on postural control and perceived falls risk. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Independent seniors (N=40; 72.5±8.40) began the training, 27 completed. Interventions: Tai Chi, a standard balance exercise program, and a video game balance board program. Main Outcome Measures: The following were used as measures: Timed Up & Go, One-Leg Stance, functional reach, Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment, force plate center of pressure (COP) and time to boundary, dynamic posturography (DP), Falls Risk for Older People–Community Setting, and Falls Efficacy Scale. Results: No significant differences were seen between groups for any outcome measures at baseline, nor were significant time or group × time differences for any field test or questionnaire. No group × time differences were seen for any COP measures; however, significant time differences were seen for total COP, 3 of 4 anterior/posterior displacement and both velocity, and 1 displacement and 1 velocity medial/lateral measure across time for the entire sample. For DP, significant improvements in the overall score (dynamic movement analysis score), and in 2 of the 3 linear and angular measures were seen for the sample. Conclusions: The video game balance board program, which can be performed at home, was as effective as Tai Chi and the standard balance exercise program in improving postural control and balance dictated by the force plate postural sway and DP measures. This finding may have implications for exercise adherence because the at-home nature of the intervention eliminates many obstacles to exercise training. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that microvascular alterations in the brain, especially at the capillary level, are one of the major contributors to cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. The brain and retinal microvasculature share similar anatomic and physiologic features. Alterations of retinal microvasculature reflect similar changes in brain. We examined the associations between retinal microvascular density, cognition and physical fitness in healthy older adults with no reported cognitive decline. Method: Twenty cognitively normal older adults (age: 70.3 ± 4.6 years) were recruited. Both eyes of each subject were imaged using optical coherence tomography angiography. The vessel density of the retinal vascular network (RVN), superficial vascular plexus (SVP), and deep vascular plexus (DVP) was measured. Cognitive function was tested using the Mini‐mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), while physical performance was evaluated using the YMCA cycle ergometer test. Partial correlations (rpartial) were computed between measures of retinal microvascular density, cognitive function, and physical performance. Result: The MoCA was significantly correlated to vessel density of RVN (rpartial = 0.54, P = 0.002) and SVP (rpartial = 0.59, P < 0.001), but not DVP (rpartial = ‐0.01, P = 0.99). MoCA also showed a trend toward correlation with YMCA total work (TW‐YMCA, rpartial = 0.28, P = 0.14). Retinal microvascular density was not related to TW‐YMCA (rpartial= ‐ 0.23 ∼ 0.12, P > 0.05). Conclusion: The MoCA was significantly correlated to vessel density of RVN (rpartial = 0.54, P = 0.002) and SVP (rpartial = 0.59, P < 0.001), but not DVP (rpartial = ‐0.01, P = 0.99). MoCA also showed a trend toward correlation with YMCA total work (TW‐YMCA, rpartial = 0.28, P = 0.14). Retinal microvascular density was not related to TW‐YMCA (rpartial= ‐ 0.23 ∼ 0.12, P > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach, Combinational Spectral Band Activation Complexity (CSB-AC), that extracts the neuromuscular firing dynamics of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals by applying entropic methods in a multi-dimensional fashion by analyzing the signals temporally, spectrally, and intensity dynamics simultaneously is presented. The CSB-AC signal processing approach introduces a methodology that highlights that a small amount of key fiducial points embedded within the sEMG, 1000x reduction in EMG data, are only needed to show statistically significant changes of the neuromuscular firing dynamics. CSB-AC was compared to the more generalized sample entropy method to demonstrate physiological differences between cohorts and baseline mapping between the two measurements. Results indicated significant differences between CSB-AC and sample entropy regardless of age groups for tibialis anterior and plantar flexion muscles (gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, and soleus). Significant differences were found between older and younger subject groups for the gastrocnemius medialis and soleus with the older adults having higher complexity values. CSB-AC produces greater complexity than sample entropy, where this sparser set of data holds paramount information for describing neuromuscular firing and should not be ignored. CSB-AC, accomplishes this by simultaneously assessing the complexity of sEMG's time, intensity, and spectral content, where latent properties of neuromuscular dynamics within this unique set of sparse sEMG data points are critical to characterizing neuromuscular firing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To compare the effects of power training (PWT) and a high-speed yoga program on physical performances in older patients with Parkinson disease (PD), and to test the hypothesis that both training interventions would attenuate PD symptoms and improve physical performance. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting A laboratory of neuromuscular research and active aging. Participants Patients with PD (N=41; mean age ± SD, 72.2±6.5y). Interventions Two high-speed exercise interventions (specifically designed yoga program and PWT) were given for 12 weeks (twice a week), and 1 nonexercise control group. Main Outcome Measures Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor score (UPDRS MS ), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), Timed Up and Go, functional reach, single leg stance (SLS), postural sway test, 10-m usual and maximal walking speed tests, 1 repetition maximum (RM), and peak power (PPW) for leg press. Results For the posttests, both training groups showed significant improvements ( P <.05) in all physical measurements except functional reach on the more affected side, SLS, and postural sway compared with the pretests, and significantly better scores for UPDRS MS , BBS, Mini-BESTest, Timed Up and Go, functional reach on the less affected side, 10-m usual and maximal walking speed tests, 1RM, and PPW than controls, with no differences detected between the yoga program and PWT. Conclusions Both the specially designed yoga program and PWT programs can significantly improve physical performance in older persons with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare the effect of a custom-designed yoga program with 2 other balance training programs. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Research laboratory. Participants A group of older adults (N=39; mean age, 74.15±6.99y) with a history of falling. Interventions Three different exercise interventions (Tai Chi, standard balance training, yoga) were given for 12 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Balance performance was examined during pre- and posttest using field tests, including the 8-foot up-and-go test, 1-leg stance, functional reach, and usual and maximal walking speed. The static and dynamic balances were also assessed by postural sway and dynamic posturography, respectively. Results Training produced significant improvements in all field tests ( P <.005), but group difference and time × group interaction were not detected. For postural sway, significant decreases in the area of the center of pressure with eyes open ( P =.001) and eyes closed ( P =.002) were detected after training. For eyes open, maximum medial-lateral velocity significantly decreased for the sample ( P =.013). For eyes closed, medial-lateral displacement decreased for Tai Chi ( P <.01). For dynamic posturography, significant improvements in overall score ( P =.001), time on the test ( P =.006), and 2 linear measures in lateral ( P =.001) and anterior-posterior ( P <.001) directions were seen for the sample. Conclusions Yoga was as effective as Tai Chi and standard balance training for improving postural stability and may offer an alternative to more traditional programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]