Advances in Gerontology

An increasing number of works study the relationship of mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, there are practically no publications on the study of the relationship of the features of higher nervous activity, particularly adaptive behavior, in healthy individuals with the risk of developing age-related dysfunction of the pancreatic islet apparatus (PIA). The purpose of this study was to investigate features of the functioning of the PIA during aging in individuals with normal standard behavior (SB), as well as anxiety- and depressive-like behavior (DAB) in experiments on nonhuman primates. The study involved 76 physically healthy young mature and old female rhesus monkeys with SB and DAB. Old animals were divided into subgroups with normal (NW) and excess (EW) body weight. All young animals were characterized by NW. The function of PIA was assessed with a glucose tolerance test. Intergroup differences were seen in the functioning of the PIA in young animals with DAB, which was characterized by signs of impaired early insulin response, apparently due to a decrease in the sensitivity of β-cells of the pancreas to glucose. With aging, the function of the PIA was damaged in all animals, but the features of its changes depended on both the affiliation to a particular behavioral group and the animal’s body weight. With aging in animals with SB, the development of relative insulin resistance of peripheral tissues was observed, accompanied by impaired glucose tolerance and a compensatory increase in the secretory activity of the PIA, which were more pronounced in animals with EW. The age-related dysfunction of the PIA in animals with DAB and NW was similar to age-related changes in the PIA function in animals with SB and NW. At the same time, aging animals with DAB and EW showed a more significant peak glucose concentration than that for old animals with SB and EW, accompanied by the minimum “disappearance” rate of glucose from the circulation and significantly lower insulin secretion than that in animals with SB and EW. Thus, the age-related dysfunctions of the PIA in primates with SB and DAB are unidirectional upon the development of insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and a compensatory increase in insulin secretion; however, in old animals with DAB and EW, they are accompanied by exhaustion of the PIA function and increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The effect of the prolonged absence of a photoperiodic signal (constant lighting and constant darkness) on changes in the activity of digestive enzymes in the late postnatal ontogenesis of rats is studied. Age-related alterations were characterized by a change in enzyme activity, as well as a redistribution of the functional activity between the amylo- and lipolytic links and the upper (pancreas) and lower (small intestine) divisions of the gastrointestinal tract. It was shown that, with age, the enzyme activity was affected both by an absence of photoperiodism and by a melatonin level associated with the light regime. Age-related changes characterizing “aging” of the digestive system were observed later under light deprivation conditions than with standard illumination and especially constant illumination.

Aging is a multifactorial process characterized by a gradual loss of physiological functions, which leads to increased vulnerability of the organism to age-related diseases and, finally, to death. Several theories have been proposed to explain the nature of aging, one of which relates aging to the damage to cell structures and DNA caused by free radicals. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that the molecular mechanisms of aging are also associated with epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, noncoding RNA and histone changes. In this review, we will analyze the significance of the results of these studies and show how the interrelated effects of oxidative stress and epigenetics can explain the cause of the extinction of physiological functions during aging.

The goal of the study was to analyze factors associated with vitamin D levels in patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in combination with the early stages of renal dysfunction. The study covered 338 patients with first- and second-degree COPD (including 66.9% men with a mean age of 69.4 ± 6.1 years and an average COPD duration of 18.5 ± 4.1 years and 33.1% women with a mean age of 64.8 ± 7.3 years and an average COPD duration of 12.1 ± 5.1 years). All patients were diagnosed with first- and second-degree chronic kidney disease (CKD). In addition to general clinical examinations, potential risk factors for vitamin D deficiency were assessed in all patients. In multiple regression with step-by-step inclusion of signs, the following identified factors made a significant contribution to the levels of vitamin D synthesis in patients with COPD in combination with the early stages of renal dysfunction: annualized relapse rate of COPD (3 (2–4), β = –0.932, p = 0.003), smoking index (SI) (44 (15–87), β = –0.038, p = 0.006), fibrinogen level (5 (3–7), β = –0.413, p = 0.016), GFR (74.9 (68.4–89), β = –0.119, p = 0.041), insolation (94.5 (38.5–152), β = 0.026, p = 0.0008), the total score on the GDS scale (9 (8–11), β = –0.536, p = 0.014). R² for this model was 0.87. BMI made a significant contribution to the level of vitamin D synthesis at the stage of inclusion in multivariate analysis, but the connection weakened and completely disappeared with the inclusion of smoking index values when insolation indicators were added to the analysis. FEV1 values do not affect the vitamin D level in COPD patients in combination with early stages of kidney dysfunction.

A course of medication with the Kardisten dietary supplement normalizes an elevated blood cortisol level and optimizes the activity of brain vasculature to improve the functional state and enhance short- and long-term memory performance, especially in subjects younger than 50. Kardisten evokes a more pronounced decrease of cortisol level and improves memory performance more efficiently in the case of initial organic changes in the brain vasculature as compared to advanced atherosclerosis. Kardisten activates the natural mechanisms of enhanced functional capacity in the human organism, exerts a favorable effect on mature and elderly persons, and can be recommended for physical and mental health improvement and the preservation of an active lifestyle during aging.

There has been a steady increase in the prevalence of hearing loss among people in many countries around the world. One of the main reasons for this negative trend is the growing life expectancy and increasing proportion of the elderly people, which leads to an increase in the number of people with age-related changes in the auditory system (presbycusis). Aging is accompanied primarily by damage to the structures of the inner ear, but it can also affect the central parts of the auditory analyzer, causing disorders at all levels of the auditory neural pathway. Presbycusis is accompanied by impaired hearing and speech intelligibility. Along with speech hearing, spatial hearing is also impaired. As in other countries of the world, in Russia the prevalence of age-related hearing loss is increasing year by year. The data on the prevalence of hearing impairment in the Russian Federation vary due to the lack of uniform approaches to the registration of individuals with impaired hearing. It is necessary to create an audiological register to provide informational support for a comprehensive medical and social rehabilitation of audiological patients. Since hearing loss has a significant negative impact on patients’ quality of life, knowledge of the prevalence of hearing disorders among the population will make it possible to plan properly the demand for technical means of hearing and speech rehabilitation at the state level and to promote social rehabilitation and active longevity of citizens of older age groups.

Due to the introduction of new medical technologies, there is an increase in the number of people, including those of elderly and senile age, who have extended their lives but need constant care at home from medical and social services. Research on age differences in biological needs with home care found for middle-aged people, when compared with elderly and senile-aged individuals, that the greatest difficulties and the greatest contribution to a reduction of the quality of life were made by insufficient nutrition, limited independence in the performance of household manipulations due to joint damage, pain, and other biological causes, as well as hypothermia syndrome. People of older age groups were characterized by the need to bridge the lack of communication, to enhance the role of the family in the implementation of care, and to increase confidence in caregivers and the availability of medicines and religious services. The original model of biopsychosocial, activating, home care for the geriatric contingent of patients differs from traditional approaches in the use of activating kinesiotherapy and cognitive exercises. Developed on the basis of identified age-based determinants of the quality of life, it contributes to the achievement of a higher level of functionality and independence of the geriatric patient, which is accompanied by an improved quality of life.

The paper considers the problem of population aging and the impact of this multifaceted process on the developing tourism industry. The authors focus on the influence of population aging on the methods of the creation and the essential content of a new tourist product. The decisive role of the senior tourists’ needs is considered separately. In addition, certain gender preferences of third-age people are noted, since it is they who create consumer demands that are becoming mandatory for the tourism industry. The new social and economic roles of senior-age people are a serious problem that urgently needs to be resolved.