Frontiers in aging最新文献

{"title":"Effects of a multicomponent exercise program on the gross and fine motor skills of healthy, sporting inactive older adults aged 60.","authors":"Anneke Schumacher, Marlene Krumpolt, Lucas Sannemann, Kerstin Witte","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1819415","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1819415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent exercise program with integrated popular sports on the gross and fine motor coordination of healthy but sporting inactive adults aged 60 and above. Coordinative abilities are a key determinant of maintaining independence in later life. From February 2022 until December 2024 a 6-month pre-post intervention study with three measurement points: at baseline (t0), after 3 months (t1), and after completion of the intervention (t2) was conducted. The intervention groups started quarterly during the intervention period. In the intervention group (IG) a total of 161 older adults (68.23 ± 4.47 years; f = 107, m = 54) participated in a twice-weekly 90-min training program integrating popular sports. Gross motor skills were assessed using the Karlsruhe Health-Oriented Coordination Test (KHCT), and fine motor skills via the Motor Performance Series (MLS). Results were compared with an inactive control group (CGinactive: n = 32) and an active reference group of senior dancers (CGactive: n = 23), which was assessed cross-sectionally at baseline only. Compared to the CGinactive, the IG demonstrated significant improvements in six of the seven gross motor tasks and in two of the four fine motor tasks (group*time interaction: p < 0.05; Relative Treatment Effect = ΔRTE ≥0.12). Post-intervention, the IG's performance approached that of the CGactive. The findings suggest that the low-threshold, multicomponent exercise program may improve coordinative abilities in previously inactive older adults. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to the non-randomized design and variability within the sample.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1819415"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13376075/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148581375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aging and vaccines: impact of immunosenescence and inflammaging in vaccine response.","authors":"Jalnar Albaloshi, Alhussain Alnakhli, Lamin B Cham","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1797166","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1797166","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Historically, effective vaccination has saved millions of lives and made an enormous contribution to addressing global public health threats. However, aging is an inevitable factor that negatively affects vaccine effectiveness and efficacy. With age, humans develop dysregulation of innate immune pathways, increased levels of proinflammatory markers, thymic involution, declines in T- and B-cell numbers and function, dysregulated metabolism, and epigenetic alterations. Immunosenescence, the gradual deterioration of host immunity with age, plays a critical role in susceptibility to infection, disease progression, and vaccine efficacy. Immunosenescence is often accompanied by inflammaging, an age-related increase in proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels. This multifactorial and dynamic process can lead to poor vaccine responses, potentially resulting in higher morbidity and mortality in older adults. Therefore, research focused on understanding the impact of immunosenescence and inflammaging on vaccine response will undoubtedly help optimize vaccine delivery among elderly individuals. In this review, we summarize the most recent knowledge on the multifactorial effects of age-induced immunosenescence and inflammaging and their role in vaccine efficacy against respiratory tract infections. The review further discusses strategic approaches such as IL-7 therapy, senolytic therapy, increasing telomerase activity, use of mTOR inhibitors, B cell therapy, development of broader vaccines and new adjuvants, and positive lifestyle changes, to enhance vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy in older adults. This could provide theoretical insights to improve vaccine effectiveness in the elderly and help address major global health issues.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1797166"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13375807/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148581345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of an 8-month intergenerational adapted taekwondo training on functional fitness in senior novice practitioners.","authors":"Francesca Di Rocco, Andrea Perazzetti, Emanuel Festino, Olga Papale, Simone Ciaccioni, Philip X Fuchs, Veronica Del Duca, Salvatore Chiodo, Laura Capranica, Cristina Cortis, Andrea Fusco","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1849400","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1849400","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Aging is commonly associated with declines in functional fitness that can be effectively attenuated through mid-to long-term, multifaceted physical activity. However, physical activity performed by older adults often aims to maintain, rather than improve, physical fitness. Martial arts are increasingly recognized as suitable multimodal interventions for older adults, as they integrate balance, flexibility, motor control, and cognitive engagement. Within this framework, taekwondo may represent a feasible activity to preserve and enhance functional fitness. Moreover, intergenerational approaches (combining younger and older participants in shared training sessions) may further support adherence, motivation, and social-cognitive stimulation. Despite this potential, long-term programs involving novice older adults remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of an 8-month intergenerational adapted taekwondo training program for older novice practitioners.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-arm pre-post observational study used a volunteer convenience sample without a control group. Twenty-one seniors (14 females and 7 males: 63-83 years) participated twice-weekly 60-min taekwondo training for 8 months with one weekly session performed together with 21 children (6-13 years). The \"American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance\" test battery was used to assess the seniors' functional fitness before and after the intervention based on flexibility, upper-body strength, aerobic endurance, agility/dynamic balance, and coordination. Linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures examined time and sex effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed in aerobic endurance and coordination, with normative compliance increasing from 14.3% to 33.3% and from 66.7% to 95.2%, respectively. No significant changes were found in upper body strength, agility/dynamic, or flexibility, though males outperformed females in the Chair sit-and-reach and endurance tests.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Despite the limited sample size and the lack of a control group, which limit causal inference and generalizability, the program was associated with improvements in selected functional fitness domains, particularly aerobic endurance and coordination, whereas flexibility, agility/dynamic balance, and upper-body strength did not change significantly, suggesting that intergenerational adapted taekwondo may represent a feasible long-term physical activity option for novice older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1849400"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13377424/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148581407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weight-adjusted-waist index, inflammation, and cognitive performance in older adults: a cross-sectional analysis from the Hordaland Health Study.","authors":"Ingrid Revheim, Lasse M Giil, Ole Martin Steihaug, Hanne Rosendahl-Riise, Bård Erik Bogen, Ragnhild Eide Skogseth","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1872693","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1872693","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Obesity has been associated with reduced cognitive function, potentially through inflammatory and neuroinflammatory mechanisms. The weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) is a novel anthropometric measure capturing central adiposity. However, its association with cognitive performance has been scarcely studied, and it remains unclear whether inflammation influences this relationship. This study aims to examine the association between WWI and cognitive performance, and whether this association is explained by inflammatory markers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>WWI was calculated as waist circumference divided by the square root of body weight (cm/√kg). Cognitive performance was assessed using a test battery comprising the Controlled Oral Word Association test (COWAT; verbal fluency), the Kendrick Object Learning Test (KOLT; memory), and a modified Digit Symbol Test (m-DST; processing speed). Inflammatory markers included C-reactive protein and the kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to assess associations between WWI and cognitive test scores per standard deviation, and to evaluate potential attenuation by inflammatory markers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2,066 community-dwelling older adults (55% women; median age 71 years [IQR 70-72]) from the Hordaland Health Study (1997-99) with complete data on WWI and cognitive tests were included in the cross-sectional analyses. Higher WWI was associated with lower cognitive performance across all tests: COWAT (ß -0.06 [95% CI -0.10, -0.02]), KOLT (ß -0.06 [95% CI -0.11, -0.02]), and m-DST (ß -0.09 [95% CI -0.12, -0.04]). Adjustment for inflammatory markers did not attenuate these associations. Body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and lean mass index were not significantly associated with cognitive performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Higher WWI, reflecting greater central adiposity, was associated with lower performance across multiple cognitive domains. Inflammatory markers did not attenuate this relationship. Other anthropometric and body composition measures were not associated with cognitive performance. These findings suggest that central adiposity relative to body weight may be more relevant for cognitive health than overall body adiposity in older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1872693"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13368758/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148457753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Handgrip strength across clinical conditions and health-related outcomes in older adults: a scoping review.","authors":"José Julián Bernal-Sánchez, Duber Esteban Uzuriaga-Fori, Sharon Estefany Rivera-Viveros, Zharick Marcela Viafara-Carabali, Esther Cecilia Wilches-Luna, Diana Yazmín Perafan-Gonzalez","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1804033","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1804033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aim: </strong>Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple, non-invasive, and widely used measure of muscle function that has been examined in relation to several health-related outcomes in older adults. This scoping review aimed to map the extent, range, and nature of the evidence on the relationship between HGS and clinical conditions or health-related outcomes in older adults and aging-related populations, with particular attention to population characteristics, outcome classification, and HGS measurement protocols.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This scoping review was reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR checklist. Observational studies, including cross-sectional, cohort, longitudinal, and panel designs, were eligible when they examined HGS in relation to clinical conditions or health-related outcomes in older adults or aging-related populations. Searches were conducted in ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, and MEDLINE via PubMed, with SpringerLink used as a supplementary publisher platform. Articles published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese were considered. Study selection, data charting, and methodological appraisal were performed using structured forms. Findings were synthesized descriptively by study characteristics, health-related domain, HGS measurement protocol, and HGS operationalization.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The search identified 890 records, and 18 studies comprising 243,334 participants were included in the final synthesis. Ten studies were cross-sectional, whereas eight used longitudinal, cohort, or panel designs. Neurocognitive and mental health outcomes were the most frequently examined domain, followed by musculoskeletal conditions or syndromes, functional outcomes, quality of life, frailty, comorbidity burden, and cardiovascular risk. HGS measurement varied across studies in terms of dynamometer type, hand assessed, number of attempts, summary value, cut-off points, and analytical operationalization. Lower HGS or HGS-related parameters were reported across studies in relation to poorer health-related outcomes, although study design, population heterogeneity, and differences in HGS protocols limited direct comparability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This review shows that HGS has been studied across multiple aging-related health domains, particularly neurocognitive and musculoskeletal outcomes. However, the predominance of observational designs and heterogeneity in HGS measurement and outcome definitions limit causal interpretation. Further longitudinal studies using standardized HGS protocols and consistent outcome definitions are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1804033"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13364915/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148450834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heterogeneous leukocyte telomere trajectories and inflammatory resolution 12 months after mild COVID-19: an exploratory cohort study.","authors":"Daiane Renata Dos Santos, Daniela Valadão Freitas Rosa, Arnaldo Santos Leite, Carolina Coimbra Marinho, Maria Aparecida Camargos Bicalho, Marco Aurelio Romano-Silva, Débora Marques de Miranda, Alexandre Guimarães de Almeida Barros","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1866981","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1866981","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The longitudinal interplay between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and persistent immune activation after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection remains incompletely characterized.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this exploratory observational study, 51 adults (76.5% female; mean age 39.0 ± 9.7 years) with RT-PCR-confirmed mild COVID-19 had blood sampled in the acute symptomatic phase and at 12 months. Relative LTL was quantified by qPCR (Cawthon T/S method, 36B4 reference). A 45-analyte multiplex bead-based immunoassay quantified circulating cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Paired changes were assessed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between immune mediators and LTL were evaluated by Spearman correlation with Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) control and by multivariable linear regression adjusted for baseline LTL, age, sex and comorbidity burden.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-eight participants had paired LTL data. Group-level T/S ratio increased modestly between the acute phase and 12 months (mean Δ = +0.0094; Wilcoxon p = 0.041; Cohen's d_z = 0.31), but interindividual trajectories were markedly heterogeneous (52% increased, 33% decreased, 15% unchanged). Twenty of 45 cytokines decreased significantly between timepoints (FDR <0.05), consistent with systemic resolution of acute inflammation. Among residual immune mediators at 12 months, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was inversely associated with the LTL trajectory (Spearman ρ = -0.48; p = 0.0005; FDR = 0.024). This association persisted in a multivariable model adjusted for baseline LTL, age, sex and comorbidity count (β = -0.040; 95% CI -0.061 to -0.018; p = 0.0006), and the model explained 43% of variance in T/S₁. Cytokines previously highlighted in similar cohorts (IL-7, IL-9, IL-17A, EGF) showed univariable correlations that did not survive FDR correction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Twelve months after mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, leukocyte telomere trajectories are highly individual, while most acute-phase inflammatory mediators have resolved. Residual circulating HGF, a pleiotropic factor recognized as a component of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype but also involved in tissue repair, endothelial activation, and metabolic signaling, was the only mediator robustly associated with the longitudinal LTL trajectory after multiple-testing correction and may identify a subgroup with persistent tissue-remodeling or senescence-associated activity. This association is interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than as a validated biomarker. Given the absence of an uninfected control group, modest sample size, and qPCR-based LTL quantification, these findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1866981"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13367134/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148450891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanistic redundancy and hierarchy of aging mechanisms: implications for strategies to extend healthspan and biomarker integration.","authors":"Maria Shvedova","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1776669","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1776669","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aging involves a network of interrelated biological processes that differ in causality and impact. This review proposes a hierarchical framework of primary, secondary, and tertiary drivers of human aging while emphasizing the extensive feedback loops and mechanistic redundancy. Primary mechanisms include molecular damage, particularly genomic and mitochondrial DNA damage, and mutation accumulation that cumulatively result in genomic instability, and telomere attrition, which represents a separate primary driver. Although rarely recognized as an independent aging mechanism, female sex hormone decline, particularly the abrupt loss of sex steroid signaling at menopause and earlier perimenopausal changes, may constitute a primary sex-specific driver of human aging as an evolved process that amplifies molecular and physiological deterioration. Mechanisms acting as both primary and secondary include damage to molecules other than DNA including protein damage with loss of proteostasis and lipid damage, which may arise directly from molecular insults or emerge as downstream consequences of DNA damage and other primary mechanisms, while also feeding back to accelerate upstream deterioration. Secondary mechanisms comprise cellular senescence, impaired macroautophagy, deregulated nutrient sensing, epigenetic alterations, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered intercellular communication. These processes emerge downstream of initial damage and further reciprocally reinforce it. Tertiary mechanisms of aging comprise stem cell exhaustion, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis, which represent the system-level deterioration exacerbating molecular dysfunction. This hierarchical network-based model suggests that many hallmarks of aging may represent manifestations of redundant upstream molecular insults. This review focuses on primary mechanisms as the causative drivers of aging and proposes that the strategy to extend healthspan may require preventive approaches targeting distinct redundant primary mechanisms. Complex preventive interventions that simultaneously reduce molecular damage, slow telomere attrition, and compensate for estrogen depletion may delay the initiation and amplification of secondary and tertiary aging mechanisms. This framework supports coordinated multi-target strategies for healthspan extension and underscores the need for validated biomarkers that reflect these upstream processes as part of an integrated preventive approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1776669"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13357817/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148439250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From molecular damage to regulatory constraint: epigenetic and metabolic limits of cellular plasticity in aging.","authors":"Antoni R Godlewski, Tomasz Dziaman","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1872180","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1872180","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aging is most often portrayed as the progressive buildup of molecular damage, yet this conventional view leaves much unexplained. Over time, cells and tissues appear to lose the regulatory flexibility that allows them to adapt, repair, and reconfigure their functional states. Genomic instability, metabolic imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and proteostatic decline converge on aging, but their effects focus on chromatin organization, transcriptional coordination, and signaling networks that maintain cellular identity. In this review, we propose that aging can be usefully viewed as a progressive restriction of epigenetic and regulatory plasticity, rather than as the simple accumulation of lesions. Pathways such as Wnt signaling, TET-dependent DNA demethylation, and metabolic sensors including AMPK, mTOR, and sirtuins create an interconnected landscape that links environmental and metabolic conditions with long-term cellular behavior. As this landscape becomes increasingly rigid and constrained, cells retain viability but lose their capacity for dynamic responses, stabilizing in low-plasticity states that include cellular senescence. Framing aging as a shift from adaptive plasticity toward regulatory rigidity offers a possible integrative lens on classical hallmarks and epigenetic aging signatures, without replacing existing models. Rather than targeting individual hallmarks in isolation, future approaches may need to complement hallmark-focused strategies by restoring dynamic balance within epigenetic and signaling networks that preserve tissue-level homeostasis and regenerative potential, thereby suggesting specific, testable predictions for interventions acting on metabolic-epigenetic axes.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1872180"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13350435/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148426954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Employed cancer survivors develop a peer-support intervention to improve social connections: a participatory design study.","authors":"Alicia G Dugan, Keith M Bellizzi, Hannah L Austin, Sara Namazi, Jennifer M Cavallari","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1802482","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1802482","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Among the 4.3 million working-age breast cancer survivors in the U.S., employment offers financial stability, purpose, and normalcy. However, many face barriers that hinder workforce participation, including social disconnection. Using a participatory intervention design approach that directly engages survivors, this study aimed to identify root causes of disconnection and prioritize solutions to support psychosocial wellbeing and work retention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study recruited six employed breast cancer survivors for a design team that used the Intervention Design and Analysis Scorecard's (IDEAS) Steps 1-5 to develop and prioritize intervention options. The team, facilitated by university researchers, met for seven 1-h sessions. Qualitative data from IDEAS worksheets and meeting notes were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Survivors identified three causes of social disconnection: (1) changes in self-concept and worldview, (2) symptom-related social withdrawal, and (3) unsupportive responses from others. The team developed and evaluated three intervention models, considering scope, effectiveness, resources, and barriers. An intervention including written materials, a website, a peer-led support group, and a social media forum, was prioritized as the most feasible and impactful option. A follow-up study will pilot-test the intervention to assess effects on wellbeing and work outcomes.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The team prioritized a multi-component intervention to foster connection and work engagement primarily targeting individual and interpersonal factors rather than workplace-level factors, likely reflecting the absence of a common employer. Findings highlight social connection as a modifiable target and support further intervention development and pilot-testing, with attention to accessibility and relevance across diverse survivor populations through cultural, economic, and structural adaptations.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1802482"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13350434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148426913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of biopsychosocial frailty trends on survival and quality of life of older adults: a secondary analysis of data from a community-based active monitoring program.","authors":"Giuseppe Liotta, Olga Madaro, Clara Donnoli, Fabio Riccardi, Giulia Picardo, Fausto Ciccacci, Michele Bisogno, Paola Scarcella","doi":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1791524","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fragi.2026.1791524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Advancing age frequently brings about a complex condition known as biopsychosocial frailty, which significantly impacts an older adult's survival and quality of life. This research investigates how changes in frailty levels affect mortality, hospitalization, and institutionalization, utilizing data from the \"Long Live the Elderly!\" program, a community-based initiative focused on proactive monitoring.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A secondary analysis was conducted on data from 6,802 older adults participating in the LLE program across six Italian cities. Frailty was assessed using the Short Functional Geriatric Evaluation, which encompasses physical, psychological, and socio-economic dimensions. Trends in frailty were analyzed over an average follow-up period of 4.6 years, with survival outcomes evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At baseline, 40.0% of participants were robust, 25.9% pre-frail, 27.4% frail, and 6.7% very frail. Frailty levels deteriorated in 36.9% of participants, while 11.2% experienced improvement. Higher frailty levels were significantly associated with increased mortality, hospitalization, and institutionalization. However, individuals whose frailty remained stable or improved showed significantly lower mortality rates compared to those whose frailty declined. Socio-economic enhancements were linked to better frailty outcomes, while psychophysical deterioration was the primary driver of declines.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Frailty is a dynamic condition that may improve or worsen over time. Stabilizing or improving frailty trajectories was associated with reduced mortality, hospitalization, and institutionalization, supporting the relevance of multidimensional frailty monitoring in community settings These findings can support the importance of proactive multidimensional frailty monitoring in aging populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":73061,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in aging","volume":"7 ","pages":"1791524"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13350052/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148426928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}