Experimental gerontology最新文献

{"title":"Uncovering treatment effect heterogeneity in pragmatic gerontology trials","authors":"Changjun Li ,&nbsp;Heather Allore ,&nbsp;Michael O. Harhay ,&nbsp;Fan Li ,&nbsp;Guangyu Tong","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Detecting heterogeneity in treatment response enriches the interpretation of gerontologic trials. In aging research, estimating the intervention’s effect on clinically meaningful outcomes poses analytical challenges when outcomes are truncated by death. For example, in the Whole Systems Demonstrator trial, a large cluster-randomized study evaluating telecare among older adults, the overall effect of the intervention on quality of life was found to be null. However, this marginal intervention estimate obscures potential heterogeneity of individuals responding to the intervention, particularly among those who survive to the end of follow-up. To explore this heterogeneity, we adopt a causal framework grounded in principal stratification, targeting the Survivor Average Causal Effect (SACE)—the treatment effect among “always-survivors,” or those who would survive regardless of treatment assignment. We extend this framework using Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART), a nonparametric machine learning method, to flexibly model both latent principal strata and stratum-specific potential outcomes. This enables the estimation of the Conditional SACE (CSACE), allowing us to uncover variation in treatment effects across subgroups defined by baseline characteristics. Our analysis reveals that despite the null average effect, some subgroups experience distinct quality of life benefits (or lack thereof) from telecare, highlighting opportunities for more personalized intervention strategies. This study demonstrates how embedding machine learning methods, such as BART, within a principled causal inference framework can offer deeper insights into trial data with complex features including truncation by death and clustering—key considerations in analyzing pragmatic gerontology trials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113055"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146109295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of frailty, oral health, and dietary well-being with risk of malnutrition among rural community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Ya-Wen Kuo ,&nbsp;Hsiu-Fan Hsu ,&nbsp;Wen-Li Hou ,&nbsp;Susan Fetzer ,&nbsp;Yuan-Xuan Liu ,&nbsp;Li-Ching Chang ,&nbsp;Chung-Chih Lin ,&nbsp;Jiann-Der Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The risk of malnutrition is common among older adults and is influenced by factors such as frailty, oral health, and dietary well-being. This study examined the association of frailty, masticatory performance, and dietary well-being with malnutrition risk in rural community-dwelling older adults.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional observational study used a convenience sample of 269 adults over 65 from community sites in southern Taiwan. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires, the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)–Short Form, the Dietary Well-being Scale, frailty measured by the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) frailty index, the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument, and a chewing gum test. Logistic regression and stratified analyses were used to examine associations between predictors and malnutrition risk.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Frailty was significantly associated with increased malnutrition risk (OR = 2.47, <em>p</em> = 0.008), while greater masticatory performance was associated with reduced risk (OR = 0.67, <em>p</em> = 0.006). Stratified analyses showed that frailty was linked to higher malnutrition risk among individuals with chronic diseases, fewer than 20 teeth, or denture use. Masticatory performance was inversely associated with malnutrition risk, particularly in those with tooth loss and dentures. Dietary well-being had a protective effect in participants with chronic diseases (OR = 0.97, <em>p</em> = 0.040).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Frailty and poor masticatory performance are associated with an increased risk of malnutrition in older adults. Integrating oral health, chronic disease management, and dietary support is essential for prevention, especially in rural communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113065"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146159807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-related diversity of the oral and gut microbiome and its correlation with systemic fatty acids and cytokine profiles in healthy subjects","authors":"Itzel Ivonn López-Tenorio ,&nbsp;Luis Alejandro Constantino-Jonapa ,&nbsp;Samuel Jaimez-Alvarado ,&nbsp;Sandy Reyes-Martínez ,&nbsp;Alma Reyna Escalona-Montaño ,&nbsp;Claudia Tavera-Alonso ,&nbsp;Rocío Valdez-Gómez ,&nbsp;Marta Menicatti ,&nbsp;Gianluca Bartolucci ,&nbsp;Elena Niccolai ,&nbsp;Baldi Simone ,&nbsp;Amedeo Amedei ,&nbsp;Nydia Ávila-Vanzzini ,&nbsp;María Magdalena Aguirre-García","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and aim</h3><div>Advances in human microbiome research have highlighted its influence on host health. This study aimed to characterize the oral microbiome (OM) and gut microbiome (GM) and to examine their relationships with systemic fatty acid and cytokine profiles across different age groups in healthy adults.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants aged 18–76 years without diagnosed diseases were grouped into young (18–29 years), middle-aged (30–49 years), and older adults (≥50 years). Blood, dental plaque, and fecal samples were collected. OM and GM composition were evaluated using 16 rRNA sequencing. Circulating free fatty acids (FFAs) were quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and serum cytokines were assessed using flow cytometry.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the OM, <em>Fusobacterium</em> and <em>Haemophilus</em> were notably abundant in young adults, while <em>Haemophilus</em> and <em>Neisseria</em> predominated in middle-aged adults. In older adults, <em>Neisseria</em> and <em>Capnocytophaga</em> were the most prevalent oral genera. In the GM, <em>Bacteroides</em> was the most prevalent genus across all age groups, followed by <em>Faecalibacterium</em>, <em>Blautia</em>, and <em>Prevotella_9</em>. Additionally, circulating levels of decanoic, hexadecanoic, and octadecanoic acids, as well as the cytokine IP-10, were higher in young adults compared with the other age groups.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>To our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize and correlate the diversity of both the OM and GM with systemic FFA and cytokine profiles in a cohort of healthy adults, highlighting the critical role of age in shaping microbiome composition and associated metabolites. Integrating microbial profiling with serum FFA and cytokine measurements enhances our understanding of how the microbiome may influence health and disease risk across the adult lifespan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113046"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146069363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On exploring muscle aging of the biceps brachii in the middle-aged population using HD-sEMG signal analysis","authors":"Kawtar Ghiatt ,&nbsp;Ahmad Diab ,&nbsp;Chawki Nasrallah ,&nbsp;Kiyoka Kinugawa-Bourron ,&nbsp;Sofiane Boudaoud","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although neuromuscular decline is well documented with aging, emerging evidence indicates that it may begin as early as midlife, around age 50. As this stage represents a critical window for early intervention, the present study investigated age- and sex-related differences in muscle activation using high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) of the biceps brachii (BB). Physically active individuals were categorized into three age groups: young (20–30 years), middle-aged (45–55 years), and older adults (65–75 years). HD-sEMG signals were recorded during isometric contractions at 20%, 40%, and 60% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Muscle activation amplitude, spatial distribution, and signal complexity were analyzed. Although strength remained similar across groups, RMS amplitude was primarily influenced by contraction level, with age-related differences emerging in an intensity-dependent manner. In men, older participants exhibited lower RMS amplitudes compared to younger men at higher contraction levels (60% MVC, <span><math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>05</mn></mrow></math></span>). In women, middle-aged participants consistently exhibited lower RMS amplitudes across contraction levels, accompanied by altered spatial organization of muscle activation, reflected by higher RMS CoV and lower modified entropy at moderate-to-high contraction intensities (<span><math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>05</mn></mrow></math></span>). Signal complexity, assessed using sample entropy, did not show robust age-related differences, although descriptive trends toward lower values were observed in older adults at low contraction level. Taken together, these findings suggest that midlife, in women, may be characterized by subtle, task-dependent neuromuscular reorganization rather than a generalized decline. Early identification of such changes using HD-sEMG metrics may support timely interventions aimed at preserving neuromuscular function across the lifespan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113054"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146128107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cumulative diabetes-related metabolic burden and the risk of hearing loss: A population-based study","authors":"Youngji Han ,&nbsp;Kyu-Yup Lee ,&nbsp;Incheol Seo ,&nbsp;Da Jung Jung","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) causes microvascular injury across multiple organs, but whether its cumulative microvascular burden contributes to sensory decline remains unclear. In this population-based cohort of 493,272 UK Biobank participants, including 43,332 with T2DM, we examined the association between diabetes-related microvascular complications (nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy) and incident hearing loss. Complications were identified from hospital records (ICD-10 E11.2/E11.3/E11.4) and categorized by count. Hearing loss (ICD-10 H90–H91) was ascertained from linked hospital records, death registries, and self-reports. Compared with participants without diabetes, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs; 95% CIs) for hearing loss were 1.28 (1.22–1.34) for T2DM without complications, 1.83 (1.65–2.02) for one complication, and 2.13 (1.75–2.59) for two or more. Within T2DM, risk increased stepwise with complication count (one vs none: 1.45 [1.31–1.60]; ≥2 vs none: 1.75 [1.44–2.13]). Associations were stronger in participants &lt;60 years, those with glycated hemoglobin ≥6.5%, and insulin users. Mediation analyses showed partial indirect effects of estimated glomerular filtration rate and C-reactive protein, consistent with contributions of renal dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Findings were robust across demographic and clinical subgroups. These results indicate that the cumulative burden of microvascular complications is independently associated with higher risk of hearing loss, supporting integration of auditory evaluation into comprehensive diabetes care, particularly for individuals with multiple complications or poor glycemic control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113059"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146151495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation between sarcopenia and changes in oligodendrocyte lineage cells in the brains of Alzheimer's disease model mice","authors":"Lin-lin Yao ,&nbsp;Xiao-ting Ma ,&nbsp;Fang-bo Li ,&nbsp;Lin-yi Zheng ,&nbsp;Qi Zeng ,&nbsp;Jia-wen Zhu ,&nbsp;Shan-wen Liu ,&nbsp;Yu-tong Du ,&nbsp;Hong Chen ,&nbsp;Yan-yun Sun ,&nbsp;Er-lei Wang ,&nbsp;Chun-feng Liu ,&nbsp;Quan-hong Ma ,&nbsp;Hua Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by cognitive dysfunction. The discovery and identification of non-cognitive symptoms in the preclinical stage hold promise for early diagnosis and intervention. Previous studies have shown that diagnosed AD patients commonly exhibit alterations in sarcopenia-related indicators, which might represent early symptoms of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study used 3-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic (AD) mice and C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) mice. Hindlimbs were immobilized with plaster casts for 2 weeks. After immobilization, body, brain, and muscle weights were measured. Behavioral tests were conducted. Immunofluorescence staining was used to assess muscle morphology and analyze oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) lineage-related indicators.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Hindlimb immobilization induced sarcopenia in both AD and WT mice, manifested as decreased body, brain, gastrocnemius (Gas), and soleus (Sol) muscle weights. Immobilized mice showed decreased motor ability and impaired exploration behavior. Long-term spatial learning and memory were also affected. Muscle histological analysis revealed that AD mice exhibited baseline muscle fiber type switching. After immobilization, AD mice showed increased proportions of MyHC IIa fast-twitch fibers in the Sol and MyHC IIb fast-twitch fibers in the tibialis anterior (TA). At the central nervous system level, immobilization inhibited the OPCs proliferation and significantly increased activation of microglia and astrocytes of immobilized mice.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Hindlimb immobilization-induced sarcopenia correlated with slow-to-fast fiber transformation, reduced OPCs proliferation, and enhanced neuroinflammation. This study highlights the importance of sarcopenia in the progression of AD-related white matter pathology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113057"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146128151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the causal relationship between osteoporosis and age-related macular degeneration: Evidence from observational studies and mendelian randomization","authors":"Huan Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaoping Sun ,&nbsp;Jiang Liu ,&nbsp;Zhengqi Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113060","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to systematically investigate the association between osteoporosis (OP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), including its subtypes, by integrating observational evidence with causal inference approaches.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We first conducted a systematic literature search and meta-analysis of relevant observational studies up to August 2025 to evaluate the observational association between OP and AMD. Subsequently, using summary data from genome-wide association studies, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine the causal relationship between OP and four AMD subtypes. The primary causal estimates were derived using the inverse variance weighted method, and multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted to verify the robustness of the results.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The meta-analysis, which included three studies, indicated that osteoporosis increases the risk of AMD in women (OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.12–1.91, <em>P</em> = 0.0049). Under Bonferroni correction, the MR analysis showed that genetically predicted osteoporosis significantly increased the risk of dry AMD (IVW OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.10–1.44, <em>P</em> = 0.00087. Bayesian weighted MR OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.05–1.49, <em>P</em> = 0.01162.), while no significant causal effects were observed for wet, early, or late AMD. Reverse MR analysis did not indicate any causal effect of AMD on OP. No significant horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity was detected in any of the analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Osteoporosis may increase the risk of AMD in women. The MR analysis provides some genetic evidence supporting a potential causal link between osteoporosis and dry AMD. In clinical practice, patients with osteoporosis—particularly elderly women—should be considered at potential high risk for dry AMD, and early fundus screening may facilitate the early detection and intervention of dry AMD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113060"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146145351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of extracellular matrix degradation mediated by chronic inflammation in aged skin on the structure and function of eccrine sweat glands","authors":"Xiaohan Liu ,&nbsp;Guihong Yang ,&nbsp;Yuanli Ye ,&nbsp;Weifei Wang ,&nbsp;Yongpeng Su ,&nbsp;Jianxin Wu ,&nbsp;Yiting Feng ,&nbsp;Mingdi He ,&nbsp;Zhenglin Li ,&nbsp;Lingbo Li ,&nbsp;Lingfei Li ,&nbsp;Yi Liang ,&nbsp;Mingxing Lei ,&nbsp;Xia Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eccrine sweat glands (ESGs) are critical organs for human thermoregulation, yet their function progressively declines with aging. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the age-related impairment of ESG function. Through comparative analysis between skin tissues from young and aged mice/human, we observed structural loosening of aged ESG and a significant reduction in the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components—type I and type II collagen. Further investigation revealed a significant upregulation of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β and matrix metalloproteinases and proteases (MMP)-1 in aged tissues, which can modulate the collagen degradation, suggesting that ECM degradation may be regulated by an inflammatory microenvironment. To validate this hypothesis, we established a model of chronic inflammation by intradermally injecting IL-1β into the footpads of mice. The results demonstrated suppressed ESG function, structural loosening of ESG tissues, and a marked reduction of type I and type II collagen surrounding the ESGs. In summary, this study reveals that type I and type II collagen are distributed around ESGs, providing structural and functional support. The activation of the IL-1β–MMP-1 inflammatory pathway in aging may contribute to ESG dysfunction and structural disruption by degrading the collagen around ESGs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113048"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146042317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"α-Lipoic acid mitigates age-related cognitive decline by modulating PPARγ/NF-κB-mediated neuroinflammation","authors":"Zhenyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Cong Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuan Zhao ,&nbsp;Ya Gao ,&nbsp;Yidan Zhang ,&nbsp;Lan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yutong Zheng ,&nbsp;Xiangjian Zhang ,&nbsp;Guofeng Yang ,&nbsp;Jian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2025.112927","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2025.112927","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Age-related cognitive decline is associated with chronic neuroinflammation, and α-lipoic acid (LA) has been proposed as a potential cognitive enhancer. This study aimed to investigate whether LA ameliorates aging-related cognitive impairment by regulating neuroinflammation through the Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway in vivo and vitro.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Eighteen-month-old naturally aged C57BL/6 mice were treated with LA (100 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks, followed by T maze behavioral tests. Immunofluorescence, PCR, and Western blot were used to assess neuroinflammation and PPARγ/NF-κB signaling pathway in the hippocampus. In vitro, D-galactose-induced BV2 cell was used as a senescent model. Cell viability was measured through CCK-8 assay. Subsequent PCR and Western blot analyses further delineated changes in inflammatory cytokines and PPARγ/NF-κB pathway.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>LA administration demonstrated significant cognitive-enhancing effects, accompanied by suppression of both microgliosis and astrocytosis, as well as a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus of aged mice. Mechanistically, LA upregulated PPARγ expression and inhibited NF-κB phosphorylation. Furtherly, in vitro, LA attenuated senescence-associated inflammation, an effect that was abolished by the PPARγ antagonist GW9662, confirming the critical role of PPARγ signaling in mediating LA's anti-inflammatory action.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>LA mitigated age-related cognitive deficits by modulating neuroinflammation through PPARγ/NF-κB suppression. Our findings highlighted the therapeutic potential of LA in aging-related cognitive decline and the role of the PPARγ/NF-κB axis in neuroinflammation regulation. As an exploratory study with a limited sample size, these findings offer promising insights that would benefit from future confirmation in larger cohorts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 112927"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145282361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From treadmill to outdoor overground walking: Enhancing ground contact timing detection for older adults using transfer learning","authors":"Sailee Sansgiri ,&nbsp;Emmi Matikainen-Tervola ,&nbsp;Merja Rantakokko ,&nbsp;Taija Finni ,&nbsp;Timo Rantalainen ,&nbsp;Neil J. Cronin","doi":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exger.2026.113056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Identification of ground contact timings (GCT) is critical for monitoring mobility in older adults. Laboratory methods are precise but limited to controlled environments, restricting their applicability in real-world settings. Treadmills allow extended measurements but fail to reflect the variability of overground walking. We evaluated the performance of deep learning models trained on treadmill data from young adults and their generalizability to treadmill and outdoor walking in older adults. We also explored transfer learning to enhance predictions by fine-tuning models with older adults’ treadmill and outdoor walking data. Foot-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) walking data was collected from 20 young adults on treadmills and 26 older adults on treadmills and outdoor level, incline, and decline terrains. Ground truth GCTs were derived using pressure insoles (young adults) and manually-annotated motion capture (older adults). A fully connected neural network, a convolutional neural network (CNN), and a bidirectional long short-term memory network were trained on IMU data. Transfer learning was applied incrementally by fine-tuning the best-performing model with older adults’ data. Model performance was evaluated on unseen outdoor data from 6 participants using F1-score and mean absolute error (MAE). The CNN achieved the highest F1-scores (0.9864 — treadmill, 0.9637 — outdoor level, 0.9538 — incline, and 0.9029 — decline walking) and the lowest MAE. Fine-tuning improved treadmill F1-scores up to n=10, while outdoor level scores plateaued at n=5. Decline walking showed poorer performance, highlighting the need for advanced modeling strategies. These findings underscore the potential of transfer learning for real-world mobility monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94003,"journal":{"name":"Experimental gerontology","volume":"215 ","pages":"Article 113056"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146138265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}