UF Aging

Traitor proteins that could attack the body widespread, UF researchers find
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — More than 32 million Americans harbor potentially toxic proteins that can attack body tissues and lead to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and scleroderma, according to a new University of Florida study. This is the first accurate estimate of the frequency of the proteins, called autoantibodies, the researchers say. The findings appear online and in an upcoming print edition of the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

UF cardiologists, surgeons team up to offer life-extending procedure
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- For patients who have severe narrowing of the aortic valve, a condition known as aortic stenosis, standard treatment is surgical replacement of the damaged valve. But advanced age or medical problems such as lung disease prevent many of those patients from having open chest surgery. In the past, the best such patients could hope for was to control their symptoms with medications.
New drug could help reduce heart attack risk for cardiac patients awaiting surgery
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- Heart patients who have stents that prop open blocked arteries often face a dilemma when they need open heart surgery: Continue taking life-saving blood thinners but risk severe bleeding during surgery, or stop taking the medicines and risk a heart attack.
Parkinson treatment shows positive results in clinical testing
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Researchers from the University of Florida and 14 additional medical centers reported results today in the online version of The Lancet Neurology journal indicating that deep brain stimulation -- also known as DBS -- is effective at improving motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease.
Large-scale study sheds light on painful jaw disorder
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A large clinical study of painful jaw problems commonly known as TMD disorders has revealed a wide range of findings, including how women apparently grow more vulnerable to the condition as they age.

Aggressive medical therapy could help prevent stroke
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — To prevent a common type of stroke, intensive medical therapy could be better by itself than in combination with surgery that props open affected arteries. But it remains to be seen whether the apparent advantage will prove true over the long term.


New measurements prove it: Active older adults less likely to become cognitively impaired, UF researchers find
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Reaching over to make the bed or bending to get a grocery bag might not be the typical idea of being physically active. But all those everyday movements add up and could contribute to health benefits, especially among older adults -- even if it’s not clear just how much energy seniors are exerting.
UF review of resveratrol studies confirms potential health boost
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- A University of Florida review of research finds the polyphenol compound known as resveratrol found in red wine, grapes and other fruits may not prevent old age, but it might make it more tolerable.
Study shows stroke patients can improve walking ability
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Stroke patients regain walking ability through at-home strength and balance exercise provided by a physical therapist just as well as when they participate in programs that practice the actual task of walking using a treadmill and partial body weight support, according to a study published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.

Tips geared for older adults available in updated UF/IFAS disaster-planning guide
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- If you’re an older person living on your own or if an older adult relies on you for help, the next few weeks are a perfect time to spend creating a disaster plan, a University of Florida researcher says.

Insurance benefits for exercise programs can cut health costs, UF Institute on Aging director says
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Structured exercise and physical activity programs should be covered by insurance as a way to promote health and reduce health care costs, especially among high health-risk populations such as those who have diabetes.
Course correction needed for Alzheimer’s therapies, experts warn
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Misaligned research, medical challenges and harsh economics are thwarting efforts to slow the destructive course of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, according to a trio of nationally regarded Alzheimer’s researchers writing a “Perspective” in Thursday’s (Jan. 27) issue of the journal Neuron.
Scientists ID key protein that links dietary restriction with healthy hearing, aging
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Restricting calories extends life and slows a range of age-related disorders in mice, rats and other organisms. But even after eight decades of research on the subject, scientists are still unclear just how caloric restriction exerts its age-battling influence.

UF scientists find clues to aid injury recovery in aged livers, improve transplant success in seniors
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- University of Florida scientists have identified a key cellular process involved in age-related damage to the liver -- and ways to reverse that damage by manipulating genes or administering certain drugs.
Recommended blood pressure level differs for heart patients with diabetes
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The best blood pressure range for patients with diabetes and heart disease appears to be slightly higher than what is recommended for healthy adults, according to a study in today’s (Tuesday, July 6) Journal of the American Medical Association.
In fact, the blood pressure range considered normal — less than 120 systolic and [...]
More...