Effective strategies are needed to increase the healthy lifespan and prevent age-related diseases in aging populations. Using senescence marker protein 30 knockout (SMP30 KO) mice—models that mimic human vitamin C (vitC) deficiency and exhibit accelerated aging—we investigated the effects of bioactive ceramic processed water (BCP) compared to natural mineral water (MW) and MW supplemented with vitamin C (MW-vitC) on gut microbial communities and hepatic metabolism. Due to pooled fecal sampling (n=1 composite library per group), microbiome results represent descriptive trends in diversity and composition. BCP was associated with discernible shifts in gut microbiota, including increased abundances of beneficial genera, such as Akkermansia, Lactobacillus, and Allobaculum, and the Muribaculaceae family. PICRUSt2 functional analysis suggested an enrichment in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, vitamin (e.g., retinol) metabolism, and xenobiotic biodegradation pathways. Furthermore, BCP was associated with significantly higher levels of activated hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key energy metabolism regulator, compared to control groups. Although microbiome findings are descriptive due to the study design, these results suggest BCP as a potential dietary intervention to help mitigate age-related metabolic decline and promote healthy ageing.

This study explored the motivations of Catalan older people to engage in political organizations. The sample consisted of 192 people aged 65 and over who were active members of three types of political organizations: neighborhood associations, political parties/trade unions, and single-issue organizations. Their answers to an open-ended question were content analyzed, and a series of Chi-square tests were run to assess the association of the resulting categories with the type of organization in which participants were active. The results show that the motives for engaging in political organizations were mainly focused on introducing changes in the community, although the scope of the changes desired tended to vary. While some participants expressed idealistic motivations, others stated that they become involved in order to stand up for a cause in which they believed. One in six participants was motivated by self-interest, either related to personal growth or to self-protective needs. Motives for participating were related to the type of organization in which participants were active, suggesting that organizations should consider the influence of their own particular context and characteristics in developing recruitment and retention strategies.

This paper investigates the effect of volunteering on quality of life (QoL) in 50+ populations across European countries and Israel. We analyzed data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Using the Kendall tau-b correlation coefficients, we show that the extent of effect volunteering has on quality of life is nonlinearly related to the prevalence of volunteering in a given country. The relationship follows an inverted-U-shaped curve. In countries where volunteering is the most popular (Denmark, Switzerland, and Belgium) and in countries with the lowest rates (Poland, Greece, the Czech Republic, and Spain), the correlation between volunteering and one’s quality of life is low. The correlation is high in countries with medium levels of volunteering (Austria, Italy, and Israel). Moreover, volunteering affects more internal than external domains of QoL. These new insights extend the discussion started by Haski-Leventhal (Voluntas Int J Volunt Nonprofit Organ 20:388–404, 2009). Our study is correlational, and we do not claim causality.

Many older adults living in a seniors’ residence (SR), especially those living with dementia, will have to be relocated in long-term care (LTC) despite the negative impact of these care transitions on physical and psychological well-being. Using a living lab methodology and focus group methods, a care approach was co-developed in collaboration with a SR and public home care services, to promote aging-in-place and delay relocations in LTC. Outcomes were assessed using Interrupted Time Series Analysis. Integrating best practices like staff training, care reorganization, personalized care based on the residents’ life stories, and stronger collaborations with the home care services, this approach allowed older adults with higher assistance needs to remain within their home. Relocations to LTC were delayed by approximately 3 months. Ultimately, aging-in-place was found to be relevant in providing evolving care to older adults living in a SR, though further studies are needed to document its financial impact.

The Interplay of Genes and Environment across Multiple Studies (IGEMS) is a consortium of 21 twin studies from 5 countries (Australia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and United States) established to explore the nature of gene–environment interplay in cognitive, physical, and emotional health across the adult lifespan. The combined data from over 145,000 participants (aged 18 to 108 years at intake) has supported multiple research projects over the three phases of development since its inception in 2010. Phases 1 and 2 focused on launching and growing the consortium and supported important developments in data harmonization, analyses of data pooled across multiple studies, incorporation of linkages to national registries and conscription data, and integration of molecular genetic and classical twin designs. IGEMS Phase 3 focuses on developing appropriate infrastructure to maximize utilization of this large twin consortium for aging research.

Maintaining appetite in older adults is important for preventing malnutrition. Previous studies have shown seasonal variations in dietary intake, suggesting that appetite itself may vary with the seasons. Nevertheless, few studies have directly examined seasonal changes in appetite in older adults, particularly those living alone, who are at higher risk of malnutrition. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to identify when appetite declines throughout the year in older adults living alone and with others. Of the 60 adults aged 65 and older who participated in the study, 57 completed the longitudinal study over four seasons. Appetite for each season was assessed using the Simple Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) and the visual analogue scale for hunger, satiety, and expectation of food intake. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment and the Food Frequency Questionnaire. The living arrangements of the participants were determined based on whether they were living alone or with others. The stratified analysis revealed seasonal changes in SNAQ scores exclusively among individuals living alone (p = 0.029, effect size = 0.280), who exhibited diminished appetite during summer compared to winter (p = 0.026, 95% CI: 0.076–1.258). No seasonal variation in appetite or nutritional status was observed in those living with others (p > 0.05). These findings highlight the importance of an approach that considers living arrangement and seasonality to ensure that older people maintain adequate appetite status throughout the year.

Many countries have implemented a variety of pension reforms in response to the challenges posed by an aging population. These reforms typically involve a trade-off between ‘refinancing’ (i.e., increasing contributions) and ‘retrenchment’ (i.e., reducing benefits). The primary question addressed in this study is whether policymakers in the European Union (EU) possess the necessary capacity to sustain legislated pension reforms, particularly given the growing political influence of the elderly. To examine this issue, we develop a bargaining model designed to optimally allocate the economic burden of aging between successive cohorts of workers and retirees, incorporating retirement incentives. In a scenario where bargaining power remains constant, the optimal allocation rule dictates a fixed-contribution system, effectively shifting the full burden of aging onto the elderly. However, when bargaining power is allowed to fluctuate in response to changes in the relative size of the retiree population (i.e., the dependency rate), the optimal allocation rule involves a compromise between increasing contributions and reducing benefits. In the empirical analysis, we compare these theoretical optimal allocation rules with projections of pension benefit rates and dependency ratios from the 2021 Economic Policy Committee. By calculating the implicit bargaining power required to align projected pension benefits with the optimal sharing rule for each year, we demonstrate a growing divergence between projected pension benefits and the optimal levels in many EU countries, as demographic shifts progress. Furthermore, our findings indicate that for most countries, projected pension benefits are increasingly falling below optimal levels when bargaining power adjusts in accordance with population aging.

The clinical presentation and course of illness of older-age bipolar disorder (OABD) are highly variable. In addition, the presentation and course of bipolar disorder (BD) differ between females and males. This study aims to carry out a network analysis of older people with symptoms compatible with BD. Using a sample from the MentDis_ICF65+ study, a symptom network analysis was conducted according to gender and age in 555 people over 65 in the Community of Madrid (Spain). The network was estimated using the InsingFit package that implements a procedure called eLasso. These results reveal differences in the strength, closeness, and betweenness of the networks according to gender and for the age groups 65–74 and 75–84. Females present a network that is much more sparse, with a lower density, and consisting of two sub-networks: one composed of TALK (more talkative than usual) and RACIN (a flight of ideas, racing thoughts) and the other of PAINF (activities with painful consequences), SLEEP (the decreased need for sleep), GRAND (inflated self-esteem), and AGIT (psychomotor agitation). In the case of men, a denser network is obtained, with greater connections between all the symptoms, being the edge with greater weight than the one integrated by RACIN and GRAND. In relation to age, it is possible to observe changes in the model between the two age groups. These network differences support viewing OABD dimensionally and emphasize considering gender and age to improve understanding and personalize treatments for older adults with bipolar disorder symptoms.

Ensuring seed viability over decades is a central challenge in ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources. Standard germination tests, while effective, are destructive and fail to detect early molecular damage that precedes viability loss. RNA integrity has emerged as a promising biomarker due to the inherent vulnerability of mRNA to oxidative degradation in the dry state. In this study, we identified and validated seed-stored mRNAs in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a major crop species extensively represented in global germplasm collections, and investigated transcript degradation patterns in seeds conserved for up to 30 years. Using a comparative genomics approach, we identified 107 P. vulgaris orthologs of long-lived rice mRNAs, many encoding proteins involved in RNA stabilization, oxidoreductase activity, and primary metabolism. Thirty transcripts were validated by RT-qPCR, and the integrity of nine was assessed using paired primers targeting 5′ and 3′ regions. Degradation followed a consistent 5′→3′ pattern, particularly in longer transcripts, and correlated strongly with germination power. Predictive performance varied across transcripts: PSMA4, SMP1, and TRA2 consistently showed strong correlations with viability, whereas others were less informative. The ΔΔCq metric improved resolution by detecting degradation asymmetry. Samples included a genetically diverse panel of conserved, regenerated, and artificially aged accessions, enhancing applicability to real-world genebank conditions. Artificial aging intensified degradation signatures and mirrored patterns observed in naturally aged seeds. Altogether, our results indicate transcript integrity as a molecular biomarker for seed viability, supporting the development of robust molecular tools to inform decision-making and regeneration planning in long-term germplasm conservation.