Interpretive Qualitative Evaluation Informs Research Participation and Advocacy Training Program for Seniors: A Pilot Study.

An 8-week educational intervention co-taught by medical students and faculty was designed to foster communication between clinical researchers and populations of interest to ultimately increase participation in clinical research by older adults, including underrepresented groups. Weekly topics focused on age-related changes and health conditions, socio-contextual factors impacting aging populations, and wellness strategies. To evaluate the successes and weaknesses of an educational intervention aimed at increasing the participation of older adults in clinical research.

Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Interest in Research of People with Parkinson's Disease and Their Care Partners Receiving Accessible Research Education.

Background: People with Parkinson's disease (PWP) and their care partners (CP) are underrepresented in research.

Methods: As an eight-week research advocacy training program, TeleDREAMS was designed to increase understanding of, and participation in, clinical research by older adults through topics on the research process. Qualitative analysis was conducted to explore themes from 365 thirty-minute semistructured phone interviews with 32 PWP and 17 CP TeleDREAMS participants.

Walk with Me Hybrid Virtual/In-Person Walking for Older Adults with Neurodegenerative Disease.

This study presents a protocol for virtual and in-person walking groups for older adults with neurodegenerative diseases and addresses the decline in physical activity and social connectivity during the pandemic. Physical activity, specifically moderate-intensity walking, has been shown to have multiple health benefits for older adults. This methodology was created during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to lower physical activity levels and social isolation in older adults.

Parkinson's Disease and Diabetes Mellitus: Individual and Combined Effects on Motor, Cognitive, and Psychosocial Functions.

Background/objective: Understanding the effects of multimorbidity on motor and cognitive function is important for tailoring therapies. Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). This study investigated if individuals with comorbid PD and DM experienced poorer functional ability compared to individuals with only PD or DM.

Referent Values for Commonly Used Clinical Mobility Tests in Black and White Adults Aged 50-95 Years.

Objective: To estimate referent values for performance on clinical mobility tests conducted amongst racially diverse adults aged 50-95 years in the Southeast US.

Design: This is an observational study of community-dwelling older adults from diverse racial groups who participated in observational and rehabilitative studies conducted from 2011-2019.

Setting: Rehabilitation clinics around the greater metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, region.

Gender differences in motor and non-motor symptoms in individuals with mild-moderate Parkinson's disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) affects both men and women with documented gender differences across functional domains, with findings varying among reports. Knowledge regarding gender differences in PD for different geographic locations is important for further understanding of the disease and for developing personalized gender-specific PD assessment tools and therapies.

Objective: This study aimed to examine gender differences in PD-related motor, motor-cognitive, cognitive, and psychosocial function in people with PD from the southern United States (US).

Rationale and Design of the PARTNER Trial: Partnered Rhythmic Rehabilitation for Enhanced Motor-Cognition in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Functional decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is impacted by impaired ability to integrate and modulate complex cognitive and motor abilities, commonly known as motor-cognitive integration. Impaired motor-cognitive integration occurs in the early stages of AD, prodromal AD (pAD), and may precede other symptoms. Combined motor and cognitive training have been recommended for people with pAD and need to be better researched.

Remote versus In-Person Health Education: Feasibility, Satisfaction, and Health Literacy for Diverse Older Adults.

Objectives: Health education may improve health in geriatric patients. To evaluate differences between remote and in-person education, the () health seminar series compared in-person and remote learning groups to assess feasibility, satisfaction, adherence, health literacy, and cognitive outcomes.

Research Design: Nonrandomized two-arm interventions occurred remotely or in-person.

Psychosocial Effects of Remote Reading with Telephone Support versus In-Person Health Education for Diverse, Older Adults.

This study evaluated initial information about psychosocial differences of 130 diverse, older adults ( age: 70.8 ± 9.2 years) who received a "low-tech" remote (independent reading with telephone support) or in-person education through () health seminar series.

Differences in Balance Confidence, Fear of Falling, and Fall Risk Factors Among White and Black Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background And Purpose: Falling among older adults is common and can cause chronic health complications. Fear of falling, a lasting concern about falling that can lead an individual to avoid activities he or she can perform, is strongly associated with falling and fall risk. Although White older adults fall more often, Black older adults have more fall risk factors.

Remote and in-person research education for people with Parkinson's disease and their care partners.

Objective: TeleDREAMS, a distance learning version of the Developing a Research Participation Enhancement and Advocacy Training Program for Diverse Seniors (DREAMS) program, provides remote clinical research process and advocacy education to older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their care partners.

Method: Participants engaged in remote learning, reading eight weekly clinical research process and advocacy education modules. They also had weekly half hour phone discussions with staff about each module.

Relationship between parental history of dementia, motor-cognitive and executive function performance in African American women.

People with parental history (PH) of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD) are themselves at risk of developing dementia. ADRD are more prevalent in African Americans and women. A decline in executive function and motor-cognitive integration can cause an impaired performance of functional skills.

Apathy-Related Symptoms Appear Early in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Apathy, often-unrecognized in Parkinson's Disease (PD), adversely impacts quality-of-life (QOL) and may increase with disease severity. Identifying apathy early can aid treatment and enhance prognoses. Whether feelings related to apathy (e.

Qualitative Evaluation Informs Understanding of Motor Cognition and Therapies in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: 10%to 20%of Americans aged 65 and older have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with 10%progressing to Alzheimer's disease (AD) each year. Underserved groups, including African Americans (AAs), are among the most vulnerable to MCI and AD. Although evidence continues to amass, the benefits of exercise and movement for AD is still understudied in AD.

A Pilot randomized clinical trial of adapted tango to improve cognition and psychosocial function in African American women with family history of Alzheimer's disease (ACT trial).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating, progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting in memory loss and a severe reduction in the ability to perform activities of daily living. Ethnicity-related genetic factors promoting the development of dementias among African Americans (AA) and increased risk among women for developing AD indicates that AA women with a parental history of AD are at great risk for developing AD. This phase I study assessed the impact of a 12 week, 20-lesson adapted Argentine Tango intervention ( = 24) to a no-contact control group ( = 10) on measures of plasma inflammatory markers, cognition, and motor and psychosocial performance in middle-aged AA woman at increased risk for AD by virtue of parental history.

The Relationship Between Attitudes about Research and Health Literacy among African American and White (Non-Hispanic) Community Dwelling Older Adults.

Background: Ethnic minority representation lacks in research. Understanding factors that promote minorities in research helps address this participation gap. Minorities often face representation disparities, including health education, socioeconomic status, and race.

Rationale and Design of the PAIRED Trial: Partnered Dance Aerobic Exercise as a Neuroprotective, Motor, and Cognitive Intervention in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD), an intractable condition impairing motor and cognitive function, is imperfectly treated by drugs and surgery. Two priority issues for many people with PD are OFF-time and cognitive impairment. Even under best medical management, three-fourths of people with PD experience "OFF-time" related to medication-related motor fluctuations, which severely impacts both quality of life and cognition.

The Role of Nutrition and Inflammation on Cognition in a High-Risk Group for Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease. Treatments are necessary to target people at high risk for AD. Inflammation, particularly tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), appears to be an important marker associated with the development of AD pathophysiology.

Association between anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 and executive function in African American women at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: African-Americans (AAs) are 64% more likely to be diagnosed with AD than non-Hispanic Whites. AAs with elevated AD biomarkers exhibit greater neurodegeneration in AD signature regions compared to non-Hispanic Whites with elevated AD biomarkers. This pilot trial examined whether normal or elevated plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-10 are associated with changes in executive function and short-term memory in AA women at risk for developing AD due to parental history.

Effects of a Health Education and Research Participation Enhancement Program on Participation and Autonomy in Diverse Older Adults.

Social engagement and autonomy are vital for life satisfaction among older adults. We measured multiple domains of social participation and autonomy in 120 adults over age 55 years that were part of an educational program at pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed for differences between Black and White participants.

Association Between Motor Subtype and Visuospatial and Executive Function in Mild-Moderate Parkinson Disease.

Objective: To compare participants with Parkinson disease (PD) motor subtypes, postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) (n=46) and tremor dominant (TD) (n=28), in cognitive and motor-cognitive assessments with the purpose of identifying associations between subtype and visuospatial, whole-body spatial, inhibition and/or switching, and planning and/or organizational aspects of cognitive and motor-cognitive function.

Design: Retrospective cohort study. Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables, while 2-sample independent t tests were used to analyze continuous variables.

Differentiating Parkinson Disease Subtypes Using Clinical Balance Measures.

Background And Purpose: People with Parkinson disease (PD) present phenotypes that are characterized as tremor-dominant (TD) or postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) subtypes. Differentiation of subtypes allows clinicians to predict disease course and adjust treatment. We examined whether brief mobility and balance measures can discriminate PIGD from TD phenotypes.

Rationale and Design of a Clinical Trial of Adapted Tango to Improve Negative Health Impacts in Middle Aged African-American Female Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease (ACT Trial).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting in memory loss and a severe reduction in ability to perform activities of daily living. The role of caring for someone with AD frequently falls to female family members, often daughters. The burden of caregiving can increase stress and anxiety and cause health decline in the caregiver.

The association between Parkinson's disease symptom side-of-onset and performance on the MDS-UPDRS scale part IV: Motor complications.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition associated with aging characterized by loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and a reduction in dopamine levels in the striatum. PD is commonly treated using dopamine-replacement medication called levodopa. Levodopa has decreasing efficacy over time.