Effects of a physical activity intervention on brain atrophy in older adults at risk of dementia: a randomized controlled trial.

Lack of physical activity is a risk factor for dementia, however, the utility of interventional physical activity programs as a protective measure against brain atrophy and cognitive decline is uncertain. Here we present the effect of a randomized controlled trial of a 24-month physical activity intervention on global and regional brain atrophy as characterized by longitudinal voxel-based morphometry with T1-weighted MRI images. The study sample consisted of 98 participants at risk of dementia, with mild cognitive impairment or subjective memory complaints, and having at least one vascular risk factor for dementia, randomized into an exercise group and a control group.

A randomised controlled trial of feedback to improve patient satisfaction and consultation skills in medical students.

Background: The use of feedback has been integral to medical student learning, but rigorous evidence to evaluate its education effect is limited, especially in the role of patient feedback in clinical teaching and practice improvement. The aim of the Patient Teaching Associate (PTA) Feedback Study was to evaluate whether additional written consumer feedback on patient satisfaction improved consultation skills among medical students and whether multisource feedback (MSF) improved student performance.

Methods: In this single site, double-blinded randomised controlled trial, 71 eligible medical students from two universities in their first clinical year were allocated to intervention or control and followed up for one semester.

Baseline White Matter Is Associated With Physical Fitness Change in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease.

White matter (WM) microstructure is a sensitive marker to distinguish individuals at risk of Alzheimer's disease. The association of objective physical fitness (PF) measures and WM microstructure has not been explored and mixed results reported with physical activity (PA). Longitudinal studies of WM with PA and PF measures have had limited investigation.

Relationship of Established Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Peripheral Biomarkers on Cognitive Function in Adults at Risk of Cognitive Deterioration.

Background: There is a paucity of information on the role of microvascular and inflammatory biomarkers in cognitive dysfunction.

Objective: This study sought to evaluate the relationships between established and a number of peripheral biomarkers on cognitive patterns in 108 older adults with memory complaints.

Methods: Participants in the AIBL Active study aged 60 years and older with at least one vascular risk factor and memory complaints completed a neuropsychological test battery and provided cross-sectional health data.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Adherence to a 24-Month Home-Based Physical Activity Program and the Health Benefits for Older Adults at Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: The AIBL Active-Study.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that physical activity (PA) interventions can improve physical and cognitive outcomes in older adults, but most have been relatively short in duration (<1 year) with a few having specifically targeting individuals at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: To examine adherence and physical health outcomes in a 24-month home-based PA intervention in older adults at risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Participants 60 years and older with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective memory complaints (SMC) with at least 1 cerebrovascular risk factor recruited from The Australian Imaging Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Aging (AIBL) were randomized to a PA or control group (n = 106).

Semi-automated hippocampal segmentation in people with cognitive impairment using an age appropriate template for registration.

Background: To evaluate a new semi-automated segmentation method for calculating hippocampal volumes and to compare results with standard software tools in a cohort of people with subjective memory complaints (SMC) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Data from 58 participants, 39 with SMC (17 male, 22 female, mean age 72.6) and 19 with MCI (6 male, 13 female, mean age 74.

Effectiveness of patient feedback as an educational intervention to improve medical student consultation (PTA Feedback Study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Oral feedback from clinical educators is the traditional teaching method for improving clinical consultation skills in medical students. New approaches are needed to enhance this teaching model. Multisource feedback is a commonly used assessment method for learning among practising clinicians, but this assessment has not been explored rigorously in medical student education.

Undertreatment of osteoporosis in regional Western Australia.

Aim: To identify the geographic differences in osteoporosis management.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, osteoporosis treatments in older patients presented to a hip fracture unit from mid 2005-2009 were analysed. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of rural residency with osteoporosis treatments.

Efficacy and safety of pharmacological agents in managing osteoporosis in the old old: review of the evidence.

Introduction: Osteoporosis and fracture risk increase exponentially in postmenopausal females. This places a significant burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and costs that are likely to increase with an ageing population. Despite this there is very limited data on pharmacological management of osteoporosis in this high risk group.