Aldersforskning. Prosjektkatalog

Transcription

1 Aldersforskning Prosjektkatalog

2 Innhold: COURSE AND NEUROBIOLOGY OF NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE; AND INTERVENTION TO PREVENT USE OF RESTRAINT AND BEHAVIOUR...1 ROLE OF SCAVENGER CELLS IN THE AGEING PROCESS...2 GENETIC AND METABOLIC STUDIES OF DEMENTIAS...3 WORKING LIFE AND WELFARE OF THE ELDERLY...4 AGEING AND SENIOR LIFE IN A LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVE. THE NOVA STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN

3 Course and neurobiology of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease; and Intervention to prevent use of restraint and behaviour. Helse Stavanger HF Årsland, Dag Professor Prosjektnr: / Principal goal: explore the longitudinal course, prognostic implications and neurobiology ofthe neuropsychiatric symptolns of patients with Parkinson's disease. Subgoals: to explore a) the neurobiological relationship of Parkinson's disease and dementin with Lewybodies, b) the neuropathological correlates of motor, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease c) magnetic resonance and dopamine transporter imaging of the brain of patients with PD d) effects of drug and psychosocial interventions e) the genetics of Parkinson's disease. Another principal goal is to study the effects of staff training and physical environment on use of restralfit in dementi, patient behavior, staff burden and staff turn-over in nursing homes. The project is a longitudinal cohort study of the neurological, cognitive and psychiatric aspects of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A large and representative population of 245 patients were included in 1992, and re-assessed in 1996 and The survivors will now be assessed annually for several years. The neurobiological underpinnings of the neuropsychiatric symptoms of PD will be explored using neuropathological and neuroimaging methods in a collaborative study with the dementia research group in Newcastle, UK. The relationship of clinical symptoms, neuropathological changes and neuroimaging in PD and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), will be explored. The effects of psychosocial and drug interventions with regard to quality of life, use of health resources and disease course will be studied. In addition to the study cohort, additional PD patients will be included in these studies. DLB patients from Newcastle, UK, will constitute the comparison group in addition to normal elderly. In an additional project, the project will study the effects of staff training and physical environment on patient behavior, staff burden and staff turn-over in nursing homes using a randomised design. Nine nursing homes will participate in this 6- months study, and receive a combination of education and clinical guidance.

4 Role of scavenger cells in the ageing process Institutt for medisinsk biologi, Universitetet i Tromsø Smedsrød, Bård Professor Prosjektnr: / Prosjektets hovedmål er å studere den rolle kroppens såkalte scavenger-celler (makrofager og scavenger-endotel-celler) spiller i aldringsprosessen, særlig med henblikk på interaksjoner mellom nevnte celler og en type slagg-molekyler som er spesielt assosiert med kroppens aldring. Prosjektet har to nært beslektede delmål: I. "Role of hver reticuloendothehial cells in the ageing process. Målet her er a finne ut mer om hvorfor kroppens viktigste "rensestasjon", nemlig leverens retikuloendotehiale system, er svekket hos eldre personer. II. "Role of choriocapillaris endotbehium (CCE) in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)". Målet her er å kartlegge den rolle choriocapillaris-endotelet spiller ved utvikling av alders-relatert makula-degenerasjon. The ageing process is associated with an increased tendency of formation and deposition of certain waste molecules in cells and tissues. Depostion of these molecules may lead to cardiovascular complications (i.e. atherosclerosis), loss of vision (age-related macular degeneration), and other serious problems. As a result of the ongoing research the project group has found that waste molecules that are present at increased concentrations in old persons, reduce the efficiency of liver scavenger cells that normally remove these and other waste substances from the blood. As a consequence, potentially harmful molecules may escape uptake in liver, and reach sites where their deposition may initiate pathophysiological reactions, for instance atherosclerosis. A major goal of the project is to study the mechanisms that cause this reduced hepatic clearance activity in old individuals. The choriocapillaris endothelial cells of retina are strikingly similar to the scavenger endothelial cells of liver. The project group wants to study if interaction of age-associated macromolecules with these choriocapillaris-endothelial cells leads to changes in cell behaviour that may start the development towards age-related macular degeneration, a complication that cripples the life of many old people with loss of vision.

5 Genetic and metabolic studies of dementias Det medisinske fakultet, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet White, Linda R. Professor 2 Prosjektnr: / PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVE: Improved insight and understanding of the genetics and disease mechanisms occurring in brain during dementia. SUB-GOALS: 1. Improved diagnosis of patients with dementia. 2. Connection between biochemical parameters in specific brain areas and types of dementia as indicated by in vivo NMRspectroscopy. 3. The discovery of specific gene associations for various dementias. 4. Improved understanding as to why neurodegeneration is selective. The use of brain cell ctiltures to elucidate the sensitivity of neurones to toxicity. Achieved by exposure to substances believed to be important in neurodegenerative processes, and study of specific reaction sequences. Dementia is characterized by reduced memory, reduced emotional control and failure of the functions of daily life. A number of brain diseases can lead to dementia, the symptoms being dependent on localisation of the disease in the brain itself. Among the elderly the commonest form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease is best known for tremor and stiffness, but many patients over time will also become demented. It is often extremely difficult to make an accurate clinical diagnosis of a demented patient, but this is vital for achieving optimal treatment. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a modern technique which the project will use to examine biochemical changes in the hippocampal region of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The brain is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid and samples of this will also be studied for specific metabolites. Cultures of brain cells will be used to examine biochemical pathways that might be involved in dementia. It is also important to find genetic markers that may predispose certain individuals to dementia. Ultimately the project needs to improve diagnosis and discover whether dementia is genetically determined, or whether it occurs in susceptible individuals exposed to certain environmental agents (that might be avoidable or treatable).

6 Working life and welfare of the elderly Frischsenteret for samfunnsøkonomisk forskning Hernæs, Erik Forskningssjef Prosjektnr: / Principal objective: Build up a broader research base for ageing society issues. Sub-goals: - Improve empirical basis - Extend and bring together the scope of fields of research - Extend the networks nationally and internationally - Build up competence via doctoral and master students - Provide underpinnings for the current discussion of pension reform - Communicate result to policy makers and also a broader audience - Produce high quality research Building on previous and current research in the Frisch Centre, the project entails a simultaneous study of push and pull factors on the retirement decisions, including potential pension, labour market opportunities, work-place conditions, and health status. The interaction between health, work and retirement is investigated using longitudinal register data covering a 10-year period, supplemented with in-depth survey data linked to register data. This part is a joint effort of the Frisch Centre and NOVA. Cross-generational income distribution is studies, along with the impact from policy changes in the tax and pension rules. Furthermore, wage formation and savings behaviour, and the interaction between the public pension system, occupation based pension systems and wage formation and structure are investigated. This includes regulatory issues in defined contributions pension systems. Special emphasis will be placed on efficiency and equity issues. The transfer of risk from employer to employee and across generations, following a shift from defined contribution to defined benefit systems will also be investigated. Resource utilisation in the provision of long-term care for the elderly will be conducted, based on previous research at the Frisch Centre, and longitudinal studies of types of care and health trajectories.

7 Ageing and senior life in a life course perspective. The NOVA strategic research plan Norsk institutt for forskning om oppvekst, velferd og aldring (NOVA) Slagsvold, Britt Forskningsleder Prosjektnr: / To improve the data foundation for Norwegian ageing research by establishing a broad longitudinal data base on ageing - make the data accessible for the research society - co-operation with different research groups in Norway - To develop knowledge and theory for a better understanding of ageing in local contexts and to inform the continuous development of policies and practices - publications - seminars - To develop competence in ageing research by - recruitment of master and doctor students - co-operation with studies abroad on analyses of comparative data - regular work-shops - Two seminars with international experts on relevant methods and theory The proposed project will seek to strengthen the competence in ageing research by tying competence building to a longitudinal study "the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation Study" (norlag). The core question is how ageing and older years are shaped by life course experiences and local contexts. The study will explore the conditions for quality of life in late adulthood, examine societal responsiveness to an ageing population, and provide knowledge for sustainable policies. norlag is based on a stratified random sample of the population aged 40 and over in 30 municipalities (N=5600). The first wave of data collection takes place in 2002, and is funded by the Research Council of Norway. New waves are planned for every fifth year. The proposal involves analysis of data from wave one. The study is based on partnerships with Statistics Norway and three academic institutions; Ageing Research Centre in Tromsø, and the University Colleges of Agder and Nord-Trøndelag. The research is organised around four topics: (1) Work and retirement, (2) Families and intergenerational relationships, (3) Coping, mental health, and quality of life, and (4) Long-term care and service systems. Instruments are selected to allow international comparisons with other ageing studies.