This Research Topic is part of the article collection series,
Interventional Strategies for Enhancing Quality of Life and Health Span in Older Adults.
Across our lifespan, from infancy and childhood to adulthood and to advanced age, a wide range of factors can influence human health and well-being. Normal aging is associated with the accumulation of deleterious and undesirable changes occurring in molecules, cells and tissues, often resulting in an increased risk of co-morbid diseases and premature mortality. Strategies to lengthen life expectancy have mainly been designed to eliminate infectious diseases and improve hygiene, and the successes are, in part, attributed to the increased use of antibiotics and vaccines. Nevertheless, the costs associated with aging and a longer life expectancy have increased significantly over the years due to chronic age-related diseases such as musculoskeletal and neurodegenerative disorders.
One of the major remaining scientific frontiers that is overdue and ready for vertical advancement in understanding the effects of aging on the nervous system structure and function in the absence of overt neurological diseases. Perhaps, more importantly, is the urgent need to offer simple and effective non-pharmacological interventions with limited side effects that will not affect the quality of life and independence in older adults.
This Research Topic aims to publish highly impactful articles describing the effects of different approaches aimed at increasing life expectancy, promoting health and independence, and/or improving the quality of life for the elderly via interventional strategies targeting the nervous system. Highest priority will be given to articles on non-pharmacological interventions and those that explore different health promotion approaches designed to increase the use of exercise and physical activity for individuals or communities. Articles on the effects of aging on nervous system form and function will also be considered. All Tier 1 article types (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience#article-types) will be considered, such as original research, reviews (systematic, review, and mini-reviews), hypothesis and theory, and perspective articles.
Topics covered, but are not limited to the following:
1- Neurotherapeutic approaches -- including exercise, physical activity, nutrition, health psychology, and technologies/modalities -- for the prevention of disease and disabilities (e.g., frailty, sarcopenia, falls, etc.) associated with aging as well as the promotion of healthy lifestyles in older adults.
2- The integrative neurophysiologic effects of aging - focusing on how changes in the nervous system integrate with and impact other systems (e.g., musculoskeletal) in aging, as well as how various neuroscience domains (e.g., cognitive and motoric; somatosensory, etc.) integrate in aging.