None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Advancing age is synonymous with physiological changes that contribute to loss of muscle mass and weakness (sarcopenia), gut function, integrity and overall health. Dietary intake often reduces in the elderly, which is a result of reduced satiety, altered oral health (decreased saliva production, dental loss), sensory changes etc. These factors lead to altered structure, amounts and type of fibre reaching the large bowel and therefore contributes to changes in the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota, resulting in a less diverse microbiome with fewer commensal bacteria and an unfavourable metabolic environment. Several in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated a relationship between the gut microbiome and muscle physiology or vice versa. Putative molecular pathways include amino acids (e.g. tryptophan and its metabolites), pro-inflammatory cytokines composition and function linked to microbiome and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) such as lipopolysaccharide, flagellins, peptidoglycan etc. Supporting unpublished preclinical evidence using germ free (GF) animal models has now identified a gut microbiome-skeletal muscle axis which regulates muscle growth The mice conventionalized with exercised young adult microbiota showed significantly increased muscle function. These findings are of paramount importance as it establishes microbial regulation of muscle mass and its functions, which may hold true in humans as well. These findings strongly support the possibility of microbial manipulation to enhance host muscle function. Several recent human clinical trials have found that exercise significantly impacts upon host microbiome structure and function. Aim: To conduct a pilot study to develop an integrated framework for elucidating a deeper understanding of the relationship between gut health, body composition and cognitive function in free-living sedentary and active elderly populations to optimise personalised lifestyle interventions in Singapore and Australia. Objectives: To establish a framework and commence the establishment of a reference baseline of functional microbiome and metabolic profiles among active and sedentary elderly in Singapore and Australia. To establish a framework and commence comparative phenotyping of the brain, liver, muscle and bone using advanced imaging technologies in active and sedentary elderly in Singapore and Australia. Hypotheses H0: Participants from the active group will not have significantly higher gut microbial diversity than participants from the sedentary group and this will not lead to systemic health benefits. H1: Participants from the active group will have significantly higher gut microbial diversity than participants from the sedentary group and this will lead to systemic health benefits.
Interventions
To conduct a pilot study to develop an integrated framework for elucidating a deeper understanding of the relationship between gut health, body composition and cognitive function in free-living sedentary and active elderly populations to optimise personalised lifestyle interventions in Singapore and Australia.
Participants will attend two clinic visits to CSIRO and one visit to Dr Jones and partners for an MRI. All three visits will be conducted within a two week period. The two clinic visits
To conduct a pilot study to develop an integrated framework for elucidating a deeper understanding of the relationship between gut health, body composition and cognitive function in free-living sedentary and active elderly populations to optimise personalised lifestyle interventions in Singapore and Australia. Participants will attend two clinic visits to CSIRO and one visit to Dr Jones and partners for an MRI. All three visits will be conducted within a two week period. The two clinic visits will be separated by one week. The MRI will be within one week of the second clinic visit. The first clinic visit is a screening visit: Once the participants are deemed eligible for the study through phone screen and satisfaction of inclusion and exclusion criteria, they will be invited to our research clinic for a more detailed screening session. This initial appointment will take approximately 90 minutes and will allow the subjects to hear more about the study purpose and how it will be conducted as well as their commitments and any risks or discomforts associated with the study. If they then decide to proceed they will: • sign a consent form for participation in the study • have their height and weight measured • confirm details about their medical history, surgical history and medications • have their vital signs checked by a nurse (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate). • Undertake the Geriatric depression scale and Edmonton Frail scale. • undertake two short cognitive tests (MOCA and C-CAB) • be provided with a faecal collection kit and full instructions for sampling • be provided with 3-day weighed diet diary equipment and instructions • be provided with a pack of surveys and questionnaires Subjects will then take these items home and three days prior to the next clinic visit they will start a 3-day weighed food diary. Within 24h prior to the next visit to the clinic they will be asked to produce a faecal sample at home and store in the supplied cooler pack. They will then bring all questionnaires, diet diary equipment and the faecal sample to the next clinic visit which will take approximately three hours. They will also be asked to fast overnight (water only) prior to the clinic visit. Participants will be sent an SMS reminder of their appointment time and to fast the day before their clinic visit. We will check on arrival if the particpant has fasted and from what time and record it in the CRF. The clinic visit involves: • returning completed questionnaires and handing in their faecal sample • having their weight measured again • having their vital signs check by a nurse (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate). • providing a fasting (water only) blood sample • consuming a sugar drink and providing another blood sample 90 minutes later • providing a urine and saliva/buccal cell sample • discussing their diet diary with a trained dietitian • completing a food frequency questionnaire • dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body imaging • breakfast • Grip strength test • Short physical performance test • completing one short cognitive test for the second time (C-CAB) They will then be asked to attend one Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) session at Dr Jones and Partners which is also located at the SAHMRI research centre. This appointment will take approximately 30 minutes and will take structural images of the brain. These three visits will be conducted over a two week period.
Sponsors
CSIRO Health and Biosecurity
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
- Male or female individuals - Aged 65 years to 80 years of age, inclusive - BMI 20 to 30 kg/m2, inclusive - Understand the study requirements, willing and able to undertake all study assessments over three separate visits and provide written informed consent - Score equal to or greater than 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment - Score of either sedentary (equal to or less than 200 METs/week) or active (equal to or greater than 1000 METs/week) as assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)
Exclusion criteria
- History of smoking within the last 6 months - Living in a care facility or retirement home that has communally prepared meals - Surgical history that in the opinion of the Principal Investigator could modulate gut function (e.g. - gastric bypass, colectomy etc.) - Use of medication/nutraceuticals within the last 3 months that in the opinion of the Principal Investigator may interfere with colonic microbiome composition (e.g. – antibiotics, steroids, laxatives, fibre supplements, probiotic/prebiotic supplements etc.) - Self-reported history of diabetes, gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic disease or intestinal inflammation, including inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), coeliac disease, short bowel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation or regular bouts of diarrhoea, cancer or stroke, within the last 5 years - Self-reported psychological/psychiatric disorder (e.g. depression, anxiety etc.) that in the opinion of a Psychologist might impact the participant’s ability to undertake study measurements - Self-reported history of claustrophobia - Presence of any ferrous metal in the body - Self-reported alcohol consumption of equal to or greater than 14 standard drinks per week - Self-reported participation in a study with any experimental drug/supplement within the 30 days prior to commencement of the study
Outcome results
None listed