Investigators at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center will present their latest aging research at the Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) 67th Annual Scientific Meeting. Topics include the identification of a genotype that can predict survival, risk factors for cognitive impairment and the cellular biology of aging. GSA 2014 will take place November 5-9, 2014 in Washington, D.C.

"Einstein-Montefiore has distinguished itself in a range of aging fields – from basic biology to clinical diagnosis and treatment," said Joe Verghese, M.D., chief, division of geriatrics, department of medicine, and director of the Center for the Aging Brain and the division of cognitive and motor aging, department of neurology, at Einstein and Montefiore. "Our ongoing longitudinal studies, in particular the Einstein Aging Study and LonGenity, also link the bench and the bedside, improving our understanding of the aging process and driving discoveries that may potentially slow it."

Dr. Verghese will attend GSA 2014 and is available for interviews.

Einstein-Montefiore symposia presentations are:

1. High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Phenotype and Genotype Predict Survival in Individuals with Exceptional Longevity – This study of 326 older women and 106 older men found that those who survived longest had both higher levels of "good" (HDL) cholesterol and a variant of the gene CETP that increase blood levels of HDL. Presented by Sofiya Milman, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, Einstein, and attending physician, endocrinology, Montefiore.
   
   • Symposium: "Human Genetics of Aging and Longevity;" Thurs., Nov. 6, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM; Room 208AB (CC) at Walter E. Washington Convention Center
2. Hearing Impairment and Incident Frailty in Older Adults – 2,000 individuals age 70 and older were analyzed to evaluate if hearing impairment is linked with frailty. Findings demonstrated that those with moderate or greater hearing impairment had a 61.3% increased risk of frailty compared with normal hearing individuals, indicating that hearing impairment is independently associated with frailty. Presented by Rebecca Kamil, Einstein medical student.
   • Symposium: "Implications of Hearing Impairment for Physical and Mental Functioning in Older Adults;" Sat., Nov. 8, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM; Room 204A (CC) at Walter E. Washington Convention Center
3. Alterations in Body Composition with Aging and Connections to Diseases and Mortality – Abdominal (visceral) obesity appears to be a stronger indicator than body mass index (BMI) for determining a person's risk of dying. This may be particularly true in Asian populations, who have a lower "healthy" BMI range and are more likely to have abdominal obesity. Presented by Nir Barzilai, M.D., Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair in Aging Research and director, Institute for Aging Research, Einstein and attending physician, endocrinology, Montefiore.
   • Symposium: "Making Connections: East meets West on Common Clinical Problems;" Sat., Nov 8, 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM at Capitol (M) at Washington Marriott Marquis
     
     
4. Selective Autophagy in the Fight against Proteotoxicity in Aging Autophagy— Autophagy—the degrading and recycling of intracellular components—is an essential cellular process. Dr. Cuervo's lab studies the consequences of the decrease in autophagy efficiency that occur with age. Presented by Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., professor of developmental and molecular biology, co-director of the Institute for Aging Research, the Robert and Renée Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Einstein.
   • Symposium: "The Collapse of Proteostasis: The Why, Where, and How;" Thurs., Nov. 6, 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM at Liberty Salon L (M) Washington Marriott Marquis

   The Einstein Aging Study (EAS), a forty-year, longitudinal study that examines the how the brain ages, is presenting a poster. The study, led since 1992 by Richard Lipton, M.D., director, division of cognitive aging and dementia, department of neurology, Einstein and Montefiore, investigates the normal aging process of the brain and how it goes awry, leading to dementia and other cognitive deficits.

5. Poor Renal Function Predictive of Frontal Executive Dysfunction in an Elderly Community-Dwelling Sample – Poor renal function is considered a risk factor for cognitive impairment in older adults, but has rarely been studied in community-based samples. Researchers found that low eGFR, a test of kidney function, is a risk factor for poor executive function (i.e., the ability to plan and organize), which in turn may interfere with patients' adherence to kidney disease treatment. Presented by Andrea Zammit, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, Einstein.
   • Poster session: "Cognition," Wed., Nov .5, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM, Exhibit Hall D at Walter E. Washington Convention Center

In addition, there will be two symposia and three poster presentations on ESCAPE, an Einstein-Montefiore-based study examining how stress impacts cognition. The study follows adult residents living in Co-op City, a large cooperative housing development located in the northeast Bronx. The study is led by Einstein and Montefiore's Dr. Lipton, but all presentations will be made by collaborators at Pennsylvania State University's Center for Healthy Aging.