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Vitality 90+

Vitality 90+

The Vitality 90+ Study (in Finnish: Tervaskannot 90+) is a multidisciplinary project focusing on longevity and the oldest-old.  The sub-projects address the biological basis of aging, predictors of health, functioning and longevity, old age as an individual experience, and the need for and use of care and services. The research is motivated by the rapid changes in the population structure and by the increase in real longevity. In Finland, the number of people aged 90 or older in 2012 is five times higher than 20 years ago, and by 2060 it will reach a quarter of a million.The Vitality 90+ Study was initiated in 1995 by Professor Antti Hervonen. Its major research themes include

  • Health and functioning in the oldest-old and their time trends
  • Formal and informal care, services
  • Very old age as a stage of life; subjective experiences of long life
  • Biology of longevity, especially aging of the immune system
  • Data include

  • Mailed surveys with whole cohorts of people aged 90+ in Tampere
  • Face-to-face interviews and performance tests
  • Blood samples
  • Research group

    Principal investigator

    Professor Antti Hervonen, antti.hervonen(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere

    Co-principal investigators

    Professor Marja Jylhä, marja.jylha(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere

    Professor Mikko Hurme, mikko.a.hurme(at)uta.fi, Medical School, University of Tampere

    Seniors, post docs

    Juulia Jylhävä, juulia.jylhava(at)uta.fi, Medical School, University of Tampere Genomics and biomarkers of aging

    Tapio Kirsi, tapio.kirsi(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Life-stories of oldest-old and cultural change

    Kirsi Lumme-Sandt, kirsi.lumme-sandt(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Life-stories of oldest-old and cultural change

    Kristina Tiainen, kristina.tiainen(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Functional performance among older people and factors that predict its changes

    Doctoral students

    Linda Enroth, linda.enroth(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Socioeconomic differences in health functioning and mortality in nonagenarians

    Inna Lisko, inna.lisko(at)uta.fi, School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Association of body mass index and waist circumference with functional status and mortality in 90-year-old people

    Saara Marttila, saara.marttila(at)uta.fi, Medical School, University of Tamperen Genome-wide gene expression in immunosenescence

    Lily Nosraty, lily.nosraty(at)uta.fi School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere Successful aging in nonagenarians

    Funding

    Academy of Finland

    Pirkanmaa Hospital District, competetive research funding

    Funding from several sources 1995-

    Doctoral thesis

    Recent publications

    Enroth L, Raitanen J, Hervonen A, Lehtimäki T, Jylhävä J, Hurme M & Jylhä M. 2015. Cardiometabolic and Inflammatory Biomarkers as Mediators between Educational Level and Functioning at the Age of 90 Years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 70. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glv105

    Enroth L, Raitanen J, Hervonen A, Nosraty L & Jylhä M. 2015. Is Socioeconomic Status a Predictor of Mortality in Nonagenarians? The Vitality 90+ Study. Age and Ageing 44, 123-129.

    Nosraty L, Enroth L, Raitanen J, Hervonen A & Jylhä M. 2015. Do Successful Agers Live Longer? The Vitality 90+ Study. Journal of Aging and Health 27 (1), 35-53.

    Lisko Inna, Stenholm Sari, Raitanen Jani, Hurme Mikko, Hervonen Antti, Jylhä Marja, Tiainen Kristiina. (2015). Association of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference With Physical Functioning: The Vitality 90+ Study. The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 70(7), 885-91.

    Tiainen K, Luukkaala T, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Predictors of mortality in men and women aged 90 years and older: nine-year follow-up. Age & Ageing 42:468-475, 2013. doi:10.1093/ageing/aft030t PubMed

    Enroth L, Raitanen J, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Do socioeconomic health differences persist in nonagenarians. J Gerontol Psych Sci Soc Sci. 68(5):837-847, 2013. doi: 10.1093/geronh/gbt067

    Galenkamp H, Deeg DJH, Huisman M, Hervonen A, Braam AW, Jylhä M. Is self-rated health still sensitive for changes in disease and functioning among nonagenarians? J Gerontol Psych Sci Soc Sci 68(5):848-858. 2013. doi: 10.1093/geronh/gbt067

    Jylha M. Enroth L and Luukkaala T. Trends of functioning and health in nonagenarians- the Vitality 90+ Study. In Robine JM, Jagger C, Crimmins E. Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, vol 33, 2013 ”Healthy Longevity”. Springer Publishing Company, pp- 313-332

    Helminen S, Sarkeala T, Enroth L, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Vanhoista vanhiimpien terveys ja elämätilanne. Tuloksia vuoden 201 Tervskannot 90+- tutkimuksesta. Gerontologia 26(3):162-171, 2012

    Vuorisalmi M, Sarkeala T, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Among nonagenarians, congruence between self-rated health and proxy-rated health was low but both predicted mortality. J Clin Epidemiol 65:553-559, 2012, doi: 10 1016/jclinepi.2011.11001

    Jylhävä J, Jylhä M, Lehtimäki T, Hervonen A, Hurme M. Circulating cell-free DNA is associated with mortality and inflammatory markers in nonagenarians. Exp Gerontol 47(5);372-8,Epub 2012 Mar 3, PMID:22406558

    Lisko I, Tiainen K, Stenholm S, Luukkaala T, Hurme M, Lehtimäki T, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Inflammation, adiposity and mortality in the oldest old. Rejuvenation Research 15(5):445-452, 2012. DOI:10.1089/rej.2011.1310. Epub 2012 Sep 21

    Nosraty L, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Is there successful aging for nonagenarians? Vitality 90+ study. Journal of Aging Research, 2012;2012:868797. doi:10.1155/2012/868797. Epub 2012 Oct 16. PubMed PMID: 23125931

    Sarkeala T, Nummi T, Vuorisalmi M, Hervonen A, JylhäM. Disability trends among nonagenarians in 2001-2007: Vitality 90 study. Eur J Ageing 8 (2) : 87-94, 2011 DOI 10.1007/s10433-011-0188-2.

    Lisko I, Tiainen K, Stenholm S, Luukkaala T, Hervonen A, Jylhä M. Body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio as predictors of mortality in nonagenarians: the Vitality 90+ Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011 Nov;66(11):1244-50. Epub 2011 Aug 22. PubMed PMID: 21860016

    Jylhävä J, Kotipelto T, Raitala A, Jylhä M, Hervonen A, Hurme M. Ageing is associated with quantitative and qualitative changes in circulating cell-free DNA: The Vitality 90+ Study. Mech Ageing Dev 132:20-26, 2011, epub ahead of printing doi:10.1016/j.mad.2010.11.001

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