Jinro Takato

Effect of exercise, aging and functional capacity on acute secretory immunoglobulin A response in elderly people over 75 years of age.

Background:  Age‐associated decline in immune function and regulation, referred to as immunosenescence, brings about an increased incidence of infectious diseases in the aged; however, there are few data on the effect of aging and exercise on mucosal immune function in elderly people. Moreover, there is no evidence on whether the change in functional capacity affects mucosal immunity in elderly people. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of exercise, aging and functional capacity on mucosal immune function in elderly people over 75 years of age.

The development of a Tai Chi exercise regimen for the prevention of conditions requiring long-term care in Japan

This study was to examine an effect of such an exercise program on preventing conditions requiring long-term care in the Japanese frail elderly who participated in a Tai Chi Yuttari-exercise program. The first-intervention group underwent an intervention program by participating in a Tai Chi Yuttari-exercise session once a week for 3 months. Each session lasted 90 min including a break time. Moreover, the subjects received a video recording of the exercise, and instructions to carry out the exercise at home. The same program was administered to the second-intervention group. Physical function improved significantly in the first-intervention group, with single-leg balance (SLB) increasing, and trunk anteflexion increasing after the intervention program. Furthermore, the total score of the Motor Fitness Scale (MFS) improved significantly. On the other hand, mono- and multi-variate analyses showed no significant differences observed in the second-intervention group during the study period. A careful interpretation of the results suggests that Tai Chi Yuttari-exercise improves physical function and ability for frail elderly individuals and could reduce the need for long-term care.

Effects of low-intensity physical exercise on acute changes in resting saliva secretory IgA levels in the elderly

Background:  Although it is well known that exercise affects various immune functions, it remains to be determined whether exercise influences change in the mucosal immunity of elderly people. The objective of the present study is to examine whether low‐intensity short‐term exercise alters acute and long‐term mucosal immune function in community‐dwelling elderly people.