AdventHealth Translational Research Institute Selected as Clinical Site for National Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA)

Under the leadership of Scientific Director and Principal Investigator Bret H. Goodpaster, PhD, the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute (TRI), is now enrolling men and women 70 years of age or older to participate in the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA). Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), SOMMA is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study designed to examine the biological properties of skeletal muscle that predict onset of disability or dementia in older adults.

The AdventHealth TRI is one of three clinical sites participating in the SOMMA study along with the University of Pittsburgh and Wake Forest University. Experience conducting longitudinal studies and clinical trials in older populations, including the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) and the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) (NCT05379348), helped NIA to select the TRI as a site for this study.

The Challenge of Mobility Issues in Older Adults
An estimated nine million adults in the US over the age of 65 cannot walk 1/4 mile or can do so only with great difficulty. Referred to as mobility disability, this leads to greater difficulty with activities of daily living, loss of independence, institutionalization, impaired quality of life and an estimated $4,000 in additional annual health care costs for those affected.

“We need to better understand the muscle biology and properties that contribute to mobility decline in older adults so that new, targeted interventions can be developed to help prevent or treat it,” explains Dr. Goodpaster. “The SOMMA study aims to fill this knowledge gap. We hope to discover biologic pathways that influence disability-free survival, mobility disability, and change in power and fitness.” 

SOMMA Study Design and Objectives
The AdventHealth TRI aims to enroll about 400 participants who are 70 years of age or older in the SOMMA study. Those who qualify for the study may be compensated up to $450 and must consent to the following procedures:

• Physical examinations and measurements
• Vision tests
• Physical function and exercise tests
• Cognitive function tests
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
• Tissue collection

Participants must also commit to three baseline visits, phone contacts every six months and annual follow-up visits.

Using the data gathered, SOMMA researchers aim to evaluate essential and interrelated biological pathways of aging, including the following:

• Mitochondrial function, the process by which mitochondria generate energy to fuel muscle contraction and movement
• DNA damage and repair, and DNA mutations
• Oxidative stress
• Cell senescence, when cells permanently stop dividing but release inflammatory molecules that contribute to aging

Additionally, study researchers will investigate changes in gene expression over time within muscle to discover new biological pathways that influence skeletal muscle power and cardiorespiratory fitness.

“This is truly groundbreaking research, and we are excited to be a part of it,” comments Dr. Goodpaster. “SOMMA is the first large prospective study to include muscle biopsies and examination of gene expression in muscle to discover patterns associated with loss of mobility at both the cellular and molecular levels.”

Impacting Future Research Efforts on Aging
The SOMMA research team believes that the study’s biorepository of muscle tissue, blood, gene expression data and longitudinal assessments will help fuel additional research efforts within the scientific community, including exploration of potential interventions designed to improve aging and mobility.

“Our work will serve as an engine for translational aging research for years to come,” shares Dr. Goodpaster.

To learn more about this clinical trial, visit https://www.adventhealth.com/institute/adventhealth-research-institute/participate-somma-research-study.