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Rahman MS, Harrison E, Biggs H, Seikus C, Elliott P, Breen G, Kingston N, Bradley JR, Hill SM, Tom BDM, Chinnery PF. Dynamics of cognitive variability with age and its genetic underpinning in NIHR BioResource Genes and Cognition cohort participants. Nat Med 2024:10.1038/s41591-024-02960-5. [PMID: 38745010 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02960-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
A leading explanation for translational failure in neurodegenerative disease is that new drugs are evaluated late in the disease course when clinical features have become irreversible. Here, to address this gap, we cognitively profiled 21,051 people aged 17-85 years as part of the Genes and Cognition cohort within the National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource across England. We describe the cohort, present cognitive trajectories and show the potential utility. Surprisingly, when studied at scale, the APOE genotype had negligible impact on cognitive performance. Different cognitive domains had distinct genetic architectures, with one indicating brain region-specific activation of microglia and another with glycogen metabolism. Thus, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning cognition are distinct from dementia risk loci, presenting different targets to slow down age-related cognitive decline. Participants can now be recalled stratified by genotype and cognitive phenotype for natural history and interventional studies of neurodegenerative and other disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shafiqur Rahman
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Emma Harrison
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK
| | - Heather Biggs
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK
| | - Chloe Seikus
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul Elliott
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London School of Public Health, London, UK
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley Hospital, London, UK
| | - Nathalie Kingston
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK
- Dept of Haematology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - John R Bradley
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Steven M Hill
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Brian D M Tom
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Patrick F Chinnery
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, Cambridge, UK.
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Sergio J, Siedlecki KL. Which variables moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and global neurocognition across adulthood? NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024; 31:145-173. [PMID: 36268987 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.2131714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined moderators of the relationship between depressive symptoms and global neurocognition in a large non-clinical community-dwelling sample spanning adulthood. Participants comprised 5,430 individuals between the ages of 18-99 years drawn from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project. Depressive symptoms were measured via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale and neurocognition was operationalized as a composite variable comprising episodic memory, spatial visualization, processing speed, and reasoning tasks. Moderator variables included physical activity, cognitive activity, education, emotional stability, and openness. Hierarchical regressions were used to examine the influence of depressive symptoms and the moderators on neurocognition. Depressive symptoms significantly predicted neurocognition. Cognitive activity, years of education, and emotional stability moderated the depression-neurocognition relationship by buffering the impact of depressive symptoms on neurocognition. Cognitive activity engagement and level of education may function as a protective influence on those with higher levels of depressive symptoms, while emotional stability may be protective for individuals with lower levels of depressive symptoms. No differences in moderation were found across three age groups representing younger, middle, and older adults. Post-hoc analyses showed years of education and openness as moderators in a subsample excluding individuals with potentially clinically meaningful levels of depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Sergio
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, New York, NY, USA
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3
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Mollusky A, Reynolds-Lallement N, Lee D, Zhong JY, Magnusson KR. Investigating the effects of age and prior military service on fluid and crystallized cognitive functions using virtual morris water maze (vMWM) and NIH Toolbox tasks. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 116:105156. [PMID: 37604015 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2023.105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Much of current knowledge of aging involves war veterans and research about age-related cognitive changes in veterans involves generalized or single function tests or health or neurological disorders. The current study examined military service within the context of comparisons of young and old humans involving generally healthy individuals to address normal age-associated cognitive changes. Adult participants included 11 young females (8 non-veterans; 3 veterans; 21-31 years), 5 young males (non-veterans, 21-24 years), 9 older females (non-veterans, 62-80 years), and 21 older males (11 non-veterans; 10 veterans; 60-86 years). They were tested in virtual Morris water maze (vMWM) tasks, which were designed to test spatial learning, cognitive flexibility and working memory, similar to rodent studies, and were validated by correlations with specific NIH Toolbox (NIH-TB) Cognitive Battery or Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) Logical Memory I and II tests. Significant age-related deficits were seen on multiple vMWM tasks and NIH-TB fluid cognition tasks. Among older males, vMWM tasks appeared to be more sensitive, based on finding statistical differences, to prior military service than NIH Toolbox tasks. Compared with male non-veterans of comparable age and younger, older male veterans exhibited significant deficits in spatial learning, cognitive flexibility, and working memory on vMWM tasks. Our findings support continued development and characterization of vMWM tasks that are comparable between rodents and humans for translating aging interventions between species, and provide impetus for larger investigations examining the extent to which prior military service can serve as a "hidden" variable in normal biological declines of cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina Mollusky
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
| | - Nadjalisse Reynolds-Lallement
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
| | - Dylan Lee
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States
| | - Jimmy Y Zhong
- Department of Psychology, School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Australia (Singapore campus), Singapore 387380, Singapore; College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Australia (Singapore campus), Singapore 387380, Singapore; Georgia State/Georgia Tech Center for Advanced Brain Imaging (CABI), Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30318, United States
| | - Kathy R Magnusson
- Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States.
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Gall CM, Le AA, Lynch G. Sex differences in synaptic plasticity underlying learning. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:764-782. [PMID: 33847004 PMCID: PMC10337639 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although sex differences in learning behaviors are well documented, sexual dimorphism in the synaptic processes of encoding is only recently appreciated. Studies in male rodents have built upon the discovery of long-term potentiation (LTP), and acceptance of this activity-dependent increase in synaptic strength as a mechanism of encoding, to identify synaptic receptors and signaling activities that coordinate the activity-dependent remodeling of the subsynaptic actin cytoskeleton that is critical for enduring potentiation and memory. These molecular substrates together with other features of LTP, as characterized in males, have provided an explanation for a range of memory phenomena including multiple stages of consolidation, the efficacy of spaced training, and the location of engrams at the level of individual synapses. In the present report, we summarize these findings and describe more recent results from our laboratories showing that in females the same actin regulatory mechanisms are required for hippocampal LTP and memory but, in females only, the engagement of both modulatory receptors such as TrkB and synaptic signaling intermediaries including Src and ERK1/2 requires neuron-derived estrogen and signaling through membrane-associated estrogen receptor α (ERα). Moreover, in association with the additional ERα involvement, females exhibit a higher threshold for hippocampal LTP and spatial learning. We propose that the distinct LTP threshold in females contributes to as yet unappreciated sex differences in information processing and features of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aliza A. Le
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Gary Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Aggarwal NT, Mielke MM. Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease. Neurol Clin 2023; 41:343-358. [PMID: 37030962 PMCID: PMC10321561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
Reviewing the research presented in this article, it is evident that from an epidemiological perspective, it is important to evaluate the extent to which findings of sex and gender differences in Alzheimer's dementia (AD) are due to differences in longevity, survival bias, and comorbidities. Medical, genetic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors, in addition to hormonal factors, can differentially affect the risk and progression of AD in women versus men. Further, evaluation of sex differences in AD progression and the trajectory of change in cognitive function, neuroimaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood-based biomarkers of AD is needed. Finally, identifying sex differences in AD biomarkers and change across the lifespan is critical for the planning of prevention trials to reduce the risk of developing AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelum T Aggarwal
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 West Harrison Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Michelle M Mielke
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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Bloom RF, Siedlecki KL. Testing the Reserve Capacity Model: Does Race Moderate the Relationship Between Negative Emotions and Neurocognition? Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2023; 38:213-223. [PMID: 36062422 PMCID: PMC9940113 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acac070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test whether race moderates the relationship between negative emotions and neurocognition by applying the reserve capacity model within a large sample that spans adulthood. METHOD The study sample (N = 1,020) consisted of community-dwelling adults between 18 and 84 years of age who were drawn from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project. Demographic variables were used to match a sample of Black participants to a sample of White participants. Race was examined as a moderator of the relationship between negative emotions (i.e., depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and the negative affect subscale from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and neurocognitive variables (episodic memory, reasoning, spatial visualization, and processing speed) with multiple-group structural equation modeling. RESULTS After accounting for sociodemographic variables, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with processing speed in both groups, and with worse reasoning in the White subsample. Negative affect was associated with lower reasoning performance in both groups and with lower spatial visualization in the White subsample. Trait anxiety was not significantly associated with the neurocognitive constructs in either group. Multigroup structural equation models showed that the magnitudes of the associations were not different between the Black and White subsamples. Thus, race did not moderate the relationships between depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, and negative affect with neurocognition. CONCLUSIONS Negative emotions are associated with lower performance on different neurocognitive tasks, but race does not moderate these relationships. Future research should examine perceived discrimination or other psychosocial variables when examining the relationships among negative emotions and neurocognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel F Bloom
- Department of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY10458, USA
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Åkerlund S, Håkansson A, Claesdotter-Knutsson E. An auditory processing advantage enables communication in less complex social settings: Signs of an extreme female brain in children and adolescents being assessed for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1068001. [PMID: 36710746 PMCID: PMC9880279 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1068001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The underlying factors of the male predominance in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are largely unknown, although a female advantage in social communication has been pointed out as a potential factor. Recently, attention has been given to ASD as a sensory processing disorder, focusing on the audio-visual temporal processing paramount for the development of communication. In ASD, a deviant audio-visual processing has been noted, resulting in difficulties interpreting multisensory information. Typically Developed (TD) females have shown an enhanced language processing in unisensory situations compared to multisensory situations. We aim to find out whether such an advantage also can be seen in girls within the ASD population, and if so, is it related to social communication skills? Method Forty children (IQ > 85), 20 females (mean age = 13.90 years, SD = 2.34) and 20 males (mean age = 12.15 years, SD = 2.83) triaged for an ASD assessment were recruited from a child and youth psychiatric clinic in Sweden. Using The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) we looked at associations with child performance on the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA-2). Results An auditory advantage in the female group was associated with less rated problems in social communications in unisensory processing whereas in multisensory processing an auditory dominance was associated with more rated problems in Social Awareness. In the male group, a visual dominance was associated with more rated problems in Social Rigidity. Conclusion A female unisensory processing advantage in ASD could very well be explaining the male domination in ASD. However, the social difficulties related to multisensory processing indicate that ASD females might be struggling as hard as males in more complex settings. Implications on the assessment procedure are discussed.
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8
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Mielke MM, Aggarwal NT, Vila‐Castelar C, Agarwal P, Arenaza‐Urquijo EM, Brett B, Brugulat‐Serrat A, DuBose LE, Eikelboom WS, Flatt J, Foldi NS, Franzen S, Gilsanz P, Li W, McManus AJ, van Lent DM, Milani SA, Shaaban CE, Stites SD, Sundermann E, Suryadevara V, Trani J, Turner AD, Vonk JMJ, Quiroz YT, Babulal GM. Consideration of sex and gender in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders from a global perspective. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:2707-2724. [PMID: 35394117 PMCID: PMC9547039 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Sex or gender differences in the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) differ by world region, suggesting that there are potentially modifiable risk factors for intervention. However, few epidemiological or clinical ADRD studies examine sex differences; even fewer evaluate gender in the context of ADRD risk. The goals of this perspective are to: (1) provide definitions of gender, biologic sex, and sexual orientation. and the limitations of examining these as binary variables; (2) provide an overview of what is known with regard to sex and gender differences in the risk, prevention, and diagnosis of ADRD; and (3) discuss these sex and gender differences from a global, worldwide perspective. Identifying drivers of sex and gender differences in ADRD throughout the world is a first step in developing interventions unique to each geographical and sociocultural area to reduce these inequities and to ultimately reduce global ADRD risk. HIGHLIGHTS: The burden of dementia is unevenly distributed geographically and by sex and gender. Scientific advances in genetics and biomarkers challenge beliefs that sex is binary. Discrimination against women and sex and gender minority (SGM) populations contributes to cognitive decline. Sociocultural factors lead to gender inequities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M. Mielke
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Quantitative Health SciencesMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
- Department of NeurologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Neelum T. Aggarwal
- Department of Neurological SciencesRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease CenterRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Clara Vila‐Castelar
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical SchoolMassachusetts General HospitalMassachusettsBostonUSA
| | - Puja Agarwal
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease CenterRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Department of Internal MedicineRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Eider M. Arenaza‐Urquijo
- Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC)Pasqual Maragall FoundationBarcelonaSpain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)BarcelonaSpain
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES)MadridSpain
| | - Benjamin Brett
- Department of NeurosurgeryMedical College of WisconsinWisconsinMilwaukeeUSA
| | - Anna Brugulat‐Serrat
- Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC)Pasqual Maragall FoundationBarcelonaSpain
- IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)BarcelonaSpain
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES)MadridSpain
- Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain HealthThe University of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Lyndsey E. DuBose
- Department of Medicine, Division of GeriatricsUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Willem S. Eikelboom
- Department of NeurologyErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jason Flatt
- Social and Behavioral Health Program, School of Public HealthUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasLas VegasNevadaUSA
| | - Nancy S. Foldi
- Department of Psychology, Queens College and The Graduate CenterCity University of New YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of PsychiatryNew York University Long Island School of MedicineNew YorkUSA
| | - Sanne Franzen
- Department of NeurologyErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Paola Gilsanz
- Kaiser Permanente Division of ResearchOaklandCaliforniaUSA
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Clinical and Diagnostic SciencesUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Alison J. McManus
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Debora Melo van Lent
- UT Health San AntonioGlenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative diseasesSan AntonioTexasUSA
- Framingham Heart StudyFraminghamMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sadaf Arefi Milani
- Division of Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, Department of Internal MedicineUniversity of Texas Medical BranchGalvestonTexasUSA
| | - C. Elizabeth Shaaban
- Department of EpidemiologyGraduate School of Public HealthUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Shana D. Stites
- Department of PsychiatryPerlman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Erin Sundermann
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Vidyani Suryadevara
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryRush University Medical CenterChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Jean‐Francoise Trani
- Department of Public HealthWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Arlener D. Turner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFloridaUSA
| | - Jet M. J. Vonk
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary CareDepartment of EpidemiologyUniversity Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical SchoolMassachusetts General HospitalMassachusettsBostonUSA
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de AntioquiaMedellinColumbiaUSA
| | - Ganesh M. Babulal
- Department of NeurologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMississippiUSA
- Department of Clinical Research and LeadershipThe George Washington University School of Medicine and Health SciencesWashingtonDCUSA
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of HumanitiesUniversity of JohannesburgJohannesburgSouth Africa
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Vila-Castelar C, Tariot PN, Sink KM, Clayton D, Langbaum JB, Thomas RG, Chen Y, Su Y, Chen K, Hu N, Giraldo-Chica M, Tobón C, Acosta-Baena N, Luna E, Londoño M, Ospina P, Tirado V, Muñoz C, Henao E, Bocanegra Y, Alvarez S, Rios-Romenets S, Ghisays V, Goradia D, Lee W, Luo J, Malek-Ahmadi MH, Protas HD, Lopera F, Reiman EM, Quiroz YT. Sex differences in cognitive resilience in preclinical autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's disease carriers and non-carriers: Baseline findings from the API ADAD Colombia Trial. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:2272-2282. [PMID: 35103388 PMCID: PMC9339586 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Females may have greater susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-pathology. We examined the effect of sex on pathology, neurodegeneration, and memory in cognitively-unimpaired Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) E280A mutation carriers and non-carriers. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from 167 mutation carriers and 75 non-carriers (ages 30 to 53) from the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Autosomal Dominant AD Trial, including florbetapir- and fludeoxyglucose-PET, MRI based hippocampal volume and cognitive testing. RESULTS Females exhibited better delayed recall than males, controlling for age, precuneus glucose metabolism, and mutation status, although the effect was not significant among PSEN1 mutation carriers only. APOE ε4 did not modify the effect of sex on AD biomarkers and memory. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that, among cognitively-unimpaired individuals at genetic risk for autosomal-dominant AD, females may have greater cognitive resilience to AD pathology and neurodegeneration than males. Further investigation of sex-specific differences in autosomal-dominant AD is key to elucidating mechanisms of AD risk and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yi Su
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Kewei Chen
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Nan Hu
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Carlos Tobón
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | | | - Ernesto Luna
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Marisol Londoño
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Paula Ospina
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Victoria Tirado
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Claudia Muñoz
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Eliana Henao
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | - Yamile Bocanegra
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | | | | | | | | | - Wendy Lee
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ji Luo
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Francisco Lopera
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia of Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, CO
| | | | - Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Cullum CM, Galusha JM, Wadsworth HE, Wilmoth K, Hynan LS, Lacritz LH, LoBue C, Argueta-Ortiz F. Southwestern Assessment of Processing Speed (SWAPS): A new brief test with demographically-corrected norms in an ethnically and educationally diverse population. Clin Neuropsychol 2022; 36:2260-2277. [PMID: 34554056 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2021.1970229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Objective. Neuropsychological measures of processing speed have long been used as sensitive indices of cognitive functioning. Most of these commonly used tests are proprietary, and there is a need for brief, freely available tools that can be used in diverse clinical and research settings. The Southwestern Assessment of Processing Speed (SWAPS) is a 60-second digit-symbol transcription task developed as a brief alternative to commercially available coding tests. Demographically-corrected normative data are presented along with reliability and sensitivity/specificity values in older adults with and without cognitive impairment.Method. SWAPS data from 915 healthy aging individuals (NC) and 858 subjects with clinical diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 430) and Alzheimer's disease clinical syndrome (ADCS; n = 428) were obtained from the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). TARCC participants represent ethnically and educationally diverse community-dwelling individuals age 50+.Results. SWAPS scores showed the expected associations with age, sex, and education, and the interaction between age and education were significant predictors of SWAPS scores. Test-retest reliability in NC was good, and the SWAPS distinguished impaired and non-impaired groups with adequate to excellent sensitivity and specificity for the primary analyses, with optimal cut-off points provided. Raw score- to uncorrected normalized T-scores and demographically-corrected SWAPS T-scores using regression-based norms are presented along with scoring programs for the calculation of each.Conclusions. The SWAPS is a brief, free, easily administered test with demographically-corrected regression-based norms and promising utility for detection of cognitive impairment and efficient assessment of processing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Munro Cullum
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jeanine M Galusha
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Hannah E Wadsworth
- Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kristin Wilmoth
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Linda S Hynan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Population and Data Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Laura H Lacritz
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Christian LoBue
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Neurological Surgery, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Francisco Argueta-Ortiz
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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11
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Chang YL, Moscovitch M. Sex differences in item and associative memory among older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia 2022; 176:108375. [PMID: 36179862 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
In older adults without cognitive impairment, women have an advantage over men in verbal memory tests; however, whether women with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) exhibit this advantage remains controversial. We evaluated sex-specific differences in older adults with and without aMCI in item and associative verbal memory by using an associative memory task with immediate and delayed recognition conditions. The associations between memory task performances and medial temporal morphometric measures were examined. The study included 49 individuals with aMCI and 55 healthy older adults (HOs). The results revealed that a female advantage in immediate item and delayed associative memory was evident in HOs, and the female advantage in associative memory persisted even after item memory performance was controlled. By contrast, the female advantage was absent in individuals with aMCI; such women had more associative false alarms than men with aMCI. Furthermore, decreases in item memory, associative memory, and cortical thickness in the perirhinal and entorhinal regions in individuals with aMCI versus their sex-matched controls were more prominent in women than in men. The relation between brain structure and associative memory function was evident only for women, indicating that women and men may have different cognitive and neural mechanisms for processing associative memory. These findings support the concept of cognitive reserve in women during normal aging. Accounting for sex differences in verbal memory performance is crucial to improve aMCI identification, particularly for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ling Chang
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan; Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10048, Taiwan; Center for Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
| | - Morris Moscovitch
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada
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12
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O’Shea DM, Maynard T, Tremont G. DNA Methylation "GrimAge" Acceleration Mediates Sex/Gender Differences in Verbal Memory and Processing Speed: Findings From the Health and Retirement Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2022; 77:2402-2412. [PMID: 35715888 PMCID: PMC9799212 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glac133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether sex/gender differences in rates of biological aging mediate sex/gender differences in cognition in older adults has not been fully examined. The aim of the current study was to investigate this association. Data from up to 1 928 participants (mean age = 75, standard deviation = 7.04, female = 57%) who took part in the 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol and Venous Blood Study; substudies of the Health and Retirement Study were included in the current study. The residuals from 4 age-adjusted epigenetic clocks (Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, and GrimAge) were used to measure biological age acceleration. Sex/gender differences in cognition were tested using a series of analyses of covariance. Mediation analyses tested whether the measures of age acceleration accounted for these sex/gender differences, controlling for age, education, smoking status, and white blood cell count. Women outperformed men on measures of verbal learning, verbal memory, visual scanning, and processing speed. No other significant sex/gender differences were identified. Results from mediation analyses revealed that women's slower rates of GrimAge fully accounted for their faster processing speeds and partially accounted for their better performances on verbal learning, verbal memory, and visual scanning measures. None of the other measures of age acceleration were significant mediators. Accounting for sex/gender differences in biological aging may differentiate between cognitive sex/gender differences that are driven by universal (ie, age-related) versus sex-specific mechanisms. More broadly, these findings support the growing evidence that the GrimAge clock outperforms other clocks in predicting cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre M O’Shea
- Address correspondence to: Deirdre M. O’Shea, PhD, Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 593 Eddy Street Building, 7th Floor, Providence, RI 02903, USA. E-mail:
| | | | - Geoffrey Tremont
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island,USA,Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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13
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Othman Z, Abdul Halim AS, Azman KF, Ahmad AH, Zakaria R, Sirajudeen KNS, Wijaya A, Ahmi A. Profiling the Research Landscape on Cognitive Aging: A Bibliometric Analysis and Network Visualization. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:876159. [PMID: 35572132 PMCID: PMC9093595 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.876159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to profile the cognitive aging research landscape from 1956 to 2021. Methods A total of 3,779 documents were retrieved from the Scopus database for the bibliometric analysis and network visualization. By comparing each keyword's overall connection strength (centrality), frequency (density), and average year of publication (novelty) to the calculated median values acquired from the overlay view of the VOSviewer map, the enhanced strategic diagrams (ESDs) were constructed. Results The findings showed an increasing trend in the number of publications. The United States leads the contributing countries in cognitive aging research. The scientific productivity pattern obeyed Lotka's law. The most productive researcher was Deary, I. J., with the highest number of publications. The collaborative index showed an increasing trend from 1980 onwards. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience is the most prestigious journal in the field of cognitive aging research. In Bradford core journals zone 1, the top 10 core journals of cognitive aging research provided more than half of the total articles (697, or 55.36 percent). Conclusions For the next decades, the trending topics in cognitive aging research include neuropsychological assessment, functional connectivity, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), decision-making, gender, compensation, default mode network, learning and memory, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), obesity, D-galactose, epigenetics, frailty, mortality, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), anxiety, and gait speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahiruddin Othman
- School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Asma Hayati Ahmad
- School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Rahimah Zakaria
- School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | | | - Adi Wijaya
- Department of Health Information Management, Universitas Indonesia Maju, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Aidi Ahmi
- Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Malaysia
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14
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Classon E, van den Hurk W, Wressle E, Rehn I, Johansson MM. A quick test of cognitive speed (AQT): regression-based norms for cognitively healthy 80 to 94-year olds. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2021; 29:820-839. [PMID: 34121606 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.1922585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Slowed processing speed is part of normal aging but also a symptom of many diseases, including dementia. A Quick Test of Cognitive Speed (AQT) consists of three conditions: color naming (AQT1), form naming (AQT2) and dual color-form naming (AQT3) and offers a user-friendly assessment of processing speed that is used internationally to identify cognitive impairment in elderly patients. Appropriate age-norms have however been lacking. This study provides regression-based norms derived from a Swedish sample of 158 cognitively healthy 80 to 94-year olds. The results show age effects in all three conditions, a non-linear education effect in AQT1, and age by gender interactions in AQT2 and AQT3: men performed worse with increasing age, but women remained on a par. However, irrespective of age and gender, AQT2 and AQT3 mean raw and predicted scores were slower than the hitherto recommended cutoff criteria for suspected cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Classon
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Research and development, Mindmore AB, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Ewa Wressle
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Inger Rehn
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria M Johansson
- Department of Acute Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Ceccato I, Palumbo R, Di Crosta A, Marchetti D, La Malva P, Maiella R, Marin A, Mammarella N, Verrocchio MC, Di Domenico A. “What's next?” Individual differences in expected repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021; 174:110674. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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16
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Prevalence of Stunting and Relationship between Stunting and Associated Risk Factors with Academic Achievement and Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study with South African Primary School Children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18084218. [PMID: 33923436 PMCID: PMC8072858 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Childhood stunting can have negative long-term consequences on cognitive development, academic achievement, and economic productivity later in life. We determined the prevalence of stunting and examined whether stunting and associated risk factors (low dietary diversity, insufficient hemoglobin, food insecurity, and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections) are associated with academic achievement and cognitive function among South African children living in marginalized communities. A cross-sectional sample of 1277 children (aged 5–12 years) was analyzed. Stunting was defined according to 2007 WHO growth references. Cognitive functioning was measured with the computerized Flanker task and academic performance via school grades. Blood and stool samples were collected to obtain hemoglobin level and STH infection. Dietary diversity was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. Associations were examined via mixed linear regression (with school class as a random intercept). Nine percent of the children were stunted (95% CI: 7.6–10.8%). Low dietary diversity (β = 0.13, p = 0.004), food insecurity (β = −0.12, p = 0.034), and stunting (β = −0.13, p = 0.031) were associated with poorer end of the year results among girls. No such associations were found among boys. No significant associations were found for socioeconomic status and hemoglobin levels. The prevalence of stunting and STH infections were low in the present sample. Risk factors seem differently associated with girls’ and boys’ academic achievement. Promoting nutrition may help to promote academic achievement among girls living in low- and middle-income countries.
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17
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Karlsson IK, Gatz M, Arpawong TE, Dahl Aslan AK, Reynolds CA. The dynamic association between body mass index and cognition from midlife through late-life, and the effect of sex and genetic influences. Sci Rep 2021; 11:7206. [PMID: 33785811 PMCID: PMC8010114 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86667-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Body mass index (BMI) is associated with cognitive abilities, but the nature of the relationship remains largely unexplored. We aimed to investigate the bidirectional relationship from midlife through late-life, while considering sex differences and genetic predisposition to higher BMI. We used data from 23,892 individuals of European ancestry from the Health and Retirement Study, with longitudinal data on BMI and three established cognitive indices: mental status, episodic memory, and their sum, called total cognition. To investigate the dynamic relationship between BMI and cognitive abilities, we applied dual change score models of change from age 50 through 89, with a breakpoint at age 65 or 70. Models were further stratified by sex and genetic predisposition to higher BMI using tertiles of a polygenic score for BMI (PGSBMI). We demonstrated bidirectional effects between BMI and all three cognitive indices, with higher BMI contributing to steeper decline in cognitive abilities in both midlife and late-life, and higher cognitive abilities contributing to less decline in BMI in late-life. The effects of BMI on change in cognitive abilities were more evident in men compared to women, and among those in the lowest tertile of the PGSBMI compared to those in the highest tertile, while the effects of cognition on BMI were similar across groups. In conclusion, these findings highlight a reciprocal relationship between BMI and cognitive abilities, indicating that the negative effects of a higher BMI persist from midlife through late-life, and that weight-loss in late-life may be driven by cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida K Karlsson
- Institute of Gerontology and Aging Research Network-Jönköping (ARN-J), School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thalida Em Arpawong
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anna K Dahl Aslan
- Institute of Gerontology and Aging Research Network-Jönköping (ARN-J), School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
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18
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Abstract
Males and females are subject to differences in cognitive processing strategies, i.e. the way males and females solve cognitive tasks. So far primarily reported for younger adults, this seems to be especially important in older adults, who also show sex differences in cognitive impairments. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the older adult population with respect to cognitive profiles derived from a large variety of cognitive functions. Using an exploratory component analysis with consecutive confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 676 older adults, neuropsychological performance data in a variety of cognitive domains was decomposed into cognitive components. A general cognitive profile based on the whole group fits unequally well on the two sexes. Importantly, cognitive profiles based on either males or females differ in terms of their composition of cognitive components, i.e. three components in males versus four components in females, with a generally better model fit in females. Thus, related to the established differences in processing styles between males and females the current study found a rather decomposed (or local) cognitive profile in females while males seem to show a holistic (or global) cognitive profile, with more interrelations between different cognitive functions.
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19
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Meredith LR, Lim AC, Ray LA. Neurocognitive performance in alcohol use disorder using the NIH toolbox: Role of severity and sex differences. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 216:108269. [PMID: 32906037 PMCID: PMC7972314 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Sustained heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a range of neurocognitive deficits. Yet, past research centers on a severe profile of alcohol use disorder (AUD), with persons recruited from in-patient settings. The current project aims to compare neurocognitive performance between individuals seeking AUD outpatient treatment with healthy comparisons while considering the association between performance, disorder severity, and sex. METHODS Enrollment included two matched groups (N = 125; 34 % female): 77 treatment-seeking individuals with AUD; 48 healthy comparison individuals with low drinking patterns. Neurocognitive performance on NIH Toolbox subtests measuring attention, inhibition, episodic memory, working memory, language, and processing speed were compared across groups. Within the AUD group, analyses examined the relationship between performance, disorder severity, recent alcohol consumption, and sex. RESULTS AUD group did not perform significantly lower than healthy comparisons on neurocognition subtests assessed. Within AUD group, females displayed significantly higher processing speeds than males (p = .007). Disorder severity and alcohol consumption were not significantly related to performance. However, a significant interaction between disorder severity and sex emerged (p = .010), with higher severity associated with poorer performance in males but not females, on a subtest measuring attention and inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Effect of heavy alcohol use on neurocognitive performance was not detected in this outpatient AUD sample. Weaknesses in domains of attention and inhibition may be correlated with AUD severity among males, but not females. Further research on AUD severity and sex in understanding individual differences in neurocognition is warranted, particularly using novel tools for large scale phenotyping, such as the NIH Toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aaron C. Lim
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lara A. Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Corresponding author at: University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. (L.A. Ray)
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20
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R Cardoso B, Hare DJ, Macpherson H. Sex-dependent association between selenium status and cognitive performance in older adults. Eur J Nutr 2020; 60:1153-1159. [PMID: 32918622 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-020-02384-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient required for maintaining brain health across lifespan, and adequate nutritional Se status has been positively associated with sustained cognitive performance in older adults. However, critical physiological sex differences in Se metabolism have not been specifically assessed in human studies. Therefore, we aimed to investigate sex differences in the association between Se concentration in whole blood and cognitive performance in US older adults. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 2016 participants (984 male and 1032 female) ≥ 60 years from the 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). All participants were assessed for whole blood Se concentration and completed the following battery of cognitive tests: Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) Word Learning Test, Animal Fluency test, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). RESULTS In this cohort, all participants presented with adequate Se status (mean 196.7 μg/L; 95% CI 193.5, 200.0), and cohort-wide scores were equivalent to a cognitively healthy population. A sex effect on CERAD recall (P = 0.005) and animal fluency (P = 0.018) was observed in models adjusted for age, diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease, physical activity and body mass index. Se concentration was positively associated with CERAD recall (β: 0.015, 95% CI 0.007, 0.022) and animal fluency (β: 0.017, 95% CI 0.003, 0.030) performance in males only, while no associations were observed for females. CONCLUSION This study provides the first evidence for sex differences in the association between Se status and cognitive performance in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara R Cardoso
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, 264 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill, VIC, 3168, Australia.
| | - Dominic J Hare
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Helen Macpherson
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
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21
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Tonning Olsson I, Lubas MM, Li C, Mandrell BN, Banerjee P, Howell CR, Ness KK, Srivastava D, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Krull KR, Brinkman TM. Insomnia and Neurocognitive Functioning in Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer. JNCI Cancer Spectr 2020; 4:pkaa008. [PMID: 32382693 PMCID: PMC7197383 DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In noncancer populations, insomnia is known to affect neurocognitive processes. Although the prevalence of insomnia appears to be elevated in survivors of childhood cancer, relatively little is known about its association with neurocognitive performance in this at-risk population. Methods A total of 911 survivors (51.9% female; mean [SD] age, 34 [9.0] years; time since diagnosis, 26 [9.1] years) completed direct assessments of attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functioning and self-reported symptoms of sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue), and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale). Sex-stratified general linear models were used to examine associations between insomnia and neurocognitive performance, with adjustment for treatment exposures and chronic health conditions. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Insomnia was reported by 22.1% of females and 12.3% of males (P < .001). After adjustment for neurotoxic treatment exposures, insomnia (vs healthy sleepers with no daytime fatigue or sleepiness) was associated with worse neurocognitive performance in the domains of verbal reasoning, memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed (verbal reasoning: males β = −0.34, P = .04, females β = −0.57, P < .001; long-term memory: males β = −0.60, P < .001, females β = −0.36, P = .02; sustained attention: males β = −0.85, P < .001, females β = −0.42, P = .006; cognitive flexibility: males β = −0.70, P = .002, females β = −0.40, P = .02). Self-reported sleep disturbance without daytime fatigue or sleepiness or daytime fatigue or sleepiness alone were not consistently associated with poorer neurocognitive performance. Conclusions Insomnia was highly prevalent and contributed to the neurocognitive burden experienced by adult survivors of childhood cancer. Treatment of insomnia may improve neurocognitive problems in survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Tonning Olsson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Margaret M Lubas
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Chenghong Li
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Belinda N Mandrell
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Pia Banerjee
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Carrie R Howell
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kirsten K Ness
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Deokumar Srivastava
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Leslie L Robison
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.,Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kevin R Krull
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.,Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Tara M Brinkman
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.,Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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22
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Vila-Castelar C, Guzmán-Vélez E, Pardilla-Delgado E, Buckley RF, Bocanegra Y, Baena A, Fox-Fuller JT, Tirado V, Muñoz C, Giraldo M, Acosta-Baena N, Rios-Romenets S, Langbaum JB, Tariot PN, Lopera F, Reiman EM, Quiroz YT. Examining Sex Differences in Markers of Cognition and Neurodegeneration in Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease: Preliminary Findings from the Colombian Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative Biomarker Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 77:1743-1753. [PMID: 32925067 PMCID: PMC8075106 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence suggests that there may be a sex-specific biological risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals with autosomal dominant AD due to a mutation (E280A) in Presenilin-1 (PSEN1) are genetically determined to develop early-onset dementia and thus, have few age-related risk factors for AD that are known to vary by sex (i.e., cardiovascular disease, menopause, life expectancy). OBJECTIVE Investigate sex differences in markers of cognition and neurodegeneration in autosomal dominant AD. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study in 19 cognitively-unimpaired PSEN1 mutation carriers (age range 20-44; 11 females), 11 symptomatic carriers (age range 42-56; 8 females), and 23 matched non-carriers family members (age range 20-50; 13 females). We examined hippocampal volume ratio, CERAD Total Score, and CERAD Word List (i.e., Learning, Delayed Recall, and Recognition). Mann-Whitney U tests, Spearman correlations and regression models were conducted. RESULTS There were no differential associations between age, CERAD Total Score, CERAD Word List-Learning, Delayed Recall, Recognition, and hippocampal volume ratio in male and female carriers and non-carriers. Cognitively-unimpaired female carriers showed better CERAD Total scores and CERAD Word List-Learning than cognitively-unimpaired male carriers, despite having similar hippocampal volume ratios. The interaction of sex and hippocampal volume ratio did not predict cognitive performance across groups. CONCLUSION Our preliminary findings suggest that cognitively-unimpaired female carriers showed a verbal memory reserve, and as disease progresses, female carriers did not exhibit a cognitive susceptibility to AD-related neurodegeneration. Future studies with larger samples of autosomal dominant AD are warranted to further understand sex differences in AD-related clinical and pathological markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Vila-Castelar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Rachel F Buckley
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yamile Bocanegra
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Ana Baena
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Joshua T Fox-Fuller
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Tirado
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Claudia Muñoz
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Margarita Giraldo
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Natalia Acosta-Baena
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Silvia Rios-Romenets
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | | | - Francisco Lopera
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Yakeel T Quiroz
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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