scholarly journals Early-Life Exposure to the Chinese Famine and Risk of Cognitive Decline

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongguo Rong ◽  
Xiaozhen Lai ◽  
Elham Mahmoudi ◽  
Hai Fang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Famine Exposure

Previous studies on the Chinese famine suggested long-term effects of early-life famine exposure on health conditions. This study aims to investigate the association between exposure to the Chinese famine of 1959–1961 at different early-life stages and the risk of cognitive decline in adulthood. A total of 6417 adults born between 1952 and 1964 in the 2015 survey data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. Cognitive performance was estimated through a series of comprehensive neuropsychological tests, including the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS-10), word recall, and pentagon drawing. Multiple generalized linear model (GLM) was employed to detect the association between multi-stage early-life famine exposure and late-life cognitive performance. Compared with the unexposed group, respondents exposed to famine in the fetal period performed worse in the TICS (difference −0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.93 to −0.10), word recall (difference −0.46, 95% CI: −0.74 to −0.19), and general cognition (difference −1.05, 95% CI: −1.64 to −0.47). Furthermore, we also found negative effects of famine exposure on performance of word recall and pentagon drawing in the early (word recall difference −0.56, 95% CI: −1.00 to −0.11; pentagon drawing difference −0.76, 95% CI: −1.40 to −0.12), mid (word recall difference −0.46, 95% CI: −0.81 to −0.11; pentagon drawing difference −0.66, 95% CI: −1.16 to −0.16), and late (word recall difference −0.30, 95% CI: −0.55 to −0.04; pentagon drawing difference −0.75, 95% CI: −1.13 to −0.37) childhood-exposed groups. Early-life famine exposure in different stages is positively associated with late-life cognitive decline. Fetal famine exposure might affect the overall cognitive status in adulthood, and childhood famine exposure has potential adverse effects on visuospatial episodic memory.

scholarly journals Early Life Exposure to Chinese Famine and the Risk of Cognitive Decline (P14-027-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongguo Rong ◽  
Xiaozhen Lai ◽  
Elham Mahmoudi ◽  
Hai Fang
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Famine Exposure

Abstract Objectives Previous studies on Chinese famine suggested long-term effects of early life famine exposure on health conditions. This study aims to investigate the association between the exposure to 1959–61 Chinese famine at different early life stages and the risk of cognitive decline in adulthood. Methods A total of 6417 adults born between 1952 and 1964 in the 2015 survey data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. Cognitive performance was estimated through a series of comprehensive neuropsychological tests, including the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS-10), word recall, and pentagon drawing. Multiple generalized linear model (GLM) was employed to detect the association between multi-stage early life famine exposure and late life cognitive performance. Results Compared with the unexposed group, respondents exposed to famine in fetal period performed worse in TICS [difference −0.54 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.95 to −0.13, P = 0.009], word recall (difference −0.93 95% CI −1.47 to −0.39, P = 0.001), and general cognition (difference −1.46 95% CI −2.21 to −0.71, P < 0.001). Furthermore, we also found negative effects of famine exposure on performance of word recall and pentagon drawing in the early (word recall difference −1.09 95% CI −1.97 to −0.20, P = 0.016; pentagon drawing difference 0.77 95% CI 0.14 to 1.40, P = 0.017), mid (word recall difference −0.95 95% CI −1.65 to −0.26, P = 0.007; pentagon drawing difference 0.70 95% CI 0.20 to 1.20, P = 0.006) and late (word recall difference 0.61 95% CI −1.11 to −0.11, P = 0.017; pentagon drawing difference 0.76 95% CI 0.38 to 1.13, P < 0.001) childhood exposed groups. Therefore, both fetal and childhood malnutrition had a long-term negative effect on respondent鈥檚 cognitive performance. Conclusions Early life famine exposure in different stages is positively associated with late life cognitive decline. Fetal famine exposure might affect the overall cognitive status in adulthood, and childhood famine exposure has potential adverse effects on visuospatial episodic memory. Funding Sources No funding. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

scholarly journals Individual variation in brain microstructural-cognition relationships in aging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raihaan Patel ◽  
Clare E. Mackay ◽  
Michelle G. Jansen ◽  
Gabriel A. Devenyi ◽  
M. Clare O’Donoghue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Brain Microstructure ◽  
Age Related Cognitive Decline

AbstractWhile all individuals are susceptible to age-related cognitive decline, significant inter- and intra-individual variability exists. However, the sources of this variation remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the association between 30-year trajectories of cognitive decline and multimodal indices of brain microstructure and morphology in older age. We used the Whitehall II Study, an extensively characterised cohort using 3T brain magnetic resonance images acquired at older age (mean age = 69.52 ± 4.9) and 5 repeated cognitive performance assessments between mid-life (mean age = 53.2 ± 4.9 years) and late-life (mean age = 67.7 ± 4.9). Using non-negative matrix factorization, we identified 10 brain microstructural components that integrate measures of cortical thickness, surface area, fractional anisotropy, and mean and radial diffusivities. We observed two modes of variance that describe the association between cognition and brain microstructure. The first describes variations in 5 microstructural components associated with low mid-life performance across multiple cognitive domains, decline in reasoning abilities, but a relative maintenance of lexical and semantic fluency from mid-to-late life. The second describes variations in 5 microstructural components that are associated with low mid-life performance in lexical fluency, semantic fluency and short-term memory performance, but a retention of abilities in multiple domains from mid-to-late life. The extent to which a subject loads onto a latent variables predicts their future cognitive performance 3.2 years later (mean age = 70.87 ± 4.9). This data-driven approach highlights a complex pattern of brain-behavior relationships, wherein the same individuals express both decline and maintenance in function across cognitive domains and in brain structural features.Significance StatementAlthough declines in cognitive performance are an established aspect of aging, inter- and intra-individual variation exists. Nevertheless, the sources of this variation remain unclear. We analyse a unique sample to examine associations between 30-year trajectories of cognitive decline and multimodal indices of brain anatomy in older age. Using data-driven techniques, we find that age-related cognitive decline is not uniform. Instead, each individual expresses a mixture of maintenance and decline across cognitive domains, that are associated with a mixture of preservation and degeneration of brain structure. Further, we find the primary determinants of late-life cognitive performance are mid-life performance and higher brain surface area. These results suggest that early and mid-life preventative measures may be needed to reduce age-related cognitive decline.

scholarly journals Book-Oriented Environment in Childhood and Current Cognitive Performance among Old-Aged Europeans

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Galit Weinstein ◽  
Ella Cohn-Schwartz ◽  
Noam Damri
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Library Size ◽  
Financial Status ◽  
Immediate Memory ◽  
Health Lifestyle

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Identifying early-life factors that protect against compromised late-life cognition is of great public health interest. We aimed to explore the associations between book-oriented environment in childhood and late-life cognitive performance in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The sample included 8,239 individuals aged ≥65 years (<i>N</i> = 8,239) free of stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s disease, who participated in both waves 4 (2011) and 5 (2013) of SHARE. Book-oriented environment was assessed by the self-reported home library size during childhood. Cognitive performance was assessed using tests of memory and verbal fluency. Covariates included education and measures of current health, lifestyle, and financial status. Additionally, interactions with age and education were assessed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> After controlling for potential confounders, having large home libraries was related to better performance on the immediate and delayed memory (β = 0.11 ± 0.02, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; β = 0.13 ± 0.02, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and the verbal fluency tests (β = 0.14 ± 0.06, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and to a lesser decline in these domains (β = 0.08 ± 0.01, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; β = 0.09 ± 0.02, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; and β = 0.09 ± 0.06, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, respectively). Significant interactions were observed between library size and age such that larger home library was more strongly associated with improved immediate memory (<i>p</i> = 0.016), delayed memory (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and verbal fluency (<i>p</i> = 0.003) and with less cognitive decline (<i>p</i> = 0.013, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001, and <i>p</i> = 0.095, respectively) among the younger-old (&#x3c;80 years) compared to the oldest-old (≥80 years) participants. No effect modification by education was observed. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> These findings suggest that early-life book-oriented environment may be important in shaping cognitive aging.

scholarly journals Exposure to Chinese famine in early life and the risk of sensory impairment in adulthood

2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-213775
Author(s):  
Hongguo Rong ◽  
Xiaozhen Lai ◽  
Elham Mahmoudi ◽  
Hai Fang
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Late Childhood ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Fetal Period ◽  
Unexposed Group ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Sensory Impairments ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Famine Exposure ◽  
The Relationship

BackgroundStudies have shown that malnutrition in early life has a negative effect on midlife cognitive functions. Little is known, however, about the relationship between early-life malnutrition and visual, hearing or dual sensory impairments in adulthood. This study aims to investigate the association between exposure to the 1959–1961 Chinese famine in early life and sensory impairments in adulthood.MethodsA total of 6347 adults born between 1952 and 1964 surveyed in the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. The presence of sensory impairments was identified by self-reported assessment of visual and hearing functions. The associations between multi-stage early-life famine exposure and sensory functions were estimated using the multiple generalised linear model.ResultsCompared with the unexposed group, respondents exposed to famine in the fetal period and late childhood had a significantly higher risk of hearing impairment (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.24; OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.50) and dual sensory impairments (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.11; OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.21), respectively. Furthermore, in severely famine-affected areas, the early, mid and late childhood-exposed groups were more likely to have hearing and dual sensory impairments than the unexposed group. Those associations were not observed in less famine-affected areas. However, no significant association was found between famine exposure and visual impairment in early-life famine-exposed group.ConclusionExposure to Chinese famine in the fetal period and late childhood was linked to hearing and dual sensory impairments in adulthood.

Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) as a biomarker of cognitive decline at the end of life: contrasting age and time to death trajectories

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 981-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Praetorius Björk ◽  
Boo Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Gamma Glutamyltransferase ◽  
Time To Death ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

ABSTRACTBackground:A recently published study suggests that Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) in midlife is related to an increased risk of dementia. In the present longitudinal study, we explore the effects of serum GGT on cognitive decline and dementia also in more advanced ages.Methods:We analyzed GGT in a sample of 452 individuals, aged 80 years and older at baseline, with the purpose to explore subsequent effects on cognitive performance. We specifically modeled GGT to cognitive change, time to death, and dementia.Results:Our main finding is that a higher level of GGT is associated with cognitive decline prior to death and vascular dementia in late life. These findings were evident across cognitive domains.Conclusions:This is the first longitudinal study to report on significant associations in late life between GGT, cognitive performance and dementia. Further research is needed to examine the underlying mechanisms of GGT as a marker of age-related cognitive decline.

Informant-Reported Cognitive Decline is Associated with Objective Cognitive Performance in Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Marina Z. Nakhla ◽  
Kelsey A. Holiday ◽  
J. Vincent Filoteo ◽  
Zvinka Z. Zlatar ◽  
Vanessa L. Malcarne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Delayed Recall ◽  
Visuospatial Function ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Normal Cognition

Abstract Objective: The utility of informant-based measures of cognitive decline to accurately describe objective cognitive performance in Parkinson’s disease (PD) without dementia is uncertain. Due to the clinical relevance of this information, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between informant-based reports of patient cognitive decline via the Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) and objective cognition in non-demented PD controlling for cognitive status (i.e., mild cognitive impairment; PD-MCI and normal cognition; PD-NC). Method: One-hundred and thirty-nine non-demented PD participants (PD-MCI n = 38; PD-NC n = 101) were administered measures of language, executive function, attention, learning, delayed recall, visuospatial function, mood, and motor function. Each participant identified an informant to complete the IQCODE and a mood questionnaire. Results: Greater levels of informant-based responses of patient cognitive decline on the IQCODE were significantly associated with worse objective performance on measures of global cognition, attention, learning, delayed recall, and executive function in the overall sample, above and beyond covariates and cognitive status. However, the IQCODE was not significantly associated with language or visuospatial function. Conclusions: Results indicate that informant responses, as measured by the IQCODE, may provide adequate information on a wide range of cognitive abilities in non-demented PD, including those with MCI and normal cognition. Findings have important clinical implications for the utility of the IQCODE in the identification of PD patients in need of further evaluation, monitoring, and treatment.

scholarly journals Prediction of Cognitive Decline Using Heart Rate Fragmentation Analysis: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madalena D. Costa ◽  
Susan Redline ◽  
Timothy M. Hughes ◽  
Susan R. Heckbert ◽  
Ary L. Goldberger
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Ethnic Study ◽  
Non Invasive

Background: Heart rate fragmentation (HRF), a new non-invasive metric quantifying cardiac neuroautonomic function, is associated with increasing age and cardiovascular disease. Since these are risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia, in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we investigated whether disrupted cardiac neuroautonomic function, evidenced by increased HRF, would be associated with worse cognitive function assessed concurrently and at a later examination, and with greater cognitive decline.Methods: HRF was derived from the ECG channel of the polysomnographic recordings obtained in an ancillary study (n = 1,897) conducted in conjunction with MESA exam 5 (2010–2012). Cognitive function was assessed at exam 5 and 6.4 ± 0.5 years later at exam 6 (2016–2018) with tests of global cognitive performance (the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument, CASI), processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding, DSC) and working memory (Digit Span). Multivariable regression models were used to quantify the associations between HRF indices and cognitive scores.Results: The participants’ mean age was 68 ± 9 years (54% female). Higher HRF at baseline was independently associated with lower cognitive scores at both exams 5 and 6. Specifically, in cross-sectional analyses, a one-standard deviation (SD) (13.7%) increase in HRF was associated with a 0.51 (95% CI: 0.17–0.86) points reduction in CASI and a 1.12 (0.34–1.90) points reduction in DSC. Quantitatively similar effects were obtained in longitudinal analyses. A one-SD increase in HRF was associated with a 0.44 (0.03–0.86) and a 1.04 (0.28–1.81) points reduction in CASI and DSC from exams 5 to 6, respectively. HRF added predictive value to the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE-APOE-ε4) risk score and to models adjusted for serum concentration of NT-proBNP, an analyte associated with cognitive impairment and dementia.Conclusion: Increased HRF assessed during sleep was independently associated with diminished cognitive performance (concurrent and future) and with greater cognitive decline. These findings lend support to the links between cardiac neuroautonomic regulation and cognitive function. As a non-invasive, repeatable and inexpensive probe, HRF technology may be useful in monitoring cognitive status, predicting risk of dementia and assessing therapeutic interventions.

Effect of Physical Inactivity on Cognitive Performance after 2.5 Years of Follow-Up

GeroPsych ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Aichberger ◽  
M.A. Busch ◽  
F.M. Reischies ◽  
A. Ströhle ◽  
A. Heinz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Word Recall ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Somatic Comorbidities

Objective: To examine the association between physical activity and cognitive performance in a longitudinal study. Methods: We analyzed data from 17.333 noninstitutionalized persons aged 50 years or older in 11 European countries who participated in Wave 1 (2004/2005) and Wave 2 (2006/2007) of the Survey of Heath, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Physical activity at baseline was measured as self-reported frequency of sports or activities requiring vigorous activity, and frequency of activities demanding a moderate level of activity. Cognitive function was measured at baseline and after a mean of 2.5 years of follow-up by delayed word recall and verbal fluency tests. The effects of physical activity at baseline on cognitive performance at follow-up were assessed in hierarchical multilevel random effects models adjusted for sociodemographic variables (age, education), somatic comorbidities, functional impairment (basic and instrumental activities of daily living, maximum grip strength), depressive symptoms, and body mass index. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, we found physical inactivity (neither moderate nor vigorous) to be associated with a higher rate of cognitive decline over a mean follow-up of 2.5 years (β = –1.79 (SE = 0.17) for verbal fluency; β = –0.35 (SE = 0.04) for delayed word recall). Further analyses showed that vigorous activities more than once a week were especially related to change in cognition over time. Conclusion: Engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activities protects against cognitive decline in older age. Participation in physical activities may be of particular importance when other risk factors for cognitive decline are present.

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