(Press-News.org) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Dec. 6, 2024 – New research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with higher blood pressure and lower cognitive scores, even among people who do not have an existing diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment.
The study appears online today in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, a journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
“We know that inequitable access to education, employment, income and housing increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” said James R. Bateman, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study. “However, more research is needed to better understand the impact of social determinants of health, including what this study analyzed with neighborhood disadvantage.”
Bateman said neighborhood disadvantage refers to the lack of social and economic resources in one’s environment. To assess neighborhood disadvantage, the research team used the highly recognized national Area Deprivation Index, which measures housing quality, education and income.
“Our goal of the study was to analyze the relationship of neighborhood disadvantage with measures of cardiometabolic health and cognition in individuals with and without diagnosed mild cognitive impairment,” said Bateman, who is also a neurologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
Bateman said it was important for the team to compare individuals with a diagnosis to those without one to better understand how a person's current cognitive state impacts the relationship between their environment and their health.
Cognition refers to the mental process of thinking, learning, remembering, being aware of surroundings and using judgment. Mild cognitive impairment is a decline in memory and thinking skills that is greater than expected with normal aging and is a risk factor for dementia.
Bateman noted that many cardiometabolic diseases may increase the risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. Cardiometabolic health is the cardiovascular and metabolic health of an individual and involves the management of risk factors such as blood glucose, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.
For the study, Bateman and team analyzed data from 537 adults over the age of 55 from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Healthy Brain Study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine from 2016 to 2021.
Individuals received clinical exams, neurocognitive testing and neuroimaging, in addition to cardiometabolic tests to screen for diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
The neurocognitive testing included in the study evaluated constructs such as memory, executive function, language, visuospatial skills, concentration and attention.
“We found an association between neighborhood disadvantage and higher blood pressure and cardiometabolic index, as well as lower cognitive scores in individuals who did not have a diagnosed mild cognitive impairment,” said Sudarshan Krishnamurthy, a fifth-year M.D./Ph.D. student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and first author of the paper.
Krishnamurthy said that neighborhood disadvantage was only associated with higher hemoglobin A1C, which measures blood sugar, in people with diagnosed mild cognitive impairment.
"These findings show that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood has a bigger impact on heart health and brain function in people without preexisting cognitive issues," Bateman said. “Our study highlights the importance of implementing structural changes to address social determinants of health to mitigate cardiometabolic and cognitive risks.”
Krishnamurthy added that the study underscores the impact of a person’s living environment.
“This study confirms what we had hypothesized: Where you live and the resources and opportunities that are available to you as a result, have a tangible impact on your risk for dementia,” Krishnamurthy said.
Established in 2016, the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Wake Forest University School of Medicine is one of only 35 research centers in the country funded by the National Institute on Aging. Its goal is to translate research advances into improved diagnosis and care for people with the disease, and to find a treatment or ways to prevent Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
This study was supported by funding from NIH P30 AG072947, AHA 24PRE1200264, R01AG054069, R01AG058969, NIH R01 AG072547, NIH R01 AG079388, NIH UG1 CA189974 and NIH U19 AG074865.
###
Wake Forest University School of Medicine (school.wakehealth.edu) is the academic core of Advocate Health and a recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research that includes Wake Forest Innovations, a commercialization enterprise focused on advancing health care through new medical technologies and biomedical discovery.
END
Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood linked to higher blood pressure and lower cognition
2024-12-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Bird-inspired drone can jump for take-off
2024-12-06
“As the crow flies” is a common idiom referring to the shortest distance between two points, but the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LIS), led by Dario Floreano, in EPFL’s School of Engineering has taken the phrase literally with RAVEN (Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments). Designed based on perching birds like ravens and crows that frequently switch between air and land, the multifunctional robotic legs allow it to take off autonomously in environments previously inaccessible to winged drones.
“Birds were the ...
AI beats experts in predicting future quality of “mini-organs”
2024-12-06
Fukuoka, Japan – Organoids—miniature, lab-grown tissues that mimic organ function and structure—are transforming biomedical research. They promise breakthroughs in personalized transplants, improved modeling of diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, and more precise insights into the effects of medical drugs.
Now, researchers from Kyushu University and Nagoya University in Japan have developed a model that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to predict organoid development at an early stage. The model, which is faster and more accurate than expert researchers, ...
A new biodegradable material to replace certain microplastics
2024-12-06
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Microplastics are an environmental hazard found nearly everywhere on Earth, released by the breakdown of tires, clothing, and plastic packaging. Another significant source of microplastics is tiny beads that are added to some cleansers, cosmetics, and other beauty products.
In an effort to cut off some of these microplastics at their source, MIT researchers have developed a class of biodegradable materials that could replace the plastic beads now used in beauty products. These polymers break down into harmless sugars and amino acids.
“One way to mitigate the microplastics problem is to figure out how to clean up existing ...
Speaking crystal: AI learns language of atom arrangements in solids
2024-12-06
A new artificial intelligence model that can predict how atoms arrange themselves in crystal structures could lead to faster discovery of new materials for everything from solar panels to computer chips.
The technology, called CrystaLLM, was developed by researchers at the University of Reading and University College London. It works similarly to AI chatbots, by learning the "language" of crystals by studying millions of existing crystal structures.
Published today (Friday, 6 December) in Nature Communications, the new system will be distributed to the scientific community to aid the discovery of new materials.
Dr ...
3D scans of giant hailstones reveal surprising discoveries that could help predict future storms
2024-12-06
Hailstones are formed during thunderstorms, when raindrops are propelled into very cold parts of a cloud, where they freeze. Once the particles are heavy enough, gravity pulls them back towards Earth. As the plummet, they grow into hailstones, which can cause injury to people and significant damage to homes and cars.
Scientists have been studying how hailstones grow since the 1960s but doing so meant breaking them in the process. To better understand the anatomy and growth of hailstones, researchers in Catalonia have used computed tomography (CT) scans to examine the giant hailstones that hit the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula during an exceptionally strong thunderstorm ...
Developing highly efficient recovery materials for precious 'rare earth metals' and improving resource circulation for digital infrastructure
2024-12-06
Korea imports 95% of its core minerals such as lithium, nickel, and rare earths. Rare earths, in particular, are characterized by chemical, electrical, magnetic, and luminescent properties that can be achieved by adding only a small amount, and their use has recently increased significantly as core materials in the eco-friendly automobile and renewable energy industries. China, a major producer of rare metals, is controlling the supply through its strategy of weaponizing resources, putting great pressure on the domestic industry.
Dr. Jae-Woo Choi and his team at the Center for Water Cycle Research at the Korea Institute of Science ...
Autonomous imaging robot plays a crucial role in assessing embryos’ response to environmental change
2024-12-06
Scientists have used 3D-printed components to create a robotic instrument that can autonomously monitor the earliest stages of development in any aquatic species.
The LabEmbryoCam has been created over the past decade by biologists and technologists from the EmbryoPhenomics research group at the University of Plymouth.
It can be used to track embryonic development, a fundamental biological process that underpins the diversity of life on Earth, and provides an accessible and scalable means of visualising and measuring this process in large ...
Entrepreneurs who take funding from close family and friends are more likely to pursue lower-risk growth options
2024-12-06
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Entrepreneurs often lack resources and funding needed to launch a venture and reach out to family and friends for initial support. But is it always good for a startup when individuals close to the founder are asked if they want to “be on the ground floor of something good?”
New research from three Indiana University Kelley School of Business professors finds that such close ties to investors can lead founders to make more conservative venture growth decisions and make them more hesitant to take risks.
“In this study we were seeking to understand how accepting funds from these individuals influences an entrepreneur’s risk-taking preferences,” ...
A quantum leap in carotenoid analysis: Speed and precision unlocked
2024-12-06
Carotenoids, the pigments responsible for the vibrant hues of tomatoes, carrots, and some seafood, are well-regarded for their antioxidant effects and health benefits. A few examples of commercially significant carotenoids are lycopene, β-carotene, and astaxanthin. These compounds are frequently used in functional foods, skincare products, and dietary supplements. However, the bioactivity of these carotenoids depends heavily on their isomeric form, with Z-isomers typically showing higher biological activity but being more challenging to quantify. Traditional methods often require months of analysis and can produce error rates reaching up to 100 %.
In this view, a team ...
Kumamoto University researchers discover groundbreaking antidiabetic compound
2024-12-06
Kumamoto University scientists have unveiled a novel compound, HPH-15, with dual effects of reducing blood glucose levels and combating fat accumulation, marking a significant leap in diabetes treatment innovation.
Type 2 diabetes, a condition affecting millions worldwide, is often accompanied by complications like fatty liver and insulin resistance, which challenge current treatment methods. The research team, led by Visiting Associate Professor Hiroshi Tateishi and Professor Eiichi Araki, has identified HPH-15 as a promising alternative to existing medications like metformin.
The study, published in Diabetologia, a top journal in the field of diabetes, demonstrates ...