Long-term cardiovascular risk factor variability from childhood and midlife cognitive impairment
Description: Dementia is an important public health burden in the United States. Although midlife exposure to cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia has been linked to later life cognitive impairment (CI) in health disparities populations, few studies examined the impact of CVRF exposures from childhood on midlife CI. The long-term goal is to improve CV health across the lifespan and reduce the burden of dementia among health disparities populations. The overall objective of this application is to determine the impact of CVRF variability from childhood on midlife CI in health disparities populations. The central hypothesis is that higher CVRF variability is associated with worse brain health outcomes among midlife black and white, men and women in the Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS). The rationale for this project is the “two-hit hypothesis”, by which aging and CVRF affect brain health first through atherosclerosis and changes in the structure and function of the brain microvasculature and the blood brain barrier (BBB). This results in reduced clearance of toxic molecules such as amyloid beta(ß) and tau. CVRF affect the underlying brain pathology long before the occurrence of symptomatic CI. Therefore, a life course approach must be used to identify exposure windows and appropriately time and target interventions. Importantly, since BP, FBG, and lipid levels fluctuate over time, measuring and treating these CVRF only by their mean values may not be sufficient to understand their role in CI or prevent poor outcomes. The central hypothesis will be tested by pursuing the following specific aims 1) Identify the relationship of BP variability (systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure) from childhood with midlife cognitive function 2) Identify the relationship of FBG variability from childhood with midlife cognitive function 3) Identify the relationship of lipid profile variability (Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides) from childhood with midlife cognitive function. This research is innovative, since it leverages > 45 years of follow-up on CVRF from childhood to midlife in black and white, men and women from the BHS. This research is significant, because it is expected to provide valuable information on the etiology and timing of vascular contributions to dementia. Such knowledge has the potential to impact future guidelines for CI for the optimal intervention of CVRF beginning in childhood.
Funder: American Heart Association
Amount: $67,390
Funding type: training
Funder scheme: Predoctoral Fellowship
Start date: 2024-01-01
End date: 2025-12-31
Investigators: Soo Jung Kang, Soo Jung Kang
Institution: Tulane University Health Sciences Center
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 1
Funder award ID: 24PRE1022654
OpenAlex ID: G8014479151