Public Health.

Background: Poor cardiovascular health in midlife increases risk of dementia in later years. At least some of this risk may stem from early decrements in cognitive ability in those with poor cardiovascular health that are already evident by midlife. Whether such associations are causal, however, or develop in tandem due to shared factors encountered earlier in life, remains unclear.

Public Health.

Background: Associations of common infections with Alzheimer's disease have been reported, but potential mechanisms underlying these relationships are unclear. A hypothesised mechanism is amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregation as a defense mechanism in response to infection, with subsequent tau accumulation. However, no studies have assessed associations of infections with cerebral Aβ and tau pathology in vivo.

Higher Aircraft Noise Exposure Is Linked to Worse Heart Structure and Function by Cardiovascular MRI.

Background: Aircraft noise is a growing concern for communities living near airports.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the impact of aircraft noise on heart structure and function.

Methods: Nighttime aircraft noise levels (L) and weighted 24-hour day-evening-night aircraft noise levels (L) were provided by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for 2011.

Demographic-Based Personalized Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Thresholds for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Diagnosis.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Current diagnosis emphasizes the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) using a fixed threshold of ≥15-mm maximum wall thickness (MWT). This study proposes a method that considers individual demographics to adjust LVH thresholds as an alternative to a 1-size-fits-all approach.

Positive association of oscillometrically estimated baseline arterial stiffness with incident diabetes and prediabetes: A large population-based cohort study.

Aims: This large population-based study aimed to investigate whether arterial stiffness, assessed oscillometrically, was associated with incident diabetes/prediabetes.

Methods: The study sample comprised 4240 participants from the Vitamin D Assessment (ViDA) Study (mean±SD age = 66 ± 8). Arterial stiffness was assessed from 5 April 2011-6 November 2012 by way of aortic PWV (aPWV) and estimated carotid-femoral PWV (ecfPWV).

A short review of application of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the assessment of microvascular post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH) in skeletal muscle.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an optical technique that can be used to non-invasively interrogate haemodynamic changes within skeletal muscle. It can be combined with a short (3-5 min) arterial cuff-occlusion to quantify post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH). This technique has utility in tracking changes in vascular health in relation to exercise, disease progression or treatment efficacy.

Associations of life-course cardiovascular risk factors with late-life cerebral haemodynamics.

While the associations of mid-life cardiovascular risk factors with late-life white matter lesions (WMH) and cognitive decline have been established, the role of cerebral haemodynamics is unclear. We investigated the relation of late-life (69-71 years) arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI-derived cerebral blood flow (CBF) with life-course cardiovascular risk factors (36-71 years) and late-life white matter hyperintensity (WMH) load in 282 cognitively healthy participants (52.8% female).

Loss of neuropeptide signalling alters temporal expression of mouse suprachiasmatic neuronal state and excitability.

Individual neurons of the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) contain an intracellular molecular clock that drives these neurons to exhibit day-night variation in excitability. The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and its cognate receptor, VPAC, are synthesized by SCN neurons and this intercellular VIP-VPAC receptor signal facilitates coordination of SCN neuronal activity and timekeeping. How the loss of VPAC receptor signalling affects the electrophysiological properties and states of SCN neurons as well as their responses to excitatory inputs is unclear.

Device-Measured 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Blood Pressure: A 6-Part Compositional Individual Participant Data Analysis in the ProPASS Consortium.

Background: Blood pressure (BP)-lowering effects of structured exercise are well-established. Effects of 24-hour movement behaviors captured in free-living settings have received less attention. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between a 24-hour behavior composition comprising 6 parts (sleeping, sedentary behavior, standing, slow walking, fast walking, and combined exercise-like activity [eg, running and cycling]) and systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP).

Aortic reservoir-excess pressure parameters are associated with worse cognitive function in people with untreated stage II/III hypertension.

Objective: Hypertension is a recognized risk factor for the development of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. Aortic stiffness and altered haemodynamics could promote the transmission of detrimental high pressure pulsatility into the cerebral circulation, potentially damaging brain microvasculature and leading to cognitive impairment. We determined whether reservoir-excess pressure parameters were associated with cognitive function in people with hypertension (HT) and normotension (NT).

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) assessment of skeletal muscle oxidative capacity: a comparison of results from short long exercise protocols and reproducibility in non-athletic adults.

Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides a non-invasive, cost-effective method for assessing skeletal muscle oxidative capacity when combined with a short exercise protocol and arterial occlusions. However, the impact of different exercise protocols and reproducibility of the method in non-athletic adults have not previously been assessed.

Methods: Young, non-athletic adults (YA) were invited to perform a short duration, fast frequency contraction (SF) exercise protocol and a long duration slow frequency (LS) contraction protocol, combined with NIRS measurements and arterial occlusions to assess skeletal muscle oxidative capacity.

Adulthood adiposity affects cardiac structure and function in later life.

Background And Aims: Excess adiposity is associated with poorer cardiac function and adverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling. However, its importance over the adult life course on future cardiac structure and systolic and diastolic function is unknown.

Methods: A total of 1690 participants in the National Survey of Health and Development birth cohort underwent repeated adiposity [body mass index (BMI)/waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)] measurements over adulthood and investigation, including echocardiography at age 60-64 years.

Reservoir-excess pressure parameters are independently associated with NT-proBNP in older adults.

Aims: Parameters derived from reservoir-excess pressure analysis have been demonstrated to predict cardiovascular events. Thus, altered reservoir-excess pressure parameters could have a detrimental effect on highly-perfused organs like the heart. We aimed to cross-sectionally determine whether reservoir-excess pressure parameters were associated with N-terminal pro-brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in older adults.

Childhood adiposity underlies numerous adult brain traits commonly attributed to midlife obesity.

Obese adults are often reported to have smaller brain volumes than their non-obese peers. Whether this represents evidence of accelerations in obesity-driven atrophy or is instead a legacy of developmental differences established earlier in the lifespan remains unclear. This study investigated whether early-life differences in adiposity explain differences in numerous adult brain traits commonly attributed to mid-life obesity.

Expressive suppression mediates the relationship between sleep quality and generalized anxiety symptomology.

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent worldwide mental health disorder, resulting in high societal costs. Emotion regulation and sleep quality are associated with the development of psychopathologies including anxiety. However, it is unknown whether habitual emotion regulation strategy use can mediate the influence of sleep quality on anxiety symptomology.

Arterial stiffness and incident chronic kidney disease: a large population-based cohort study.

Background/aims: Evidence from large population-based cohorts as to the association of arterial stiffness and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) is mixed. This large population-based study aimed to investigate whether arterial stiffness, assessed oscillometrically, was associated with incident CKD.

Methods: The study population comprised 4838 participants from the Vitamin D Assessment (ViDA) Study without known CKD (mean ± SD age = 66 ± 8).

Long COVID and cardiovascular disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with an increased risk of complications following hospitalisation with COVID-19, but their impact on the rate of recovery following discharge is not known.

Objectives: To determine whether the rate of patient-perceived recovery following hospitalisation with COVID-19 was affected by the presence of CVD or cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: In a multicentre prospective cohort study, patients were recruited following discharge from the hospital with COVID-19 undertaking two comprehensive assessments at 5 months and 12 months.

Arterial Stiffness and Incident Glaucoma: A Large Population-Based Cohort Study.

Purpose: To investigate whether arterial stiffness, assessed oscillometrically, is associated with incident glaucoma in the Vitamin D Assessment (ViDA) Study cohort, aged 50 to 84 years.

Design: Prospective, population-based cohort study.

Methods: Arterial stiffness was assessed in 4,713 participants without known glaucoma (mean ± SD age = 66 ± 8 years) from 5 April 2011 to 6 November 2012 by way of aortic PWV (aPWV), estimated carotid-femoral PWV (ePWV) and aortic PP (aPP).

Lung function trajectories from school age to adulthood and their relationship with markers of cardiovascular disease risk.

Rationale: Lung function in early adulthood is associated with subsequent adverse health outcomes.

Objectives: To ascertain whether stable and reproducible lung function trajectories can be derived in different populations and investigate their association with objective measures of cardiovascular structure and function.

Methods: Using latent profile modelling, we studied three population-based birth cohorts with repeat spirometry data from childhood into early adulthood to identify trajectories of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV)/forced vital capacity (FVC).

Differences between brachial and aortic blood pressure in adolescence and their implications for diagnosis of hypertension.

Objectives: Blood pressure (BP) is the leading global cause of mortality, and its prevalence is increasing in children and adolescents. Aortic BP is lower than brachial BP in adults. We aimed to assess the extent of this difference and its impact on the diagnosis of hypertension among adolescents.