In preclinical traumatic brain injury (TBI) research, the animal model should be selected based on the research question and outcome measures of interest. Direct side-by-side comparisons of different injury models are essential for informing such decisions. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to compare the outcomes from two common models of TBI, lateral fluid percussion (LFP) and repeated mild weight drop (rmWD) in adult female and male Wistar rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aimed to compare the prevalence, characteristics, and associated mortality risk of frailty in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
Methods: Secondary analysis of the first wave of two nationally representative cohorts, the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing or NICOLA study (N = 8504) and the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing or TILDA study (N = 8504). Frailty was assessed using a harmonized accumulation deficits frailty index (FI) containing 30 items.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) heterogeneity has led to the development of several preclinical models, each modeling a distinct subset of outcomes. Selection of an injury model should be guided by the research question and the specific outcome measures of interest. Consequently, there is a need for conducting direct comparisons of different TBI models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTraumatic brain injury (TBI) and alcohol misuse are inextricably linked and can increase the risk for development of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly in military veterans and contact sport athletes. Proteinopathy (defects in protein degradation) is considered an underlying factor in neurodegenerative diseases. Whether it contributes to TBI/alcohol-mediated neurodegeneration is unexplored, however.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStress is associated with contextual memory deficits, which may mediate avoidance of trauma-associated contexts in posttraumatic stress disorder. These deficits may emerge from impaired pattern separation, the independent representation of similar experiences by the dentate gyrus-Cornu Ammonis 3 (DG-CA3) circuit of the dorsal hippocampus, which allows for appropriate behavioral responses to specific environmental stimuli. Neurogenesis in the DG is controlled by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and may contribute to pattern separation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: We investigated the potential impact of a cohort traumatic exposure, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, on memory functioning in later life, and the potential moderating effect of social activity engagement. Using data from 6571 participants aged 60 + in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) cohort, we used a structural equation modelling framework to explore associations between traumatic exposure during the Troubles and memory functioning. As expected, social activity engagement was positively associated with memory functioning, = .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To report prevalence and risk factor associations for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and AMD features from multimodal retinal grading in a multidisciplinary longitudinal population-based study of aging in Northern Ireland.
Study Design: Population-based longitudinal cohort study.
Methods: Retinal imaging at the Norther Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Aging Study health assessment included stereo Colour Fundus Photography (CFP) (Canon CX-1, Tokyo, Japan) and Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) ((Heidelberg Retinal Angopgraph (HRA)+OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany).
Background And Objective: With an ageing population, morbidity and multiple health conditions are an increasing public health concern. This study aimed to investigate how morbidity as measured by the Charlson comorbidity index and two morbidity measures; activity limitation and self-reported health, individually and collectively explain the increased risk of mortality with age.
Methods: We used the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) wave one, dataset, a national representative sample of people over 50 years of age, with follow-up until May 31, 2020.
Risk preference is a complex trait governed by psycho-social, environmental and genetic determinants. We aimed to examine how an individual's risk preference associates with their epigenetic profile.Risk preferences were ascertained by asking participants of the Northern Ireland COhort for the Longitudinal study of Ageing to make a series of choices between hypothetical income scenarios.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The retinal microvasculature offers unique non-invasive evaluation of systemic microvascular abnormalities. Previous studies reported associations between retinal microvascular parameters (RMPs) and diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess associations between RMPs and diabetes in a cross-sectional analysis of older persons from the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a recognized risk factor for cognitive impairment. Identification of those at greatest risk of cognitive impairment may facilitate earlier therapeutic intervention. This study evaluated associations between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognitive function in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Dietary-based primary prevention guidelines for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment are lacking due to limited evidence. Single nutrient intake studies do not account for complex dietary interactions. We assessed associations between dietary patterns and renal function in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The retinal and cerebral microvasculature share similar embryological origins and physiological characteristics. Improved imaging technologies provide opportunistic non-invasive assessment of retinal microvascular parameters (RMPs) against cognitive outcomes. We evaluated baseline measures for associations between RMPs and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from participants of the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Variable consent rates threaten the validity of linked datasets. One modifiable element is the interviewer-respondent relationship. We examine interviewer attitudes to consent to linkage and the effect on respondent consent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The retina shares similar anatomical and physiological features with the brain and subtle variations in retinal microvascular parameters (RMPs) may reflect similar vascular variation in the brain. The aim of this study was to assess associations between RMPs and measures of depression in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Methods: RMPs (arteriolar and venular caliber, fractal dimension and tortuosity) were measured from optic disc centred fundus images using semi-automated software.
Background: There are social and economic differences between Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). There are also differences in the health care systems in the two jurisdictions. The aims of this study are to compare health (prevalence of diabetes and related complications) and health care utilisation (general practitioner, outpatient or accident and emergency utilisation) among older people with diabetes in the NI and ROI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: To describe the distributions of and associations with intraocular pressure (IOP) and circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (cRNFL) thickness in a population-based study.
Methods: Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing participants underwent a computer-assisted personal interview, a self-completion questionnaire and a health assessment (HA). At the HA, participants underwent IOP measurement using Ocular Response Analyser and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with Heidelberg Spectralis.
Purpose: To describe the prevalence of vitreomacular interface (VMI) features and their associated risk factors in the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) Study.
Design: Cross-sectional population-based study.
Participants: Noninstitutionalized Northern Irish adults 40 years of age or older.
Background/aims: This study aimed to describe the cohort profile of the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA) and to report the prevalence of, awareness of and associations with glaucoma.
Methods: Using geographic stratification, a representative sample of non-institutionalised Northern Irish adults aged over 50 years was invited to participate. NICOLA participants underwent a Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI), a Self-Completion Questionnaire (SCQ) and a health assessment.
Determining structures of large, complex proteins remains challenging, especially for transmembrane proteins, as the protein size increases. Arabidopsis thaliana cellulose synthesis complex is a large, multimeric complex located in the plant cell membrane that synthesizes cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall. Despite the biological and economic importance of cellulose and therefore cellulose synthesis, many aspects of the cellulase synthase complex (CSC) structure and function are still unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD)-related disability (hereafter also "disability") and the impact of CHD risk factors on disability in older adults in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI).
Method: Population attributable fractions were calculated using risk factor relative risks and disability prevalence derived from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and the Northern Ireland Health Survey.
Results: Disability was significantly lower in ROI (4.
Aims: Untreated maternal depression during the postpartum period can have a profound impact on the short- and long-term psychological and physical well-being of children. There is, therefore, an imperative for increased understanding of the determinants of depression and depression-related healthcare access during this period.
Methods: Respondents were 11 089 mothers of 9-month-old infants recruited to the Growing Up in Ireland study.