Publications by authors named "Hyemin Jang"

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of individuals with amyloid levels below the threshold. To achieve this, we differentiated between two groups: those with global amyloid negativity but focal deposition [G(-)F(+)] and those without focal deposition [G(-)F(-)].

Materials And Methods: A total of 2,677 participants were diagnosed with cognitive unimpairment (CU) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

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Introduction: We aimed to investigate which factors affect plasma biomarker levels via amyloid beta (Aβ)-independent or Aβ-dependent effects and improve the predictive performance of these biomarkers for Aβ positivity on positron emission tomography (PET).

Methods: A total of 2935 participants underwent blood sampling for measurements of plasma Aβ42/40 ratio, phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217; ALZpath), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels using single-molecule array and Aβ PET. Laboratory findings were collected using a routine blood test battery.

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Background And Purpose: Dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, is a significant global health concern, with early diagnosis and treatment development being critical goals. While numerous cohorts have advanced dementia research, there is a lack of comprehensive data on ethnic differences, particularly for the Korean population. The Korea-Registries to Overcome Dementia and Accelerate Dementia Research (K-ROAD) aims to establish a large-scale, hospital-based dementia cohort to address this gap, with a focus on understanding disease progression, developing early diagnostics, and supporting treatment advancements specific to the Korean population.

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Background: Previous studies with large data have been widely reported that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with all-cause mortality; however, most of these studies adopted ecological time-series designs or have included limited study areas or individuals residing in well-monitored urban areas. However, nationwide cohort studies including cause-specific mortalities with different age groups were sparse.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at how a substance called β-amyloid (Aβ+) affects different types of dementia, like subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
  • Researchers compared Aβ+ levels in groups of older people with SVCI, FTD, and those without any cognitive issues.
  • They found that older people with SVCI had more Aβ+ than normal participants, and Aβ+ was linked to worse memory problems in SVCI but not in FTD.
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Article Synopsis
  • - This study examines the connection between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and cortical thickness in Alzheimer's disease (AD) among a Korean population, using advanced statistical methods to analyze the data.
  • - A total of 1125 participants underwent tests and imaging to identify how specific SNPs correlate with neurological outcomes, including cognitive dysfunction and neurodegeneration, particularly focusing on groups with and without amyloid-beta (Aβ).
  • - The research uncovered SNPs linked to cortical thickness and cognitive impairment, highlighting that certain SNPs, like rs9270580, play a mediating role in Aβ uptake, thus contributing to the understanding of genetic factors involved in AD-related brain atrophy.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined amyloid beta (Aβ) positivity and cognitive decline among Koreans and non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs), involving over 5,000 Koreans and nearly 1,000 NHWs.
  • It was found that cognitively unimpaired (CU) Koreans had a lower prevalence of Aβ positivity compared to their NHW counterparts, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.60.
  • Additionally, Aβ-positive Koreans experienced a faster cognitive decline than Aβ-positive NHWs during both CU and mild cognitive impairment stages.
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Background And Purpose: Amyloid β (Aβ), a major biomarker of Alzheimer's disease, leads to tau accumulation, neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Modelling the trajectory of Aβ accumulation in cognitively unimpaired (CU) individuals is crucial, as treatments targeting Aβ are anticipated. The evolution of Aβ levels was investigated to determine whether it could lead to classification into different groups by studying longitudinal Aβ changes in older CU individuals, and differences between the groups were compared.

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Introduction: We investigated distinctive factors associated with cognitive reserve (CR) based on education level.

Methods: Among 1247 participants who underwent neuropsychological assessment, amyloid positron emission tomography, and brain magnetic resonance imaging, 336 participants with low education (≤6 years) and 697 with high education (≥12 years) were selected. CR was measured as the difference between the predicted and observed value of cognitive function based on cortical thickness.

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Background: Increasing evidence supports the association between body mass index (BMI), Alzheimer's disease, and vascular markers. Recently, metabolically unhealthy conditions have been reported to affect the expression of these markers. We aimed to investigate the effects of BMI status on Alzheimer's and vascular markers in relation to metabolic health status.

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Background: Smoking is known to be a significant risk factor for various diseases. Migraine, a condition requiring careful lifestyle management, currently lacks specific guidelines advocating for smoking cessation as a preventive measure. Although cross-sectional studies have suggested a potential link between smoking and an increased risk of migraine, the findings have been inconsistent and conflicting.

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Background: Although urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common and severe public health concern, and there are clear biological mechanisms between UTI and hot temperatures, few studies have addressed the association between hot temperatures and UTI.

Methods: We designed a time-stratified case-crossover study using a population-representative sample cohort based on the National Health Insurance System (NHIS) in South Korea. We obtained all NHIS-based hospital admissions through the emergency room (ER) due to UTI (using a primary diagnostic code) from 2006 to 2019.

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Background And Purpose: We developed a new digital cognitive assessment called Seoul Cognitive Status Test (SCST), formerly called Inbrain Cognitive Screening Test. The purpose of this study was to validate the clinical utility of the SCST by comparing its scores of those with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and dementia diagnosed by the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K).

Methods: All participants (n=296) who completed the CERAD-K, SCST, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living tests were included in this study.

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The frequency of the apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele and vascular risk factors differs among ethnic groups. We aimed to assess the combined effects of apolipoprotein E ɛ4 and vascular risk factors on brain age in Korean and UK cognitively unimpaired populations. We also aimed to determine the differences in the combined effects between the two populations.

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Emerging evidence suggests that air pollution is a significant contributor to the global burden of kidney disease. Although acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common secondary event in ill patients, evidence regarding the association between air pollution and AKI accompanied by specific comorbidities is limited. This study aimed to estimate the association between short-term exposure to air pollution (fine particulate matter ≤2.

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Background: Predicting conversion to probable Alzheimer&s disease (AD) from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is difficult but important. A nomogram was developed previously for determining the risk of 3-year probable AD conversion in aMCI.

Objective: To compare the probable AD conversion rates with cognitive and neurodegenerative changes for 2 years from high- and low risk aMCI groups classified using the nomogram.

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Objectives: Accurately predicting when patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will progress to dementia is a formidable challenge. This work aims to develop a predictive deep learning model to accurately predict future cognitive decline and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) marker changes over time at the individual level for patients with MCI.

Methods: We recruited 657 amnestic patients with MCI from the Samsung Medical Center who underwent cognitive tests, brain MRI scans, and amyloid-β (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) scans.

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Background: Amyloid-β (Aβ) commonly coexists and impacts prognosis in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI).

Objective: This study aimed to examine the differences in clinical and neuroimaging variables between Aβ-positive and Aβ-negative SVCI and to propose a prediction model for Aβ positivity in clinically diagnosed SVCI patients.

Methods: A total of 130 patients with SVCI were included in model development, and a separate cohort of 70 SVCI patients was used in external validation.

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The Korean Dementia Association (KDA) has been organizing biennial international academic conferences since 2019, with the International Conference of the KDA (IC-KDA) 2023 held in Busan under the theme 'Beyond Boundaries: Advancing Global Dementia Solutions.' The conference comprised 6 scientific sessions, 3 plenary lectures, and 4 luncheon symposiums, drawing 804 participants from 35 countries. Notably, a Korea-Taiwan Joint Symposium addressed insights into Alzheimer's disease (AD).

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Importance: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has emerged as a safe and promising intervention for Alzheimer disease (AD).

Objective: To investigate the effect of a 4-week personalized hippocampal network-targeted rTMS on cognitive and functional performance, as well as functional connectivity in AD.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial, which was sham-controlled and masked to participants and evaluators, was conducted between May 2020 and April 2022 at a single Korean memory clinic.

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Background: Early-onset dementia (EOD, onset age < 65) and late-onset dementia (LOD, onset age ≥ 65) exhibit distinct features. Understanding the risk factors for dementia development and mortality in EOD and LOD respectively is crucial for personalized care. While risk factors are known for LOD development and mortality, their impact on EOD remains unclear.

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Previous studies on Alzheimer's disease-type cognitive impairment (ADCI) and subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) has rarely explored spatiotemporal heterogeneity. This study aims to identify distinct spatiotemporal cortical atrophy patterns in ADCI and SVCI. 1,338 participants (713 ADCI, 208 SVCI, and 417 cognitively unimpaired elders) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), amyloid positron emission tomography, and neuropsychological tests.

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