Publications by authors named "J Neitzel"
Cardiac Biomarkers, Subclinical Brain Vascular Changes, and Cognitive Decline: Post Hoc Analysis of the SPRINT Trial.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
January 2025
Background: The association between subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cognitive decline in hypertensive adults and the underlying brain pathologies remain unclear. It is also undetermined whether intensifying blood pressure (BP) treatment slows down cognitive decline associated with subclinical CVD.
Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.
Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of metabolic alterations in neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and highlights the significance of the peripheral metabolome, influenced by genetic factors and modifiable environmental exposures, for brain health. In this study, we examined 1,387 metabolites in plasma samples from 1,082 dementia-free middle-aged participants of the population-based Rotterdam Study. We assessed the relation of metabolites with general cognition (G-factor) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers using linear regression and estimated the variance of these metabolites explained by genes, gut microbiome, lifestyle factors, common clinical comorbidities, and medication using gradient boosting decision tree analysis.
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- - The study explored the relationship between arteriosclerosis, measured by arterial calcification in the heart-brain axis, and cognitive performance over time, using data from the Rotterdam Study with 2368 participants.
- - Findings showed that higher levels of arterial calcification were linked to poorer initial cognitive performance and a faster decline in cognitive abilities across multiple domains, particularly influenced by calcification in the intracranial carotid artery.
- - The results suggest that arterial calcification may drive cognitive decline through changes in blood flow before any neurovascular damage occurs, emphasizing the role of vascular health in maintaining cognitive function.
Intracranial arteriosclerosis is not associated with cerebral amyloid deposition.
Alzheimers Dement (Amst)
October 2024
Background: Intracranial arteriosclerosis and cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ) are both involved in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia, but the direct link between these two pathologies remains elusive.
Methods: In 633 participants (mean age 69 years, 51% women) from the population-based Rotterdam Study, we quantified cerebral Aβ accumulation on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). We assessed calcification of the intracranial internal carotid (ICAC) and vertebrobasilar arteries (VBAC) as proxies of arteriosclerosis on non-enhanced computed tomography (CT).
Article Synopsis
- Since its launch in 2011, the World Bank's SABER policy tool has been adopted by 59 governments to improve national school-based health and nutrition programs through self-evaluation against international standards.
- Approximately 65% of sub-Saharan African countries have used SABER reviews, indicating its strong presence in low-income regions where it helps identify key areas for policy improvement and strengthen national programs.
- The tool has proven effective in tracking policy evolution over time, making it especially valuable for the 98 countries in the global School Meals Coalition, which aims to enhance the support for schoolchildren affected by COVID-19.