Publications by authors named "Therese Rydberg-Sterner"
Introduction: This study investigated the associations of brain age gap (BAG)-a biological marker of brain resilience-with life exposures, neuroimaging measures, biological processes, and cognitive function.
Methods: We derived BAG by subtracting predicted brain age from chronological age in 739 septuagenarians without dementia or neurological disorders. Robust linear regression models assessed BAG associations with life exposures, plasma inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers, magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of neurodegeneration and vascular brain injury, and cognitive performance.
Background And Objectives: Individuals aged 70 and older frequently experience an increased risk of deficits in both physical and cognitive functions. However, the natural progression and interrelationship of these deficits, as well as their neurologic correlates, remain unclear. We aimed to classify the data-driven physical-cognitive phenotypes and then investigate their associations with neuroimaging markers.
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- A study in Stockholm investigated gender bias in diagnosing depression and prescribing antidepressants among older adults, revealing that older women are more likely to be diagnosed and treated compared to men.
- * The research utilized data from a national study, comparing clinical diagnoses based on official registers to a more nuanced diagnosis that considered various factors, yielding different results regarding gender bias.
- * Findings indicated that women had a significantly higher probability of receiving a depression diagnosis and antidepressant treatment, with the bias being more pronounced in younger individuals and those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
Article Synopsis
- Poststroke cognitive impairment is common, but the exact changes in cognitive function following a first stroke compared to pre-stroke levels are not fully understood.
- The study aimed to track cognitive performance over time in stroke survivors versus individuals without strokes, using data from 14 international cohorts of older adults.
- Results showed that incident stroke led to a significant immediate drop in overall cognitive skills and accelerated decline in cognitive abilities over time.
Article Synopsis
- Previous studies suggest that using antihypertensive medication in older adults may lower the overall risk of dementia, but the effects on different types of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are still uncertain.
- This research analyzed data from over 31,000 participants across multiple countries, focusing on how history of hypertension and blood pressure levels impact the risk of developing AD and non-AD types of dementia.
- The findings indicated that untreated hypertension significantly increases the risk of developing AD and non-AD dementia compared to healthy individuals, while treated hypertension showed a similar risk for non-AD but not a significant difference between treated and untreated groups.
Article Synopsis
- A study involving 7,801 older adults examined the connection between fruit and vegetable consumption and the development of depression, finding that higher fruit intake was linked to a lower risk of depression.
- Over a follow-up period of 3 to 9 years, 21% of participants developed depression, with fruit intake showing a significant protective effect, while vegetable intake did not show a notable association.
- The authors noted limitations due to varied measurement methods and the relatively modest sample size, suggesting further research is needed on fruit and vegetable consumption in larger, more standardized studies among older adults in low- and middle-income countries.
Introduction: The LIfestyle for BRAin Health (LIBRA) index yields a dementia risk score based on modifiable lifestyle factors and is validated in Western samples. We investigated whether the association between LIBRA scores and incident dementia is moderated by geographical location or sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods: We combined data from 21 prospective cohorts across six continents (N = 31,680) and conducted cohort-specific Cox proportional hazard regression analyses in a two-step individual participant data meta-analysis.
Introduction: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are an important imaging marker for cerebral small vessel diseases, but their risk factors and cognitive associations have not been well documented in populations of different ethnicities and/or from different geographical regions.
Methods: We investigated how WMHs were associated with vascular risk factors and cognition in both Whites and Asians, using data from five population-based cohorts of non-demented older individuals from Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Sweden ( = 1946). WMH volumes (whole brain, periventricular, and deep) were quantified with UBO Detector and harmonized using the ComBat model.
Background: Longitudinal studies are essential to understand the ageing process, and risk factors and consequences for disorders, but attrition may cause selection bias and impact generalizability. We describe the 1930 cohort of the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies, followed from age 70 to 88, and compare baseline characteristics for those who continue participation with those who die, refuse, and drop out for any reason during follow-up.
Methods: A population-based sample born 1930 was examined with comprehensive assessments at age 70 ( = 524).
Association of CSF biomarkers with MRI brain changes in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimers Dement (Amst)
February 2024
The relation between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures is poorly understood in cognitively healthy individuals from the general population. Participants' ( = 226) mean age was 70.9 years (SD = 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This study examined how living alone and loneliness associate with all-cause mortality in older men and women.
Methods: Baseline data from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies, including 70-year-olds interviewed in 2000 and 75-year-olds (new recruits) interviewed in 2005 were used for analyses (N = 778, 353 men, 425 women). Six-year mortality was based on national register data.
Objectives: To examine how the use of different diagnostic criteria (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders third revised, fourth, and fifth editions [DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5], and the 10th and 11th editions of the International Classification of Diseases [ICD-10 and ICD-11] influences the reported prevalence of dementia.
Methods: Two cross-sectional population-based studies of systematically selected 85-year-olds in Gothenburg, Sweden, (N = 774), were examined in comprehensive health examinations including comprehensive neurocognitive examinations. Five algorithms based on the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, DSM-5, ICD-10, and ICD-11 were created, including 105 different variables that were operationalized in different ways to match the criteria of each classification system.
Background: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has gained recent interest as a potential harbinger of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). In addition, SCD can be related to depressive symptomatology. However, the association between AD and CVD biomarkers, depressive symptomatology, and SCD is still unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: The utility of antihypertensives and ideal blood pressure (BP) for dementia prevention in late life remains unclear and highly contested.
Objectives: To assess the associations of hypertension history, antihypertensive use, and baseline measured BP in late life (age >60 years) with dementia and the moderating factors of age, sex, and racial group.
Data Source And Study Selection: Longitudinal, population-based studies of aging participating in the Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium (COSMIC) group were included.
Introduction: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are an important imaging marker for cerebral small vessel diseases, but their risk factors and cognitive associations have not been well-documented in populations of different ethnicities and/or from different geographical regions.
Method: Magnetic resonance imaging data of five population-based cohorts of non-demented older individuals from Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and Sweden (N = 1,946) were examined for WMH and their associations with vascular risk factors and cognition.
Result: Factors associated with larger whole brain WMH volumes included diabetes, hypertension, stroke, current smoking, body mass index, higher alcohol intake and insufficient physical activity.
Article Synopsis
- Previous analyses indicated a link between social connections and cognitive health, but this study utilized individual data from a diverse international sample of over 39,000 participants to assess these impacts more comprehensively.
- Findings showed that strong social connections—both in terms of structure (like marriage and community engagement) and quality (feeling connected)—are tied to reduced risks of mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and mortality.
- Unique to Asian participants, being married or in a relationship significantly contributed to lower dementia risk, highlighting the varying importance of social factors across different cultures.
Background: Recent studies suggest a decline in the age-specific incidence and prevalence of dementia. However, results are mixed regarding trends among octogenarians. We investigated time trends in the prevalence and incidence of dementia in 3 population-based cohorts of 85-90-year olds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Sex differences in dementia risk, and risk factor (RF) associations with dementia, remain uncertain across diverse ethno-regional groups.
Methods: A total of 29,850 participants (58% women) from 21 cohorts across six continents were included in an individual participant data meta-analysis. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs), and women-to-men ratio of hazard ratios (RHRs) for associations between RFs and all-cause dementia were derived from mixed-effect Cox models.
Background: Most research on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light protein (NfL) as a marker for neurodegeneration and neurogranin (Ng) for synaptic dysfunction has largely focused on clinical cohorts rather than population-based samples.
Objective: We hypothesized that increased CSF levels of NfL and Ng are associated with subtle cognitive deficits in cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults.
Methods: The sample was derived from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies and comprised 258 CU 70-year-olds, with a Clinical Dementia Rating score of zero.
Article Synopsis
- - The Gothenburg H70 1930 Birth Cohort Study aimed to assess the representativeness of its participants over multiple health examinations conducted at ages 70, 75, 79, 85, and 88 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- - Key findings indicated that participants were generally healthier and more educated compared to both those who refused to participate and same-aged individuals from Gothenburg and Sweden, with lower mortality rates and fewer chronic conditions.
- - The study emphasizes the need for diverse comparison groups in population studies to ensure that findings can be generalized, highlighting the unique characteristics of participants in relation to the larger population.
Article Synopsis
- Poor social connections, such as small social networks and feelings of loneliness, are linked to cognitive decline and this study investigates their impact on cognitive health over time while considering sex differences.
- The researchers analyzed data from 13 global longitudinal studies, focusing on individuals without dementia at baseline, and assessed the relationship between social connections and changes in cognitive performance across various domains.
- The findings suggest that stronger social connections can positively influence cognitive health, particularly in relation to maintaining cognitive function as people age.
Purpose: The study aimed at determining the prevalence and sex differences in cataract, pseudophakia, lens opacities and self-reported cataract in 70-year-old people in Gothenburg, Sweden. The purpose was also to identify correlations between lens opacities, visual acuity and subjective visual function, and to validate self-reported cataract and cataract surgery.
Patients And Methods: Population-based cross-sectional study where participants (n=1182) answered questions about self-reported diagnosis of cataract and cataract surgery.
Older adults of today consume more alcohol, yet knowledge about the factors associated with different consumption levels is limited in this age group. Based on the data from a population-based sample (n = 1156, 539 men and 617 women) in The Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Study 2014−16, we examined sociodemographic, social, and health-related factors associated with alcohol consumption levels in 70-year-olds, using logistic regression. Total weekly alcohol intake was calculated based on the self-reported amount of alcohol consumed.
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