Plasma proteomic biomarkers as mediators or moderators for the association between poor cardiovascular health and white matter microstructural integrity: The UK Biobank study.

Introduction: The plasma proteome's mediating or moderating roles in the association between poor cardiovascular health (CVH) and brain white matter (WM) microstructural integrity are largely unknown.

Methods: Data from 3953 UK Biobank participants were used (40-70 years, 2006-2010), with a neuroimaging visit between 2014 and 2021. Poor CVH was determined using Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and reversing standardized z-scores (LE8 ).

Comparative analysis of White and African American groups reveals unique lipid and inflammatory features of diabetes.

Importance: African Americans have a higher prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) compared to White groups. T2D is a health disparity clinically characterized by dysregulation of lipids and chronic inflammation. However, how the relationships among biological and sociological predictors of T2D drive this disparity remains to be addressed.

Alzheimer's Disease polygenic risk, the plasma proteome, and dementia incidence among UK older adults.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex polygenic neurodegenerative disorder. Its genetic risk's relationship with all-cause dementia may be influenced by the plasma proteome. Up to 40,139 UK Biobank participants aged ≥ 50y at baseline assessment (2006-2010) were followed-up for ≤ 15 y for dementia incidence.

Longitudinal association of homocysteine with depressive and anxiety symptoms among urban adults: healthy aging in neighborhoods of diversity across the life span study.

Longitudinal associations of homocysteine (HCY) with depressive symptoms scores among urban adults remain under-studied, especially across sex, race and levels of anxiety. We examined longitudinal associations of homocysteine (HCY) with depressive symptoms scores among urban adults, before and after stratifying by sex, race and anxiety level, using data from 1460 Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Lifespan Study (HANDLS) participants aged 30-64 y at v (2004-2009), followed across 3 visits up to 2017. In addition to LnHcy, we used group-based trajectory models predicting z-transformed likelihood of greater LnHcy with age (Hcy).

Uncovering mediational pathways behind racial and socioeconomic disparities in brain volumes: insights from the UK Biobank study.

Mediation pathways explaining racial/ethnic and socioeconomic (SES) disparities in structural MRI markers of brain health remain underexplored. We examined racial/ethnic and SES disparities in sMRI markers and tested total, direct, and indirect effects through lifestyle, health-related, and cognition factors using a structural equations modeling approach among 36,184 UK Biobank participants aged 40-70 years at baseline assessment (47% men). Race (non-White vs.

Discrimination, religious affiliation, and arterial stiffness in African American women and men.

Objective: This study examined the interactive relations of experienced interpersonal discrimination, sex, and religious affiliation with pulse wave velocity (PWV), a noninvasive measure of arterial stiffness and indicator of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) prognostic for clinical CVD.

Method: We used multivariable linear regression analyses with cross-sectional data from 797 African American midlife adults in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span study in Baltimore, Maryland, to examine the interactive relations of both linear and quadratic discrimination, religious affiliation status, and sex with PWV in models adjusted for age and poverty status.

Results: Findings revealed a significant three-way interaction of Discrimination² × Religious Affiliation Status × Sex with PWV ( = 0.

Poor sleep quality, dementia status and their association with all-cause mortality among older US adults.

Background: Evidence points to associations between sleep quality, dementia, and mortality. We examined whether poor sleep quality mediated or moderated the association between dementia and mortality risk among older US adults and vice versa, and whether these associations differed by sex and by race.

Methods: The study investigated bi-directional associations between sleep quality, dementia and mortality in older US adults using data from the Health and Retirement Study ( = 6,991, mean age = 78.

Racial Discrimination, Religious Coping, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among African American Women and Men.

Objective: This cross-sectional study examined whether religious coping buffered the associations between racial discrimination and several modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors-systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol-in a sample of African American women and men.

Methods: Participant data were taken from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span study (N = 815; 55.2% women; 30-64 years old).

Plasma homocysteine and longitudinal change in cognitive function among urban adults.

Background: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have inconsistently linked cognitive performance and change over time to an elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy), with few conducted among urban adults.

Methods: Longitudinal data [Visit 1 (2004-2009) and Visit 2 (2009-2013)] were analyzed from up to 1430 selected Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) participants. Baseline and follow-up blood Hcy was measured, while 11 cognitive function test scores were assessed at either of these two visits.

Infection burden, periodontal pathogens, and their interactive association with incident all-cause and Alzheimer's disease dementia in a large national survey.

Introduction: Relationships and interplay of an infection burden (IB) and periodontal pathogens or periodontal disease (Pd) markers with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and all-cause dementia among US adults were examined.

Methods: Less than or equal to 2997 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Survey III were linked to CMS-Medicare [≥45 years (1988-1994); ≤30 years follow-up].

Results: Hepatitis C (hazard ratio = 3.

Mediating and moderating effects of plasma proteomic biomarkers on the association between poor oral health problems and brain white matter microstructural integrity: the UK Biobank study.

The plasma proteome can mediate associations between periodontal disease (Pd) and brain white matter integrity (WMI). We screened 5089 UK Biobank participants aged 40-70 years for poor oral health problems (POHP). We examined the association between POHP and WMI (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), Intracellular Volume Fraction (ICVF), Isotropic Volume Fraction (ISOVF) and Orientation Diffusion (OD)), decomposing the total effect through the plasma proteome of 1463 proteins into pure mediation, pure interaction, neither, while adjusting for socio-demographic and cardiovascular health factors.

A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Study of Gene-Sleep Duration Interactions for Blood Pressure in 811,405 Individuals from Diverse Populations.

Although both short and long sleep duration are associated with elevated hypertension risk, our understanding of their interplay with biological pathways governing blood pressure remains limited. To address this, we carried out genome-wide cross-population gene-by-short-sleep and long-sleep duration interaction analyses for three blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure) in 811,405 individuals from diverse population groups. We discover 22 novel gene-sleep duration interaction loci for blood pressure, mapped to 23 genes.

Mediating and moderating effects of plasma proteomic biomarkers on the association between poor oral health problems and incident dementia: The UK Biobank study.

The plasma proteome can mediate poor oral health problems (POHP)'s link to incident dementia. We screened 37,269 UK Biobank participants 50-74 years old (2006-2010) for prevalent POHP, further tested against 1463 plasma proteins and incident dementia over up to 15 years of follow-up. Total effect (TE) of POHP-dementia through plasma proteomic markers was decomposed into pure indirect effect (PIE), interaction referent (INTREF), controlled direct effect (CDE), or mediated interaction (INTMED).

Examining the Impact of Race and Poverty on the Relationship Between Purpose in Life and Functional Health: Insights from the HANDLS Study.

Introduction: While research has shown a positive association between a higher sense of purpose in life and functional health, there is a gap in understanding its benefits for racially minoritized and low SES individuals. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between purpose in life and physical functional health in a diverse sample, hypothesizing that purpose in life would be negatively associated with functional difficulties, with potentially stronger associations in White and high SES groups.

Methods: Data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study were utilized (166 participants, mean age 59.

Serum neurofilament light chain as a prognostic marker of all-cause mortality in a national sample of US adults.

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a neuron-specific structural protein released into the extracellular space, including body fluids, upon neuroaxonal damage. Despite evidence of a link in neurological disorders, few studies have examined the association of serum NfL with mortality in population-based studies. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey were utilized including 2,071 Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adult participants and adult participants of other ethnic groups (20-85 years) with serum NfL measurements who were followed for ≤ 6 years till 2019.

Association between Flavonoid Intake and Cognitive Executive Function among African American and White Adults in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study.

Healthy dietary patterns rich in flavonoids may benefit cognitive performance over time. Among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, the association between flavonoid intake and measures of cognition is unclear. This study sought to identify associations between flavonoid intake and cognitive performance among Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study participants (n = 1947) across three study visits.

Plasma proteomic biomarkers and the association between poor cardiovascular health and incident dementia: The UK Biobank study.

Background: The study examined how plasma proteome indicators may explain the link between poor cardiovascular health (CVH) and dementia risk.

Methods: The present study involved 28,974 UK Biobank participants aged 50-74y at baseline (2006-2010) who were followed-up for ≤ 15 y for incidence of dementia. CVH was calculated using Life's Essential 8 (LE8) total scores.

Loneliness, Dementia Status, and Their Association with All-Cause Mortality Among Older US Adults.

Background: Loneliness, dementia, and mortality are interconnected.

Objective: We aimed at understanding mediating pathways and interactions between loneliness and dementia in relation to mortality risk.

Methods: The study tested bi-directional relationships between dementia, loneliness, and mortality, by examining both interactions and mediating effects in a large sample of older US adults participating in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study.