Objectives: Exposure to stressful neighborhood environments is a well-established risk factor for health deterioration and premature death. However, the biological underpinnings are not fully understood. Epigenetic aging may function as a key molecular pathway to adverse health outcomes among residents of high-stress neighborhoods. This study examines the associations between neighborhood social stressors (socioeconomic deprivation, observed and perceived disorder, and low social cohesion) and epigenetic age (DunedinPACE and Principal component adjusted (PC) PCHorvath, PCHannum, PCPhenoAge, PCGrimAge). Further, we identify sub-populations most vulnerable to neighborhood stressors.
Methods: Respondent data are from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) DNA Methylation subsample. Neighborhood data come from respondent reports (2014/2016) and the census (2012-2016 ACS). The analytic sample included 3,146 adults ages 56 and older (mean age=68.8), of whom 54.9% were women and 19.3% were non-white.
Results: In multilevel regression models adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, all neighborhood stressors were associated with faster DunedinPACE (B=0.008 to 0.017). Neighborhood deprivation, perceived disorder, and low cohesion were associated with PCPhenoAge (B=0.27 to 0.40) or PCGrimAge acceleration (B= 0.23). Health behaviors explained these associations to some degree. However, no significant associations were found with PCHorvath and PCHannum. In interaction analyses, adverse associations with deprivation, observed disorder, and low cohesion were more pronounced for women. No consistent interactions were found for race/ethnic and education groups.
Discussion: Our findings indicate that neighborhood stressors can accelerate epigenetic aging, with older women particularly vulnerable to their effects. These findings provide insights into the biological foundations of health disparities rooted in neighborhood environments.
{"title":"Neighborhood Stressors and Epigenetic Age Acceleration among Older Americans.","authors":"Eun Young Choi, Jennifer A Ailshire","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae176","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Exposure to stressful neighborhood environments is a well-established risk factor for health deterioration and premature death. However, the biological underpinnings are not fully understood. Epigenetic aging may function as a key molecular pathway to adverse health outcomes among residents of high-stress neighborhoods. This study examines the associations between neighborhood social stressors (socioeconomic deprivation, observed and perceived disorder, and low social cohesion) and epigenetic age (DunedinPACE and Principal component adjusted (PC) PCHorvath, PCHannum, PCPhenoAge, PCGrimAge). Further, we identify sub-populations most vulnerable to neighborhood stressors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Respondent data are from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) DNA Methylation subsample. Neighborhood data come from respondent reports (2014/2016) and the census (2012-2016 ACS). The analytic sample included 3,146 adults ages 56 and older (mean age=68.8), of whom 54.9% were women and 19.3% were non-white.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In multilevel regression models adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, all neighborhood stressors were associated with faster DunedinPACE (B=0.008 to 0.017). Neighborhood deprivation, perceived disorder, and low cohesion were associated with PCPhenoAge (B=0.27 to 0.40) or PCGrimAge acceleration (B= 0.23). Health behaviors explained these associations to some degree. However, no significant associations were found with PCHorvath and PCHannum. In interaction analyses, adverse associations with deprivation, observed disorder, and low cohesion were more pronounced for women. No consistent interactions were found for race/ethnic and education groups.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our findings indicate that neighborhood stressors can accelerate epigenetic aging, with older women particularly vulnerable to their effects. These findings provide insights into the biological foundations of health disparities rooted in neighborhood environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Colin D Freilich, Kristian E Markon, Frank D Mann, Steve W Cole, Robert F Krueger
Objectives: Loneliness is a pressing public health concern, but the mechanisms by which it leads to declining physical health are uncertain. Prior work has begun to explore epigenetic pathways, with some evidence suggesting a link between loneliness and DNA methylation, though it is unclear whether epigenetic variation can help explain loneliness-health associations.
Method: Associations between loneliness and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) were estimated, as well as the degree to which EAA mediated and moderated the association between loneliness and the development of chronic physical health conditions (multimorbidity) in older adulthood. The sample consisted of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants who provided blood draws and consented to methylation profiling (n=4,018).
Results: Baseline loneliness was associated with greater EAA in the GrimAge measure net of demographic and behavioral covariates (β=0.07, p=.003). Loneliness and GrimAge each predicted increasing condition counts, but there was no evidence of an interactive effect. The association between loneliness and increasing condition counts was, however, significantly mediated by GrimAge (indirect path β=0.020, p=.003).
Discussion: These results suggest that the impact of loneliness on multimorbidity may, in part, operate through DNA methylation. The specific intermediary, physiological mechanisms that are involved will require further research, but EAA measures like GrimAge are promising in helping to understand the health impacts of loneliness.
目的:孤独是一个紧迫的公共健康问题,但孤独导致身体健康下降的机制尚不确定。先前的工作已开始探索表观遗传学途径,一些证据表明孤独与 DNA 甲基化之间存在联系,但表观遗传学变异是否有助于解释孤独与健康之间的关联尚不清楚:方法:研究人员估算了孤独与表观遗传年龄加速(EAA)之间的关系,以及EAA在多大程度上介导和调节了孤独与老年期慢性身体健康状况(多病)发展之间的关系。样本由健康与退休研究(HRS)的参与者组成,他们提供了抽血并同意进行甲基化分析(n=4,018):扣除人口统计学和行为学协变量后,基线孤独感与 GrimAge 测量中更大的 EAA 相关(β=0.07,p=.003)。孤独感和 GrimAge 都能预测病情计数的增加,但没有证据表明两者之间存在交互作用。然而,孤独感与条件数增加之间的关系在很大程度上受 GrimAge 的影响(间接路径 β=0.020,p=.003):这些结果表明,孤独对多病症的影响可能部分是通过 DNA 甲基化起作用的。具体的中间生理机制还需要进一步研究,但像 GrimAge 这样的 EAA 测量方法有望帮助人们了解孤独对健康的影响。
{"title":"Associations between Loneliness, Epigenetic Aging, and Multimorbidity through Older Adulthood.","authors":"Colin D Freilich, Kristian E Markon, Frank D Mann, Steve W Cole, Robert F Krueger","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae169","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Loneliness is a pressing public health concern, but the mechanisms by which it leads to declining physical health are uncertain. Prior work has begun to explore epigenetic pathways, with some evidence suggesting a link between loneliness and DNA methylation, though it is unclear whether epigenetic variation can help explain loneliness-health associations.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Associations between loneliness and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) were estimated, as well as the degree to which EAA mediated and moderated the association between loneliness and the development of chronic physical health conditions (multimorbidity) in older adulthood. The sample consisted of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants who provided blood draws and consented to methylation profiling (n=4,018).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline loneliness was associated with greater EAA in the GrimAge measure net of demographic and behavioral covariates (β=0.07, p=.003). Loneliness and GrimAge each predicted increasing condition counts, but there was no evidence of an interactive effect. The association between loneliness and increasing condition counts was, however, significantly mediated by GrimAge (indirect path β=0.020, p=.003).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These results suggest that the impact of loneliness on multimorbidity may, in part, operate through DNA methylation. The specific intermediary, physiological mechanisms that are involved will require further research, but EAA measures like GrimAge are promising in helping to understand the health impacts of loneliness.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Neke A Nsor, Kyle J Bourassa, Lisa L Barnes, Casey L Brown
Objective: Older African Americans are among the fastest growing populations, yet are underrepresented in studies examining risk factors related to decline. The present study examines whether biological factors (APOE alleles) interact with behavioral factors including cognitive activities (e.g., reading, playing games) and social activities (e.g., participating in social groups) to predict cognitive decline in African Americans.
Methods: 734 African American adults from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), aged 65 and older (with no known dementia at the time of enrollment) underwent annual cognitive testing for up to 10 years. At baseline, APOE status was determined and participants reported their frequency of participation in social and cognitive activities. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the effects of APOE, cognitive activities, and social activities on cognitive decline, and their interaction effects over a ten-year period.
Results: The number of APOE alleles had an effect on cognitive decline, such that a greater number of APOE4 alleles was associated with greater cognitive decline, whereas a greater number of APOE2 alleles was associated with less cognitive decline. Cognitive and social activities did not interact with APOE count to predict cognitive decline, however, APOE4 and social activities had additive, independent effects on cognitive decline.
Discussion: Results replicate prior findings linking APOE4 to cognitive decline and highlight the importance of APOE2 and social activities in delaying cognitive decline in African Americans.
{"title":"The Effects of APOE Alleles, Cognitive Activities, and Social Activities on Cognitive Decline in African Americans.","authors":"Neke A Nsor, Kyle J Bourassa, Lisa L Barnes, Casey L Brown","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae172","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Older African Americans are among the fastest growing populations, yet are underrepresented in studies examining risk factors related to decline. The present study examines whether biological factors (APOE alleles) interact with behavioral factors including cognitive activities (e.g., reading, playing games) and social activities (e.g., participating in social groups) to predict cognitive decline in African Americans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>734 African American adults from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), aged 65 and older (with no known dementia at the time of enrollment) underwent annual cognitive testing for up to 10 years. At baseline, APOE status was determined and participants reported their frequency of participation in social and cognitive activities. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the effects of APOE, cognitive activities, and social activities on cognitive decline, and their interaction effects over a ten-year period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The number of APOE alleles had an effect on cognitive decline, such that a greater number of APOE4 alleles was associated with greater cognitive decline, whereas a greater number of APOE2 alleles was associated with less cognitive decline. Cognitive and social activities did not interact with APOE count to predict cognitive decline, however, APOE4 and social activities had additive, independent effects on cognitive decline.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Results replicate prior findings linking APOE4 to cognitive decline and highlight the importance of APOE2 and social activities in delaying cognitive decline in African Americans.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142407278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anthony D Ong, Dakota W Cintron, Jonathan Rottenberg, Vanessa Panaite, Ian C Fischer, Peter J Na, Dilip V Jeste, Robert H Pietrzak
Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health concern associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. This study examined the nature and correlates of predominant loneliness trajectories in a nationally representative sample of older U.S. military veterans.
Methods: Participants included 2,441 veterans (mean age = 63, 8% female, 80% white) from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a 3-year longitudinal cohort study. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to identify distinct trajectory classes of loneliness based on self-reported ratings. Multinomial logistic three-step regression analyses examined potential psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with loneliness trajectories.
Results: GMM revealed three distinct loneliness trajectories: Low-decreasing loneliness (61.2%), moderate-increasing loneliness (31.6%), and high-increasing loneliness (7.2%). Being married/partnered and perceiving greater purpose in life emerged as protective factors against elevated levels of loneliness. Worse cognitive functioning was a risk factor for the moderate-increasing loneliness trajectory, while greater psychological distress and more adverse childhood experiences were risk factors for the high-increasing loneliness trajectory.
Discussion: Nearly 40% of older U.S. veterans exhibited trajectories characterized by moderate to high levels of loneliness, with both groups showing increases over time. Targeted interventions that promote social connectedness, enhance purpose in life, and address mental health concerns and early life adversities may help mitigate the negative health consequences associated with chronic loneliness in this vulnerable population.
目的:孤独是一个重要的公共健康问题,与老年人的不良身心健康后果相关。本研究调查了具有全国代表性的美国老年退伍军人样本中主要孤独轨迹的性质和相关因素:参与者包括 2,441 名退伍军人(平均年龄 = 63 岁,8% 为女性,80% 为白人),他们来自一项为期 3 年的纵向队列研究--"全国退伍军人健康与复原力研究"(National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study)。研究采用增长混合模型(GMM),根据自我报告的评分确定不同的孤独轨迹等级。多项式逻辑三步回归分析检验了与孤独感轨迹相关的潜在社会心理风险和保护因素:GMM揭示了三种不同的孤独轨迹:低度孤独感下降(61.2%)、中度孤独感上升(31.6%)和高度孤独感上升(7.2%)。已婚/有伴侣以及认为自己有更大的生活目标是防止孤独感升高的保护因素。认知功能较差是中度孤独感上升轨迹的风险因素,而更大的心理压力和更多的不良童年经历则是高度孤独感上升轨迹的风险因素:讨论:近 40% 的美国老年退伍军人表现出中度至高度孤独的轨迹,两个群体的孤独感都随着时间的推移而增加。有针对性的干预措施可以促进社会联系、增强生活目标、解决心理健康问题和早期生活逆境,这可能有助于减轻这一弱势群体因长期孤独而产生的不良健康后果。
{"title":"Loneliness Trajectories in U.S. Military Veterans: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study of Risk and Protective Factors.","authors":"Anthony D Ong, Dakota W Cintron, Jonathan Rottenberg, Vanessa Panaite, Ian C Fischer, Peter J Na, Dilip V Jeste, Robert H Pietrzak","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae171","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Loneliness is a significant public health concern associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. This study examined the nature and correlates of predominant loneliness trajectories in a nationally representative sample of older U.S. military veterans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants included 2,441 veterans (mean age = 63, 8% female, 80% white) from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a 3-year longitudinal cohort study. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to identify distinct trajectory classes of loneliness based on self-reported ratings. Multinomial logistic three-step regression analyses examined potential psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with loneliness trajectories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>GMM revealed three distinct loneliness trajectories: Low-decreasing loneliness (61.2%), moderate-increasing loneliness (31.6%), and high-increasing loneliness (7.2%). Being married/partnered and perceiving greater purpose in life emerged as protective factors against elevated levels of loneliness. Worse cognitive functioning was a risk factor for the moderate-increasing loneliness trajectory, while greater psychological distress and more adverse childhood experiences were risk factors for the high-increasing loneliness trajectory.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Nearly 40% of older U.S. veterans exhibited trajectories characterized by moderate to high levels of loneliness, with both groups showing increases over time. Targeted interventions that promote social connectedness, enhance purpose in life, and address mental health concerns and early life adversities may help mitigate the negative health consequences associated with chronic loneliness in this vulnerable population.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142402124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objectives: The complex associations of socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle with dementia are unclear. Our objective was to examine whether a broad combination of lifestyle factors mediates the associations of SES with incident dementia and the extent of interaction or joint relations of lifestyles and SES with dementia.
Methods: A total of 274,871 participants from the UK Biobank were included. SES was assessed using the Townsend Deprivation Index. A lifestyle index was created based on smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, social connections, sleep duration, diet, and sedentary behavior. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted. Mediation and interaction analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between lifestyles and SES in dementia.
Results: The HRs (95% CIs) for when participants with low SES were compared with participants of high SES were 1.32 (1.22-1.42) for all-cause dementia, 1.25 (1.11-1.40) for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 1.61 (1.37-1.90) for vascular dementia (VD). Lifestyles explained ≤ 7.8% of socioeconomic disparities in dementia. Unhealthy lifestyle categories were associated with a higher risk of dementia and its subtypes across all SES levels. The HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause dementia, AD, and VD comparing participants with low SES and the least healthy lifestyle versus those with high SES and the healthiest lifestyle were 1.82 (1.56-2.11), 1.51 (1.20-1.90), and 2.56 (1.81-3.61), respectively.
Discussion: Adhering to a healthy lifestyle may prevent dementia across all socioeconomic groups, but socioeconomic inequalities in dementia cannot be fully addressed by promoting healthy lifestyles alone. The social determinants of dementia need to be better addressed.
{"title":"Socioeconomic inequalities in dementia risk among a population-based cohort: Quantifying the role of a broad combination of lifestyle factors.","authors":"Ze Zhao, Xiaoxv Yin, Minzhi Xu","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae173","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The complex associations of socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle with dementia are unclear. Our objective was to examine whether a broad combination of lifestyle factors mediates the associations of SES with incident dementia and the extent of interaction or joint relations of lifestyles and SES with dementia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 274,871 participants from the UK Biobank were included. SES was assessed using the Townsend Deprivation Index. A lifestyle index was created based on smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, social connections, sleep duration, diet, and sedentary behavior. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted. Mediation and interaction analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between lifestyles and SES in dementia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The HRs (95% CIs) for when participants with low SES were compared with participants of high SES were 1.32 (1.22-1.42) for all-cause dementia, 1.25 (1.11-1.40) for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 1.61 (1.37-1.90) for vascular dementia (VD). Lifestyles explained ≤ 7.8% of socioeconomic disparities in dementia. Unhealthy lifestyle categories were associated with a higher risk of dementia and its subtypes across all SES levels. The HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause dementia, AD, and VD comparing participants with low SES and the least healthy lifestyle versus those with high SES and the healthiest lifestyle were 1.82 (1.56-2.11), 1.51 (1.20-1.90), and 2.56 (1.81-3.61), respectively.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Adhering to a healthy lifestyle may prevent dementia across all socioeconomic groups, but socioeconomic inequalities in dementia cannot be fully addressed by promoting healthy lifestyles alone. The social determinants of dementia need to be better addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kelly Cotton, Helena M Blumen, Emmeline Ayers, Dristi Adhikari, Alben Sigamani, V G Pradeep Kumar, Joe Verghese
Objectives: Happiness has been shown to influence many health-related outcomes in older adults. Identifying correlates and brain substrates of happiness across countries and cultures is an important goal, as the global older adult population continues to increase.
Method: We used univariate and multiple regression to examine associations between happiness and several demographic, health, and lifestyle variables in 665 older adults (39% female) from Kerala, India. We also used Bayesian regression to examine associations between cortical thickness and happiness in a sub-sample of 188 participants that completed MRI scanning.
Results: Happiness was significantly associated with several variables. In our multiple regression model, which included all significant univariate predictors, self-rated health, depression, anxiety, apathy, social network size, social network diversity, and social support significantly predicted happiness. Demographic indicators (age, sex, education, marital status, residence, and employment status/type), cognitive impairment, comorbidities, and leisure activities were not significantly associated with happiness in the multiple regression model. Cortical thickness in several brain regions was positively associated with happiness scores, including frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and cingulate regions.
Discussion: Understanding the key correlates is critical for identifying both modifiable factors that can be targeted in well-being interventions and fixed characteristics that identify those at-risk for reduced happiness. The widespread pattern of brain regions associated with happiness is consistent with the multifactorial nature of happiness and, given that the regions identified do not overlap with those vulnerable to cortical thinning, can help explain why subjective well-being, unlike other cognitive functions, is largely resistant to age-related decline.
{"title":"Correlates and Brain Substrates of Happiness in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in India.","authors":"Kelly Cotton, Helena M Blumen, Emmeline Ayers, Dristi Adhikari, Alben Sigamani, V G Pradeep Kumar, Joe Verghese","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae174","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Happiness has been shown to influence many health-related outcomes in older adults. Identifying correlates and brain substrates of happiness across countries and cultures is an important goal, as the global older adult population continues to increase.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We used univariate and multiple regression to examine associations between happiness and several demographic, health, and lifestyle variables in 665 older adults (39% female) from Kerala, India. We also used Bayesian regression to examine associations between cortical thickness and happiness in a sub-sample of 188 participants that completed MRI scanning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Happiness was significantly associated with several variables. In our multiple regression model, which included all significant univariate predictors, self-rated health, depression, anxiety, apathy, social network size, social network diversity, and social support significantly predicted happiness. Demographic indicators (age, sex, education, marital status, residence, and employment status/type), cognitive impairment, comorbidities, and leisure activities were not significantly associated with happiness in the multiple regression model. Cortical thickness in several brain regions was positively associated with happiness scores, including frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and cingulate regions.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Understanding the key correlates is critical for identifying both modifiable factors that can be targeted in well-being interventions and fixed characteristics that identify those at-risk for reduced happiness. The widespread pattern of brain regions associated with happiness is consistent with the multifactorial nature of happiness and, given that the regions identified do not overlap with those vulnerable to cortical thinning, can help explain why subjective well-being, unlike other cognitive functions, is largely resistant to age-related decline.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objectives: The 50-59 age group in the U.S. experience higher levels of food insecurity (FI) compared to older adults. While previous research has identified an association between FI and cognition outcomes in older populations, limited research has examined midlife as a specific food insecurity exposure window and the association of this hardship with long-run cognition outcomes.
Methods: Utilizing 14 waves of Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) data (1995-2020), I applied mixed-effects models to assess the relationship between midlife FI exposure and later-life cognitive function, controlling for childhood disadvantages and other health-related and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results: Findings indicate that both cumulative FI duration and ever experiencing FI during ages 50-59 are significantly associated with subsequent cognitive decline. Specifically, ever experiencing food insecurity during midlife was linked to a decrease in cognitive function by 0.07 standard units (95% CI, -0.13 to -0.003; P<0.05). In addition, each additional year of FI exposure during midlife was associated with a reduction in cognitive function by 0.01 standard units (95% CI, -0.03 to -0.003; P<0.05). These associations remained robust even after accounting for a range of potential confounders and covariates.
Discussion: The findings support the cumulative inequality model, suggesting that midlife food insecurity is a significant predictor of lower cognitive function in later life. Both the timing and extent of FI during midlife are crucial factors in shaping cognitive health outcomes. Policy interventions targeting food insecurity in the 50-59 age group could play a pivotal role in promoting healthy aging and mitigating cognitive decline in older adulthood.
目的:与老年人相比,美国 50-59 岁年龄段人群的食品不安全(FI)程度更高。虽然以往的研究已发现 FI 与老年人群的认知结果之间存在关联,但将中年作为特定的粮食不安全暴露窗口以及这种困难与长期认知结果之间关联的研究却很有限:利用 14 波健康与退休调查(HRS)数据(1995-2020 年),我采用混合效应模型评估了中年期食物不安全暴露与晚年认知功能之间的关系,并控制了童年的不利条件以及其他健康相关特征和社会人口特征:结果:研究结果表明,50-59 岁期间累积的 FI 持续时间和曾经经历的 FI 都与随后的认知功能下降有显著关系。具体而言,中年时期曾经经历过食物不安全与认知功能下降 0.07 个标准单位(95% CI,-0.13 至 -0.003;PD 讨论)有关:研究结果支持累积不平等模型,表明中年期的食物不安全是晚年认知功能下降的重要预测因素。中年期粮食不安全的时间和程度是影响认知健康结果的关键因素。针对 50-59 岁年龄组粮食不安全问题的政策干预措施可在促进健康老龄化和缓解老年期认知功能下降方面发挥关键作用。
{"title":"A lack of food for thought: Midlife food insecurity and its association with subsequent cognitive ability of Older Americans.","authors":"Dongmei Zuo","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae167","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The 50-59 age group in the U.S. experience higher levels of food insecurity (FI) compared to older adults. While previous research has identified an association between FI and cognition outcomes in older populations, limited research has examined midlife as a specific food insecurity exposure window and the association of this hardship with long-run cognition outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Utilizing 14 waves of Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) data (1995-2020), I applied mixed-effects models to assess the relationship between midlife FI exposure and later-life cognitive function, controlling for childhood disadvantages and other health-related and sociodemographic characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings indicate that both cumulative FI duration and ever experiencing FI during ages 50-59 are significantly associated with subsequent cognitive decline. Specifically, ever experiencing food insecurity during midlife was linked to a decrease in cognitive function by 0.07 standard units (95% CI, -0.13 to -0.003; P<0.05). In addition, each additional year of FI exposure during midlife was associated with a reduction in cognitive function by 0.01 standard units (95% CI, -0.03 to -0.003; P<0.05). These associations remained robust even after accounting for a range of potential confounders and covariates.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The findings support the cumulative inequality model, suggesting that midlife food insecurity is a significant predictor of lower cognitive function in later life. Both the timing and extent of FI during midlife are crucial factors in shaping cognitive health outcomes. Policy interventions targeting food insecurity in the 50-59 age group could play a pivotal role in promoting healthy aging and mitigating cognitive decline in older adulthood.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142481856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rongxiang Tang, Jeremy A Elman, Chandra A Reynolds, Olivia K Puckett, Matthew S Panizzon, Michael J Lyons, Donald J Hagler, Christine Fennema-Notestine, Lisa T Eyler, Stephen M Dorros, Anders M Dale, William S Kremen, Carol E Franz
Objectives: Childhood disadvantage is associated with lower general cognitive ability (GCA) and brain structural differences in midlife and older adulthood. However, the neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying childhood disadvantage effects on later-life GCA remain poorly understood. Although total surface area (SA) has been linked to lifespan GCA differences, total SA does not capture the non-uniform nature of childhood disadvantage effects on neuroanatomy, which varies across unimodal and transmodal cortices. Here, we examined whether cortical SA profile-the extent to which the spatial patterning of SA deviates from the normative unimodal-transmodal cortical organization-is a mediator of childhood disadvantage effects on later-life GCA.
Method: In 477 community-dwelling men aged 56-72 years old, childhood disadvantage index (CDI) was derived from four indicators of disadvantages and GCA was assessed using a standardized test. Cortical SA was obtained from structural magnetic resonance imaging. For cortical SA profile, we calculated the spatial similarity between maps of individual cortical SA and MRI-derived principal gradient (i.e., unimodal-transmodal organization). Mediation analyses were conducted to examine the indirect effects of CDI through cortical SA profile on GCA.
Results: Around 1.31% of CDI effects on later-life GCA were mediated by cortical SA profile, whereas total SA did not. Higher CDI was associated with more deviation of the cortical SA spatial patterning from the principal gradient, which in turn related to lower later-life GCA.
Discussion: Childhood disadvantage may contribute to later-life GCA differences partly by influencing the spatial patterning of cortical SA in a way that deviates from the normative cortical organizational principle.
目的:童年时期的不利处境与中年和老年期较低的一般认知能力(GCA)和大脑结构差异有关。然而,人们对童年劣势影响晚年一般认知能力的神经解剖学机制仍然知之甚少。虽然总表面积(SA)与一生中的 GCA 差异有关,但总表面积并不能反映童年劣势对神经解剖学影响的非均匀性,这种影响在单模态和跨模态皮层中各不相同。在此,我们研究了皮层 SA 剖面--SA 的空间模式偏离正常的单模态-跨模态皮层组织的程度--是否是童年劣势对晚年 GCA 影响的中介因素:方法:在 477 名年龄在 56-72 岁之间、居住在社区的男性中,根据四项不利条件指标得出童年不利条件指数(CDI),并使用标准化测试评估 GCA。皮层 SA 是通过结构性磁共振成像获得的。对于皮质SA轮廓,我们计算了单个皮质SA地图与MRI衍生的主梯度(即单模态-跨模态组织)之间的空间相似性。我们进行了中介分析,以研究 CDI 通过皮层 SA 剖面对 GCA 的间接影响:大约 1.31% 的 CDI 对晚年 GCA 的影响是通过大脑皮层的 SA 曲线产生的,而总 SA 却没有。较高的CDI与大脑皮层SA空间模式偏离主要梯度的程度有关,而这反过来又与较低的晚年GCA有关:讨论:童年时期的不利条件可能会部分地通过影响大脑皮层SA的空间格局,使其偏离正常的大脑皮层组织原则,从而导致日后的GCA差异。
{"title":"Cortical surface area profile mediates effects of childhood disadvantage on later-life general cognitive ability.","authors":"Rongxiang Tang, Jeremy A Elman, Chandra A Reynolds, Olivia K Puckett, Matthew S Panizzon, Michael J Lyons, Donald J Hagler, Christine Fennema-Notestine, Lisa T Eyler, Stephen M Dorros, Anders M Dale, William S Kremen, Carol E Franz","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae170","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Childhood disadvantage is associated with lower general cognitive ability (GCA) and brain structural differences in midlife and older adulthood. However, the neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying childhood disadvantage effects on later-life GCA remain poorly understood. Although total surface area (SA) has been linked to lifespan GCA differences, total SA does not capture the non-uniform nature of childhood disadvantage effects on neuroanatomy, which varies across unimodal and transmodal cortices. Here, we examined whether cortical SA profile-the extent to which the spatial patterning of SA deviates from the normative unimodal-transmodal cortical organization-is a mediator of childhood disadvantage effects on later-life GCA.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In 477 community-dwelling men aged 56-72 years old, childhood disadvantage index (CDI) was derived from four indicators of disadvantages and GCA was assessed using a standardized test. Cortical SA was obtained from structural magnetic resonance imaging. For cortical SA profile, we calculated the spatial similarity between maps of individual cortical SA and MRI-derived principal gradient (i.e., unimodal-transmodal organization). Mediation analyses were conducted to examine the indirect effects of CDI through cortical SA profile on GCA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Around 1.31% of CDI effects on later-life GCA were mediated by cortical SA profile, whereas total SA did not. Higher CDI was associated with more deviation of the cortical SA spatial patterning from the principal gradient, which in turn related to lower later-life GCA.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Childhood disadvantage may contribute to later-life GCA differences partly by influencing the spatial patterning of cortical SA in a way that deviates from the normative cortical organizational principle.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objectives: While the Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance (PLTC) Program was designed to mitigate the low uptake of long-term care insurance and reduce Medicaid's financial burden, research has predominantly focused on its direct impacts, leaving the effects on informal caregiving unexplored. This study aimed to investigate how the program alters the dynamics of family-provided care, leveraging nationally representative data to unveil the broader consequences on informal caregiving arrangements among older individuals.
Methods: Data for this study were sourced from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (1992-2018) and linked with the timing of the PLTC program implementation across states. The analysis compared individuals exposed to the program with those who were not, employing two-way-fixed-effects and dynamic models to assess its impact on long-term care insurance coverage and reliance on informal caregiving.
Results: The program positively affected long-term care insurance coverage, increasing insurance uptake among older individuals in the long run. Conversely, a significant negative effect was observed on the receipt of assistance from any helper, indicating a reduced reliance on informal care. This reduction extended specifically to family helpers and children's assistance with activities of daily living. The analysis suggests that the program effectively reduced the necessity for informal caregiving across several domains.
Discussion: These findings highlight the program's potential to reshape caregiving dynamics, suggesting the need for policies that balance promoting private insurance uptake with the implications for family caregiving roles. Policymakers should consider both the economic benefits and the social shifts induced by such programs in the long-term care landscape.
{"title":"The Unseen Shift: How Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance Influences Caregiving Among Older Adults.","authors":"Xianhua Zai","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae168","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>While the Partnership Long-Term Care Insurance (PLTC) Program was designed to mitigate the low uptake of long-term care insurance and reduce Medicaid's financial burden, research has predominantly focused on its direct impacts, leaving the effects on informal caregiving unexplored. This study aimed to investigate how the program alters the dynamics of family-provided care, leveraging nationally representative data to unveil the broader consequences on informal caregiving arrangements among older individuals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data for this study were sourced from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (1992-2018) and linked with the timing of the PLTC program implementation across states. The analysis compared individuals exposed to the program with those who were not, employing two-way-fixed-effects and dynamic models to assess its impact on long-term care insurance coverage and reliance on informal caregiving.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The program positively affected long-term care insurance coverage, increasing insurance uptake among older individuals in the long run. Conversely, a significant negative effect was observed on the receipt of assistance from any helper, indicating a reduced reliance on informal care. This reduction extended specifically to family helpers and children's assistance with activities of daily living. The analysis suggests that the program effectively reduced the necessity for informal caregiving across several domains.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>These findings highlight the program's potential to reshape caregiving dynamics, suggesting the need for policies that balance promoting private insurance uptake with the implications for family caregiving roles. Policymakers should consider both the economic benefits and the social shifts induced by such programs in the long-term care landscape.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142376306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Objectives: Interpersonal relevancy appraisals are a dynamic and understudied aspect of human social cognition. Despite their importance, there are no existing measures. This study developed and validated a new measure of self-perceived interpersonal threat, opportunity, and invisibility appraisals among a life-course sample of adults. We also explored the relationships between relevance appraisals, social connectedness, loneliness, age, and sex-assigned-at-birth.
Method: Items were developed based on a theoretical model of multi-domain interpersonal relevance appraisals and refined following feedback from five experts in social psychology. Cross-sectional data were obtained online from a sample of 1,079 adults (age 18-90 years), recruited from the general population of Australia. Data were split into two pseudo-random samples used for 1) scale development and evaluation, and 2) assessment of internal consistency, construct validity, convergent validity with social connectedness and loneliness, and exploratory analysis with age and sex.
Results: Results support the factor structure and internal consistency of 17- and 9-item versions of the Perceived Interpersonal Relevancy Scales (PIRS) and measurement invariance across younger and older age groups. Higher self-perceived threat and invisibility appraisals were associated with decreased social network size, increased loneliness, younger age, and male sex. Higher self-perceived opportunity appraisals were associated with increased social network size and decreased loneliness.
Discussion: Results support this new measure of perceived interpersonal relevance appraisals, which shows relationships between the way we believe others perceive us, loneliness, and social isolation. The PIRS likely has wide utility for studies that seek to understand the intersections between human social cognition, well-being, and health across the lifespan.
{"title":"Development and Validation of the Perceived Interpersonal Relevancy Scales: A New Measure of Perceived Threat, Opportunity, and Invisibility Appraisals for Use Across the Adult Life-Course.","authors":"Brooke Brady, Lidan Zheng, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Kaarin J Anstey","doi":"10.1093/geronb/gbae162","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae162","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Interpersonal relevancy appraisals are a dynamic and understudied aspect of human social cognition. Despite their importance, there are no existing measures. This study developed and validated a new measure of self-perceived interpersonal threat, opportunity, and invisibility appraisals among a life-course sample of adults. We also explored the relationships between relevance appraisals, social connectedness, loneliness, age, and sex-assigned-at-birth.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Items were developed based on a theoretical model of multi-domain interpersonal relevance appraisals and refined following feedback from five experts in social psychology. Cross-sectional data were obtained online from a sample of 1,079 adults (age 18-90 years), recruited from the general population of Australia. Data were split into two pseudo-random samples used for 1) scale development and evaluation, and 2) assessment of internal consistency, construct validity, convergent validity with social connectedness and loneliness, and exploratory analysis with age and sex.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results support the factor structure and internal consistency of 17- and 9-item versions of the Perceived Interpersonal Relevancy Scales (PIRS) and measurement invariance across younger and older age groups. Higher self-perceived threat and invisibility appraisals were associated with decreased social network size, increased loneliness, younger age, and male sex. Higher self-perceived opportunity appraisals were associated with increased social network size and decreased loneliness.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Results support this new measure of perceived interpersonal relevance appraisals, which shows relationships between the way we believe others perceive us, loneliness, and social isolation. The PIRS likely has wide utility for studies that seek to understand the intersections between human social cognition, well-being, and health across the lifespan.</p>","PeriodicalId":56111,"journal":{"name":"Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142333096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}