scholarly journals The identification of established modifiable mid-life risk factors for cardiovascular disease which contribute to cognitive decline: Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yebeen Ysabelle Boo ◽  
Otto-Emil Jutila ◽  
Meghan A. Cupp ◽  
Logan Manikam ◽  
Sung-Il Cho
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Regular Exercise ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment

Abstract Introduction We explored how different chronic diseases, risk factors, and protective factors highly associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are associated with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Korean elders, with a focus on those that manifest in mid-life. Methods A CVD-free cohort (n = 4289) from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging was selected to perform Cox mixed-effects proportional hazard regressions. Eighteen control variables with strong associations to CVD were chosen as explanatory variables, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score cut-off for dementia and MCI were used as outcome variables. Results The statistically significant (P < 0.05) adverse factors that contribute in developing dementia were age (aHR 1.07, 1.05–1.09), Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) (aHR 1.17, 1.12–1.23), diagnosis with cerebrovascular disease (aHR 3.73, 1.81–7.66), living with diabetes (aHR 2.30, 1.22–4.35), and living with high blood pressure (HBP) (aHR 2.05, 1.09–3.87). In contrast, the statistically significant protective factors against developing dementia were current alcohol consumption (aHR 0.67, 0.46–0.99), higher educational attainment (aHR 0.36, 0.26–0.56), and regular exercise (aHR 0.37, 0.26–0.51). The factors with a statistically significant adverse association with progression to MCI were age (aHR 1.02, 1.01–1.03) and CESD-10 (aHR 1.17, 1.14–1.19). In contrast, the statistically significant protective factors against developing MCI were BMI (aHR 0.96, 0.94–0.98), higher educational attainment (aHR 0.33, 0.26–0.43), and regular exercise (aHR 0.83, 0.74–0.92). Conclusion In lieu of the protective factor of MCI and dementia, implementing regular exercise routine well before mid-life and cognitive decline is significant, with adjustments made for those suffering from health conditions, so they can continue exercising despite their morbidity. Further attention in diabetes care and management is needed for patients who already show decline in cognitive ability as it is likely that their MCI impacts their ability to manage their existing chronic conditions, which may adversely affect their cognitive ability furthermore.

The impact of education inequality on rheumatoid arthritis risk is mediated by smoking and body mass index: Mendelian randomization study

Rheumatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sizheng Steven Zhao ◽  
Michael V Holmes ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Eleanor Sanderson ◽  
Alice R Carter
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk ◽  
Smoking Exposure ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective To estimate the causal relationship between educational attainment—as a proxy for socioeconomic inequality—and risk of RA, and quantify the roles of smoking and BMI as potential mediators. Methods Using the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study of genetically predicted educational attainment (instrumented using 1265 variants from 766 345 individuals) and RA (14 361 cases, 43 923 controls). We used two-step MR to quantify the proportion of education’s effect on RA mediated by smoking exposure (as a composite index capturing duration, heaviness and cessation, using 124 variants from 462 690 individuals) and BMI (517 variants, 681 275 individuals), and multivariable MR to estimate proportion mediated by both factors combined. Results Each S.d. increase in educational attainment (4.2 years of schooling) was protective of RA (odds ratio 0.37; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.44). Higher educational attainment was also protective for smoking exposure (β = −0.25 S.d.; 95% CI: −0.26, −0.23) and BMI [β = −0.27 S.d. (∼1.3 kg/m2); 95% CI: −0.31, −0.24]. Smoking mediated 24% (95% CI: 13%, 35%) and BMI 17% (95% CI: 11%, 23%) of the total effect of education on RA. Combined, the two risk factors explained 47% (95% CI: 11%, 82%) of the total effect. Conclusion Higher educational attainment has a protective effect on RA risk. Interventions to reduce smoking and excess adiposity at a population level may reduce this risk, but a large proportion of education’s effect on RA remains unexplained. Further research into other risk factors that act as potentially modifiable mediators are required.

scholarly journals The impact of education inequality on rheumatoid arthritis risk is mediated by smoking and body mass index: mendelian randomization study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sizheng Steven Zhao ◽  
Michael V Holmes ◽  
Jie Zheng ◽  
Eleanor Sanderson ◽  
Alice R Carter
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Smoking Exposure ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment ◽  
The Impact

Objective. To estimate the causal relationship between educational attainment - as a proxy for socioeconomic inequality - and risk of RA and quantify the roles of cigarette smoking and body mass index (BMI) as potential mediators. Methods. Using the largest genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study of genetically predicted educational attainment (instrumented using 1265 variants from GWAS of 766,345 individuals) and RA (14,361 cases, 43,923 controls). We used two-step MR to quantify the proportion of education's effect on RA mediated by smoking exposure (as a composite index capturing duration, heaviness and cessation, using 124 variants from 462,690 individuals) and BMI (517 variants, 681,275 individuals), and multivariable MR to estimate proportion mediated by both factors combined. Results. Each standard deviation (SD) increase in educational attainment (4.2 years of schooling) was protective of RA (OR 0.37; 95%CI 0.31, 0.44). Higher educational attainment was also protective for smoking exposure (b= -0.25 SD; 95%CI -0.26, -0.23) and BMI (b= -0.27 SD (~1.3kg/m2); 95%CI -0.31, -0.24). Smoking mediated 24% (95%CI 13%, 35%) and BMI 17% (95%CI 11%, 23%) of the total effect of education on RA. Combined, the two risk factors explained 47% (95%CI 11%, 82%) of the total effect. Conclusion. Higher educational attainment has a protective effect on RA risk. Interventions to reduce smoking and excess adiposity at a population level may reduce this risk, but a large proportion of education's effect on RA remains unexplained. Further research into other risk factors that act as potentially modifiable mediators are required.

High resting heart rate protects against childhood risk factors in predicting adult psychopathy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Farrington ◽  
Henriette Bergstrøm
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Psychosocial Risk Factors ◽  
Psychosocial Risk ◽  
Resting Heart Rate ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

Purpose Previous research has indicated that low resting heart rate (RHR), measured at age 18, predicts later psychopathy, and that high RHR acts as a protective factor in nullifying the influence of several psychosocial risk factors in predicting later antisocial and criminal outcomes. This paper aims to investigate high RHR as a protective factor against age 8–10 psychosocial risk factors in predicting psychopathy factors at age 48 (measured by the PCL:SV). Design/methodology/approach Data collected in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development are analyzed. This is a prospective longitudinal study of 411 London males from age 8 to age 61. Findings This paper first reports the age 8–10 psychosocial risk factors that predict the interpersonal/affective Factor 1 and the lifestyle/antisocial Factor 2. Then interaction effects with high RHR are studied. The results indicate that high RHR acts as a protective factor against a convicted father and a depressed mother in predicting both psychopathy factors. It also protected against harsh discipline, large family size, low verbal IQ, high hyperactivity, poor parental supervision and a high delinquency-rate school in predicting one of these psychopathy factors, and against a convicted mother in a sensitivity analysis. Originality/value This is the first ever longitudinal study showing that high RHR acts as a protective factor in the prediction of psychopathy. The replicated results with different antisocial outcomes show that more research is warranted on the protective effects of high RHR.

scholarly journals Measuring social origin, cognitive ability and educational attainment in the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mollie Bourne ◽  
Bastian Andreas Betthäuser ◽  
Erzsebet Bukodi
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Young People ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Social Origin ◽  
Education Class ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Class Status

This data note presents and discussed descriptive statistics of the key variables on individuals’ social origin, cognitive ability and educational attainment that have been constructed based on the information contained in the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE). The main sets of variables presented are (1) measures of respondents’ cognitive ability in childhood, (2) parental education, class, status and income, and (3) respondents’ highest qualification and measures indicating whether respondents have crossed different educational qualification thresholds.

scholarly journals Pleiotropic Meta-Analysis of Cognition, Education, and Schizophrenia Differentiates Roles of Early Neurodevelopmental and Adult Synaptic Pathways

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Lam ◽  
W. David Hill ◽  
Joey W. Trampush ◽  
Jin Yu ◽  
Emma Knowles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Genetic Correlation ◽  
Allelic Variation ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Biological Mechanisms ◽  
Genetic Level ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment ◽  
Synaptic Pruning

AbstractLiability to schizophrenia is inversely correlated with general cognitive ability at both the phenotypic and genetic level. Paradoxically, a modest but consistent positive genetic correlation has been reported between schizophrenia and educational attainment, despite the strong positive genetic correlation between cognitive ability and educational attainment. Here we leverage published GWAS in cognitive ability, education, and schizophrenia to parse biological mechanisms underlying these results. Association analysis based on subsets (ASSET), a pleiotropic meta-analytic technique, allowed jointly associated loci to be identified and characterized. Specifically, we identified subsets of variants associated in the expected (“Concordant”) direction across all three phenotypes (i.e., greater risk for schizophrenia, lower cognitive ability, and lower educational attainment); these were contrasted with variants demonstrating the counterintuitive (“Discordant”) relationship between education and schizophrenia (i.e., greater risk for schizophrenia and higher educational attainment). ASSET analysis revealed 235 independent loci associated with cognitive ability, education and/or schizophrenia at p<5×10−8. Pleiotropic analysis successfully identified more than 100 loci that were not significant in the input GWASs, and many of these have been validated by larger, more recent single-phenotype GWAS. Leveraging the joint genetic correlations of cognitive ability, education, and schizophrenia, we were able to dissociate two distinct biological mechanisms: early neurodevelopmental pathways that characterize concordant allelic variation, and adulthood synaptic pruning pathways that were linked to the paradoxical positive genetic association between education and schizophrenia. Further, genetic correlation analyses revealed that these mechanisms contribute not only to the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia, but also to the broader biological dimensions that are implicated in both general health outcomes and psychiatric illness.

Abstract 031: Socioeconomic Trajectories Across the Life Course and Risk of All-cause and Cardiovascular Mortality: Prospective Findings From the Moli-sani Study

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marialaura Bonaccio ◽  
Augusto Di Castelnuovo ◽  
Simona Costanzo ◽  
Mariarosaria Persichillo ◽  
Chiara Cerletti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Lower Risk ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment ◽  
The Life Course

Introduction: A life course approach has been suggested as the most appropriated to establish the actual impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on health outcomes. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that SES trajectories from childhood to adulthood are useful to better evaluate the role of SES towards mortality risk in a large general population-based cohort. Methods: Longitudinal analysis on 22,194 subjects recruited in the general population of the Moli-sani study, Italy (2005-2010). Educational attainment (low/high) and SES in adulthood (measured by a score including occupational social class, housing and overcrowding, and dichotomized as low/high) were used to define four possible trajectories both in low and high SES in childhood (age of 8). Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated by multivariable Cox regression and competing risk models. Results: Over a median follow-up of 8.3 years (182,924 person-years), 1155 all-cause, of which 414 cardiovascular (CVD), deaths were ascertained. In the group with low SES in childhood, as opposed to those stably low (low education and low SES in adulthood), an upward in both educational attainment and material factors in adulthood was associated with lower risk of both all-cause (HR=0.64; 95%CI 0.52-0.79; Table) and CVD mortality (HR=0.62; 0.43-0.88), respectively. Subjects with high childhood SES experienced an increased risk of total and CVD death in absence of higher educational attainment despite a higher SES in adulthood (HR=1.47; 1.04-2.07 and HR=1.75;1.00-3.05, respectively) as compared to the group with both high education and high SES in adulthood. Conclusions: In conclusion, for individuals with low SES in childhood, an upward of both educational attainment and material factors over the life course is associated with lower risk of total and CVD death. In advantaged groups in childhood, lack of a higher educational attainment, rather than material factors, over the life course appears to be unfavourably associated with survival.

scholarly journals Health behaviours reported by adults with congenital heart disease across 15 countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1077-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina E Holbein ◽  
James Peugh ◽  
Gruschen R Veldtman ◽  
Silke Apers ◽  
Koen Luyckx ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Optimal Health ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment

Background Health behaviours are essential to maintain optimal health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications in adults with congenital heart disease. This study aimed to describe health behaviours in adults with congenital heart disease in 15 countries and to identify patient characteristics associated with optimal health behaviours in the international sample. Design This was a cross-sectional observational study. Methods Adults with congenital heart disease ( n = 4028, median age = 32 years, interquartile range 25–42 years) completed self-report measures as part of the Assessment of Patterns of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults with Congenital Heart disease - International Study (APPROACH-IS). Participants reported on seven health behaviours using the Health Behaviors Scale-Congenital Heart Disease. Demographic and medical characteristics were assessed via medical chart review and self-report. Multivariate path analyses with inverse sampling weights were used to investigate study aims. Results Health behaviour rates for the full sample were 10% binge drinking, 12% cigarette smoking, 6% recreational drug use, 72% annual dental visit, 69% twice daily tooth brushing, 27% daily dental flossing and 43% sport participation. Pairwise comparisons indicated that rates differed between countries. Rates of substance use behaviours were higher in younger, male participants. Optimal dental health behaviours were more common among older, female participants with higher educational attainment while sports participation was more frequent among participants who were younger, male, married, employed/students, with higher educational attainment, less complex anatomical defects and better functional status. Conclusions Health behaviour rates vary by country. Predictors of health behaviours may reflect larger geographic trends. Our findings have implications for the development and implementation of programmes for the assessment and promotion of optimal health behaviours in adults with congenital heart disease.

scholarly journals Education and Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Span

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lövdén ◽  
Laura Fratiglioni ◽  
M. Maria Glymour ◽  
Ulman Lindenberger ◽  
Elliot M. Tucker-Drob
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Positive Effects

Cognitive abilities are important predictors of educational and occupational performance, socioeconomic attainment, health, and longevity. Declines in cognitive abilities are linked to impairments in older adults’ everyday functions, but people differ from one another in their rates of cognitive decline over the course of adulthood and old age. Hence, identifying factors that protect against compromised late-life cognition is of great societal interest. The number of years of formal education completed by individuals is positively correlated with their cognitive function throughout adulthood and predicts lower risk of dementia late in life. These observations have led to the propositions that prolonging education might (a) affect cognitive ability and (b) attenuate aging-associated declines in cognition. We evaluate these propositions by reviewing the literature on educational attainment and cognitive aging, including recent analyses of data harmonized across multiple longitudinal cohort studies and related meta-analyses. In line with the first proposition, the evidence indicates that educational attainment has positive effects on cognitive function. We also find evidence that cognitive abilities are associated with selection into longer durations of education and that there are common factors (e.g., parental socioeconomic resources) that affect both educational attainment and cognitive development. There is likely reciprocal interplay among these factors, and among cognitive abilities, during development. Education–cognitive ability associations are apparent across the entire adult life span and across the full range of education levels, including (to some degree) tertiary education. However, contrary to the second proposition, we find that associations between education and aging-associated cognitive declines are negligible and that a threshold model of dementia can account for the association between educational attainment and late-life dementia risk. We conclude that educational attainment exerts its influences on late-life cognitive function primarily by contributing to individual differences in cognitive skills that emerge in early adulthood but persist into older age. We also note that the widespread absence of educational influences on rates of cognitive decline puts constraints on theoretical notions of cognitive aging, such as the concepts of cognitive reserve and brain maintenance. Improving the conditions that shape development during the first decades of life carries great potential for improving cognitive ability in early adulthood and for reducing public-health burdens related to cognitive aging and dementia.

State fragility and transparency

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabamita Dutta ◽  
Sanjukta Roy
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Robust Estimation ◽  
Lower State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State Fragility ◽  
Basic Functions ◽  
Higher Educational ◽  
Higher Educational Attainment ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the relationship between state fragility and transparency. A state is deemed fragile when it falters in its ability to manage conflict and in its capacity to deliver basic functions and implement public policy. Although minimizing fragility of the state is undoubtedly an integral component of economic development, there is a huge variation across countries in terms of where they stand with regard to fragility. Further, it also explores how educational attainment affects the relationship between state fragility and transparency. Design/methodology/approach Using several robust estimation methodologies and a relatively new database on transparency, the authors find that higher levels of transparency lower state fragility. They reply on fixed effect estimators, lagged one period and five periods and system GMM estimators as part of our identification strategy. Findings Using several robust estimation methodologies and a relatively new database on transparency, the authors find that a higher level of transparency lowers state fragility. Greater and free flow of information empowers the populace, restores trust in government, increases participation in the political arena and, thus, reduces state fragility. This paper additionally shows that higher educational attainment helps reap the benefits of transparency even more and, thus, catalyzes transparency to lower-state fragility more effectively. Research limitations/implications Our research shows that greater transparency leads to lower state fragility. Additionally, if the populace of the country has higher educational attainment, the benefits of transparency in reducing state fragility is enhanced. Although enhancing transparency amid high state fragility may be a challenging task, it can be achieved by providing the populace with better media access via internet and cell phones. Originality/value The authors use a relatively new database of transparency to show that transparency acts as an important determinant of state fragility. A state is deemed fragile when it falters in its ability to manage conflict and in its capacity to deliver basic functions and implement public policy. Given this definition, it is needless to say that what can affect state fragility and how can such fragility be lowered is an important research agenda. This paper aims to fill this gap. Additionally, it shows the importance of education while exploring such a relationship.

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