scholarly journals Perceived Everyday Discrimination and C- Reactive Protein Influence on Cognition of Older Black Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1049-1049
Author(s):  
Sydney Kirven ◽  
Amy Thierry ◽  
Heather Farmer

Abstract Black adults and women are more likely to experience serious cognitive decline in older age than their white and male counterparts. Evidence suggests perceived discrimination is associated with poor cognition in older adults, though the mechanisms remain unclear. Perceived discrimination has been linked to elevated inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which increases risk for worse cognitive functioning. Yet, little research has investigated whether CRP is implicated in the association between discrimination and cognition among Black older adults or if this relationship differs by gender. Using 2006-2016 data from Black adults ≥65 years old(N=1343) in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study, random effects linear regression models (1) tested the association between discrimination and cognitive functioning; (2) explored whether this relationship differed for women and men; and (3) assessed whether elevated CRP mediated the association between discrimination and cognitive functioning. More frequent discrimination was associated with worse cognitive functioning (b= -0.24, SE=0.11, p<0.05), though gender did not moderate this relationship. Elevated CRP was significantly associated with worse cognitive functioning (b= 0.40, SE=0.18, p<0.05). Discrimination remained statistically significant in this model, indicating no mediation by CRP. Of note, inclusion of depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic conditions accounted for the association between both discrimination and CRP with cognitive functioning. These findings demonstrate the need for more within-group research on older Black adults documenting the complex relationship between discrimination, inflammation, and cognitive health. This approach will provide greater understanding of the biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying disparities in cognitive functioning in Black adults.

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Chen ◽  
Chuanying Huang ◽  
Wenjing Feng ◽  
Yujie Li ◽  
Yili Wu

Abstract Background Although previous studies have reported the benefits of physical activity (PA) to lung function in middle-aged and older adults, the biological mechanisms are still unclear. This study aimed to assess the extent to which C-reactive protein (CRP) mediates the association between leisure-time PA and lung function. Methods A population-based sample was recruited from English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), Wave 6 (2012–2013). PA was self-reported by questionnaires. CRP was analyzed from peripheral blood. Lung function parameters including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured by using a spirometer. Baron and Kenny’s causal steps method and multiple linear regression models based on the Karlson/Holm/Bree (KHB) method were used to assess the mediating effect. Results Among 6875 participants, 28.4% were classified into low PA, 49.8% into moderate PA, and 21.8% into high PA. Multiple linear regression models suggested that higher PA was associated with lower levels of CRP (β = − 0.048, P = 0.002 for moderate PA; β = − 0.108, P < 0.001 for high PA). CRP negatively correlated with FEV1 (β = − 0.180, P < 0.001) and FVC (β = − 0.181, P < 0.001). Higher levels of PA were associated with better FEV1 (β = 0.085, P < 0.001 for moderate PA; β = 0.150, P < 0.001 for high PA) and FVC (β = 0.131, P < 0.001 for moderate PA; β = 0.211, P < 0.001 for high PA). After introducing the CRP into the models, regression coefficients of PA with FEV1 (β = 0.077, P < 0.001 for moderated PA; β = 0.130, P < 0.001 for high PA) and FVC (β = 0.123, P < 0.001 for moderated PA; β = 0.188, P < 0.001 for high PA) decreased. The indirect effect of high PA on lung function via CRP was significant, with 9.42–12.99% of the total effect being mediated. Conclusions The association between PA and lung function is mediated by CRP, suggesting that this association may be partially explained by an inflammation-related biological mechanism. This finding highlights the possible importance of PA in systemic inflammation and lung function, thus, middle-aged and older adults should be encouraged to enhance PA levels.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S819-S819
Author(s):  
Heather R Farmer ◽  
Heather R Farmer ◽  
Linda A Wray ◽  
Hanzhang Xu ◽  
Ying Xian ◽  
...  

Abstract C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammation linked to numerous acute and chronic conditions. Studies have not considered racial differences in elevated CRP among older adults at the national level. We investigate racial differences in elevated CRP and the socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, and physiological factors that contribute to these differences overall and by gender using a nationally-representative prospective cohort of 14,700 non-Hispanic black and white participants in the Health and Retirement Study followed from 2006 to 2014. Random effects logistic regression models showed that blacks were more likely to have elevated levels of CRP than whites. In men, the racial differences in elevated CRP were attributed to a combination of socioeconomic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors. In women, the racial differences in elevated CRP were primarily attributable to physiological factors. The findings from this work have potentially important implications for clinical practice and interventions targeting vulnerable segments of the population.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Madeline B Zipperer ◽  
James R Churilla ◽  
Michael R Richardson

Introduction: There is limited evidence examining the combined effects of cognitive function and C-reactive protein (CRP) on mortality risk using a large nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that cognitive function and CRP produce a combined effect in predicting all-cause mortality risk. Objective: Examine the combined effects of cognitive function and CRP in predicting all-cause mortality in a large nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Methods: The study sample (n=2,111) included older adults (≥ 60 years of age) who participated in the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A four-level variable was created based on CRP concentration and cognitive function (high cognitive function and low to average CRP; high cognitive function and high CRP; low cognitive function and low to average CRP; low cognitive function and high CRP). Results: Compared to a referent group with low to average CRP and high cognitive function, analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in risk of all-cause mortality in adults with high CRP and low cognitive function (Hazards Ratio [HR] 1.97; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.52-2.55, p<0.0001) and in adults with low to average CRP and low cognitive function (HR 1.76; 95% CI, 1.44-2.15, p<0.0001). Similar relationships were not revealed in adults with high cognitive function, regardless of CRP concentration. Conclusions: In a large nationally representative sample of older U.S. adults, low cognitive function was associated with increased all-cause mortality risk independent of CRP concentration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 98-98
Author(s):  
Heather Farmer ◽  
Amy Thierry ◽  
Marina Armendariz ◽  
Sydney Kirven ◽  
Kyler Sherman-Wilkins

Abstract Black older adults are at greater risk for poor cognitive health than Whites, and adverse neighborhood conditions may contribute to this disparity. Moreover, limited research examines how resilience is implicated in the relationship between neighborhoods and cognition among Blacks. Using 2006-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, we examine how perceived neighborhood characteristics (physical disorder and social cohesion) and psychosocial resilience (social support, mastery, and sense of purpose) contribute to cognitive functioning among 1,655 Black adults ages 65+. Results from multilevel linear regression models show that greater physical disorder was associated with worse cognitive functioning, and this was attenuated after adjustment for socioeconomic status. We found a positive association between purpose and mastery with cognitive functioning, even after accounting for socioeconomic, psychosocial, and health-related characteristics. Thus, high levels of purpose and mastery may be protective for cognitive functioning among Black older adults in spite of experiencing negative neighborhood contexts.


Gerontology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahid Eslami ◽  
Mindy J. Katz ◽  
Robert S. White ◽  
Erin Sundermann ◽  
Julie M. Jiang ◽  
...  

Background: Among older adults, pain intensity and pain interference are more common in women than men and associated with obesity and inflammatory markers. Objective: We examined whether the obesity and pain relationship is mediated by the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a nonspecific marker of systemic inflammation, and whether this relationship differs by sex. Methods: Items from Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 were used to measure pain intensity and pain interference in daily life. Ordinal logistic regression was used to assess the cross-sectional association among body mass index (BMI), hsCRP levels, pain intensity and pain interference using gender-stratified models adjusted for demographic variables. Results: Participants included 667 community-residing adults over the age of 70 years, free of dementia, enrolled in the Einstein Aging Study (EAS). In women (n = 410), pain intensity was associated with obesity [BMI ≥30 vs. normal, odds ratio (OR) = 2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43-3.68] and higher hsCRP (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.08-1.51). In a model with obesity and hsCRP, both remained significant, but the association between hsCRP and pain intensity was somewhat attenuated. Obesity (OR = 3.04, 95% CI 1.81-5.11) and higher hsCRP levels (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.08-1.56) were also independently associated with greater pain interference in women. After adjustment for pain intensity and BMI, hsCRP was no longer associated with pain interference in women. Greater pain intensity and being overweight or obese continued to be significantly associated with pain interference in women. In men (n = 257), obesity and hsCRP were not associated with pain intensity or pain interference. Conclusions: In women, the relationship between obesity and higher levels of pain intensity or interference may be accounted for by factors related to hsCRP.


2001 ◽  
Vol 85 (02) ◽  
pp. 245-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Horan ◽  
Charles Francis ◽  
Ann Falsey ◽  
John Kolassa ◽  
Brian Smith ◽  
...  

SummaryMortality rates attributable to cerebrovascular and ischemic heart disease increase among older adults during the winter. Prothrombotic changes in the hemostatic system related to seasonal factors, such as ambient temperature changes, and winter acute respiratory tract infections, may contribute to this excess seasonal mortality. A prospective nested case-control study was conducted to assess the impact of winter acute respiratory tract infections on fibrinogen, factor VII, factor VIIa, D-dimer, prothrombin fragment 1.2, PAI-1, soluble P-selectin and C-reactive protein (CRP) in older adults. The change in laboratory parameters from baseline (fall) to the time of infection in both middle-aged and elderly individuals was compared with matched non-infected controls. In older adult participants with winter acute respiratory tract infections, significant increases occurred in fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, but not in any other markers. The mean fibrinogen increased 1.52 g/L (38%) and the mean CRP increased 37 mg/L (370%) over baseline (both p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, both infection and season were associated with the increase in fibrinogen, but only infection was associated with the CRP increase. Old age magnified the increase in CRP but not in fibrinogen. Winter acute respiratory tract infections induce an exaggerated inflammatory response in older adults. The associated increase in fibrinogen, an independent risk factor for ischemic heart disease, may be partly responsible for the excess winter vascular mortality.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e027659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raoping Tu ◽  
Kuan-Yu Pan ◽  
Guoxi Cai ◽  
Taro Yamamoto ◽  
Hui-Xin Wang

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the association between self-rated health (SRH) and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) among adults aged 45 to 101 years old in rural areas of China, and to explore the role of education in the association.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe study population was derived from two databases in China: Nanping project (NP) and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).ParticipantsThere were 646 participants from a rural area of Nanping (NP) and 8555 rural participants from a national representative sample of China (CHARLS).MethodsCRP was measured using a high sensitivity sandwich enzyme immunoassay in the NP and immunoturbidimetric assay in the CHARLS. SRH was assessed by SRH questionnaires and categorised into good and poor. Education was measured by the maximum years of schooling and dichotomised into illiterate and literate. Multivariate linear regression models were used to study the associations.ResultsCompared to people with good SRH, those with poor SRH had higher levels of CRP in NP (β=0.16, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.34) and in CHARLS (β=0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.11) after adjusting for potential confounders. Similar findings were observed in the pooled population (β=0.08, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.12), especially in men (β=0.13, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.20) and in literate people (β=0.12, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.18).ConclusionPoor SRH may be a predicator of elevated levels of CRP among middle-aged and older people in rural areas, especially in men and literate people.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
A. Rotstein ◽  
S. Z. Levine

ABSTRACT Background: Cumulative evidence suggests that health-related risk factors during midlife and old-age are associated with cognitive impairment. However, studies are needed to clarify the association between early-life risk factors and impaired cognitive functioning to increment existing knowledge. Objective: To examine the association between childhood infectious diseases and late-life cognitive functioning in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Participants: Eligible respondents were 2994 community-dwelling individuals aged 65–85. Measurements: Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Childhood infectious diseases (i.e. chicken pox, measles, and mumps) were self-reported. The study covariates were age, sex, highest educational level achieved, smoking status, body mass index, and depression. The primary statistical analysis examined the association between the number of childhood infectious diseases and total MMSE scores, accounting for all study covariates. Regression models of progressive complexity were examined for parsimony. The robustness of the primary results was tested in 17 sensitivity analyses. Results: The most parsimonious model was a linear adjusted model (Bayesian Information Criterion = 12646.09). Late-life cognitive functioning significantly improved as the number of childhood infectious diseases increased (β = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.11, 0.26; p < 0.001). This effect was not significantly attenuated in all sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The current study results are consistent with prior ecological findings indicating that some childhood infectious diseases are associated with better cognitive functioning in old-age. This points to an early-life modifiable risk factor associated with older-life cognitive functioning. Our results may reflect selective mortality and/or beneficial effects via hormetic processes.


Author(s):  
Wan-Hsuan Lu ◽  
Philipe de Souto Barreto ◽  
Yves Rolland ◽  
Ali Bouyahia ◽  
Clara Fischer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This study aims to investigate the predictive value of biological and neuroimaging markers to determine incident frailty among older people for a period of 5 years. Methods We included 1394 adults aged 70 years and older from the Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial, who were not frail at baseline (according to Fried’s criteria) and who had at least 1 post-baseline measurement of frailty. Participants who progressed to frailty during the 5-year follow-up were categorized as “incident frailty” and those who remained non-frail were categorized as “without frailty.” The differences of baseline biochemical factors (25-hydroxyvitamin D, homocysteine, omega-3 index, C-reactive protein), other biological markers (Apolipoprotein E genotypes, amyloid-β deposits), and neuroimaging data (gray matter volume, hippocampal volume, white matter hyperintensities) were compared between groups. Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the associations between biomarkers and incident frailty. Results A total of 195 participants (14.0%) became frail over 5 years. Although 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency, homocysteine levels, low-grade inflammation (persistently increased C-reactive protein 3–10 mg/L), gray matter, and hippocampal volume were significantly associated with incident frailty in unadjusted models, these associations disappeared after adjustment for age, sex, and other confounders. Omega-3 index was the sole marker that presented a trend of association with incident frailty (hazard ratio: 0.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.83–1.01; p = .082). Conclusions This study failed to identify biomarkers able to predict frailty incidence in community-dwelling older adults for a period of 5 years. Further longitudinal research with multiple measurements of biomarkers and frailty is needed to evaluate the long-term relationships between changes in biomarkers levels and frailty evolution.


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