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Patel R, Cosentino S, Zheng EZ, Schupf N, Barral S, Feitosa M, Andersen SL, Sebastiani P, Ukraintseva S, Christensen K, Zmuda J, Thyagarajan B, Gu Y. Systemic inflammation in relation to exceptional memory in the Long Life Family Study (LLFS). Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 37:100746. [PMID: 38476338 PMCID: PMC10925922 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives We previously found a substantial familial aggregation of healthy aging phenotypes, including exceptional memory (EM) in long-lived persons. In the current study, we aim to assess whether long-lived families with EM and without EM (non-EM) differ in systemic inflammation status and trajectory. Methods The current study included 4333 participants of the multi-center Long Life Family Study (LLFS). LLFS families were classified as EM (556 individuals from 28 families) or non-EM (3777 individuals from 416 families), with 2 or more offspring exhibiting exceptional memory performance (i.e. having baseline composite z-score representing immediate and delayed story memory being 1.5 SD above the mean in the nondemented offspring sample) considered as EM. Blood samples from baseline were used to measure inflammatory biomarkers including total white blood cell (WBC) and its subtypes (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes) count, platelet count, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6. Generalized linear models were used to examine cross-sectional differences in inflammatory biomarkers at baseline. In a sub-sample of 2227 participants (338 subjects from 24 EM families and 1889 from 328 non-EM families) with repeated measures of immune cell counts, we examined whether the rate of biomarker change differed between EM and non-EM families. All models were adjusted for family size, relatedness, age, sex, education, field center, APOE genotype, and body mass index. Results LLFS participants from EM families had a marginally higher monocyte count at baseline (b = 0.028, SE = 0.0110, p = 0.010) after adjusting for age, sex, education, and field site, particularly in men (p < 0.0001) but not in women (p = 0.493) (p-interaction = 0.003). Over time, monocyte counts increased (p < 0.0001) in both EM and non-EM families, while lymphocytes and platelet counts decreased over time in the non-EM families (p < 0.0001) but not in the EM families. After adjusting for multiple variables, there was no significant difference in biomarker change over time between the EM and non-EM families. Discussion Compared with non-EM families, EM families had significantly higher monocyte count at baseline but had similar change over time. Our study suggests that differences in monocyte counts may be a pathway through which EM emerges in some long-lived families, especially among men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruhee Patel
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Esther Zhiwei Zheng
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Nicole Schupf
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Sandra Barral
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Mary Feitosa
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Stacy L. Andersen
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Paola Sebastiani
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | | | - Kaare Christensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Joseph Zmuda
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Yian Gu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Long Life Family Study (LLFS)
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Social Sciences Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
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Xicota L, Cosentino S, Vardarajan B, Mayeux R, Perls TT, Andersen SL, Zmuda JM, Thyagarajan B, Yashin A, Wojczynski MK, Krinsky‐McHale S, Handen BL, Christian BT, Head E, Mapstone ME, Schupf N, Lee JH, Barral S. Whole genome-wide sequence analysis of long-lived families (Long-Life Family Study) identifies MTUS2 gene associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2670-2679. [PMID: 38380866 PMCID: PMC11032545 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) has a strong genetic component. Participants in Long-Life Family Study (LLFS) exhibit delayed onset of dementia, offering a unique opportunity to investigate LOAD genetics. METHODS We conducted a whole genome sequence analysis of 3475 LLFS members. Genetic associations were examined in six independent studies (N = 14,260) with a wide range of LOAD risk. Association analysis in a sub-sample of the LLFS cohort (N = 1739) evaluated the association of LOAD variants with beta amyloid (Aβ) levels. RESULTS We identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in tight linkage disequilibrium within the MTUS2 gene associated with LOAD (rs73154407, p = 7.6 × 10-9). Association of MTUS2 variants with LOAD was observed in the five independent studies and was significantly stronger within high levels of Aβ42/40 ratio compared to lower amyloid. DISCUSSION MTUS2 encodes a microtubule associated protein implicated in the development and function of the nervous system, making it a plausible candidate to investigate LOAD biology. HIGHLIGHTS Long-Life Family Study (LLFS) families may harbor late onset Alzheimer's dementia (LOAD) variants. LLFS whole genome sequence analysis identified MTUS2 gene variants associated with LOAD. The observed LLFS variants generalized to cohorts with wide range of LOAD risk. The association of MTUS2 with LOAD was stronger within high levels of beta amyloid. Our results provide evidence for MTUS2 gene as a novel LOAD candidate locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Xicota
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Badri Vardarajan
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Richard Mayeux
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Thomas T. Perls
- Section of GeriatricsDepartment of MedicineBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Stacy L. Andersen
- Section of GeriatricsDepartment of MedicineBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Joseph M. Zmuda
- Department of EpidemiologyGraduate School of Public Health, University of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and PathologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Anatoli Yashin
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Mary K. Wojczynski
- Division of Statistical GenomicsDepartment of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Sharon Krinsky‐McHale
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Department of PsychologyNew York Institute for Basic Research in Developmental DisabilitiesStaten IslandNew YorkUSA
| | - Benjamin L. Handen
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Bradley T. Christian
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin‐Madison School of Medicine and Public HealthMadisonWisconsinUSA
- Department of Medical PhysicsUniversity of Wisconsin‐Madison School of Medicine, and Public HealthMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mark E. Mapstone
- Department of NeurologyInstitute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nicole Schupf
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Joseph H. Lee
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Sandra Barral
- Department of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew York CityNew YorkUSA
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Kuller LH, Snitz BE, Hughes TM, Chang Y, Cohen AD, Mathis CA, Aizenstein HJ, Lopez OL. Low untreated systolic blood pressure over 18 years is associated with survival free of dementia age 90. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:2176-2187. [PMID: 35089640 PMCID: PMC9787390 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We hypothesized that lower untreated systolic blood pressure (SBP) would be associated with a lower risk of dementia and death up to age 95. METHODS SBP measured between 2000 and 2006 was evaluated in relationship to dementia risk and brain biomarkers from 2009-2020 (n = 177) in the Gingko Evaluation of Memory Study (GEMS), mean age 95 in 2020. Participants had measurements of brain amyloid beta (Aβ) and repeat clinical-cognitive evaluations every 6 months. RESULTS By 2020, only 9 of 177 patients (5%) were alive and cognitively unimpaired (CU). Mean SBP from 2000 to 2006 was 120 mm Hg for nine alive/CU, 125 mm Hg for alive/mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 130 mm Hg for alive/dementia (P = .03). The amount of Aβ was directly related to SBP levels. In multivariate analysis, Aβ+ in 2009 and thinner cortex were significant predictors of dementia. Excluding Aβ, SBP became a significant predictor of dementia. DISCUSSION Low SBP untreated by antihypertensive medications was associated with significant decreased risk of dementia and less Aβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis H. Kuller
- Department of EpidemiologyGraduate School of Public HealthUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Beth E. Snitz
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Timothy M. Hughes
- Department of Internal MedicineSection on Gerontology and Geriatric MedicineWake Forest School of MedicineWinston‐SalemNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Yuefang Chang
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Ann D. Cohen
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Chester A. Mathis
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Oscar L. Lopez
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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Gao Y, Felsky D, Reyes-Dumeyer D, Sariya S, Rentería MA, Ma Y, Klein HU, Cosentino S, De Jager PL, Bennett DA, Brickman AM, Schellenberg GD, Mayeux R, Barral S. Integration of GWAS and brain transcriptomic analyses in a multiethnic sample of 35,245 older adults identifies DCDC2 gene as predictor of episodic memory maintenance. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:1797-1811. [PMID: 34873813 PMCID: PMC9170841 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Identifying genes underlying memory function will help characterize cognitively resilient and high-risk declining subpopulations contributing to precision medicine strategies. We estimated episodic memory trajectories in 35,245 ethnically diverse older adults representing eight independent cohorts. We conducted apolipoprotein E (APOE)-stratified genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyses and combined individual cohorts' results via meta-analysis. Three independent transcriptomics datasets were used to further interpret GWAS signals. We identified DCDC2 gene significantly associated with episodic memory (Pmeta = 3.3 x 10-8 ) among non-carriers of APOE ε4 (N = 24,941). Brain transcriptomics revealed an association between episodic memory maintenance and (1) increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex DCDC2 expression (P = 3.8 x 10-4 ) and (2) lower burden of pathological Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks (paired helical fragment tau P = .003, and amyloid beta load P = .008). Additional transcriptomics results comparing AD and cognitively healthy brain samples showed a downregulation of DCDC2 levels in superior temporal gyrus (P = .007) and inferior frontal gyrus (P = .013). Our work identified DCDC2 gene as a novel predictor of memory maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhe Gao
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Felsky
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Medical
Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
| | - Sanjeev Sariya
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miguel Arce Rentería
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
| | - Yiyi Ma
- Center for Translational & Computational
Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center,
New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Hans-Ulrich Klein
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Translational & Computational
Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center,
New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
| | - Philip L. De Jager
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,Center for Translational & Computational
Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center,
New York, NY, 10032, USA.,Cell Circuits Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA,
USA
| | - David A. Bennett
- Rush University Medical Center, Rush Alzheimer’s
Disease Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,Rush University Medical Center, Department of Neurological
Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Adam M. Brickman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
| | - Gerard D. Schellenberg
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Richard Mayeux
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
| | - Sandra Barral
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease
and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia
University, New York, NY, USA.,G.H. Sergievsky Center, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New
York, NY, USA
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- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Galvin A, Feitosa M, Arbeev K, Kuipers AL, Wojczynski M, Ukrainsteva S, Christensen K. Physical resilience after a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease among offspring of long-lived siblings. Eur J Ageing 2022; 19:437-445. [PMID: 36052181 PMCID: PMC9424427 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-021-00641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Health benefits of longevity-enriched families transmit across generations and a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been shown to contribute to this phenomenon. In the current study, we investigated whether the offspring of long-lived siblings also have better survival after a CVD diagnosis compared to matched controls, i.e., are they both robust and resilient? Offspring of long-lived siblings were identified from three nationwide Danish studies and linked to national registers. Offspring with first diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, chronic ischemic heart disease, heart failure or cerebrovascular disease between 1996 and 2011 were included and matched with two controls from the Danish population on sex, year of birth and diagnosis, and type of CVD. Stratified Cox proportional-hazards models on the matching data were performed to study 10-year overall survival. A total of 402 offspring and 804 controls were included: 64.2% male with a median age at diagnosis of 63.0. For offspring and controls, overall survival was 73% and 65% at 10 years from diagnosis, respectively. Offspring of long-lived siblings had a significantly better survival than controls, and this association was slightly attenuated after controlling for marital status, medication and Charlson Comorbidity Index score simultaneously. This study suggested that offspring of long-lived siblings not only show lower CVD incidence but also a better survival following CVD diagnosis compared to matched population controls. The higher biological resilience appears to be a universal hallmark of longevity-enriched families, which makes them uniquely positioned for studying healthy aging and longevity mechanisms. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-021-00641-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angéline Galvin
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5 000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Mary Feitosa
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Konstantin Arbeev
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Allison L. Kuipers
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
| | - Mary Wojczynski
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Svetlana Ukrainsteva
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC USA
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, J.B. Winsløws Vej 9, 5 000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, The Danish Aging Research Center, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Wojczynski MK, Lin SJ, Sebastiani P, Perls TT, Lee J, Kulminski A, Newman A, Zmuda JM, Christensen K, Province MA. NIA Long Life Family Study: Objectives, Design, and Heritability of Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Phenotypes. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 77:717-727. [PMID: 34739053 PMCID: PMC8974329 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The NIA Long Life Family Study (LLFS) is a longitudinal, multicenter, multinational, population-based multigenerational family study of the genetic and nongenetic determinants of exceptional longevity and healthy aging. The Visit 1 in-person evaluation (2006–2009) recruited 4 953 individuals from 539 two-generation families, selected from the upper 1% tail of the Family Longevity Selection Score (FLoSS, which quantifies the degree of familial clustering of longevity). Demographic, anthropometric, cognitive, activities of daily living, ankle-brachial index, blood pressure, physical performance, and pulmonary function, along with serum, plasma, lymphocytes, red cells, and DNA, were collected. A Genome Wide Association Scan (GWAS) (Ilumina Omni 2.5M chip) followed by imputation was conducted. Visit 2 (2014–2017) repeated all Visit 1 protocols and added carotid ultrasonography of atherosclerotic plaque and wall thickness, additional cognitive testing, and perceived fatigability. On average, LLFS families show healthier aging profiles than reference populations, such as the Framingham Heart Study, at all age/sex groups, for many critical healthy aging phenotypes. However, participants are not uniformly protected. There is considerable heterogeneity among the pedigrees, with some showing exceptional cognition, others showing exceptional grip strength, others exceptional pulmonary function, etc. with little overlap in these families. There is strong heritability for key healthy aging phenotypes, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, suggesting that at least some of this protection may be genetic. Little of the variance in these heritable phenotypes is explained by the common genome (GWAS + Imputation), which may indicate that rare protective variants for specific phenotypes may be running in selected families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary K Wojczynski
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shiow Jiuan Lin
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Paola Sebastiani
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas T Perls
- Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Section, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Lee
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Kulminski
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anne Newman
- Departments of Epidemiology and Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joe M Zmuda
- Departments of Epidemiology and Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Unit of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, Department of Public Health, Southern Denmark University, Odense, Denmark
| | - Michael A Province
- Division of Statistical Genomics, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
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7
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Andersen SL, Du M, Cosentino S, Schupf N, Rosso AL, Perls TT, Sebastiani P. Slower Decline in Processing Speed Is Associated with Familial Longevity. Gerontology 2021; 68:17-29. [PMID: 33946077 PMCID: PMC9093735 DOI: 10.1159/000514950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cross-sectional analyses have associated familial longevity with better cognitive function and lower risk of cognitive impairment in comparison with individuals without familial longevity. The extent to which long-lived families also demonstrate slower rates of cognitive aging (i.e., change in cognition over time) is unknown. This study examined longitudinally collected data among 2 generations of the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) to compare rates of cognitive change across relatives and spouse controls. METHODS We analyzed change in 6 neuropsychological test scores collected approximately 8 years apart among LLFS family members (n = 3,972) versus spouse controls (n = 1,092) using a Bayesian hierarchical model that included age, years of follow-up, sex, education, generation, and field center and all possible pairwise interactions. RESULTS At a mean age of 88 years at enrollment in the older generation and 60 years in the younger generation, LLFS family members performed better than their spouses on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and the Logical Memory test. At follow-up, family members in the younger generation also showed slower decline than spouses on the DSST, whereas rates of change of Digit Span, fluency, and memory were similar between the 2 groups. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION Individuals in families with longevity appear to have better cognitive performance than their spouses for cognitive processes including psychomotor processing, episodic memory, and retrieval. Additionally, they demonstrate longer cognitive health spans with a slower decline on a multifactorial test of processing speed, a task requiring the integration of processes including organized visual search, working and incidental memory, and graphomotor ability. Long-lived families may be a valuable cohort for studying resilience to cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mengtian Du
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University
| | - Nicole Schupf
- Department of Neurology and Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University
| | | | - Thomas T. Perls
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine
| | - Paola Sebastiani
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center
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Renner SW, Bear TM, Brown PJ, Andersen SL, Cosentino S, Gmelin T, Boudreau RM, Cauley JA, Qiao Y(S, Simonsick EM, Glynn NW. Validation of Perceived Mental Fatigability Using the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale. J Am Geriatr Soc 2021; 69:1343-1348. [PMID: 33469914 PMCID: PMC8127403 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Establish reliability, concurrent and convergent validity of the Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (PFS) Mental subscale. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Older adults from two University of Pittsburgh registries, Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), and Long Life Family Study (LLFS). PARTICIPANTS PFS Mental subscale validation was conducted using three cohorts: (1) Development Sample (N = 664, 59.1% women, age 74.8 ± 6.4 years, PFS Mental scores 10.3 ± 9.1), (2) Validation Sample I-BLSA (N = 430, 51.9% women, age 74.5 ± 8.2 years, PFS Mental scores 9.4 ± 7.9), and (3) Validation Sample II-LLFS (N = 1,917, 54.5% women, age 72.2 ± 9.3 years, PFS Mental scores 7.5 ± 8.2). MEASUREMENTS Development Sample, Validation Sample I-BLSA, and Validation Sample II-LLFS participants self-administered the 10-item Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale. Validation Sample II-LLFS completed cognition measures (Trail Making Tests A and B), depressive symptomatology (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, CES-D), and global fatigue from two CES-D items. RESULTS In the Development Sample and Validation Sample I-BLSA, confirmatory factor analysis showed all 10 items loaded on two factors: social and physical activities (fit indices: SRMSR = 0.064, RMSEA = 0.095, CFI = 0.91). PFS Mental scores had strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.85) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.78). Validation Sample II-LLFS PFS Mental scores demonstrated moderate concurrent and construct validity using Pearson (r) or Spearman (ρ) correlations against measures of cognition (Trail Making Tests A (r = 0.14) and B (r = 0.17) time), depressive symptoms (r = 0.31), and global fatigue (ρ = 0.21). Additionally, the PFS Mental subscale had strong convergent validity, discriminating according to established clinical or cognitive testing cut points, with differences in PFS Mental scores ranging from 3.9 to 7.6 points (all P < .001). All analyses were adjusted for family relatedness, field center, age, sex, and education. CONCLUSIONS The validated PFS Mental subscale may be used in clinical and research settings as a sensitive, one-page self-administered tool of perceived mental fatigability in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon W. Renner
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Todd M. Bear
- Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Patrick J. Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University College Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Stacy L. Andersen
- Geriatrics Section, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Theresa Gmelin
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert M. Boudreau
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jane A. Cauley
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yujia (Susanna) Qiao
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Nancy W. Glynn
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Leukocyte Telomere Length Is Unrelated to Cognitive Performance Among Non-Demented and Demented Persons: An Examination of Long Life Family Study Participants. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2020; 26:906-917. [PMID: 32342830 PMCID: PMC7983066 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617720000363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a widely hypothesized biomarker of biological aging. Persons with shorter LTL may have a greater likelihood of developing dementia. We investigate whether LTL is associated with cognitive function, differently for individuals without cognitive impairment versus individuals with dementia or incipient dementia. METHOD Enrolled subjects belong to the Long Life Family Study (LLFS), a multi-generational cohort study, where enrollment was predicated upon exceptional family longevity. Included subjects had valid cognitive and telomere data at baseline. Exclusion criteria were age ≤ 60 years, outlying LTL, and missing sociodemographic/clinical information. Analyses were performed using linear regression with generalized estimating equations, adjusting for sex, age, education, country, generation, and lymphocyte percentage. RESULTS Older age and male gender were associated with shorter LTL, and LTL was significantly longer in family members than spouse controls (p < 0.005). LTL was not associated with working or episodic memory, semantic processing, and information processing speed for 1613 cognitively unimpaired individuals as well as 597 individuals with dementia or incipient dementia (p < 0.005), who scored significantly lower on all cognitive domains (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Within this unique LLFS cohort, a group of families assembled on the basis of exceptional survival, LTL is unrelated to cognitive ability for individuals with and without cognitive impairment. LTL does not change in the context of degenerative disease for these individuals who are biologically younger than the general population.
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10
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Christensen K, Wojczynski MK, Pedersen JK, Larsen LA, Kløjgaard S, Skytthe A, McGue M, Vaupel JW, Province MA. Mechanisms underlying familial aggregation of exceptional health and survival: A three-generation cohort study. Aging Cell 2020; 19:e13228. [PMID: 32886847 PMCID: PMC7576291 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The familial resemblance in length of adult life is very modest. Studies of parent-offspring and twins suggest that exceptional health and survival have a stronger genetic component than lifespan generally. To shed light on the underlying mechanisms, we collected information on Danish long-lived siblings (born 1886-1938) from 659 families, their 5379 offspring (born 1917-1982), and 10,398 grandchildren (born 1950-2010) and matched background population controls through the Danish 1916 Census, the Civil Registration System, the National Patient Register, and the Register of Causes of Death. Comparison with the background, population revealed consistently lower occurrence of almost all disease groups and causes of death in the offspring and the grandchildren. The expected incidence of hospitalization for mental and behavioral disorders was reduced by half in the offspring (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.62) and by one-third in the grandchildren (0.69, 0.61-0.78), while the numbers for tobacco-related cancer were 0.60 (0.51-0.70) and 0.71 (0.48-1.05), respectively. Within-family analyses showed a general, as opposed to specific, lowering of disease risk. Early parenthood and divorce were markedly less frequent in the longevity-enriched families, while economic and educational differences were small to moderate. The longevity-enriched families in this study have a general health advantage spanning three generations. The particularly low occurrence of mental and behavioral disorders and tobacco-related cancers together with indicators of family stability and only modest socioeconomic advantage implicate behavior as a key mechanism underlying familial aggregation of exceptional health and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaare Christensen
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Mary K. Wojczynski
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Jacob K. Pedersen
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Lisbeth A. Larsen
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Susanne Kløjgaard
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Axel Skytthe
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Matt McGue
- Department of Public HealthDanish Aging Research CenterUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - James W. Vaupel
- Center on Population DynamicsUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdenseDenmark
| | - Michael A. Province
- Department of GeneticsWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisMOUSA
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11
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Sebastiani P, Andersen SL, Sweigart B, Du M, Cosentino S, Thyagarajan B, Christensen K, Schupf N, Perls TT. Patterns of multi-domain cognitive aging in participants of the Long Life Family Study. GeroScience 2020; 42:1335-1350. [PMID: 32514870 PMCID: PMC7525612 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-020-00202-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining good cognitive function at older age is important, but our knowledge of patterns and predictors of cognitive aging is still limited. We used Bayesian model-based clustering to group 5064 participants of the Long Life Family Study (ages 49-110 years) into clusters characterized by distinct trajectories of cognitive change in the domains of episodic memory, attention, processing speed, and verbal fluency. For each domain, we identified 4 or 5 large clusters with representative patterns of change ranging from rapid decline to exceptionally slow change. We annotated the clusters by their correlation with genetic and molecular biomarkers, non-genetic risk factors, medical history, and other markers of aging to discover correlates of cognitive changes and neuroprotection. The annotation analysis discovered both predictors of multi-domain cognitive change such as gait speed and predictors of domain-specific cognitive change such as IL6 and NTproBNP that correlate only with change of processing speed or APOE genotypes that correlate only with change of processing speed and logical memory. These patterns also suggest that cognitive decline starts at young age and that maintaining good physical function correlates with slower cognitive decline. To better understand the agreement of cognitive changes across multiple domains, we summarized the results of the cluster analysis into a score of cognitive function change. This score showed that extreme patterns of change affecting multiple cognitive domains simultaneously are rare in this study and that specific signatures of biomarkers of inflammation and metabolic disease predict severity of cognitive changes. The substantial heterogeneity of change patterns within and between cognitive domains and the net of correlations between patterns of cognitive aging and other aging traits emphasizes the importance of measuring a wide range of cognitive functions and the need for studying cognitive aging in concert with other aging traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sebastiani
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Stacy L. Andersen
- Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Section, Boston University School of Medicine, Robinson 2400, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Benjamin Sweigart
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Mengtian Du
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 609 Mayo, 420 Delaware, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Department of Public Health, The Danish Aging Research Center and The Danish Twin Registry, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Biodemography, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Nicole Schupf
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Thomas T Perls
- Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Section, Boston University School of Medicine, Robinson 2400, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA 02118 USA
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12
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The 100-plus Study of cognitively healthy centenarians: rationale, design and cohort description. Eur J Epidemiol 2018; 33:1229-1249. [PMID: 30362018 PMCID: PMC6290855 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-018-0451-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although the incidence of dementia increases exponentially with age, some individuals reach more than 100 years with fully retained cognitive abilities. To identify the characteristics associated with the escape or delay of cognitive decline, we initiated the 100-plus Study (www.100plus.nl). The 100-plus Study is an on-going prospective cohort study of Dutch centenarians who self-reported to be cognitively healthy, their first-degree family members and their respective partners. We collect demographics, life history, medical history, genealogy, neuropsychological data and blood samples. Centenarians are followed annually until death. PET–MRI scans and feces donation are optional. Almost 30% of the centenarians agreed to post-mortem brain donation. To date (September 2018), 332 centenarians were included in the study. We analyzed demographic statistics of the first 300 centenarians (25% males) included in the cohort. Centenarians came from higher socio-economic classes and had higher levels of education compared to their birth cohort; alcohol consumption of centenarians was similar, and most males smoked during their lifetime. At baseline, the centenarians had a median MMSE score of 25 points (IQR 22.0–27.5); most centenarians lived independently, retained hearing and vision abilities and were independently mobile. Mortality was associated with cognitive functioning: centenarians with a baseline MMSE score ≥ 26 points had a mortality percentage of 17% per annual year in the second year after baseline, while centenarians with a baseline MMSE score < 26 points had a mortality of 42% per annual year (p = 0.003). The cohort was 2.1-fold enriched with the neuroprotective APOE-ε2 allele relative to 60–80 year-old population controls (p = 4.8 × 10−7), APOE-ε3 was unchanged and the APOE-ε4 allele was 2.3-fold depleted (p = 6.3 × 10−7). Comprehensive characterization of the 100-plus cohort of cognitively healthy centenarians might reveal protective factors that explain the physiology of long-term preserved cognitive health.
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13
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Yashin AI, Arbeev KG, Wu D, Arbeeva LS, Bagley O, Stallard E, Kulminski AM, Akushevich I, Fang F, Wojczynski MK, Christensen K, Newman AB, Boudreau RM, Province MA, Thielke S, Perls TT, An P, Elo I, Ukraintseva SV. Genetics of Human Longevity From Incomplete Data: New Findings From the Long Life Family Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2018; 73:1472-1481. [PMID: 30299504 PMCID: PMC6175028 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/gly057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The special design of the Long Life Family Study provides a unique opportunity to investigate the genetics of human longevity by analyzing data on exceptional lifespans in families. In this article, we performed two series of genome wide association studies of human longevity which differed with respect to whether missing lifespan data were predicted or not predicted. We showed that the use of predicted lifespan is most beneficial when the follow-up period is relatively short. In addition to detection of strong associations of SNPs in APOE, TOMM40, NECTIN2, and APOC1 genes with longevity, we also detected a strong new association with longevity of rs1927465, located between the CYP26A1 and MYOF genes on chromosome 10. The association was confirmed using data from the Health and Retirement Study. We discuss the biological relevance of the detected SNPs to human longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatoliy I Yashin
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina,Address correspondence to: Anatoliy I. Yashin, PhD, Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. E-mail:
| | - Konstantin G Arbeev
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Deqing Wu
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Liubov S Arbeeva
- Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Olivia Bagley
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Eric Stallard
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Alexander M Kulminski
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Igor Akushevich
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Fang Fang
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Mary K Wojczynski
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Kaare Christensen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Anne B Newman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert M Boudreau
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael A Province
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | | | - Thomas T Perls
- Medical Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ping An
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Irma Elo
- Department of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Svetlana V Ukraintseva
- Biodemography of Aging Research Unit, Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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14
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Barral S, Singh J, Fagan E, Cosentino S, Andersen-Toomey SL, Wojczynski MK, Feitosa M, Kammerer CM, Schupf N. Age-Related Biomarkers in LLFS Families With Exceptional Cognitive Abilities. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2017; 72:1683-1688. [PMID: 28329324 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background We previously demonstrated familial aggregation of memory performance within the Long Life Family Study (LLFS), suggesting that exceptional cognition (EC) may contribute to their exceptional longevity. Here, we investigated whether LLFS families with EC may also exhibit more favorable profiles of other age-related biomarkers. Methods Nondemented offspring of the LLFS probands scoring 1.5 SD above the mean in a cognitive phenotype were classified as participants with EC. Families were categorized into EC (n = 28) and non-EC families (n = 433) based on having at least two EC offspring. Adjusted general estimating equations were used to investigate whether EC families had a better longevity and age-related biomarker profiles than non-EC families. Results EC families exhibited higher scores on familial longevity than non-EC families (average Family Longevity Selection Score of 12 ± 7 vs 9 ± 8, p = 2.5 × 10-14). EC families showed a better a metabolic profile (β = -0.63, SE = 0.23, p = .006) than non-EC families. The healthier metabolic profile is related to obesity in an age-dependent fashion. The prevalence of obesity in EC families is significantly lower compared with non-EC families (38% vs 51%, p = .015) among family members less than 80 years of age; however, among EC family members 80 years of age and older, the prevalence of obesity is higher (40% vs 38%, p = .011). EC families also showed better physical/pulmonary function than non-EC families (β = 0.51, SE = 0.25, p = .042). Conclusions Long-live families with EC are characterized by a healthier metabolic profile which is related to the prevalence of obesity in the older family members. Our results suggest that familial exceptional longevity may be achieved through heterogeneous yet correlated pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barral
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Jatinder Singh
- Departments of Epidemiology and of Human Genetics, Center for Aging and Population Health University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Erin Fagan
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Stacy L Andersen-Toomey
- Section of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, University School of Medicine, Massachusetts
| | - Mary K Wojczynski
- Division of Biostatistics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Mary Feitosa
- Division of Biostatistics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Candace M Kammerer
- Departments of Epidemiology and of Human Genetics, Center for Aging and Population Health University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Nicole Schupf
- G.H. Sergievsky Center, Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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15
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Sebastiani P, Thyagarajan B, Sun F, Honig LS, Schupf N, Cosentino S, Feitosa MF, Wojczynski M, Newman AB, Montano M, Perls TT. Age and Sex Distributions of Age-Related Biomarker Values in Healthy Older Adults from the Long Life Family Study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2016; 64:e189-e194. [PMID: 27783390 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine reference values for laboratory tests in individuals aged 85 and older. DESIGN Cross-sectional cohort study. SETTING International. PARTICIPANTS Long Life Family Study (LLFS) participants (N~5,000, age: range 25-110, median 67, 45% male). MEASUREMENTS Serum biomarkers were selected based on association with aging-related diseases and included complete blood count, lipids (triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol), 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, vitamin D epi-isomer, diabetes mellitus-related biomarkers (adiponectin, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1, glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproduct), kidney disease-related biomarkers (albumin, creatinine, cystatin), endocrine biomarkers (dehydroepiandrosterone, sex-hormone binding globulin, testosterone), markers of inflammation (interleukin 6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide), ferritin, and transferrin. RESULTS Of 38 measured biomarkers, 34 were significantly correlated with age. Summary statistics were generated for all biomarkers according to sex and 5-year age increments from 50 and up after excluding participants with diseases and treatments that were associated with biomarkers. A biomarker data set was also generated that will be useful for other investigators seeking to compare biomarker levels between studies. CONCLUSION Levels of several biomarkers change with older age in healthy individuals. The descriptive statistics identified herein will be useful in future studies and, if replicated in additional studies, might also become useful in clinical practice. The availability of the reference data set will facilitate appropriate calibration of biomarkers measured in different laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sebastiani
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bharat Thyagarajan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Fangui Sun
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lawrence S Honig
- Department of Neurology, College of Science and Physicians, Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Nicole Schupf
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Department of Neurology, College of Science and Physicians, Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Mary F Feitosa
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Mary Wojczynski
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Anne B Newman
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Monty Montano
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Thomas T Perls
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Geriatric Section, Boston University, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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16
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Cho M, Suh Y. Genome maintenance and human longevity. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2014; 26:105-15. [PMID: 25151201 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of DNA damage and mutations is considered an important causal factor in age-related diseases. Genetic defects in DNA repair cause premature onset and accelerated progression of age-related diseases and a shorter life span in humans and mice, providing strong evidence that genome maintenance is a bona fide longevity assurance pathway. However, the contribution of genome maintenance to human longevity itself remains to be established. Here, we review the results of human genetics studies, including genome wide association studies, and attempted to catalogue all genes involved in major DNA repair pathways that harbor variants associated with longevity. We hope to provide a comprehensive review to facilitate future endeavors aimed at uncovering the functional role of genome maintenance genes in human longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miook Cho
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yousin Suh
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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