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Abdel Magid HS, Desjardins MR, Hu Y. Opportunities and shortcomings of AI for spatial epidemiology and health disparities research on aging and the life course. Health Place 2024; 89:103323. [PMID: 39047648 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Established spatial and life course methods have helped epidemiologists and health and medical geographers study the impact of individual and area-level determinants on health disparities. While these methods are effective, the emergence of Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) offers new opportunities to leverage complex and multi-scalar data in spatial aging and life course research. The objective of this perspective is three-fold: (1) to review established methods in aging, life course, and spatial epidemiology research; (2) to highlight some of the opportunities offered by GeoAI for enhancing research on health disparities across life course and aging research; (3) to discuss the shortcomings of using GeoAI methods in aging and life course studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoda S Abdel Magid
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Michael R Desjardins
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Spatial Science for Public Health Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
| | - Yingjie Hu
- GeoAI Lab, Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Liu L, Gracely EJ, Zhao X, Gliebus GP, May NS, Volpe SL, Shi J, DiMaria-Ghalili RA, Eisen HJ. Association of multiple metabolic and cardiovascular markers with the risk of cognitive decline and mortality in adults with Alzheimer's disease and AD-related dementia or cognitive decline: a prospective cohort study. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1361772. [PMID: 38628973 PMCID: PMC11020085 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1361772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives There is a scarcity of data stemming from large-scale epidemiological longitudinal studies focusing on potentially preventable and controllable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-related dementia (ADRD). This study aimed to examine the effect of multiple metabolic factors and cardiovascular disorders on the risk of cognitive decline and AD/ADRD. Methods We analyzed a cohort of 6,440 participants aged 45-84 years at baseline. Multiple metabolic and cardiovascular disorder factors included the five components of the metabolic syndrome [waist circumference, high blood pressure (HBP), elevated glucose and triglyceride (TG) concentrations, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations], C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), factor VIII, D-dimer, and homocysteine concentrations, carotid intimal-medial thickness (CIMT), and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). Cognitive decline was defined using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) score, and AD/ADRD cases were classified using clinical diagnoses. Results Over an average follow-up period of 13 years, HBP and elevated glucose, CRP, homocysteine, IL-6, and ACR concentrations were significantly associated with the risk of mortality in the individuals with incident AD/ADRD or cognitive decline. Elevated D-dimer and homocysteine concentrations, as well as elevated ACR were significantly associated with incident AD/ADRD. Elevated homocysteine and ACR were significantly associated with cognitive decline. A dose-response association was observed, indicating that an increased number of exposures to multiple risk factors corresponded to a higher risk of mortality in individuals with cognitive decline or with AD/ADRD. Conclusion Findings from our study reaffirm the significance of preventable and controllable factors, including HBP, hyperglycemia, elevated CRP, D-dimer, and homocysteine concentrations, as well as, ACR, as potential risk factors for cognitive decline and AD/ADRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longjian Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Edward J. Gracely
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Family, Community & Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xiaopeng Zhao
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Gediminas P. Gliebus
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Drexel University Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Nathalie S. May
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Stella L. Volpe
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Jingyi Shi
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United States
| | - Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili
- Doctoral Nursing Department, Nutrition Science Department, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Howard J. Eisen
- Clinical Research for the Advanced Cardiac and Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Li J, Hirsch JA, Michael YL, Besser LM, Auchincloss AH, Hughes TM, Sánchez BN. Spatial scale effects on associations between built environment and cognitive function: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Health Place 2024; 86:103181. [PMID: 38340497 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Built environments have the potential to favorably support cognitive function. Despite growing work on this topic, most of the work has ignored variation in the spatial scale of the effect. The issue with spatial scale effects is that the size and shape of the areal unit within which built environment characteristics are measured naturally influence the built environment exposure metric and thus the estimated associations with health. We used spatial distributed lag modeling (DLM) to estimate how associations between built environment exposures (walkable destinations [WD], social destinations [SD]) and change in cognition varied across distance of these destinations from participants' residences. Cognition was assessed as maintained/improved processing speed (PS) and global cognition (GC). Person-level data from Exam 5 (2010-2012) and Exam 6 (2016-2018) of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis was used (N = 1380, mean age 67). Built environment data were derived from the National Establishment Time Series. Higher availability of walkable and social destinations at closer distance from participants' residence was associated with maintained/improved PS. The adjusted associations between maintained/improved PS and destinations waned with increasing distance from the residence; associations were evident until approximately 1.9-km for WD and 1.5-km for SD. Associations were most apparent for participants living in areas with high population density. We found little evidence for associations between change in GC and built environment at any distance. These results highlight the importance of identifying appropriate spatial scale to understand the mechanisms for built environment-cognition associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- Department of Land Resources Management, School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Jana A Hirsch
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Yvonne L Michael
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lilah M Besser
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Amy H Auchincloss
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Timothy M Hughes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA
| | - Brisa N Sánchez
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Karska J, Pszczołowska M, Gładka A, Leszek J. Correlations between Dementia and Loneliness. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:271. [PMID: 38203442 PMCID: PMC10779072 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This review describes associations between dementia and loneliness on the neurobiological and epidemiological levels according to the recent body of literature. The aim of this study was to highlight major lines of research in this field. Sociocognitive skills and social interactions present complex interdependencies with dementia which may be explained by two theories. According to the first one, not sufficiently engaging in social or cognitive activities results in brain atrophy. The second one claims that brain neurogenesis and synaptic density are being increased by social connections. The relationship between loneliness and dementia could be mediated by sensory loss, including hearing and visual impairment, as well as depression and psychotic symptoms. Loneliness itself might cause a depletion in sensory and cognitive stimulation which results in a decrease in neural reserve. Certain changes in the structures of the brain caused by loneliness were found in imaging examination. Loneliness appears to be a crucial risk factor for dementia in recent times due to the modern lifestyle and consequences of the outbreak of COVID-19. Additional studies are required to understand more completely the key tenets of this topic and therefore to improve the prevention and treatment of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Karska
- Department of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, Pasteura 10, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (J.K.)
| | | | - Anna Gładka
- Department of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, Pasteura 10, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (J.K.)
| | - Jerzy Leszek
- Department of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, Pasteura 10, 50-367 Wrocław, Poland; (J.K.)
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Lamar M, Kershaw KN, Leurgans SE, Mukherjee RR, Lange-Maia BS, Marquez DX, Barnes LL. Neighborhood-level social vulnerability and individual-level cognitive and motor functioning over time in older non-Latino Black and Latino adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1125906. [PMID: 37250695 PMCID: PMC10213534 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1125906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite known health disparities in cognitive aging, a comprehensive rationale for the increased burden in older minoritized populations including non-Latino Black and Latino adults has yet to be elucidated. While most work has focused on person-specific risk, studies are increasingly assessing neighborhood-level risk. We evaluated multiple aspects of the environmental milieu that may be critical when considering vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. Methods We investigated associations between a Census-tract derived Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and level of and change in cognitive and motor functioning in 780 older adults (590 non-Latino Black adults, ∼73 years old at baseline; 190 Latinos, ∼70 years old baseline). Total SVI scores (higher = greater neighborhood-level vulnerability) were combined with annual evaluations of cognitive and motor functioning (follow-up ranged from 2 to 18 years). Demographically-adjusted mixed linear regression models tested for associations between SVI and cognitive and motor outcomes in analyses stratified by ethno-racial group. Results For non-Latino Black participants, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global cognitive and motor functioning-specifically, episodic memory, motor dexterity and gait-as well as longitudinal change in visuospatial abilities and hand strength. For Latinos, higher SVI scores were associated with lower levels of global motor functioning only-specifically, motor dexterity; there were no significant associations between SVI and change in motor functioning. Discussion Neighborhood-level social vulnerability is associated with cognitive and motor functioning in non-Latino Black and Latino older adults, although associations appear to contribute to level more so than longitudinal change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kiarri N. Kershaw
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sue E. Leurgans
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - R. Reshmi Mukherjee
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, United States
| | - Brittney S. Lange-Maia
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David X. Marquez
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lisa L. Barnes
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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