Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context

Summary: Background: Cumulative exposures to obesity, hypertension, and physical inactivity from midlife (40–65 years) onwards are three known cardiovascular risk factors for dementia and associated cerebral structural damage. Exactly how early in the lifespan sensitive periods for exposure to thes...

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Main Authors: Holly T. Haines, Sana Suri, Raihaan Patel, Scott T. Chiesa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:EBioMedicine
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396424005267
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author Holly T. Haines
Sana Suri
Raihaan Patel
Scott T. Chiesa
author_facet Holly T. Haines
Sana Suri
Raihaan Patel
Scott T. Chiesa
author_sort Holly T. Haines
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Background: Cumulative exposures to obesity, hypertension, and physical inactivity from midlife (40–65 years) onwards are three known cardiovascular risk factors for dementia and associated cerebral structural damage. Exactly how early in the lifespan sensitive periods for exposure to these risk factors begin is yet to be established, specifically with respect to onset of cerebral structural changes. We aimed to investigate whether cardiovascular risk across childhood and adolescence is already associated with cerebral structure in regions previously linked with dementia, during young adulthood. Methods: Participants were selected from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a UK-based prospective cohort of young people, if they had participated in a neuroimaging sub-study (N = 862). We entered data from repeated clinical assessments into mixed-effects models to estimate baseline and rate of change in body mass index (BMI) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) between ages 7–17 years, and physical activity (PA) between 11–15 years. Linear models assessed whether cardiovascular risk factors were associated with grey matter macrostructural indices (cortical thickness, surface area, volume) in young adulthood (∼20 years). Findings: BMI was found to be associated with grey matter macrostructure in nodes of Default Mode Network previously found to show atrophy in dementia. Baseline BMI was associated with thickness of precuneus cortex and entorhinal surface area, whilst rate of change in BMI across childhood and adolescence was associated with thickness of parahippocampal and middle temporal gyri and inferior parietal cortex in addition to entorhinal and parahippocampal surface area. Further, we identified associations between baseline MAP and PA and entorhinal surface area. Exploratory whole-brain analyses revealed associations between baseline and rate of change in these cardiovascular risk factors and the cortical thickness, surface area, and volume of broader groups of cortical and subcortical regions. Interpretation: Findings provide preliminary evidence that cerebral structural differences in regions linked to dementia in old age may be legacy of developmental differences associated with cardiovascular risk exposure during early life. This has relevance for lifespan models of dementia risk and timing of preventative interventions. Further work is required to generalise findings beyond this predominantly white, male, and middle-class sample to more diverse cohorts. Funding: NIHR Oxford Health BRC (NIHR203316), Wellcome Trust (203139/Z/16/Z).
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spelling doaj-art-6d6f8efcc46d4ca4a677ba6a7c88b0662024-12-04T05:12:54ZengElsevierEBioMedicine2352-39642024-12-01110105490Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in contextHolly T. Haines0Sana Suri1Raihaan Patel2Scott T. Chiesa3Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Corresponding author. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, United KingdomWellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, United KingdomMedical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, United KingdomSummary: Background: Cumulative exposures to obesity, hypertension, and physical inactivity from midlife (40–65 years) onwards are three known cardiovascular risk factors for dementia and associated cerebral structural damage. Exactly how early in the lifespan sensitive periods for exposure to these risk factors begin is yet to be established, specifically with respect to onset of cerebral structural changes. We aimed to investigate whether cardiovascular risk across childhood and adolescence is already associated with cerebral structure in regions previously linked with dementia, during young adulthood. Methods: Participants were selected from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a UK-based prospective cohort of young people, if they had participated in a neuroimaging sub-study (N = 862). We entered data from repeated clinical assessments into mixed-effects models to estimate baseline and rate of change in body mass index (BMI) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) between ages 7–17 years, and physical activity (PA) between 11–15 years. Linear models assessed whether cardiovascular risk factors were associated with grey matter macrostructural indices (cortical thickness, surface area, volume) in young adulthood (∼20 years). Findings: BMI was found to be associated with grey matter macrostructure in nodes of Default Mode Network previously found to show atrophy in dementia. Baseline BMI was associated with thickness of precuneus cortex and entorhinal surface area, whilst rate of change in BMI across childhood and adolescence was associated with thickness of parahippocampal and middle temporal gyri and inferior parietal cortex in addition to entorhinal and parahippocampal surface area. Further, we identified associations between baseline MAP and PA and entorhinal surface area. Exploratory whole-brain analyses revealed associations between baseline and rate of change in these cardiovascular risk factors and the cortical thickness, surface area, and volume of broader groups of cortical and subcortical regions. Interpretation: Findings provide preliminary evidence that cerebral structural differences in regions linked to dementia in old age may be legacy of developmental differences associated with cardiovascular risk exposure during early life. This has relevance for lifespan models of dementia risk and timing of preventative interventions. Further work is required to generalise findings beyond this predominantly white, male, and middle-class sample to more diverse cohorts. Funding: NIHR Oxford Health BRC (NIHR203316), Wellcome Trust (203139/Z/16/Z).http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396424005267Cardiovascular riskEarly lifeDementiaGrey matter structureObesityHypertension
spellingShingle Holly T. Haines
Sana Suri
Raihaan Patel
Scott T. Chiesa
Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
EBioMedicine
Cardiovascular risk
Early life
Dementia
Grey matter structure
Obesity
Hypertension
title Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
title_full Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
title_fullStr Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
title_full_unstemmed Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
title_short Association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the United Kingdom: the ALSPAC studyResearch in context
title_sort association of early life cardiovascular risk factors with grey matter structure in young adults in the united kingdom the alspac studyresearch in context
topic Cardiovascular risk
Early life
Dementia
Grey matter structure
Obesity
Hypertension
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396424005267
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