bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Higher MIND diet scores are associated with larger brain MRI hippocampal volume: the cross‐cohort collaboration
Authors: van Lent Debora Melo , Koijs Daniel , Bis Josh , Buelow Robin , de Crom Tosca O.E. , Decarli Charles , Dufouil Carole , Grabe Hans J. , Grasset Leslie , Ghosh Saptaparni , Goss Monica , Frenzel Stefan , Himali Jayandra J. , Ikram Arfan , Lopez Oscar L. , Mosley Thomas H. , Vasan Ramachandran S , Samieri Cécilia , Satizabal Claudia L , Simino Jeannette , Thomas Aline , Vernooij Meike W. , Voelzke Henry , Voortman Trudy , Wolters Frank J. , Yaqub Amber , Seshadri Sudha , Beiser Alexa S 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundHigher Mediterranean‐ DASH for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet scores have previously been associated with larger total brain volume (TBV) in the Framingham Offspring Study (FOS) community‐based cohort. We investigated cross‐sectional relationships between the MIND diet and structural brain imaging volumes and white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) across six community‐based cohorts.MethodWe analyzed data from 3130 dementia‐, stroke‐ and other neurological disease free adults (aged 65 to 74) who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort, Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), Three City (3C) cohort, FOS cohort, Rotterdam Study (RS) or the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) cohort. Individuals completed a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) (ARIC, CHS, FOS, RS), 24h dietary recall (3C), or an extensive food list (SHIP). The MIND diet consists of ten healthy (e.g. green leafy vegetables, berries and fish) and five unhealthy (e.g. cheese, red meat and products and fast fried foods) components. Outcomes from brain MRI included TBV, total grey matter volume (TGMV), hippocampal volume (HPV), and WMHV. We used multivariable linear regression to relate MIND diet adherence to the outcomes. Results were combined in meta‐analysis using fixed effects and random effects models.ResultHigher MIND diet scores (score range: 0‐15) were associated with larger HPV (beta = 0.015, 95% confidence interval = 0.004 to 0.026, cm³ per one unit MIND diet score increase) after adjustment for age, age squared, sex, time from clinical exam to brain MRI exam, total intracranial volume and energy intake, but not with TBV, TGMV and WMHV. Heterogeneity between studies was low (I2 = 0% TBV, TGMV, HPV) to moderate (I2 = 44% WMHV).ConclusionIn cross‐sectional analyses, higher MIND diet scores were associated with larger HPV, but not with other brain volume measures. It might be that HPV was a more sensitive marker of brain health in the populations under study. Future studies are encouraged to examine the associations between the MIND diet and amyloid and tau positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to elucidate whether a relationship between the MIND diet and dementia pathologies exists.
NADPH oxidase 2 small molecule inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Peretin Jenna M , Dustin Christopher M , Cifuentes‐Pagano M. Eugenia , Pagano Patrick J. , Vazquez Alberto L 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with neuroinflammation and heightened production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain from overactive NADPH Oxidase 2 (NOX2). The current study examines whether administration of a novel, brain‐penetrant NOX2 inhibitor (CPP11G & CPP11H) reduces amyloid plaque load and improves AD‐associated vascular dysfunction in a male APP‐PS1 mouse model of AD.MethodIntraperitoneal injections of CPP11G (n = 1) or CPP11H (n = 2) three times per week began at 9‐10 months of age in the treatment APP‐PS1 group (15 mg/kg). The control group of age‐matched APP‐PS1 mice received no treatment (n = 7). All mice were implanted with a 5mm cranial window for awake optical imaging at least 2 weeks prior to onset of treatment. Two‐photon microscopy was performed to assess longitudinal changes in amyloid plaque deposition after weekly Methoxy‐04 administration (1 mg/kg). Changes in plaque load were quantified weekly and averaged monthly. Additionally, wide‐field optical imaging at 620nm was performed with a 90s, 8% CO2 hypercapnic challenge. This imaging wavelength is sensitive to changes in blood oxygenation (OIS‐BOLD) to capture changes in vascular reactivity over time.ResultTreatment with CPP11G/H shows a trend toward reduction in cortical plaque load when compared to an untreated cohort (Fig. 1). OIS‐BOLD results for vascular reactivity studies show a slight trend of improved vascular function over time with CPP11G/H treatment (Fig. 2).ConclusionOur preliminary findings show a strong trend in amyloid plaque reduction with ongoing CPP11G/H treatment in older‐aged AD mice and improved vascular function. Ongoing studies to increase the size of the treated cohort will reveal the reliability and statistical significance of CPP11G/H’s therapeutic benefits. We are also examining the impact of treatment on microglia activation and gliosis in APP‐PS1::CX3CR1‐GFP mice (Fig. 3).
A policy agenda to support care partners of people living with ADRD from historically underserved communities
Authors: Gelmon Sherril B , Dawson Walter D , Reed Jenn Hollandsworth 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) place enormous burdens on families, care partners, and the public programs that finance ADRD services. Caregiving is disproportionately provided by women, individuals of low socioeconomic status, and underserved minority populations, who also rely upon informal care and support. National dementia strategies rarely address the needs of care partners. This study was designed to identify policy opportunities that would emphasize and address care partner needs, with an emphasis on historically and currently underserved communities.MethodTwenty‐four (n = 24) systematic interviews and five focus groups (n = 5) were conducted with care partners and organizations offering services that support people with ADRD. Data collection focused on historically underserved communities in the United States. Organizational leaders and care partners also participated in a modified Delphi process to identify priorities for supporting care partners. A comprehensive literature review provided additional information.ResultsCare partners from all populations reported lacking supports to help manage caregiving, despite being generally satisfied with clinical care and research involvement. Specific needs and types of supports varied across populations, due to cultural traditions, multiple systemic inequities, and legacies of structural racism. The findings suggest multiple unmet care partner needs across all populations, including ADRD‐specific information; navigation and coordination within and across systems; access to clinicians, care teams, and health/personal records; legal and financial resources; psychological and physical health supports; and in‐home and respite care.These findings suggest policy opportunities to address specific needs of ADRD care partners. While the findings are derived from the US context, they have relevance for other national dementia strategies. Policy recommendations were identified related to equity of access, expansion of public insurance, workforce development, creation of information hubs, and adoption of technologies. Policies should support care partners by incorporating incentives for care coordination and navigation.ConclusionChanges in health and social policies are needed to better support care partners of people living with ADRD. Policymakers must collaborate with care partners to develop and implement new national dementia strategies to improve care partner experiences. To ensure equitable service provision, culturally appropriate policies and supports for care partners from underserved communities require prioritization.
Strengthening responses to dementia: Building an evidence platform for the development of Vietnam’s National Dementia Plan
Authors: Nguyen Tuan Anh , Dang Thu Ha 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundPrior to formulating an effective national dementia plan in Vietnam, reliable information on current situation of dementia care, treatment and support in Vietnam was needed. This study was conducted to describe Vietnam’s response to dementia at three levels: individual (consumers and providers); health and social care organisations; and national healthcare system to guide the plan development.MethodGuided by the “Towards a dementia plan: a WHO guide”, a comprehensive situational analysis was conducted, focusing on Policy, Service Delivery and Epidemiological assessments.ResultVietnam had a high level institutional and policy framework on aging, NCD, mental health and disability including the 2009 Law on the Elderly, which provides the legal umbrella for policies on older people. However, no dementia‐specific policy existed and policies to promote healthy brain remained weak. Rapid aging significantly contributes to the explosion of NCD including dementia in Vietnam. There were 660000 Vietnamese people estimated to be living with dementia in 2015, with resultant dementia related costs of US$ 960 million. The healthcare system is not yet prepared for the shift to NCD from an acute, communicable disease burden in the past. Health service delivery is hospital‐centric, with over‐reliance on hospitals and under‐utilization of primary care system that in turn is fragmented and poorly prepared to address the rising challenge of dementia. Both the public and primary healthcare providers have poor knowledge and little confidence but more positive attitudes toward dementia care and management. Social care and support specific for dementia is lacking although there is an impressive grassroots organisation of older people with nearly 100,000 branches.ConclusionTo allow for a more harmonized response across the health sector and more effective use of limited resources, an integrated national action plan for dementia is sensible. However, Vietnam should take into consideration the potential for fragmentation and lack of dedicated resources being allocated to dementia. A new, integrated model of care focusing on a stronger primary healthcare system, community‐based social care and a healthy aging approach is needed to improve dementia prevention, care, treatment and support in Vietnam.
The relationship between meaningful activity and apathy among assisted living residents with dementia
Authors: Klinedinst Jennifer 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundApathy, or reduction in goal directed behaviors, is common in assisted living (AL) residents with dementia. Meaningful activity, defined as participation in activities that are enjoyable, tailored to the individual’s interests and abilities, related to a personally relevant goal, engaging, and related to an aspect of an individual’s identity, may be a promising strategy for reducing apathy in AL residents with dementia. However, there is a dearth of evidence examining the relationship between engagement in meaningful activity and apathy among AL residents with dementia. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between engagement in meaningful activity and apathy among AL residents with dementia. We hypothesized that AL residents who have apathy would have lower levels of engagement in meaningful activity than those residents without apathy.MethodThis study was a secondary data analysis using baseline data from a randomized controlled trial, Meaningful Activity for Managing Behavioral Symptoms of Distress (MAC‐4‐BSD) of 71 residents from 5 AL communities in Maryland. Apathy was measured using the apathy subscale of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI‐Q). Meaningful activity was measured from the resident using the Engagement in Meaningful Activities Survey (EMAS). Descriptive statistics including means or frequencies were conducted to describe the sample. A one‐tailed independent samples t‐test was conducted to test the hypothesis.ResultParticipants were on average 85.39 (s.d. = 8.20) years old, with moderate to severe dementia (Saint Louis University Mental Status exam score average m = 6.76, s.d. = 6.06). The majority were female (n = 52) and White (n = 62). They had an average length of stay of 1.84 years (s.d. = 1.67) and 8.24 (s.d. = 2.62) comorbidities. Overall, 41% (n = 29) of the participants had apathy. The mean EMAS score was significantly lower (37.52, s.d. = 10.54) among those with apathy than among those without apathy (41.63, s.d. = 9.62) (t = 1.69, p<.05).ConclusionIndividuals living with dementia in AL with apathy tend to spend less time engaged in meaningful activities. Interventions are needed to test if increasing engagement in activities that are considered meaningful by the resident can help reduce apathy in this population and thereby improve quality of life.
The Influence of COVID‐19 and Positive Interactions on Children’s Mental Representations of the Elderly and Dementia: A Drawing‐based Study
Authors: Bormans Kasper , Zwakhalen Sandra 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundAmidst the global impact of COVID‐19, this study delves into how restrictions and positive interactions shape children’s mental images of the elderly and dementia. We organized drawing sessions with three groups to investigate the malleability of children’s perceptions, offering crucial insights for future Alzheimer’s research.MethodThis study gathered 848 children’s drawings from 106 ten‐year‐old children in Flanders and the Netherlands. Participants were asked to make four drawings: an older person, a healthy older person, an unhealthy older person, and their grandparent. The same drawing session is conducted before and after sixteen weeks. The children were divided into three groups: one group (N = 30) drew the elderly after a peak of COVID‐19 with strict restrictions, resulting in significantly smaller drawings (up to 33% on average). Another group (N = 34) drew the elderly after positive interactions with their grandparents and individuals with dementia, leading to considerably larger drawings (up to 21% on average), with more vibrant colours and more social elements. The third group (N = 42) drew the elderly without COVID‐19 restrictions and any specific intervention, resulting in a lack of changes in terms of size, colour usage, and content.ResultsThe findings suggest that the mental landscape of children is malleable. The different interventions, including exposure to COVID‐19 restrictions and positive interactions with elderly individuals, have a substantial impact on the size, colourfulness, and social aspects of the children’s drawings.ConclusionThis research provides important insights for future Alzheimer’s studies, particularly in the area of nuanced imagery surrounding ageing and dementia. The findings showed that children’s perceptions of the elderly may be influenced by various factors, highlighting the potential for interventions to shape their mental representations.
READD‐ADSP Kenya: Opportunities for recruitment of participants for Alzheimer’s Disease genetic research in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Musyimi Christine W. , Mutiso Victoria , Akinyemi Rufus O. , Kalaria Raj , Ndetei David 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundThe recruitment of individuals for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) genetic studies particularly those with low socioeconomic status, and living in rural areas remains a challenge in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), due to stigma‐related cultural beliefs that hinder their participation. The Recruitment and Retention of Alzheimer’s Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the ADSP (READD ‐ ADSP) project is a case‐control genetic epidemiological study involving individuals who are living with AD and disease ‐ free healthy control individuals. The aim is to build a resource that greatly expands Alzheimer’s disease genetic studies in the currently underrepresented African ancestry populations and Hispanic/Latinx individuals.MethodThe READD‐ADSP study uses a comprehensive and community‐sensitive approach towards recruitment. We employed a four‐level systematic community approach to recruitment of cases of AD and matching healthy controls of individuals aged 60 years and above. We employed the following steps: (i) Creating awareness and reducing stigma through implementation of a dementia anti‐stigma intervention; (ii) Dementia screening to promote early detection of dementia, (iii) Clinician confirmatory diagnosis, and (iv) Ascertainment of AD through a battery of neuropsychological assessments by a clinician and psychologist.ResultStigma reduction efforts resulted in reduction in negative beliefs and attitudes related to treatment, living well with dementia and care for the general public. This provided an opportunity for Community health workers to screen 3,546 older adults for dementia in community settings in Makueni County, Kenya. Confirmatory diagnosis was provided by a mental health nurse, resulting in a database for recruitment of 200 cases of AD and 200 controls to understand AD genetic architecture. By leveraging on this community‐based participatory research approach, 23 cases of AD and 21 controls have been recruited within the READD‐ADSP project in Kenya.ConclusionThe adoption and implementation of novel and systematic recruitment strategies in SSA could address local barriers to recruitment, improve best practices in AD research and ultimately advance development of targeted interventions in underrepresented community settings. This context‐specific approach could also allow researchers to be more fully empowered to respond to challenges within the recruitment process in order to enhance enrolment and retention low‐resource settings.
Racial Disparities in Cognitive Function & Mild Cognitive Impairment: Effects of Income, Education, and Discrimination in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study
Authors: Mann Frank D , Cuevas Adolfo G , Ong Anthony D , Corley Samantha S , Freilich Colin D , Markon Kristian E , Clouston Sean A.P. , Krueger Robert F. 
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundRacial differences in the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia (ADRD) are well documented in aging populations. Using data from a large longitudinal study of adults, Black‐White disparities in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were estimated and putative mediators of Black‐White disparities in cognitive function were examined.MethodThe prevalence of MCI was determined algorithmically for Black and White adults, and longitudinal indicators of income, educational attainment, and interpersonal discrimination were used to conduct a parallel mediation analysis of Black‐White disparities in executive function and episodic memory.ResultAs expected, there was a statistically significant racial disparity in the prevalence of MCI, such that MCI was more prevalent among Black adults (6.4%) than White adults (3.0%), which was statistically significant according to Fisher’s exact test (OR = 2.20, p = .041). Continuous distributions of executive function, episodic memory, and general cognition also differed significantly for Black and White adults (range of Cohen’s d = [0.38, 0.76], p‐values < .01), as did putative mediators of Black‐White disparities in cognitive outcomes, including income, educational attainment, and exposure to discrimination (range of Cohen’s d = [0.26, 1.07], p‐values < .01). Parallel mediation analyses indicated that household income, educational attainment, and interpersonal discrimination were all statistically significant (p‐values < .005) mediators of Black‐White disparities.ConclusionApproximately 1/3 of the observed Black‐White disparity in executive function, episodic memory, and general cognition was accounted for by racial group differences in income, education, and cumulative exposure to interpersonal discrimination, which included lack of support from coworkers and supervisors. Conversely, the remaining 2/3 of the Black‐White racial disparity was neither explained by group differences in income, education, nor exposure to discrimination. Future research should focus on identifying additional socioeconomic and modifiable interpersonal factors that account for Black‐White disparities in cognitive dysfunction and mild cognitive impairment in aging populations.
Cost‐effectiveness analysis of the multimodal intervention for dementia prevention: post‐hoc sub‐group analyses of the J‐MINT
Authors: Takashi Naoki , Ohtera Shosuke , Kuroda Yujiro , Arai Hidenori , Sakurai Takashi ,   J‐MINT study group
Published: January 2025

AbstractBackgroundThis post‐hoc subgroup analysis aimed to estimate the potential cost‐effectiveness of a Japanese multimodal intervention trial for the prevention of dementia (J‐MINT) from a societal perspective.MethodUsing a Markov model, we estimated the economic impact of J‐MINT on disease prevention, drawing on data from the 2019 J‐MINT trial and relevant published literature. The trial, a randomized controlled trial (RCT), focused on participants aged 65 to 85 years with mild cognitive impairment. Participants were randomly assigned either a multidomain intervention group (comprising management of vascular risk factors, physical exercise, nutritional counseling, and cognitive training) or a standard care group (involving vascular risk factor management and receipt of health‐related information every two months). The Markov model consists of five states: at‐risk, mild, moderate, severe dementia, and death. By simulating care costs and quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), we estimated the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER). The simulation spanned from ages 65 to 100, utilizing the Simpson 1/3 rule for correction, with a discount rate of 0.02. The intervention effect was assumed to persist for the remaining lifetime post‐program. Care costs encompassed medical care, public long‐term care, and informal care. The intervention cost was derived from the J‐MINT trial data. In addition to the base case analysis, sensitivity and scenario analysis were conducted to evaluate uncertainty and heterogeneity.ResultCosts were JPY 18,493,579 and JPY 18,056,997 and QALYs were 12.37 and 12.46 for standard of care and J‐MINT, respectively. This translated to savings of JPY 436,582 (US$ 2,952.01) and QALY gain of 0.09 per person, affirming the dominance of the J‐MINT.ConclusionOur estimation supports the potential cost‐effectiveness of multimodal intervention trials, exemplified by J‐MINT, for dementia prevention.