The impact of neighborhood greenspace on cognitively healthy life years and structural markers of brain health

项目摘要 同样，研究表明，阿尔茨海默病的患病率存在明显的种族差异， 相关痴呆症（ADRD），其中老年黑人个体患ADRD的可能性约为老年人的两倍。 与年长的白色人相比。种族居住隔离被认为是种族歧视的根本驱动力。 健康方面的差距，因为历史上处于不利地位的社区与较少获得和 不同质量的资源，促进健康和保健。处境不利和 历史上划定红线的社区，包括减少对绿地的接触，与贫困有关。 认知功能针对ADRD的这些环境风险因素是有吸引力的，因为它们是高度危险的。 与许多个人层面的风险因素不同，它是可以改变的。这项研究将利用来自卫生部的二级数据， 衰老和身体成分研究，一项以人口为基础的，年龄在70-79岁的成年人的双向样本。的 本申请的总体目标是研究暴露于住宅绿地的影响， 有助于老年人在认知健康方面花费的时间以及随着时间的推移大脑结构的变化。 认知健康生命年（HLY），或第一次出现认知问题的寿命，是一个衡量指标， 可以促进更好地了解与多年的时间长短有关的风险因素， 认知健康这是对现状的实质性背离，扩大了 “健康”认知变成一个以人为中心的度量，对个人来说更容易理解， 将负担作为发病率和死亡率的衡量标准。与此相关的是， 健康，例如磁共振成像生物标记物，是神经病理学的定量指标， 对未来认知健康的时间有预测意义。在目标1中，我将确定 社区绿地和认知HLY之间的关系。我假设住在社区里的人 更大的住宅绿地将保持更多的认知健康寿命，这种关联将 种族不同。在目标2中，我将研究绿地与大脑物理指标之间的关系， 健康我假设，居住在拥有更大住宅绿地的社区的个人将表现出 随着时间的推移，神经病理学患病率降低（通过灰质微结构和白色物质测量 高强度），这种关联将因种族而异。在目标3中，我将进一步描述一个广泛使用的 使用历史虚拟审计的复合绿地措施，以确定 与健康认知相关的绿色空间。确定可改变的环境风险因素的影响 对于未来健康的大脑老化和公共卫生的预防干预是必要的 建议;国家老龄问题研究所的战略方向。本论文资助将提供 必要的基础，以实现我的职业目标，并在老龄化领域作出有影响力的贡献 研究，从博士前实习生过渡到独立的研究科学家。

PROJECT SUMMARY Consistently, studies indicate there are stark racial differences in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRDs), wherein older Black individuals are about twice as likely to have ADRDs as compared to older White individuals. Racial residential segregation is considered a fundamental driver of racial disparities in health, as historically disadvantaged neighborhoods are associated with less access to and differing quality of resources that promote health and wellness. Specific aspects of disadvantaged and historically redlined neighborhoods, including decreased exposure to greenspace, are associated with poorer cognitive function. Targeting such environmental risk factors for ADRDs is appealing as they are highly modifiable, unlike many individual-level risk factors. This study will utilize secondary data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, a population-based, biracial sample of adults aged 70-79 at entry. The overall objective of this application is to examine the influence of exposure to residential greenspace that contributes to time spent in cognitive health among older adults and to structural brain changes over time. Cognitively healthy life years (HLY), or years lived to the first occurrence of cognitive problems, is a metric that can facilitate better understanding of risk factors specifically associated with the length of time spent in years of cognitive health. This represents a substantive departure from the status quo by expanding the definition of “healthy” cognition into a person-centered metric more understandable to the individual, and better encapsulates burden as both a measure of morbidity and mortality. Relatedly, structural measures of brain health, such as magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers, are quantitative indicators of neuropathology that have prognostic significance for future time spent cognitively healthy. In Aim 1, I will determine the association between neighborhood greenspace and cognitively HLY. I hypothesize that individuals living in neighborhoods with greater residential greenspace will maintain more cognitively healthy life years, and this association will differ by race. In Aim 2, I will examine the association between greenspace and physical indicators of brain health. I hypothesize that individuals living in neighborhoods with greater residential greenspace will show a lower prevalence of neuropathology over time (measured by gray matter micro-structure and white matter hyperintensities), and this association will differ by race. In Aim 3, I will further characterize a widely-used composite greenspace measure using historical virtual audits, to identify the specific components of greenspace associated with healthy cognition. Identifying the impact of modifiable, environmental risk factors on cognition is necessary to inform future preventive interventions for healthy brain aging and public health recommendations; a strategic direction of the National Institute on Aging. This dissertation funding will provide the necessary foundation to reach my professional goals and make impactful contributions in the field of aging research, transitioning from predoctoral trainee to an independent research scientist.