Extreme temperatures and the aging brain in three nationally representative surveys

摘要 目前，只有40%的痴呆症可以用已知的危险因素来解释，而个人层面的干预措施已经 在预防疾病方面基本无效。因此，越来越多的人关注 物理环境，可能有一个在以后的生活和发展的认知功能差的作用， 阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症（ADRD）。虽然空气污染是痴呆症的已知危险因素， 自然环境的其他方面对大脑健康的影响研究较少。值得注意的是， 温度与增加的热不适，睡眠中断，精神健康状况较差，以及 加速神经元退化和神经系统损伤，但很少有研究 温度对大脑老化的影响这个项目将利用大量的老龄化研究， 全球老龄化数据门户项目的基础设施，以促进对极端 温度对认知和痴呆的影响通过对美国、墨西哥、 我们将帮助建立方法和指导文件， 健康与退休研究及其国际研究网络（HRS-INS）研究社区， 推动极端温度与健康的科学研究。具体而言，我们的目标是：1）量化 长期暴露于极端高温和低温与认知功能和痴呆症的关系 老年人的患病率; 2）调查短时间内极端炎热和寒冷的程度， 与老年人的认知功能相关，并评估易感性来源;以及3）生成 在网关中提供气候研究的指导文件，并与更广泛的 研究社区。这项拟议的研究是高度创新的，因为它既检查了短期和长期- 长期暴露于极端温度对Gateway项目中认知和痴呆症患病率的影响， 利用内部和国际变异来源，增加力量， 经济多样化的国家。此外，鉴于Gateway项目中的数据丰富，我们将 能够在个人层面上重新检查易感性的来源，以更好地了解极端 温度影响认知健康和受影响最严重的亚群。最后，我们将帮助建立 可以被更大的HRS-INS研究社区使用的方法和指导文件， 推动极端温度与健康的科学研究。

ABSTRACT Currently, only 40% of dementia can be explained by known risk factors and individual-level interventions have been largely ineffective in preventing illness. As a result, there is increasing attention on aspects of the physical environment that may have a role in poor cognitive functioning in later life and the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). While air pollution is a known risk factor for dementia, the impacts of other aspects of the natural environment on brain health are less well studied. Notably, extreme temperatures have been linked to increased thermal discomfort, disrupted sleep, poorer mental health, as well as accelerated neuron degeneration and nervous system damage, yet there is very little research on the impacts of temperature on the aging brain. This project will leverage the substantial aging research infrastructure of the Gateway to Global Aging Data project to promote research on the impacts of extreme temperatures on cognition and dementia. By conducting analyses in surveys from the United States, Mexico, and India, we will help to establish methodology and guidance documents that can be used by the larger Health and Retirement Study and its International Network of Studies (HRS-INS) research community and advance the science on extreme temperatures and health. Specifically, our aims are to: 1) Quantify the associations of exposures to extreme heat and cold over long time frames with cognitive function and dementia prevalence in older adults; 2) Investigate the degree to which extreme heat and cold over short time frames are associated with cognitive function in older adults and evaluate sources of susceptibility; and 3) Generate guidance documentation for climate research in the Gateway and share these resources with the broader research community. This proposed research is highly innovative because it examines both short- and long- term exposure to extreme temperatures on cognition and dementia prevalence within the Gateway project, leveraging intra- and international sources of variation for added power and better generalizability to an economically diverse set of nations. Additionally, given the richness of data in the Gateway project, we will be able to newly examine sources of susceptibility at the individual level to better understand how extreme temperatures impact cognitive health and the subpopulations most affected. Lastly, we will help to establish methodology and guidance documents that can be used by the larger HRS-INS research community and advance the science on extreme temperatures and health.