Maintaining optimal health, both physical and cognitive, throughout the aging process is critical to minimizing healthcare costs and morbidity and mortality associated with diseases of aging. The integrity of the vascular system is essential for healthy aging. Aging-related structural and functional disturbances in the macro- or microcirculation contribute the development of cognitive dysfunction and declining physical performance. Early life factors, from birth through childhood and adolescence, may play an important role in successful cognitive and physical aging via the aging of the vascular system. In the proposed study we will examine the role of vascular aging in maintenance of cognitive and physical performance by recruiting 1,257 participants in the Bogalusa Heart Study cohort who participated in cardiovascular risk factors examinations at least twice in childhood and twice again in adulthood. Participants will undergo cognitive function testing, physical function assessments and vascular risk factor examination with noninvasive studies of vascular structure and function. Birth weight and childhood socioeconomic and risk factor data is available for all individuals. Longitudinal analysis will be used to examine the relationship of early life risk factrs to subclinical vascular disease markers, while linear models will be used to examine the role of vascular risk factors and subclinical markers in maintenance of cognitive and physical function. This study represents a unique opportunity because all vascular disease risk factors have been collected prospectively from early life to middle-age in this bi-racial (black/white), rural community, allowing for exploration of race and gender relationships with cognitive and physical function from mid-life. The proposed research will link vascular risk factors across the life span and subclinical vascular markers in early middle age with cognitive and physical performance in later middle age. In doing so, we will identify risk factors, timing and subpopulations for intervention that could reduce the incidence of cognitive and physical decline in old age and improve the rate of successful aging for persons across the nation.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed research will link vascular risk factors across the life span and subclinical vascular measures in early middle age with cognitive and physical performance in later middle age. In doing so, we will identify risk factors, timing and subpopulations for intervention that could reduce the incidence of cognitive and physical decline in old age and improve the rate of successful aging for persons across the nation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AG041200-01A1
Application #
8372161
Study Section
Neurological, Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology (NAME)
Program Officer
Dutta, Chhanda
Project Start
2012-09-01
Project End
2017-08-31
Budget Start
2012-09-01
Budget End
2013-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$616,761
Indirect Cost
$180,001
Name
Tulane University
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
053785812
City
New Orleans
State
LA
Country
United States
Zip Code
70118
Harville, Emily W; Myers, Leann; Shu, Tian et al. (2018) Pre-pregnancy cardiovascular risk factors and racial disparities in birth outcomes: the Bogalusa Heart Study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 18:339
Wang, Yiping; Xiong, Xu; Bazzano, Lydia et al. (2018) Childhood cardiovascular health and subfertility: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatr Res :
Harville, Emily W; Chen, Wei; Guralnik, Jack et al. (2018) Reproductive history and physical functioning in midlife: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Maturitas 109:26-31
Harville, Emily W; Jacobs, Marni; Shu, Tian et al. (2018) Feasibility of Linking Long-Term Cardiovascular Cohort Data to Offspring Birth Records: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Matern Child Health J 22:858-865
Wallace, Maeve E; Bazzano, Lydia; Zhang, Cuilin et al. (2018) Fasting glucose concentrations and associations with reproductive history over 40 years of follow-up. Gynecol Endocrinol 34:724-727
Pollock, Benjamin D; Chen, Wei; Harville, Emily W et al. (2018) Differential sex effects of systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol on type 2 diabetes: Life course data from the Bogalusa Heart Study. J Diabetes 10:449-457
Jacobs, M B; Bazzano, L A; Pridjian, G et al. (2017) Childhood adiposity and fertility difficulties: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatr Obes 12:477-484
Wallace, Maeve; Bazzano, Lydia; Chen, Wei et al. (2017) Maternal childhood cardiometabolic risk factors and pregnancy complications. Ann Epidemiol 27:429-434
Pollock, Benjamin D; Chen, Wei; Harville, Emily W et al. (2017) Associations between Hunter Type A/B Personality and Cardiovascular Risk Factors from Adolescence through Young Adulthood. Int J Behav Med 24:593-601
Harville, E W; Chen, W; Bazzano, L et al. (2017) Indicators of fetal growth and adult liver enzymes: the Bogalusa Heart Study and the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. J Dev Orig Health Dis 8:226-235

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