A chronically elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. We examined whether facets of impulsivity-impulsiveness, excitement-seeking, self-discipline, and deliberation-are associated with chronically elevated WBC counts. Community-dwelling participants (N = 5,652) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a standard personality questionnaire and provided blood samples concurrently and again 3 years later. Higher scores on impulsivity, in particular impulsiveness and excitement-seeking, were related to higher total WBC counts and higher lymphocyte counts at both time points. Impulsiveness was a predictor of chronic inflammation: for every standard deviation difference in this trait, there was an almost 25% higher risk of elevated WBC counts at both time points (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.10-1.38). These associations were mediated, in part, by smoking and body mass index. The findings demonstrate that links between psychological processes and immunity are not limited to acute stressors; stable personality dispositions are associated with a chronic inflammatory state. In a second study, we tested a model in which Helicobacter pylori seropositivity (Hps) predicted iron status, which in turn acted as a predictor for markers of 1-C metabolism that were then allowed to predict antioxidant status. We analyzed cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 1999-2000) among adults aged 20-85 years old (n = 3,055). Markers of Hps, iron status (serum ferritin and transferrin saturation (TS)); 1-C metabolism (serum folate (FOLserum), B-12, total homocysteine (tHcy), methylmalonic acid (MMA)) and antioxidant status (vitamins A and E) were entered into a structural equations model (SEM). Predictors of Hps included older age, lower education and income, racial/ethnic groups (lowest among Non-Hispanic Whites), and lifetime cigarette smoking. SEM modeling indicated that Hps had a direct inverse relationship with iron status (combining serum ferritin and TS) which in turn was positively related to 1-C metabolites (higher serum folate, B-12 or lower tHcy/MMA) that were positively associated with antioxidant status (combining serum vitamins A and E). Another pathway that was found bypassed 1-C metabolites (Hps --> Iron_st --> Antiox). The sum of all indirect effects from Hps combining both pathways and the other indirect pathways in the model (Hps --> Iron_st --> OneCarbon; Hps -->OneCarbon -->Antiox) was estimated at beta = -0.006+/-0.003, p<0.05. In sum, of the total effect of H. pylori seropositivity on antioxidant status, two significant indirect pathways through Iron status and 1-Carbon metabolites were found. Randomized controlled trials should be conducted to uncover the concomitant causal effect of H. pylori eradication on improving iron status, folate, B-12 and antioxidant status among H. pylori seropositive individuals. In a third study, we examined the associations between nutritional biomarkers and measures of sleep quantity and quality remain unclear. Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2005-2006 were used. We selected 2,459 adults aged 20-85, with complete data on key variables. Five sleep measures were constructed as primary outcomes: (A) Sleep duration; (B) Sleep disorder; (C) Three factors obtained from factor analysis of 15 items and labeled as Poor sleep-related daytime dysfunction (Factor 1), Sleepiness (Factor 2) and Sleep disturbance (Factor 3). Main exposures were serum concentrations of key nutrients, namely retinol, retinyl esters, carotenoids (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein+zeaxanthin, lycopene), folate, vitamin B-12, total homocysteine (tHcy), vitamin C, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and vitamin E. Main analyses consisted of multiple linear, logistic and multinomial logit models. Among key findings, independent inverse associations were found between serum vitamin B-12 and sleep duration, 25(OH)D and sleepiness (as well as insomnia), and between folate and sleep disturbance. Serum total carotenoids concentration was linked to higher odds of short sleep duration (i.e. 5-6 h per night) compared to normal sleep duration (7-8 h per night). A few of the selected serum nutritional biomarkers were associated with sleep quantity and quality. Longitudinal studies are needed to ascertain temporality and assess putative causal relationships.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Investigator-Initiated Intramural Research Projects (ZIA)
Project #
1ZIAAG000199-03
Application #
9147242
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Aging
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
Zip Code
Griffin, Felicia R; Mode, Nicolle A; Ejiogu, Ngozi et al. (2018) Frailty in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of middle-aged Americans in Baltimore. PLoS One 13:e0195637
Kisser, Jason; Waldstein, Shari R; Evans, Michele K et al. (2017) Lifetime prevalence of traumatic brain injury in a demographically diverse community sample. Brain Inj 31:620-623
Duffy, Grace F; Shupe, Emily Stave; Kuczmarski, Marie Fanelli et al. (2017) Motivations for Botanical Use by Socioeconomically Diverse, Urban Adults: Does Evidence Support Motivation? J Altern Complement Med :
Beydoun, May A; Poggi-Burke, Angedith; Zonderman, Alan B et al. (2017) Perceived Discrimination and Longitudinal Change in Kidney Function Among Urban Adults. Psychosom Med 79:824-834
Beydoun, Hind A; Beydoun, May A; Chen, Xiaoli et al. (2017) Sex and age differences in the associations between sleep behaviors and all-cause mortality in older adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Sleep Med 36:141-151
Fanelli Kuczmarski, Marie; Cotugna, Nancy; Pohlig, Ryan T et al. (2017) Snacking and Diet Quality Are Associated With the Coping Strategies Used By a Socioeconomically Diverse Urban Cohort of African-American and White Adults. J Acad Nutr Diet 117:1355-1365
Kuczmarski, Marie Fanelli; Beydoun, May A; Stave Shupe, Emily et al. (2017) Use of Dietary Supplements Improved Diet Quality But Not Cardiovascular and Nutritional Biomarkers in Socioeconomically Diverse African American and White Adults. J Nutr Gerontol Geriatr 36:92-110
Zonderman, Alan B; Mode, Nicolle A; Ejiogu, Ngozi et al. (2016) Race and Poverty Status as a Risk for Overall Mortality in Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged Adults. JAMA Intern Med 176:1394-5
Beydoun, May A; Fanelli-Kuczmarski, Marie T; Shaked, Danielle et al. (2016) Alternative Pathway Analyses Indicate Bidirectional Relations between Depressive Symptoms, Diet Quality, and Central Adiposity in a Sample of Urban US Adults. J Nutr 146:1241-9
Mode, Nicolle A; Evans, Michele K; Zonderman, Alan B (2016) Race, Neighborhood Economic Status, Income Inequality and Mortality. PLoS One 11:e0154535

Showing the most recent 10 out of 26 publications