Does this mean I shouldn't get married again? Even though this is widows not widowers?
Associations of Widowhood and β-Amyloid With Cognitive Decline in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults
Kelsey D. Biddle, BA1; Heidi I. L. Jacobs, PhD2,3; Federico d’Oleire Uquillas, BA4,5; et al
Benjamin S. Zide1; Dylan R. Kirn, MPH5; Michael R. Properzi, BEng5; Dorene M. Rentz, PsyD5,6; Keith A. Johnson, MD3,6; Reisa A. Sperling, MD5,6; Nancy J. Donovan, MD1,6,7
JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(2):e200121. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.0121
Key Points español 中文 (chinese) Question
Is widowhood a specific risk factor associated with more rapid
cognitive decline among cognitively unimpaired older adults with higher
levels of brain β-amyloid, the Alzheimer disease biomarker?
Findings In this cohort study of 257 community-dwelling cognitively unimpaired older adults, widowhood and β-amyloid were additively and interactively associated with cognitive decline. These results were independent of demographic factors, cardiovascular disease risk, depression, health-related behaviors, and social support factors.
Meaning These findings suggest that widowhood may be an understudied risk factor for cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer disease and highlight the need for increased research and clinical attention to this high-risk group.
Importance
To reduce the rising incidence of clinical impairment due to
Alzheimer disease, it is essential to define older adults at highest
risk. Widowhood may be an unrecognized factor contributing to
accelerated clinical progression along the Alzheimer disease pathway
among cognitively unimpaired older adults.
Objective To determine whether widowhood status and level of brain β-amyloid (ie, the Alzheimer disease pathologic protein) are additively or interactively associated with cognitive decline among cognitively unimpaired older adults.
Design, Setting, and Participants In this cohort study, 257 married, widowed, and unmarried (ie, never married, divorced, or separated) participants from the Harvard Aging Brain Study longitudinal cohort underwent baseline evaluation of neocortical β-amyloid levels using Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography and 4 annual cognitive assessments. Data were collected from September 2010 to February 2017 and analyzed from July 2018 to July 2019.
Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive performance was measured using the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite.
Results Of the 257 participants, 153 (59.5%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 73.5 (6.1) years; 145 participants (56.4%) were married (66 [45.5%] women), 77 (30.0%) were unmarried (56 [72.7%] women), and 35 (13.6%) were widowed (31 [88.6%] women). Compared with married participants, widowed participants demonstrated worsening cognitive performance after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, depression, and β-amyloid levels (β = −0.11; 95% CI, −0.19 to −0.04; P = .002) with no difference observed between married and unmarried participants. Furthermore, widowed participants with higher baseline β-amyloid levels exhibited steeper cognitive decline (β = −0.22; 95% CI, −0.42 to −0.03; P = .02), indicating both independent and interactive associations of β-amyloid levels and widowhood with cognition. In a secondary model using dichotomous β-amyloid–marital status groupings, the rate of cognitive decline among widowed participants with high β-amyloid was nearly 3 times faster than among married participants with high β-amyloid (widowed, high β-amyloid: β, −0.33; 95% CI, −0.46 to −0.19; P < .001; married, high β-amyloid: β, −0.12; 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.01; P < .001).
Conclusions and Relevance In a sample of cognitively unimpaired older adults, being widowed was associated with accelerated β-amyloid–related cognitive decline during 3 years. Cognitively unimpaired, widowed older adults were particularly susceptible to Alzheimer disease clinical progression, emphasizing the need for increased research attention and evidenced-based interventions for this high-risk group.
Findings In this cohort study of 257 community-dwelling cognitively unimpaired older adults, widowhood and β-amyloid were additively and interactively associated with cognitive decline. These results were independent of demographic factors, cardiovascular disease risk, depression, health-related behaviors, and social support factors.
Meaning These findings suggest that widowhood may be an understudied risk factor for cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer disease and highlight the need for increased research and clinical attention to this high-risk group.
Abstract
Objective To determine whether widowhood status and level of brain β-amyloid (ie, the Alzheimer disease pathologic protein) are additively or interactively associated with cognitive decline among cognitively unimpaired older adults.
Design, Setting, and Participants In this cohort study, 257 married, widowed, and unmarried (ie, never married, divorced, or separated) participants from the Harvard Aging Brain Study longitudinal cohort underwent baseline evaluation of neocortical β-amyloid levels using Pittsburgh compound B positron emission tomography and 4 annual cognitive assessments. Data were collected from September 2010 to February 2017 and analyzed from July 2018 to July 2019.
Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive performance was measured using the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite.
Results Of the 257 participants, 153 (59.5%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 73.5 (6.1) years; 145 participants (56.4%) were married (66 [45.5%] women), 77 (30.0%) were unmarried (56 [72.7%] women), and 35 (13.6%) were widowed (31 [88.6%] women). Compared with married participants, widowed participants demonstrated worsening cognitive performance after adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, depression, and β-amyloid levels (β = −0.11; 95% CI, −0.19 to −0.04; P = .002) with no difference observed between married and unmarried participants. Furthermore, widowed participants with higher baseline β-amyloid levels exhibited steeper cognitive decline (β = −0.22; 95% CI, −0.42 to −0.03; P = .02), indicating both independent and interactive associations of β-amyloid levels and widowhood with cognition. In a secondary model using dichotomous β-amyloid–marital status groupings, the rate of cognitive decline among widowed participants with high β-amyloid was nearly 3 times faster than among married participants with high β-amyloid (widowed, high β-amyloid: β, −0.33; 95% CI, −0.46 to −0.19; P < .001; married, high β-amyloid: β, −0.12; 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.01; P < .001).
Conclusions and Relevance In a sample of cognitively unimpaired older adults, being widowed was associated with accelerated β-amyloid–related cognitive decline during 3 years. Cognitively unimpaired, widowed older adults were particularly susceptible to Alzheimer disease clinical progression, emphasizing the need for increased research attention and evidenced-based interventions for this high-risk group.
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