LSDH Publication Highlights

Circadian disturbances and frailty risk in older adults

Frailty is characterized by diminished resilience to stressor events, and frail older people have increased risks for major health consequences. We found that lower strength, reduced stability, or increased variation of circadian rest-activity rhythms were associated with a higher risk of incident frailty and faster progress of frailty over time. Perturbed circadian rest-activity rhythms may be an early sign or risk factor for frailty in older adults.

R Cai, L Gao, C Gao, L Yu, X Zheng, DA Bennett, AS Buchman, K Hu, P Li

Nature Communications

Article | Open access | Article number: 7219 (2023), 16 November 2023

Circadian Rest–Activity Rhythms, Delirium Risk, and Progression to Dementia

Delirium is a complex neurocognitive syndrome suspected to be bidirectionally linked to dementia. We found that 24-hour daily suppression in rest activity rhythms, fragmentated rhythms, and potentially delayed acrophase were associated with delirium risk. Subsequent progression to dementia was more likely in delirium cases with suppressed rhythms. The presence of disturbances in rest-activity rhythms before delirium and prior to progression to dementia suggests that these disturbances may predict higher risk and be involved in early disease pathogenesis.

L Gao*, P Li*, N Gaykova, X Zheng, C Gao, JM Lane, R Saxena, FAJL Scheer, MK Rutter, O Akeju, K Hu

Annals of Neurology

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Volume 93, Issue 6, Pages 1145-1157, June 2023

Heart rate response and recovery during exercise predict future delirium risk—A prospective cohort study in middle- to older-aged adults

Heart rate response/recovery (HRR) to submaximal exercise predicted future delirium risk during hospitalization. Lowest quartile for a HRR index was equivalent to the risk of being 6 years older, a current smoker, or having 3 or more additional cardiovascular risks compared to those in the highest quartile. Given that HRR is potentially modifiable, our results demonstrate that it may be useful for neurological risk stratification alongside traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

L Gao, A Gaba, P Li, R Saxena, FAJL Scheer, O Akeju, MK Rutter, K Hu

Journal of Sport and Health Science

ORIGINAL ARTICLE | Volume 12, Issue 3, Pages 312-323, May 2023

Daytime napping and Alzheimer’s dementia: A potential bidirectional relationship

Daytime napping was assessed objectively through actigraphy annually for up to 14 years. Daytime napping was modeled longitudinally with aging and Alzheimer’s progression. Our findings suggested that progression of Alzheimer’s dementia accelerated the aging-related changes in daytime napping. Our results also for the first time demonstrated directly that daytime napping and cognitionmay drive each other’s changes bidirectionally.

P Li, L Gao, L Yu, X Zheng, MC Ulsa, HW Yang, A Gaba, K Yaffe, DA Bennett, AS Buchman, K Hu, Y Leng

Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Volume 19, Issue 1, Pages 158-168, January 2023

Questions & Answers from the Author

Circadian disturbances in Alzheimer's disease progression: a prospective observational cohort study of community-based older adults

Our longitudinal study ascertained within-person changes in circadian rhythmicity of spontaneous motor activity in more than 1000 older adults that were accelerated by Alzheimer's progression. We also showed that lower strength and higher variability of circadian rest activity rhythms predicted a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia in future. Our findings imply either a bidirectional relation or shared common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms between circadian dysregulation and Alzheimer's progression.

P Li, L Gao, A Gaba, L Yu, L Cui, W Fan, ASP Lim, DA Bennett, AS Buchman, K Hu

The Lancet Healthy Longevity

ARTICLES | VOLUME 1, ISSUE 3, E96-E105, DECEMBER 01, 2020