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The identifications of environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms

The identifications of environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms

Principal Investigator: Dr Hikaru Takeuchi
Approved Research ID: 56726
Approval date: March 11th 2020

Lay summary

The purpose of this study is to identify the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms.

A number of previous studies have revealed the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms (for review see, Takeuchi et al., 2015, Neuroscientist).

For example, poverty and the habit of longer TV viewing are the examples that are shown to be robustly associated with age-related relative reduction of cognitive functions and neural mechanisms.

However, for some of the daily habits, and environmental factors, the results are divided and still, the controversy exists. Further, there can be unrevealed factors that are associated with age-related cognitive changes and neural mechanisms.

Project length is 36 months. In upcoming years, I plan to conduct analyses that aim to identify factors contributing to each cognitive function and each brain imaging measure one by one.

The publication of analyzed results of each outcome measure will be conducted at once or will be conducted separately, based on the volume and similarity of the obtained significant results.

The environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with longitudinal cognitive and brain changes have been of utmost scientific and social interest. Revealing new factors and showing robustness or confirming effects of previously identifying factors are therefore important.

The purpose of this study was to identify the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms.

The new purpose of this study was to identify the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms, and subsequent onset of dementia and stroke.

In addition, we specifically aimed to reveal the effects of length of TV viewing, duration of sleep of length in cognitive measures, gray and white matter structures, and subsequent onset of dementia in two separate studies.

Further the scope of this projects includes investigation of  effects of representative daily habits and environmental factors (etc, obesity, SES, alcohol, tobacco, supplement, food, exercise, use of computers, driving) on cognitive functions, brain mechanisms and onset of dementia and stroke.

In addition, we used Mendelian randomization approach to reveal the effects of representative daily habits and environmental factors on cognitive functions, brain mechanisms and onset of dementia and stroke.

In the latest update, we aim to include Parkinson's disease as a target of the investigations, among environmental habits, daily habits, genetic factors, and brain mechanisms, and neurological diseases.

In the methodology, we are going to utilize polygenic score of neurological diseases, in addition to Mendelian randomization approach.

In the request of November 2022, we would like to include the studies involving COVID-19 and vaccine and how genetic and environmental factors affect them.

Scope extension:

The purpose of this study was to identify the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms.

The new purpose of this study was to identify the environmental factors and daily habits that are associated with age-related changes in cognitive functions and neural mechanisms, and subsequent onset of dementia and stroke.

In addition, we specifically aimed to reveal the effects of length of TV viewing, duration of sleep of length in cognitive measures, gray and white matter structures, and subsequent onset of dementia in two separate studies.

Further the scope of this projects includes investigation of  effects of representative daily habits and environmental factors (etc, obesity, SES, alcohol, tobacco, supplement, food, exercise, use of computers, driving) on cognitive functions, brain mechanisms and onset of dementia and stroke.

 

In addition, we used Mendelian randomization approach to reveal the effects of representative daily habits and environmental factors on cognitive functions, brain mechanisms and onset of dementia and stroke.

In the latest update, we aim to include Parkinson's disease as a target of the investigations, among environmental habits, daily habits, genetic factors, and brain mechanisms, and neurological diseases.

In the methodology, we are going to utilize polygenic score of neurological diseases, in addition to Mendelian randomization approach.

In the request of November 2022, we would like to include the studies involving COVID-19 and vaccine and how genetic and environmental factors affect them.

In the request of May 2023, we would like to include the effects of jobs on cognitive functions, neural mechanisms, and neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as genetic effects of polygenic risk scores on one's jobs, in the scope of this project.