Lifelong adversity, such as exposure to violence, can contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to violence is associated with a higher risk of dementia. Additionally, evidence indicates that racial discrimination is linked to elevated levels of blood biomarkers for dementia. Currently, there are no effective treatments for dementia, thus it is important to understand dementia-associated risk factors in different global cohorts to inform public policies aimed at preventing cognitive impairment. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between exposure to violence and dementia biomarkers in participants from longitudinal studies from Brazil, United Kingdom, and United States. To do this, we will calculate participants’ epigenetic age, measure cardiometabolic and neuroimaging markers related to stress and brain atrophy. We will investigate the association between exposure to violence and cognitive decline using linear mixed effects models. We will investigate the association between violence and accelerated epigenetic aging and how this acceleration may lead to increased circulating inflammation and stress biomarkers and accelerated neurodegeneration. We will also explore the mediating role of epigenetic, cardiometabolic, and neuroimaging markers in the association between exposure to violence and cognitive decline. Our results will allow us to describe potential mechanisms through which exposure to violence negatively affects cognitive function.
