The aim of the proposed research is to examine how lifestyle factors such as physical activity may interact with genetic risk factors to increase susceptibility to Alzheimer?s disease (AD) and related measures of cognitive decline such as dementia and mild cognitive impairment. We will also attempt to gain a better understanding of the etiology of AD by examining the genetic overlap of AD with other diseases and traits, such as insulin resistance and cardiovascular biomarkers. The main health conditions under investigation are thus AD and cognitive decline. With an aging population and longer lifespans, AD is becoming a major public health concern. Identifying the genetic and lifestyle factors underlying this disease is an important step towards improved prediction, prevention, and treatment. We will be looking for links among genetic variants, lifestyle factors, family history, biomarkers, AD, and measures of cognitive decline. We will consider all genetic variants that are available, and we will also focus on previously established/known genetic markers. We will look for genetic variants and lifestyle factors that are associated with AD, then examine how the effect of genetic factors is modified by lifestyle factors and vice-versa. We will use standard statistical procedures such as linear and logistic regression, as well as multivariate regression. We would like to use the full cohort.
