Social isolation, characterized by a lack of social connections with family, friends, and others, is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, the genetic contribution to the susceptibility to social isolation remains unclear. This study aimed to identify genetic loci associated with social isolation using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) in a Japanese population. The Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study was conducted between 2013 and 2016. The participants were genotyped using the Affymetrix Axiom Japonica Array. The LSNS-6 was used to assess familial and friend ties through six questions and social isolation statuses were defined using the total scale, family subscale, and friend subscale. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were conducted using a generalized linear mixed model, adjusting for age, sex, 10 genetic principal components and batch effects. In total, 63,497 participants who completed genotyping and the LSNS-6 were included. The mean age was 59.4 ± 11.9 years, and 41,126 (64.8%) were female. Significant genetic loci were identified in GWASs for the total scale (rs10736933 near ACADSB and HMX3) and friend subscale of LSNS-6 (rs1778366 near LINC02315 and LRFN5). This study provides the first genome-wide evidence of social isolation in the Japanese population, suggesting associations with ACADSB, HMX3, LINC02315, and LRFN5. These findings could enable personalized prevention and intervention for social isolation and related psychiatric disorders.

BACKGROUND: Preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm), defined as a forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio ≥0.70 and a predicted FEV1 <80 %, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, determinants of PRISm, particularly in younger populations, remain poorly characterised. We aimed to address this knowledge gap. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 12,350 participants from a Japanese community-based cohort using data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project. Participants underwent spirometry, blood pressure measurement, laboratory testing, and completed standardised questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PRISm across three age groups: 20-39, 40-59, and ≥60 years. Interactions between age groups and other explanatory variables were assessed. RESULTS: In the 20-39-year group, PRISm was independently associated with being men, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and low body mass index (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), and inversely associated with age. Among participants aged ≥60 years, PRISm was significantly associated with increasing age, overweight status (BMI ≥25.0-<30.0 kg/m2), being men, current smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, elevated eosinophil counts (≥300 cells/μL), and birth weight ≥2000-<2500 g. Significant interactions were observed between age and BMI, bronchial asthma, and thyroid dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that PRISm in younger adults is associated with hypothyroidism and underweight status, whereas in older adults, it is more closely related to constitutional and lifestyle-related factors. These results highlight the heterogeneity of PRISm and indicate that its pathophysiology and optimal management may vary by age group.

Abstract Antihypertensive therapy has reduced cardiovascular mortality; however, challenges remain, including residual risk in treated patients and the population burden associated with borderline hypertension. Previous Japanese estimates of the population attributable fraction (PAF) are derived from older cohorts and often lacked stratification by treatment status. We conducted a prospective study of 61,495 participants (women: 56.7%, aged 60.7 ± 11.0 years) from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study. Participants were classified into six blood pressure (BP) categories based on the JSH 2019 guidelines, and further stratified by hypertension treatment status, resulting in 12 groups. Using untreated individuals with normal BP as the reference, we calculated multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and PAF for the remaining groups using Cox proportional hazards model. During a median follow-up of 6.5 years, 1909 deaths were recorded. HRs increased with rising BP in both untreated and treated participants. The overall PAF for all-cause mortality due to non-normal BP was 9.45%, with a marked sex difference (12.25% in male and 5.16% in female). The highest PAF contributions were observed in the treated Grade I hypertension group (2.18%) and the untreated elevated BP group (1.28%). In this contemporary Japanese cohort, non-normal BP accounts for 9.45% of all-cause mortality, representing a substantial public health burden, particularly among men. The substantial PAF contributions from both treated patients and untreated individuals with elevated BP highlight the importance of effective BP management for both primary and secondary prevention.

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively investigate the factors associated with tsunami evacuation after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted a baseline survey between 2013 and 2016 and included 15,935 participants. The participants were asked to self-report whether they had evacuated after the GEJE and their basic characteristics, as well as their socio-behavioral, physical, lifestyle, and mental factors. The objective variable was the presence or absence of tsunami evacuation after the GEJE, and the explanatory variables were comprehensively explored with reference to previous studies. RESULTS: Factors associated with the promotion of tsunami evacuation included being a woman, age 30-39 years, working, damage to houses, and participation in tsunami or earthquake evacuation drills before the GEJE. Factors associated with the inhibition of tsunami evacuation were over 60 years of age, higher education, living in areas unaffected by the GEJE, having a spouse, living with many cohabitants, having pets such as dogs or cats, and a high level of physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the necessity of enhancing the evacuation processes of older adults, cohabitants, and households with pets. It is important to conduct evacuation drills and hold discussions about disasters within families and households.

BACKGROUND: Whether adherence to a healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for renal dysfunction remains unclear. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 12 680 adults aged ≥20 years, free from chronic kidney disease at baseline, enrolled in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort study. A healthy lifestyle score-based on normal weight, never smoking, never drinking, regular physical activity, and a low urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio-classified participants into ideal, intermediate, or poor lifestyle groups. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) data from a previous multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis. The primary outcome was renal dysfunction, defined as eGFR <60.0 ml/min/1.73 m2. RESULTS: Among the 12 680 adults, 123 participants (0.9%) developed renal dysfunction during a mean follow-up of 4.4 ± 0.8 years. Poor lifestyle was consistently associated with higher risk of renal dysfunction across most PRS categories. Participants with intermediate genetic risk had elevated risk only when also exhibiting an intermediate lifestyle. Formal testing for effect modification by PRS provided modest evidence that the association between high genetic risk and increased risk of renal dysfunction was stronger among individuals with an intermediate lifestyle. Although the addition of the PRS to the model included the C-statistic, this improvement was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is associated with lower risk of renal dysfunction, regardless of genetic risk. Combining PRSs with lifestyle information may enhance risk stratification, although further studies are needed to improve predictive accuracy.

Family history of hypertension may reflect genetic and lifestyle factors. Genetic risk can be assessed using polygenic risk score (PRS); however, whether PRS can stratify hypertension risk when combined with family history and lifestyle information is unclear. This prospective cohort study included 9,001 hypertension-free individuals aged ≥20 years from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study. Participants were scored on lifestyle factors, including body mass index, urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking at recruitment. During the mean follow-up of 4.3 years, 2822 (31.4%) cases of hypertension occurred. High genetic risk and poor lifestyle were associated with increased hypertension risk. Compared with participants with low genetic risk, ideal lifestyle, and no family history, high genetic risk significantly increased hypertension risk, even among those with ideal lifestyle and no family history (relative risk [RR] 1.28 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-1.46]). Participants with low PRS, ideal lifestyle, but with family history had increased hypertension risk (RR 1.32 [95%CI 1.11-1.57]). Poor lifestyle increased hypertension risk across most genetic risk groups, regardless of family history. Integrating PRS into models with family history and lifestyle risk significantly improved predictive accuracy (area under the curve: 0.671 for family history and lifestyle risk and 0.674 for PRS integrated; P for difference <0.05). Integrating PRS with lifestyle and family history enhances the stratification of individuals at high risk for hypertension.

BACKGROUND: No previous studies have explored metabolites associated with both genetic predispositions to type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and T2DM onset. Therefore, we aimed to explore metabolic profiles using genetic risk to identify pathways for tailored T2DM prevention strategies. METHODS: This prospective community-based cohort study in Japan included a total of 12,461 participants aged ≥ 20 years. Genetic predictors were genome-wide and pathway-based polygenic risk scores (PRSs). We quantified 43 metabolites using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. T2DM was defined as a non-fasting glucose level of ≥ 200 mg/dL, glycated hemoglobin level ≥ 6.5%, or self-reported T2DM treatment. A modified Poisson regression model was used to examine the associations of PRSs and metabolites with T2DM incidence. Linear associations were tested using the restricted cubic spline, and mediation analysis was conducted to assess the mediating effect of metabolites on the association between PRSs and T2DM incidence. RESULTS: During the 4.3-year median follow-up period, 354 T2DM cases were identified. A higher PRS was associated with incident T2DM (relative risk [RR] 2.09, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-2.60, P < 0.001, 1-standard deviation [SD] increment). The nitrogen compound transport pathway PRS was associated with incident T2DM (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.70, P < 0.001, 1-SD increment). Fourteen metabolites like glucose, 2-ketoisocaproic acid, glutamic acid, leucine, 2-aminobutyric acid, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, valine, 3-methyl-2-oxobutyric acid, alanine, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 3-methyl-2-oxiovaleric acid, formic acid, arginine, and tyrosine were positively associated with the risk of T2DM. Only glycine was inversely associated with the risk of T2DM. Among 43 metabolites, 14 metabolites were positively associated with PRS (P for linear trend < 0.05). 3-hydroxyisobutyric-acid, 2-Aminobutyric acid, 2-ketoisocaproic acid, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, leucine, glycine, and glucose mediated the association between PRS and incident T2DM. CONCLUSIONS: Several metabolites were found to mediate the association between PRS and incident T2DM. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the metabolic pathways involved in genetic susceptibility to T2DM.

OBJECTIVES: Owing to spousal pairs often exhibiting similar health behaviors, this study examined the concordance of cancer screening attendance between spouses using cross-sectional data from a large biobank study in Japan, which included 2022 spousal pairs. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Self-administered data were collected to determine whether participants had undergone screening for colorectal, gastric, and lung cancers in the past year. The following two analyses were conducted: the exposure was whether the husband attended cancer screening, and the outcome was whether the wife attended; the exposure was whether the wife attended, and the outcome was whether the husband attended. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for confounding factors in the exposed individuals. RESULTS: The multivariate odds ratio (95% confidence interval, p-value) for wives attending colorectal cancer screening when their husbands had attended was 2.7 (2.2-3.3, p < 0.0001), indicating a significant positive association. Similarly, when wives were the exposure and husbands were the outcomes, the odds ratio was 2.6 (2.2-3.2, p < 0.0001). Notably, these associations were consistent across colorectal, gastric, and lung cancer screenings. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support the hypothesis that the attendance of one spouse at cancer screening significantly positively influences that of the other spouse, regardless of the type of cancer screening or the age of the spouses. Novel intervention strategies can be developed that specifically target spousal pairs and potentially enhance the effectiveness of cancer prevention initiatives compared to those targeting individuals alone.

BACKGROUND: Early detection and management of atrial fibrillation (AF) are crucial. Combined models incorporating genetic risks and clinical risks have been developed to improve predictive ability. Although sex differences have been reported in many aspects of AF, sex differences in genetic risk have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To assess the sex difference in the effect of AF-PRS on AF prevalence using cross-sectional data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-Based Cohort Study in Japan. METHODS: Polygenic risk score for AF (AF-PRS) and Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology AF (CHARGE-AF) score were used for genetic AF risks and clinical AF risks, respectively. Sex differences in the association of AF-PRS with the prevalence of AF were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 16,853 participants (mean age, 63.4 years and 30.7% men), the prevalence of AF was 4.9% in men and 1.1% in women. In the group with high AF-PRS and high CHARGE-AF score, the odds ratio for AF was highest in men and women (8.2 in men and 9.4 in women), compared to that in the group with low AF-PRS and low CHARGE-AF score. Integrating AF-PRS into the CHARGE-AF score significantly enhanced the area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic for AF in men (from 0.639 to 0.749) but not in women (from 0.710 to 0.733). CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to show a sex difference in the association of AF-PRS and AF prevalence. AF-PRS is more closely associated with the prevalence of AF in men than in women.

BACKGROUND: Natural disasters may have negative health effects on survivors. However, long-term observations on this are lacking. Therefore, this study investigated the association between the degree of housing damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and all-cause mortality using the data from the cohort study conducted by the Tohoku Medical Megabank (TMM) Project in disaster-stricken areas. METHODS: The community-based cohort study of the TMM Project which conducted a baseline survey from May 2013 to March 2016 collected data using questionnaires and blood and urine tests. The present large-scale prospective cohort study was a follow-up survey in which the degree of house damage and all-cause mortality were analysed using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for sex, age and other potentially confounding variables. The degree of house damage was categorised into 'did not live in the disaster area', 'no damage', 'small-scale damage' and 'large-scale damage'. Among the 58 320 participants, 1763 deaths were confirmed during the follow-up which averaged 6.5 years. RESULTS: The multivariate analysis showed a hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.96 (0.82 to 1.13) for those who did not live in the disaster area, 0.98 (0.87 to 1.10) for small-scale damage and 0.98 (0.85 to 1.14) for large-scale damage, compared with no damage, but no significant association with all-cause mortality was observed. CONCLUSION: The results of this large-scale prospective cohort study of GEJE survivors showed no significant relationship between the degree of house damage and all-cause mortality. Further long-term follow-up studies are needed to examine the long-term health effects of natural disasters on survivors.

BACKGROUND: The primary prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF), which increases mortality through complications including stroke and heart failure, is important. Excessive salt intake and low potassium intake are risk factors for cardiovascular disease; however, their association with AF remains inconclusive. This study investigated the association between sodium- and potassium-related urinary markers and AF prevalence. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-based Cohort Study were used in this cross-sectional study. The urinary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio and estimated 24-h sodium and potassium excretion were calculated using spot urine samples and categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4). The prevalence of AF was the primary outcome. Of the 26,506 participants (mean age 64.8 years; 33.2% males) included in this study, 630 (2.4%) had AF. Using Q1 as the reference group, the odds ratios for AF prevalence in Q4 were 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.73) and 1.59 (95% CI 1.20-2.12) for 24-h estimated urinary Na/K ratio and estimated 24-h sodium excretion, respectively. Estimated 24-h potassium excretion was not associated with AF prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: AF prevalence was positively associated with the urinary Na/K ratio and estimated 24-h urinary sodium excretion, but not with estimated 24-h urinary potassium excretion. Although further prospective studies are warranted, the findings of this study suggest that salt intake may be a modifiable risk factor for AF.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have assessed the impact of active smoking on mortality using the population-attributable fraction (PAF). However, these studies have not included second-hand smoking (SHS), potentially underestimating smoking's impact. We compared the PAF from active smoking alone with the PAF, including SHS exposure. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A community-based cohort study in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: 40 796 participants aged ≥20 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: SHS was defined as inhaling someone else's cigarette smoke at the workplace or home in the past year. We classified smoking status and SHS into ten categories: never-smoker without SHS, never-smoker with SHS, past smoker without SHS, past smoker with SHS, current smoker 1-9 cigarettes/day without SHS, current smoker 1-9 cigarettes/day with SHS, 10-19 cigarettes/day without SHS, 10-19 cigarettes/day with SHS, ≥20 cigarettes/day without SHS and ≥20 cigarettes/day with SHS. The main outcome was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 6.5 (5.7-7.5) years, 788 men and 328 women died. For men, compared with never-smokers without SHS, past smokers without SHS (HR, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.11 to 1.73]) and past smokers with SHS (HR, 1.48 (95% CI, 1.10 to 2.00)) were associated with all-cause mortality. For women, never-smokers with SHS had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.36 (95% CI, 1.00 to 1.84)). Without considering SHS, 28.0% and 2.3% of all-cause mortality in men and women, respectively, were attributable to past and current smoking. Including SHS, PAF increased to 31.3% in men and 8.4% in women. CONCLUSIONS: We clarified that smoking's impact was underestimated by not accounting for SHS, especially in women. Information on SHS is crucial for understanding smoking's health impact. This study supports the importance of avoiding smoking and preventing SHS.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum, using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) total score and its subitem regarding self-harm ideation (SHI) at 1 month postpartum. METHODS: A sample of 12,358 postpartum women answered the EPDS and questionaries at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum longitudinally. RESULTS: For participants with postpartum depression (PPD; EPDS total score ≥9) and SHI (SHI sub-score ≥1) at 1 month postpartum, the risk of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] at 6 and 12 months postpartum: 20.03 [16.8-23.8] and 14.55 [12.3-17.2], respectively) was higher than for those with PPD but without SHI at 1 month postpartum (OR: 8.57 [7.36-10.0], and 6.24 [5.38-7.24], respectively). Additionally, SHI even without depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum is also a risk for depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum. To support our longitudinal evaluation of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum, these related factors were examined: traumatic events or relocations after the Great East Japan Earthquake, employment status, household income, personality traits, sleep status, psychological distress, and social networks. The result showed employment status, low household income and poor social networks were significantly associated with depression at 12 months postpartum but not at 6 months postpartum. CONCLUSION: This study showed a high risk of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum for those who had depressive symptoms with SHI at 1 month postpartum. Our findings may contribute to the precise evaluation of depression at 6 and 12 months postpartum while considering sleep status, psychological distress and social network during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributes to decreased life expectancy. We examined the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), non-leisure-time physical activity (non-LTPA) and kidney function. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study including 32 162 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 20 years from the Tohoku Medical MegaBank community-based cohort study. Kidney function was evaluated using cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as well as self-reported LTPA and non-LTPA. CKD was defined as either eGFR decline (≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or presence of albuminuria (albumin-creatinine ≥ 30 mg/g). The association between domain-specific physical activity and kidney function, and CKD prevalence was examined using multivariable-adjusted ordinary least squares and modified Poisson models. RESULTS: The mean eGFR was 98.1 (± 13.2) mL/min/1.73 m2. 3 185 (9.9%) participants were classified as having CKD. The mean LTPA and non-LTPA levels were 2.9 (± 4.2) and 16.6 (± 14.2) METs-hour/day, respectively. For LTPA, in the adjusted model, the quartile groups with higher levels had a higher kidney function (β, 0.36; 95% confidence intervals [CI], [0.06, 0.66]; p = 0.019 for the 2nd quartile, β, 0.82; 95% CI, [0.51, 1.14]; p < 0.001 for the 3rd quartile, and β, 1.16; 95% CI, [0.83, 1.49]; p < 0.001 for the 4th quartile), whereas there were no apparent associations for prevalence of CKD. For non-LTPA, 4th quartile was associated with decreased eGFR (β, -0.42; 95% CI, [-0.72, -0.11]; p = 0.007) and higher prevalence of CKD prevalence (Prevalence ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, [1.02, 1.24]; p = 0.022). These associations with kidney function remained consistent in the subgroup analyses divided by demographic and biological variables. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a positive association between higher LTPA levels and better kidney function, but not association with CKD prevalence. In contrast, higher non-LTPA was negatively associated with both kidney function and CKD prevalence. These findings suggest that promoting LTPA is beneficial for kidney function.

Abstract Objective To investigate the inter-relationships among genetic risk, healthy lifestyle adherence, and hyperuricaemia susceptibility. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted with 7,241 hyperuricaemia-free individuals aged ≥ 20 years from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based cohort study. A comprehensive lifestyle score included body mass index, smoking, drinking, and physical activity, and a polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed based on uric acid loci from a previous genome-wide association study meta-analysis. A multiple logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between genetic risk, healthy lifestyle, and hyperuricaemia incidence and calculate the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Hyperuricaemia was defined as a uric acid level ≥7.0 mg/dl or a self-reported history of hyperuricaemia. Results Of the 7,241 adults (80.7% females; mean [SD] age: 57.7 [12.6] years), 217 (3.0%) developed hyperuricaemia during 3.5 years of follow-up. Genetic risk correlated with hyperuricaemia development (P for interaction = 0.287), and lifestyle risks were independently associated. Those with a high genetic risk and poor lifestyle had the highest risk (odds ratio: 5.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.61–12.10). Although not statistically significant, incorporating the PRS in the model with lifestyle information improved predictive ability (AUROC = 0.771, 95% CI: 0.736–0.806 for lifestyle; AUROC = 0.785, 95% CI: 0.751–0.819 for lifestyle and PRS; p = 0.07). Conclusion : A healthy lifestyle to prevent hyperuricaemia, irrespective of genetic risk, may mitigate the genetic risk. Genetic risk may complement lifestyle factors in identifying individuals at a heightened hyperuricaemia risk.

This study aimed to investigate the association of combination of birth weight and current body mass index (BMI) with the risk of hypertension in adulthood. This cross-sectional study used data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study conducted in Japan. A total of 10,688 subjects aged ≥20 years were eligible. We calculated the least square (LS) means of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and trend tests were performed to evaluate the linear relationships between birth weight categories and SBP. We also used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the risk of hypertension associated with the combination of birth weight and current BMI. There was a statistically inverse association between birth weight and SBP in the 20-64 age group, but no significant association in the ≥65 age group. Low birth weight (LBW) with normal BMI group had a higher risk of hypertension than the normal or high birth weight groups with normal BMI. Furthermore, the group with LBW and BMI ≥25.0 kg/m2 was the highest risk for hypertension (adjusted odds ratio: 2.73; 95% CI, 2.04-3.65) compared to the reference group (birth weight 2500-3499 g and BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2). There was a significant association between LBW and subsequent risk of hypertension. In addition, participants with lower birth weights had a higher risk of hypertension than those with higher birth weights. However, even in participants with a lower birth weight, the risk of hypertension could be reduced when they maintained an optimal BMI.

Depression is comorbid with somatic diseases; however, the relationship between depressive symptoms and hypertension (HT), a risk factor for cardiovascular events, remains unclear. Home blood pressure (BP) is more reproducible and accurately predictive of cardiovascular diseases than office BP. Therefore, we focused on home BP and investigated whether depressive symptoms contributed to the future onset of home HT. This prospective cohort study used data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Cohort Study (conducted in the Miyagi Prefecture, Japan) and included participants with home normotension (systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 135 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 85 mmHg). Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Japanese version at the baseline survey. In the secondary survey, approximately 4 years later, the onset of home HT was evaluated (SBP ≥ 135 mmHg or DBP ≥ 85 mmHg) and was compared in participants with and without depressive symptoms. Of the 3 082 (mean age: 54.2 years; females: 80.9%) participants, 729 (23.7%) had depressive symptoms at the baseline survey. During the 3.5-year follow-up, 124 (17.0%) and 388 (16.5%) participants with and without depressive symptoms, respectively, developed home HT. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios were 1.37 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.84), 1.18 (95% CI: 0.86-1.61), and 1.66 (95% CI: 1.17-2.36) for home, morning, and evening HT, respectively. This relationship was consistent in the subgroup analyses according to age, sex, BP pattern, and drinking habit. Depressive symptoms increased the risk of new-onset home HT, particularly evening HT, among individuals with home normotension. This prospective cohort study revealed that depressive symptoms are risk factors for new-onset home hypertension, particularly evening hypertension among individuals with home normotension. Assessing home blood pressure in individuals with depressive symptoms is important for the prevention of hypertension and concomitant cardiovascular diseases.

No study, to our knowledge, has constructed a polygenic risk score based on clinical blood pressure and investigated the association of genetic and lifestyle risks with home hypertension. We examined the associations of combined genetic and lifestyle risks with hypertension and home hypertension. In a cross-sectional study of 7027 Japanese individuals aged ≥20 years, we developed a lifestyle score based on body mass index, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and sodium-to-potassium ratio, categorized into ideal, intermediate, and poor lifestyles. A polygenic risk score was constructed with the target data (n = 1405) using publicly available genome-wide association study summary statistics from BioBank Japan. Using the test data (n = 5622), we evaluated polygenic risk score performance and examined the associations of combined genetic and lifestyle risks with hypertension and home hypertension. Hypertension and home hypertension were defined as blood pressure measured at a community-support center ≥140/90 mmHg or at home ≥135/85 mmHg, respectively, or self-reported treatment for hypertension. In the test data, 2294 and 2322 participants had hypertension and home hypertension, respectively. Both polygenic risk and lifestyle scores were independently associated with hypertension and home hypertension. Compared with those of participants with low genetic risk and an ideal lifestyle, the odds ratios for hypertension and home hypertension in the low genetic risk and poor lifestyle group were 1.94 (95% confidence interval, 1.34-2.80) and 2.15 (1.60-2.90), respectively. In summary, lifestyle is important to prevent hypertension; nevertheless, participants with high genetic risk should carefully monitor their blood pressure despite a healthy lifestyle.

AIM: This study examined the relationship between genetic risk, healthy lifestyle, and risk of developing diabetes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 11,014 diabetes-free individuals ≥ 20 years old from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based cohort study. Lifestyle scores, including the body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (marker of alcohol consumption), were assigned, and participants were categorized into ideal, intermediate, and poor lifestyles. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed based on the type 2 diabetes loci from the BioBank Japan study. A multiple logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between genetic risk, healthy lifestyle, and diabetes incidence and to calculate the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). RESULT: Of the 11,014 adults included (67.8% women; mean age [standard deviation], 59.1 [11.3] years old), 297 (2.7%) developed diabetes during a mean 4.3 (0.8) years of follow-up. Genetic and lifestyle score is independently associated with the development of diabetes. Compared with the low genetic risk and ideal lifestyle groups, the odds ratio was 3.31 for the low genetic risk and poor lifestyle group. When the PRS was integrated into a model including the lifestyle and family history, the AUROC significantly improved to 0.719 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.692-0.747) compared to a model including only the lifestyle and family history (0.703 [95% CI, 0.674-0.732]). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that adherence to a healthy lifestyle is important for preventing diabetes, regardless of genetic risk. In addition, genetic risk might provide information beyond lifestyle and family history to stratify individuals at high risk of developing diabetes.

AIM: To evaluate the association between housing and psychological damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and modifiable risk factors (MRFs) of dementia for general population of older adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 29 039 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 69.1 ± 2.9 years, 55.5% women). We evaluated disaster-related damage (by complete or not complete housing damage) and psychological damage (by post-traumatic stress reaction [PTSR]) after the GEJE using a self-report questionnaire. MRFs encompassed the presence of depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, smoking, and diabetes. We examined the association between disaster-related damage and MRFs using ordinary least squares and modified Poisson regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and health status variables. RESULTS: Complete housing damage and PTSR were identified in 2704 (10.0%) and 855 (3.2%) individuals, respectively. The number of MRFs was significantly larger for the individuals with complete housing damage (β = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19-0.27) and PTSR (β = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.53-0.67). Prevalence ratios (PRs) for depression and physical inactivity were higher in individuals with complete housing damage. The PRs for all domains of the MRFs were significantly higher in individuals with PTSR. CONCLUSIONS: Housing and psychological damage caused by the GEJE were associated with an increased risk factor of dementia. To attenuate the risk of dementia, especially among older victims who have experienced housing and psychological damage after a disaster, multidimensional support across various aspects of MRFs is required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••-••.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The objective of this research is to examine factors related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) prevalence in a large population-based study. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with participants in the Miyagi part of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-Based cohort study who completed the Rome II Modular Questionnaire. Multivariate odds ratios (ORs) for the presence of IBS and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the reference group were calculated for each factor. Additionally, a stratified analysis was performed by sex and age group (20-49 years, 50-64 years, and ≥ 65 years). RESULTS: Among 16 252 participants, 3025 (18.6%) had IBS, comprising 750 men (15.5%) and 2275 women (19.9%). Multivariate ORs for the presence of IBS decreased significantly with each year of age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99). Moreover, compared with the reference group, ORs for the presence of IBS were significantly higher in individuals whose home was partially damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, those with < 16 years of education, those who spent less time walking, those with high perceived stress (1.77, 1.57-2.01), those with high psychological distress (1.58, 1.36-1.82), and those with high symptoms of depression (1.76, 1.60-1.94). In stratified analyses, a significant relationship was found between psychological factors and IBS prevalence in all sex and age groups. CONCLUSIONS: This large cross-sectional population-based cohort study identified several factors associated with IBS prevalence. Psychological factors were significantly associated with IBS prevalence across all age groups and sexes.

BACKGROUND: Upper and lower extremity muscle strength can be used to predict health outcomes. However, the difference between the relation of upper extremity muscle and of lower extremity muscle with physiological factors is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between physiological data and muscle strength, measured using grip and leg extension strength, among Japanese adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2,861 men and 6,717 women aged ≥ 20 years living in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Grip strength was measured using a dynamometer. Leg extension strength was measured using a hydraulic isokinetic leg press machine. Anthropometry and physiological data, including blood pressure, calcaneal ultrasound bone status, pulmonary function, carotid echography, and blood information, were assessed. We used a general linear model adjusted for age, body composition, and smoking status to evaluate the association between muscle strength and physiological factors. RESULTS: Grip and leg extension strength were positively associated with bone area ratio, vital capacity, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, and negatively associated with waist circumference and percentage body fat mass in both the sexes. Diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with grip strength in both the sexes and leg extension strength in men, but not women. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and red blood cell counts were positively associated with grip and leg extension strength in women, but not men. In both the sexes, pulse rate, total cholesterol, and uric acid were consistently associated with only leg extension strength, but not grip strength. In women, glycated hemoglobin demonstrated negative and positive associations with grip and leg extension strength, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Grip and leg extension strength demonstrated similar associations with anthropometry, pulmonary function, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, but the associations with the other factors were not always consistent.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between blood cell profiles, including hemoglobin (Hb) levels and inflammatory hematological ratios, and mental health problems currently remains unclear. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between blood cell profiles and mental health issues, including depressive state and sleep disturbance, while adjusting for potential demographic confounders. METHODOLOGY: This retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study used a population-based medical database from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project with more than 60,000 volunteers. Data on age, sex, daily tobacco use, body mass index, and self-reported scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were collected. RESULTS: A total of 62,796 volunteers (23,663 males and 39,133 females), aged ≥20 years at the time of the blood test, agreed to participate in this study. Among the evaluated blood cell profiles, Hb, hematocrit, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significantly correlated with the K6, AIS, and CES-D scores, with strong statistical significance (p<0.0001 for all) in bivariate correlation analyses. A significant adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of the Hb level for elevated CES-D scores (aOR=0.965 [95% CI: 0.949-0.981], p<0.0001) was confirmed after adjusting for demographic data and daily tobacco use using a logistic regression model. Sensitivity analyses revealed that these associations existed in both males and females but were more prominent in the former. In male participants, a low Hb level was significantly associated with an elevated AIS score. The evaluated inflammatory hematological ratios, including NLR, PLR, and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), also showed significant aORs with the K6, AIS, and CES-D scores after adjusting for demographic background. CONCLUSION: Low Hb levels and elevated inflammatory hematological ratios (NLR, MLR, and PLR) were associated with depressive state and sleep disturbances in the general population.

Abstract Risk factors for hypertension have been emphasized in the Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension. However, large-scale studies on the association of smoking, potassium excretion, and gamma-glutamyl transferase level with BP in the Japanese population are limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the association between hypertension risk factors and systolic blood pressure in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study (23,446 men and 38,921 women aged ≥20 years). A model adjusted for age, body mass index, smoking status, drinking status, estimated daily salt intake, potassium excretion, (or urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio), gamma-glutamyl transferase, physical activity, education level, status of damage to homes during the Great East Japan Earthquake, and residential areas was used. The average age and systolic blood pressure were 62.5 (10.3) years for men and 59.6 (11.3) years for women, 128.9 (16.7) mmHg for men and 124.7 (17.5) mmHg for women, respectively. Body mass index estimated daily salt intake, urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels were positively associated with systolic blood pressure. Compared with never-drinkers, current drinkers who consumed 23–45 g/day and ≥46.0 g/day had significantly increased systolic blood pressure. Conversely, current smokers (1-10 cigarettes/day and 11-20 cigarettes/day) were inversely associated with systolic blood pressure compared to never-smokers. Overall, systolic blood pressure was associated with gamma-glutamyl transferase and hypertension risk factors, including body mass index, alcohol consumption, estimated daily salt intake, urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio, and potassium excretion. Our findings support the notion that lifestyle modifications should be attempted to prevent hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to report the basic profile of the Miyagi Prefecture part of a repeated center-based survey during the second period (2nd period survey) of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study (TMM CommCohort Study), as well as the participants' characteristics based on their participation type in the baseline survey. METHODS: The 2nd period survey, conducted from June 2017 to March 2021, included participants of the TMM CommCohort Study (May 2013 to March 2016). In addition to the questionnaire, blood, urine, and physiological function tests were performed during the 2nd period survey. There were three main ways of participation in the baseline survey: Type 1, Type 1 additional, or Type 2 survey. The 2nd period survey was conducted in the same manner as the Type 2 survey, which was based on the community support center (CSC). RESULTS: In Miyagi Prefecture, 29,383 (57.7%) of 50,967 participants participated in the 2nd period survey. The participation rate among individuals who had visited the CSC was approximately 80%. Although some factors differed depending on the participation type in the baseline survey, the 2nd period survey respondents in the Type 1 and Type 2 survey groups at baseline had similar traits. CONCLUSIONS: The 2nd period survey of the TMM CommCohort Study provided detailed follow-up information. Following up on the health conditions of the participants will clarify the long-term effects of disasters and contribute to personalized prevention.

AIMS: Although fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) have an impact on lipid metabolism, the relationship between different body composition phenotypes and lipid profiles is still unclear. By dividing the FM and FFM by the square of the height, respectively, the f at mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) can be used to determine the variations in body composition. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of combined FMI and FFMI with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 5,116 men and 13,630 women without cardiovascular disease and without treatment for hypertension, and diabetes. Following sex-specific quartile classification, FMI and FFMI were combined into 16 groups. Elevated LDL-C levels were defined as LDL-C ≥ 140 mg/dL and/or dyslipidemia treatment. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between combined FMI and FFMI and elevated LDL-C levels. RESULTS: Overall, elevated LDL-C levels were found in 1,538 (30.1%) men and 5,434 (39.9%) women. In all FFMI subgroups, a higher FMI was associated with elevated LDL-C levels. Conversely, FFMI was inversely associated with elevated LDL-C levels in most FMI subgroups. Furthermore, the groups with the highest FMI and lowest FFMI had higher odds ratios for elevated LDL-C levels than those with the lowest FMI and highest FFMI. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of FFMI, FMI was positively associated with elevated LDL-C levels. Conversely, in the majority of FMI subgroups, FFMI was inversely associated with elevated LDL-C levels.

BACKGROUND: Physical frailty accelerates the timing of both subsequent disability and death; however, evidence regarding the impact of frailty on the period from disability onset to death and sex differences of this impact is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship among physical frailty, disability, death, and sex differences. METHODS: This Japanese cohort study included 10,524 community-dwelling people aged ≥65 years. Physical frailty was operationalized by key phenotypes as per Fried's criteria (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, and low activity) at baseline. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for disability onset and post-disability survival according to the frailty status. RESULTS: During a 5-year follow-up, the risk of disability onset for pre-frailty (HR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.51-2.00) and frailty (HR: 3.27, 95% CI: 2.77-3.87) were significantly higher than that for robust people. Furthermore, among participants who developed disabilities within 5 years (n = 1481), the risk of post-disability death for pre-frailty was not different from that for robust (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 0.99-2.24), but frailty showed a higher risk of post-disability death than did robust people. (HR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.13-2.72). In the sex-stratified analysis, although the female group showed no association between frailty status and post-disability death (HR: 1.21, 95% CI: 0.63-2.33 in pre-frailty; HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.60-2.57 in frailty), the male group showed higher risk of post-disability death in both pre-frailty (HR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.03-2.96) and frailty (HR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.32-4.09). CONCLUSIONS: Physical frailty shortens the period from disability onset to death. Additionally, the impact of frailty on post-disability death is greater for males than for females. Our findings suggest that physical frailty is an important clinical indicator distinct from disability and that interventions to prevent and address frailty in men need further investigation.

Masked hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, masked hypertension is sometimes overlooked owing to the requirement for home blood pressure measurements for diagnosing. Mental status influences blood pressure. To reduce undiagnosed masked hypertension, this study assessed the association between depressive symptoms and masked hypertension. This cross-sectional study used data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-Based Cohort Study (conducted in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, from 2013) and included participants with normotension measured at the research center (systolic blood pressure<140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure <90 mmHg). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (Japanese version). Masked hypertension was defined as normotension measured at the research center and home hypertension (home systolic blood pressure ≥135 mmHg or home diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg). The study comprised 6705 participants (mean age: 55.7 ± 13.7 years). Of these participants, 1106 (22.1%) without depressive symptoms and 393 (23.2%) with depressive symptoms were categorized to have masked hypertension. Sex-specific and age-adjusted least mean squares for home blood pressure, not for research blood pressure were significantly higher in the group with depressive symptoms in both sex categories. The multivariate odds ratio for masked hypertension in the patients with depressive symptoms was 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 1.26-2.34) in male participants and 1.30 (95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.59) in female ones. Depressive symptoms were associated with masked hypertension in individuals with normotension measured at the research center. Depressive symptoms may be one of the risk factors for masked hypertension. Depressive symptoms were associated with masked hypertension in individuals with normotension measured at research center.

Abstract This study aimed to examine whether risk of withdrawal from HTTx was higher in coastal areas that were severely damaged by tsunami than in inland areas. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 9218 participants aged ≥20 years in Miyagi, Japan. The odds ratios (ORs) and confidence interval (CI) for withdrawal from HTTx in coastal and inland groups were compared using multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders. In total, 194 of 5860 and 146 of 3358 participants in the inland and coastal groups, respectively, withdrew from HTTx treatment. OR (95%CI) of withdrawal from HTTx in the coastal group was 1.46 (1.14–1.86) compared to the inland group. According to housing damage, ORs (95% CI) in the no damage, partially destroyed, and more than half destroyed coastal groups compared with the no damage inland group were 1.62 (1.04–2.50), 1.69 (1.17–2.45), and 1.08 (0.71–1.65), respectively. In conclusion, the risk of HTTx withdrawal for participants whose homes in coastal areas were relatively less damaged was significantly higher compared with those in inland areas, while the risk of HTTx withdrawal for participants whose homes were more than half destroyed was not. Post-disaster administrative support for disaster victims is considered vital for continuation of their treatment.

AIM: The influence of family history of diabetes, probably reflecting genetic and lifestyle factors, on the association of combined genetic and lifestyle risks with diabetes is unknown. We examined these associations. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 9,681 participants in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study. A lifestyle score, which was categorized into ideal, intermediate, and poor lifestyles, was given. Family history was obtained through a self-reported questionnaire. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed in the target data (n=1,936) using publicly available genome-wide association study summary statistics from BioBank Japan. For test data (n=7,745), we evaluated PRS performance and examined the associations of combined family history and genetic and lifestyle risks with diabetes. Diabetes was defined as non-fasting blood glucose ≥ 200 mmHg, HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, and/or self-reported diabetes treatment. RESULTS: In test data, 467 (6.0%) participants had diabetes. Compared with a low genetic risk and an ideal lifestyle without a family history, the odds ratio (OR) was 3.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92-7.00) for a lower genetic risk and a poor lifestyle without a family history. Family history was significantly associated with diabetes (OR, 3.58 [95% CI, 1.73-6.98]), even in those with a low genetic risk and an ideal lifestyle. Even among participants who had an ideal lifestyle without a family history, a high genetic risk was associated with diabetes (OR, 2.49 [95% CI, 1.65-3.85]). Adding PRS to family history and conventional lifestyle risk factors improved the prediction ability for diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the notion that a healthy lifestyle is important to prevent diabetes regardless of genetic risk.

BACKGROUND: Olfactory function decline has recently been reported to be associated with a risk of cognitive impairment. Few population-based studies have included younger adults when examining the association between olfactory test data with multiple odor intensities and suspected cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between high-resolution olfactory test data with fewer odors and suspected cognitive impairments. We also examined the differences between older and younger adults in this association. METHODS: The Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J) was administered to 1,450 participants, with three odor-intensity-level olfactometry using six different odors. Logistic regressions to discriminate suspected cognitive impairment were conducted to examine the association, adjusted for age, sex, education duration, and smoking history. Data were collected from the Program by Tohoku University Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, with an additional olfactory test conducted between 2019 and 2021. RESULTS: We generally observed that the lower the limit of distinguishable odor intensity was, the higher the MoCA-J score was. The combination of spearmint and stuffy socks contributed most to the distinction between suspected and unsuspected cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the association was significant in women aged 60-74 years (adjusted odds ratio 0.881, 95% confidence interval [0.790, 0.983], p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate an association between the limit of distinguishable odor intensity and cognitive function. The olfactory test with multiple odor intensity levels using fewer odors may be applicable for the early detection of mild cognitive impairment, especially in older women aged 60-74 years.

We studied frailty and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) trajectories in older Japanese adults and evaluated the influence of various factors on these trajectories. We analyzed data from 1157 non-demented adults aged 70 and above from 2013 to 2019. Frailty was assessed using the self-administered Kihon Checklist (KCL), a Japanese frailty index. SCD was evaluated using the questionnaire of the Subjective Memory Complaints scale. Through group-based joint trajectory models, we discerned three frailty trajectories: non-progressive (n = 775), moderate progressive (n = 312), and rapid progressive (n = 70); and three SCD trajectories: non-progressive (n = 302), moderate progressive (n = 625), and rapid progressive (n = 230). Individuals in the rapid progressive SCD trajectory had a 32.2% probability of also being in the rapid progressive frailty trajectory. In contrast, those in the non-progressive SCD trajectory had zero probability of being in the rapid progressive frailty trajectory. Both the rapid progressive frailty and SCD groups combined had a higher incidence of depressive symptoms and slow gait speed. Our results have found that frailty and SCD share a similar trajectory in Japanese older adults. Additionally, rapid progressive frailty and SCD were associated with the highest risk of depressive symptoms and slow gait speed. Thus, interventions targeting both frailty and cognitive decline should prioritize mental health enhancement and gait speed improvement.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of neighborhood amenities on disability risk among community-dwelling older adults in Japan, based on lifestyle activities. METHOD: This was an observational prospective cohort study. Participants comprised 13,258 older adults from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. We calculated participants' Walk Score using their home addresses and divided them into three groups: "car-dependent," "somewhat walkable," and "very walkable." We then calculated the average value of lifestyle activities. We divided the neighborhood amenity groups into two groups, "fewer lifestyle activities" and "more lifestyle activities," for a total of six groups. After identifying interactions between neighborhood amenities and lifestyle activities, Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios for incident disability risk, based on neighborhood amenities and lifestyle activities. RESULTS: An interaction occurred between neighborhood amenities and lifestyle activities (p < 0.05). Survival probabilities for incident disability based on lifestyle activities were estimated for each neighborhood amenity group: car-dependent, 1.62 (95% CI 1.07 to 2.46); somewhat walkable, 1.08 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.40); and very walkable, 1.05 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.27). Those with fewer lifestyle activities in the car-dependent group exhibited the highest risk of incident disability in the unadjusted and adjusted models. CONCLUSION: Given that the aging population is increasing steadily, considering older adults' neighborhood amenities and lifestyle activities in their day-to-day lives can help clinicians to deliver more older adult-centered care. Incorporating the lifestyle activities and neighborhood amenities of older adults into care planning will lead to the design and development of integrated clinical and community screening programs.

AIM: People with high normal blood pressure (BP) have a higher risk of cardiovascular events than those with normal BP; therefore, progression to hypertension (HT) should be prevented. We aimed to assess the HT risk using central BP and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in people with high normal BP. METHODS: This prospective cohort study used the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Project Cohort Study (conducted from 2013 in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan). The participants had a high normal BP, defined as a systolic BP of 120-139 mmHg and diastolic BP ＜90 mmHg using brachial BP measurement during the baseline survey. The outcome was new-onset HT during the secondary survey, conducted four years after the baseline survey. RESULTS: Overall, 4,021 participants with high normal BP during the baseline survey, with an average age of 58.7 years, were included; 1,030 (26%) were diagnosed with new-onset HT during the secondary survey, 3.5± 0.7 years after the baseline survey. The multivariable odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for HT in the highest versus lowest quartile of central BP was 1.7 (1.2-2.4, p=0.0030), and that of CIMT was 1.8 (1.4-2.4, p＜0.001). Subgroup analysis according to age (＜60 and ≥ 60 years) and sex revealed that the central BP was influential in groups with younger age and female individuals; CIMT was influential in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Higher central BP and thicker CIMT at the baseline were correlated with new-onset HT in individuals with high normal BP, independent of brachial systolic BP and other cardiovascular risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The current study examines the negative impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency declarations on physical activity among the community-dwelling older adults, the participants of a physical activity measurement program, in Japan. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 1,773 community-dwelling older adults (aged 74.6 ± 6.3 years, 53.9% women) who had participated in the physical activity measurement project from February 2020 to July 2021. We measured physical activity using a tri-axial accelerometer during 547 consecutive days. Three emergency declarations, requesting people to avoid going outside, occurred during the observational period. We multiply-imputed missing values for daily physical activity, such as steps, light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for several patterns of datasets according to the maximum missing rates on a person level. We mainly report the results based on less than 50% of the maximum missing rate (n = 1,056). Other results are reported in the supplemental file. Changes in physical activity before and after the start of each emergency declaration were examined by the regression discontinuity design (RDD) within 14-, 28-, and 56-day bandwidths. RESULTS: For all the participants in the multiply-imputed data with the 14-day bandwidth, steps (coefficients [[Formula: see text]][Formula: see text] 964.3 steps), LPA ([Formula: see text] 5.5 min), and MVPA ([Formula: see text] 4.9 min) increased after the first emergency declaration. However, the effects were attenuated as the RDD bandwidths were widened. No consistent negative impact was observed after the second and third declarations. After the second declaration, steps ([Formula: see text]-609.7 steps), LPA ([Formula: see text]-4.6 min), and MVPA ([Formula: see text]-2.8 min) decreased with the 14-day bandwidth. On the other hand, steps ([Formula: see text] 143.8 steps) and MVPA ([Formula: see text] 1.3 min) increased with the 56-day bandwidth. For the third declaration, LPA consistently decreased with all the bandwidths ([Formula: see text]-2.1, -3.0, -0.8 min for the 14, 28, 56-day bandwidth), whereas steps ([Formula: see text]-529 steps) and MVPA ([Formula: see text]-2.6 min) decreased only with the 28-day bandwidth. CONCLUSIONS: For the community-dwelling older adults who regularly self-monitor their physical activity, the current study concludes that there is no evidence of consistently negative impacts of the emergency declarations by the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Although fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) affect lung function, FMI and FFMI are not independent of each other since FMI and FFMI were calculated as fat mass and fat-free mass divided by height squared, respectively. We aimed to examine the association of combined FMI and FFMI with lung function. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, lung function was evaluated using forced expiratory volume at 1 s and forced vital capacity was measured using spirometry. Both FMI and FFMI were classified into sex-specific quartiles (16 groups). Analysis of covariance was used to assess the associations of combined FMI and FFMI with lung function. The trend test was conducted by stratifying the FMI and FFMI, scoring the categories from 1-4 (lowest-highest), and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. RESULTS: This study included 3,736 men and 8,821 women aged ≥20 years living in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The mean FEV1 (standard deviation) was 3.0 (0.7) L for men and 2.3 (0.5) L for women. The mean FVC was 3.8 (0.7) L for men and 2.8 (0.5) L for women. The FMI was inversely associated with lung function among all FFMI subgroups in both sexes. Conversely, FFMI was positively associated with lung function in all FMI subgroups in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Higher FMI was associated with lower lung function independent of FFMI; higher FFMI was associated with higher lung function independent of FMI. Reducing FMI and maintaining FFMI might be important for respiratory health.

AIM: We examined the association between the carotid intima medica thickness (cIMT) and risk factors for atherosclerosis based on the Japan Atherosclerosis Society 2022 Atherosclerosis Prevention Guideline. METHODS: Using data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study, we performed a cross-sectional study that enrolled 13,366 participants (age ≥ 20 years) with an analysis of covariance to assess associations between cIMT and risk factors for atherosclerosis. The maximum common carotid artery was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. Analysis was conducted in the model adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and height. RESULTS: In this study cohort, the average age and cIMT were 57.3 (13.8) years and 0.61 (0.13) mm, respectively, which included 3,988 males (29.8%). Males had a higher cIMT than did the females. Age, height, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, and non-HDL-C were positively associated with cIMT. HDL-C was inversely associated with cIMT. Compared with never drinkers, current drinkers (≥ 46.0 g/day) had a significantly decreased cIMT. CONCLUSIONS: The cIMT was associated with atherosclerosis risk factors including age, sex, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, non-HDL-C, and HDL-C, and adequate control of risks in high-risk individuals might be required to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have shown an inverse association between lung function and hypertension, few studies have examined the association between lung function and hypertension among never-smokers, and no study has investigated the association between lung function and home hypertension. We investigated the associations between lung function and hypertension in a Japanese population. INDIVIDUALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3728 men and 8795 women aged 20 years or older living in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Lung function was assessed using forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC), measured by spirometry. Hypertension was defined as a casual blood pressure at least 140/90 mmHg and/or self-reported treatment for hypertension. Home hypertension was defined as morning home blood pressure at least 135/85 mmHg and/or self-reported treatment for hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to assess the association between lung function and hypertension. RESULTS: The mean ages (±SD) of men and women were 60.1 (±14.0) years and 56.2 (±13.4) years, respectively, and 1994 (53.5%) men and 2992 (34.0%) women had hypertension. In the multivariable models, FEV1 and FVC were inversely associated with hypertension. Inverse associations between lung function and hypertension were observed even among never-smokers. Furthermore, reduced lung function was associated with higher prevalence of home hypertension in men and women. CONCLUSION: Reduced lung function was associated with higher prevalence of hypertension, independent of smoking status. Assessment of the lung function or blood pressure may be required in individuals with reduced lung function or hypertension.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in older adults has been identified as a risk factor for dementia. However, the literature is inconsistent, and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to determine whether older adults with SCD had more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia and a lower risk of developing objective cognitive decline (OCD). We included 4363 older adults (71.7 ± 5.3 [mean ± standard deviation] years of age; 2239 women) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes. SCD, OCD, and protective factors against dementia, such as lifestyle and activity, were assessed using interviews and objective cognitive-assessment tools. Based on initial cognitive status, participants were categorized into normal cognition, SCD-only, OCD-only, and both SCD and OCD groups. After 4 years, participants were classified as having either no impairment or mild or global cognitive impairment (i.e., OCD). Binomial logistic regression analyses were performed with the cognitive statuses of the groups at follow-up and baseline as the dependent and independent variables, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found that the SCD-only group had more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia than the OCD-only group. Community-dwelling older adults with normal cognition or those part of the SCD-only group had a lower risk of developing OCD during the 4-year follow-up, which may have been due to having more modifiable protective factors against the risk of dementia. Additionally, these factors may contribute to the inconsistencies in the literature on SCD outcomes.

【はじめに】 要介護認定者は年々増加しており一次予防が重要となる。身体活動や社会活動への参加は障害発生リスクを軽減することが明らかにされている（Bull, 2020; Hikichi, 2015）。新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大により、高齢者の身体活動時間や歩数が減少し要介護発生率の増加が懸念されている（Yamada, 2020; Tison, 2020）。身体活動に関わる運動習慣と社会活動の減少も予想されることから、両者の関連を一緒に検討することは予防理学療法にとって重要と考えられる。そこで、新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大下において、社会活動が減少しても、高齢者が継続しやすいとされるウォーキング（Morris, 1997）の習慣により要介護発生リスクを抑えることができるか検証した。 【方法】 高齢者機能健診に参加した60歳以上の地域在住高齢者4167名のうち、認知症、パーキンソン病、脳卒中の病歴がある者、ベースライン時点での要介護認定者等を除外した2873名を対象とした。ウォーキング習慣の有無は質問紙にてウォーキングを週3日以上と未満で2群に分けた。社会活動は2名以上で行う活動について過去1年間に1回以上参加した場合を参加と定義し、社会活動への参加状況を12項目の社会活動のうち、平均参加項目数で5項目以上を参加が多い群、未満を参加が少ない群とした。ウォーキング習慣の有無による要介護発生率の群間差は、要介護発生率をKaplan-Meier法で推定し、Log-rank検定により検証した。また、ウォーキング習慣の有無と要介護発生との関係を社会活動の参加状況別に検討するため、ウォーキング習慣の有無を独立変数、交絡因子を調整変数としたCox比例ハザード回帰分析を行った。危険率5％を有意とした。 【結果】 平均追跡期間35.1±6.4ヶ月での新規要介護発生者は133名（4.6%）であった。ウォーキング習慣の有無による発生率は、それぞれ19.0/1000人年と27.9/1000人年であった。ウォーキング習慣のある群では、要介護発生リスクの有意な低減を認め、ハザード比は0.67（95％CI 0.46―0.96, p＜.05）であった。ウォーキング習慣による要介護発生リスクを社会活動の参加状況別にみると、社会活動への参加が少ない群では0.63（95％CI 0.40―0.98, p＜.05）、多い群では0.71（95％CI 0.36―1.38, p = .31）であり、社会活動への参加が少ない群で顕著にリスクの低減を認めた。 【結論】 社会活動への参加が少ない群ではウォーキング習慣により要介護発生リスクが抑えられる可能性が示唆された。本研究結果は、新型コロナウイルス感染症の感染拡大下における予防理学療法において、ウォーキングの推奨が社会活動の減少した高齢者には、より重要である可能性を示唆する結果と考えられる。 【倫理的配慮、説明と同意】 本研究は、著者所属機関の倫理・利益相反委員会の承認を受けて実施した。ヘルシンキ宣言の趣旨に沿い、対象者には本研究の主旨および目的を口頭と書面にて説明を行い、書面にて同意を得た上で本研究を実施した。

【はじめに、目的】 高齢期の転倒は要介護状態を引き起こす主要な原因であり、転倒リスクの予測は理学療法における重要な課題である。多くの先行研究で転倒予測に向けたスケール開発やカットポイント算出が行われてきたが、多様な因子が影響する転倒発生の予測は容易ではなく、転倒予測モデルの探索には未だ検討の余地があると考えられる。近年、機械学習手法が疾病や事象の予測に活用され始め、中でも決定木分析を用いた予測モデルは論理的解釈が容易であり臨床応用の観点からも注目を集めている。そこで本研究では、地域高齢者を対象とした4年間の縦断調査から、簡便に評価可能な既知の転倒予測因子を組み合わせ、決定木分析による転倒予測モデルの構築を行った。 【方法】 2011年のベースライン調査と2015年の追跡調査に参加し、脳血管疾患やパーキンソン病、認知症のない地域高齢者2,658名（平均71.1±4.8歳）を分析対象とした。転倒予測因子としてベースラインの年齢、性別、服薬数、変形性膝関節症の有無、下肢の痛み、歩行速度、Timed Up and Go test、転倒恐怖感、過去1年間の転倒歴を評価し、アウトカムとして4年後における過去1年間の転倒歴（1回以上）を評価した。決定木によるモデル構築にはC5.0アルゴリズムを用い、10-fold cross validationにてモデル性能を評価した。さらに、同じ予測因子を用いたロジスティックモデル（ステップワイズ変数減少法）を構築し、決定木モデルとロジスティックモデルとの間で予測性能の比較を行った。 【結果】 4年後の転倒歴は、2,658名のうち426名（16.0%）に認められた。決定木分析の結果、6つの予測因子（ベースラインの転倒歴、年齢、服薬数、下肢の痛み、Timed Up and Go test、転倒恐怖感）から成る7 つの分岐を持った決定木が構築された。予測性能について、ロジスティックモデルでは、正答率0.62、曲線下面積0.64、感度0.50、特異度0.73であったのに対し、決定木モデルは、正答率0.65、曲線下面積0.70、感度0.62、特異度0.69であり、正答率、曲線下面積、および感度において決定木モデルの方が高い値を示した。 【結論】 本研究で構築した決定木モデルはロジスティックモデルと比べて予測精度およびモデル解釈の容易さの面で、転倒リスクの一次スクリーニングツールとして有用である可能性が示された。また、本研究で用いた予測因子は地域での機能健診や臨床での理学療法場面において一般的に評価されている変数であり、従来の転倒関連因子を活用しつつ転倒予測精度をさらに向上させる上で、決定木分析を含む機械学習手法は効果的であると考えられる。今後、より広範囲にわたる予測因子の検討や他の学習モデルを含めた検証により、予測精度のさらなる向上を目指す必要がある。 【倫理的配慮、説明と同意】 本研究は、著者所属機関の倫理・利益相反委員会の承認を受けて実施した。ヘルシンキ宣言の趣旨に沿い、対象者には本研究の主旨および目的を口頭と書面にて説明を行い、書面にて同意を得た上で本研究を実施した。

BACKGROUND: Physical frailty is associated with social activity. However, the relationship between physical frailty and levels of engagement with other people during social activities remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to clarify the relationship between physical frailty and social activity using a taxonomy of activity levels among community-dwelling older adults in Japan. METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study analyzed data from 12,788 older adults (7001 women, mean age: 73.8 years, standard deviation = 5.9; range: 60-96 years) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Physical frailty was assessed using the following components: slow walking speed, muscle weakness, exhaustion, low activity, and weight loss. We asked participants about seven social activities that included social participation and engagement and examined their relationship to physical frailty. RESULTS: Physical frailty was independently associated with all social activities. Exercise circle activity, which includes a level of social participation, was strongly associated with physical pre-frailty and physical frailty. Results of sub-analyses indicated that the level of social engagement was independently associated with physical frailty in the older group (over 75 years) but not in the younger group (60-74 years). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the strength of the association between social activity and physical frailty differs by the level of social participation. Given the increasingly high prevalence of physical frailty in Japan and its strong association with numerous adverse health outcomes, the relationship between physical frailty and levels of social participation may assist in developing measures to prevent the incidence and progression of physical frailty.

BACKGROUND: Driving cessation is a major negative life event that has been associated with a decline in health conditions including dementia. The increase in activity owing to the expansion of life space is a possible explanation for the positive relationship between driving and brain health. The present study examined the association between driving, life space, and structural brain volume in older individuals. METHODS: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging was employed to examine the brain volume in 1063 older adults. Participants were classified as non-drivers, those who drove <7 days a week, and everyday drivers. They were further classified into a non-driving group, an active group (drove 10 km at least once a week), and a less-active group (drove 10 km less than once a week). RESULTS: The hippocampal volume was greater in drivers than in non-drivers. Occipital cortex volume was greater in low-frequency drivers than in non-drivers and high-frequency drivers. Active drivers exhibited larger temporal cortex volumes than less-active drivers, larger cingulate cortex volumes than non-drivers and less-active drivers, and larger hippocampal volumes than non-drivers. CONCLUSION: Driving was associated with hippocampal brain atrophy attenuation, with active drivers exhibiting decreased brain atrophy in the temporal and cingulate cortices.

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Introduction:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The prevalence of hearing and visual impairment (HI and VI) and dual sensory impairment (DSI), which is a combination of both, is increasing as the population ages. These sensory impairments are expected to increase the cognitive load of information processing from hearing and vision and impair appropriate cognitive processing. Although an association between DSI and cognitive decline has been reported, a more detailed study of the effects on each cognitive domain is required. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-reported sensory impairment in community-dwelling older adults and to examine the impact of DSI on the severity of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and on each cognitive domain (memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The participants were recruited from a sub-cohort of the National Center for Geriatric Gerontology-Study on Geriatric Syndromes (NCGG-SGS) conducted by the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. We included 4,471 community-dwelling older adults (age: 75.9 ± 4.3 years; females: 52.3%) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The HI and VI were identified using a self-report questionnaire. Cognitive and other parameters were also assessed by trained staff. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the presence of HI and VI and the severity of MCI, and functional decline in each cognitive domain. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; DSI was identified in 11.4% of community-dwelling older adults. Regarding sensory impairment and MCI severity, the odds ratio (OR) for single-domain MCI was significantly higher in VI (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.06–1.61), and the OR for multiple-domain MCI was significantly higher in DSI (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.10–2.29). In relation to the four cognitive domains, ORs for impaired executive function were higher for VI and DSI (VI, OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.09–1.72. DSI, OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06–1.81). DSI also exhibited a higher odds ratio for reduced processing speed (OR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.42–2.91). &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Discussion/Conclusion:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; DSI is predicted to increase as the population ages and is associated with various health problems. Further, DSI has been reported to decrease quality of life, which needed to establish appropriate treatment and prevention measures.

Background Older people with high cardiovascular risk, including those without cardiovascular diseases, are an at-risk population for dementia. Regular physical activity is generally recommended to maintain brain health; however, the optimal intensity of physical activity for maintaining brain volume in older adults with cardiovascular risk remains unclear. We examined the associations between intensity-specific physical activity and brain volume stratified by absolute cardiovascular risk level in older adults without cardiovascular diseases. Methods and results This cross-sectional study involved 725 community-dwelling older Japanese adults without cardiovascular diseases. We estimated absolute cardiovascular risk using the World Health Organization risk estimation charts, which include variables such as age, sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol, and stratified cardiovascular risk level into three risk categories: low (≤ 9%), moderate (10–14%), and high (≥15%). We measured daily physical activity using a triaxial accelerometer, and calculated the average time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and light intensity physical activity (LPA). We performed brain T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and calculated the volume of the cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, and cerebral white matter, using the FreeSurfer software. In the overall sample, multivariable linear regression analysis showed that greater MVPA was significantly associated with greater volume of the cortical gray matter and cerebral white matter, and greater LPA was significantly associated with greater volume of the cerebral white matter. Additionally, in the analysis of the sample stratified by absolute cardiovascular risk level, cerebral white matter volume was significantly associated with both MVPA and LPA in the high cardiovascular risk group. Conclusions The association between physical activity and brain volume differed according to cardiovascular risk level in community-dwelling older adults. In a population at high cardiovascular risk, maintaining or increasing LPA might be a practical and achievable strategy for healthy brain aging.

BACKGROUND: The number of socially isolated older adults has increased owing to the coronavirus disease pandemic, thus leading to a decrease in cognitive functions among this group. Smartphone use is expected to be a reasonable preventive measure against cognitive decline in this social context. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the influence of social isolation and smartphone use on cognitive functions in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: We divided 4,601 community-dwelling older adults into four groups based on their levels of social isolation and smartphone use. Then, we conducted cognitive functions tests including a word list memory task, trail-making test, and symbol digit substitution task. Social isolation was defined when participants met two or more of the following measures: domestic isolation, less social contact, and social disengagement. We used an analysis of covariance adjusted by background information to measure between-group differences in levels of cognitive functions and social isolation. A linear regression model was used to analyze the association of standardized scores of cognitive function tests with smartphone use. RESULTS: Smartphone users' scores of the symbol digit substitution task were superior compared with both non-users with social isolation and without. All cognitive functions were associated with smartphone use among non-socially and socially isolated participants. Socially isolated older adults showed an association only between trail making test- part A and smartphone use. CONCLUSIONS: Smartphone use was associated with cognitive functions (memory, attentional function, executive function, and processing speed) even in socially isolated community-dwelling older adults.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to estimate, using an isotemporal substitution model, the effect of replacing sedentary behavior (SB) with physical activity on the incidence of disability in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This 2-year longitudinal cohort study enrolled 3691 community-dwelling older adults (57.2% women; mean age = 74.0 [SD = 5.0] years). Individuals with dementia, stroke, Parkinson disease, depression, low Mini-Mental State Examination scores, dependence on basic activities of daily living, and missing data were excluded. Physical activity and potential confounding factors were investigated as a baseline survey of disability incidence, defined by Japanese long-term care insurance certification, for 2 years in 2 regions. Physical activity data (SB, light-intensity physical activity [LPA], and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity [MVPA]) were measured using triaxial accelerometers for 14 days, and daily mean time spent in each physical activity parameter was computed in increments of 10 minutes. The relationship between baseline physical activity and disability incidence adjusted for potential confounders was analyzed using multilevel Cox proportional hazards regression analyses with an isotemporal substitution model. RESULTS: The disability incidence rate was 3.8%, excluding individuals who could not be followed up. Replacing 10 minutes of SB per day with MVPA was associated with a decreased disability incidence (hazard ratio = 0.870; 95% CI = 0.766 to 0.988), whereas no evidence was found for replacing SB with LPA (hazard ratio = 0.980; 95% CI = 0.873 to 1.10). CONCLUSIONS: Replacing SB with MVPA was associated with a lower risk of disability. These findings are helpful for establishing disability prevention strategies. IMPACT: These results suggest that feasible changes in daily behavior, such as replacing 10 minutes of SB with MVPA daily, might have a protective effect on disability incidence. Clarifying these associations is useful for developing disability prevention strategies and may help reduce the incidence of disability in community-dwelling older adults.

Background Evidence is limited on the predictive validity of absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, estimated by multivariable assessments in old age, for disability and mortality. We aimed to examine the longitudinal associations of absolute CVD risk assessed using region-specific risk estimation charts with disability and mortality among community-dwelling people aged ≥65 years. Methods and Results This retrospective cohort study included 7456 community-dwelling people aged ≥65 years (mean age, 73.7 years) without CVD and functional decline at baseline. They lived in either Obu City or Midori Ward of Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. We estimated absolute CVD risk using the revised World Health Organization CVD risk estimation charts and stratified risk levels into 3 categories: low (<10%), mid (10% to <20%), and high (≥20%). We followed up the functional disability incidence and all-cause mortality monthly for 5 years. The prevalence of each CVD risk level based on the laboratory-based model was as follows: low CVD risk, 1096 (14.7%); mid CVD risk, 5510 (73.9%); and high CVD risk, 850 (11.4%). During follow-up, the incidence rates of disability and mortality were 33.4 per 1000 and 12.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed that the adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for disability incidence were 1.32 (1.13-1.56) and 1.44 (1.18-1.77) in mid and high CVD risk levels, respectively (reference: low CVD risk level); for mortality incidence, they were 1.53 (1.16-2.01) and 2.02 (1.45-2.80) in mid and high CVD risk levels, respectively (reference: low CVD risk level). Conclusions Absolute CVD risk was associated with both disability and mortality in people aged ≥65 years. Estimated CVD risk levels may be useful surrogate markers for disability and mortality risks even when assessed in old age.

The present study developed a simplified decision-tree algorithm for fall prediction with easily measurable predictors using data from a longitudinal cohort study: 2520 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older participated. Fall history, age, sex, fear of falling, prescribed medication, knee osteoarthritis, lower limb pain, gait speed, and timed up and go test were assessed in the baseline survey as fall predictors. Moreover, recent falls were assessed in the follow-up survey. We created a fall-prediction algorithm using decision-tree analysis (C5.0) that included 14 nodes with six predictors, and the model could stratify the probabilities of fall incidence ranging from 30.4% to 71.9%. Additionally, the decision-tree model outperformed a logistic regression model with respect to the area under the curve (0.70 vs. 0.64), accuracy (0.65 vs. 0.62), sensitivity (0.62 vs. 0.50), positive predictive value (0.66 vs. 0.65), and negative predictive value (0.64 vs. 0.59). Our decision-tree model consists of common and easily measurable fall predictors, and its white-box algorithm can explain the reasons for risk stratification; therefore, it can be implemented in clinical practices. Our findings provide useful information for the early screening of fall risk and the promotion of timely strategies for fall prevention in community and clinical settings.

BACKGROUND: Established clinical assessments for detecting dementia risk often require time, cost, and face-to-face meetings. We aimed to develop a Simplified Telephone Assessment for Dementia risk (STAD) (a new screening tool utilizing telephonic interviews to predict dementia risk) and examine the predictive validity of the STAD for the incidence of dementia. METHODS: We developed STAD based on a combination of literature review, statistical analysis, and expert opinion. We selected 12 binary questions on subjective cognitive complaints, depressive symptoms, and lifestyle activities. In the validation study, we used STAD for 4298 community-dwelling older adults and observed the incidence of dementia during the 24-month follow-up period. The total score of STAD ranging from 0 to 12 was calculated, and the cut-off point for dementia incidence was determined using the Youden index. The survival rate of dementia incidence according to the cut-off points was determined. Furthermore, we used a decision-tree model (classification and regression tree, CART) to enhance the predictive ability of STAD for dementia risk screening. RESULTS: The cut-off point of STAD was set at 4/5. Participants scoring ≥ 5 points showed a significantly higher risk of dementia than those scoring ≤ 4 points, even after adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.67 [1.40-5.08]). A decision tree model using the CART algorithm was constructed using 12 nodes with three STAD items. It showed better performance for dementia prediction in terms of accuracy and specificity as compared to the logistic regression model, although its sensitivity was worse than the logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a 12-item questionnaire, STAD, as a screening tool to predict dementia risk utilizing telephonic interviews and confirmed its predictive validity. Our findings might provide useful information for early screening of dementia risk and enable bridging between community and clinical settings. Additionally, STAD could be employed without face-to-face meetings in a short time; therefore, it may be a suitable screening tool for community-dwelling older adults who have negative attitudes toward clinical examination or are non-adherent to follow-up assessments in clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to social isolation measures, forcing many people to stay indoors, stop daily outdoor activities, and limit face-to-face social interactions with friends, colleagues, and family. This study aimed to identify if non-face-to-face interaction affects depressive symptoms and frailty in older adults. METHODS: We included 3834 older adults (age: 71.1 ± 6.9 [mean ± standard deviation] years; range: 60-96 years; 2153 women) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Interaction status was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Participants were categorized into: "both interactions" (both face-to-face and non-face-to-face interactions), "face-to-face only" (only face-to-face interactions), "non-face-to-face only" (only non-face-to-face interactions), "no interactions" (neither face-to-face nor non-face-to-face interactions) groups. Depressive symptoms and frailty were measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and Kihon Checklist, respectively. RESULTS: Potential confounding factors-adjusted odds ratios for both, face-to-face only and non-face-to-face only groups for developing depressive symptoms were 0.39 (95%CI, 0.26-0.57; p<0.001), 0.56 (95%CI, 0.38-0.84; p=0.004), and 0.51 (95%CI, 0.27-0.96; p=0.038), respectively, and those for development of frailty were 0.44 (95%CI, 0.30-0.65; p<0.001), 0.59 (95%CI, 0.39-0.87; p=0.008), and 0.63 (95%CI, 0.34-1.15; p=0.128), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that non-face-to-face interactions are also important in preventing the deterioration of mental health, which is a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, non-face-to-face interactions alone may not be sufficient to maintain physical health, and it is important to maintain opportunities for face-to-face interaction among older adults, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Deteriorated skeletal muscle condition, including sarcopenia, is a risk factor for disability in older adults. Promoting physical activity is a useful treatment for sarcopenia. However, optimal intensity of physical activity according to sarcopenia characteristics is unclear. METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study enrolled 2149 community-dwelling older adults (women 55.7%, mean age: 75.5 ± 4.0 years). Five-year disability incidence defined by Japanese long-term care insurance certification and accelerometer-measured physical activities (light-intensity physical activity [LPA] and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity [MVPA]), which were adjusted for potential confounders, was analysed using cox-proportional hazard model stratified by sarcopenia characteristics based on the diagnostic algorithm by the Asian working group for sarcopenia (robust, low physical function, low muscle mass, and sarcopenia). The sarcopenia group was defined as low muscle mass and low physical function (weakness and/or slowness). The low muscle mass and low physical function groups were each defined by these characteristics alone. Muscle mass was analysed via bioelectrical impedance analysis. Each intensity of physical activity times was divided by median values. RESULTS: The disability incidence rate was 15.4%, excluding those who could not be followed up. Mean LPA times were 43.8 ± 18.0, 45.6 ± 17.5, 45.4 ± 16.6, 40.8 ± 18.6, and 41.4 ± 18.5 min/day and MVPA times were 24.6 ± 17.6, 26.3 ± 18.3, 27.2 ± 17.3, 21.6 ± 16.3, and 21.5 ± 16.4 min/day in all participants, the robust, low muscle mass, low physical function, and sarcopenia groups, respectively. For all participants, higher MVPA was associated with disability incidence [hazard ratios (HR), 0.63; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.49-0.81; P < 0.001], whereas higher LPA showed no association (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.68-1.10; P = 0.22). Higher LPA was associated in the sarcopenia group (HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.15-0.85; P = 0.019), and MVPA was associated in the robust (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.39-0.87; P = 0.008) and low physical function (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45-0.98; P = 0.040) groups. Both LPA and MVPA showed no association in the low muscle mass group. The P values for interactions between sarcopenia characteristics and physical activity were 0.017 for LPA and 0.014 for MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: The LPA was associated with a lower risk of disability in older adults with sarcopenia, whereas MVPA was associated in subjects with robust and low physical function. Our findings indicate a need for individualized approaches to prevent disability based on muscle condition.

Prefrailty is an intermediate stage between non-frailty and frailty. It is associated with an increased risk of progression to frailty, which makes it important to screen older adults for prefrailty at an early stage. This study verified whether daily gait speed and number of steps measured using a tri-axial accelerometer could be used to identify prefrailty. In total, 1692 Japanese community-dwelling older adults were divided into robust (n = 1032) and prefrail (n = 660) groups based on the Kihon Checklist, which is a self-administered questionnaire. Both daily gait speed and number of steps were measured for two weeks using tri-axial accelerometers. We also calculated the area under the ROC curve and the cut-off values for these parameters. Our results showed that the cut-off value for daily gait speed was 106.3 cm/s, while that for number of steps was 6342.2. In addition, we found that the combined assessment of both cut-off values was a more effective way to screen older adults with prefrailty status compared to either parameter alone. This is also considered an effective way to reduce national expenditures for daily care assistance.

The relationship between the incidence of disability and cognitive function has been clarified, but whether life satisfaction is related to this relationship is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify whether life satisfaction is related to the relationship between the incidence of disability and mild cognitive impairment. We included 2563 older adults from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Baseline measurements included cognitive, life satisfaction, and demographic characteristics. Life satisfaction was measured using the Life Satisfaction Scale, which was stratified into three levels based on the score: lower, moderate, and higher. Associations between disability incidence and mild cognitive impairment were examined for each group according to life satisfaction, and monthly assessment for disability was monitored through long-term care insurance certification for at least 2 years from the baseline. At a 35.5-month mean follow-up, 150 participants had developed a disability. The potential confounding factors adjusted hazard for incidence of disability in the group with lower life satisfaction was 1.88 (CI: 1.05-3.35; p = 0.034) for mild cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment was associated with disability incidence, and the effect was more pronounced among older adults with lower life satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to examine the prospective associations of physical frailty with future falls and fear of falling (FOF) among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A prospective cohort study with a 48-month follow-up was conducted in a Japanese community. Participants were 2469 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older who completed baseline and follow-up assessments at intervals of 48 ± 2 months. Primary outcomes were recent falls (defined as at least one fall within the past year) and FOF (determined by response to "Are you afraid of falling?") at follow-up survey. Physical frailty, operationalized by the frailty phenotype (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, and low activity) based on the criteria of the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS), was also assessed as a predictor of future falls and FOF. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression showed that prefrailty or frailty increase the risk of not only future falls (odds ratio [OR]: 1.57; 95% CI = 1.20-2.05) but also FOF (OR: 1.33; 95%CI = 1.05-1.69). In addition, the relationship between baseline frailty status and future falls remained significant after adjusting for baseline FOF (OR: 1.55; 95% CI = 1.19-2.02), and the relationship between baseline frailty status and future FOF also remained significant after adjusting for baseline falls (OR: 1.32; 95% CI = 1.04-1.68). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty status may predict future falls and FOF among community-dwelling older adults. Strategies to prevent frailty may be beneficial to prevent not only future falls but also future FOF in a community setting. IMPACT: Falls and FOF have a close relationship but a different clinical meaning. Older adults with physical frailty may require monitoring as high risk not only for falls but also for FOF.

Identifying the relationship between physical and social activity and disability among community-dwelling older adults may provide important information for implementing tailored interventions to prevent disability progression. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the number of social activities on the relationship between walking habits and disability incidence in older adults. We included 2873 older adults (mean age, 73.1 years; SD, ±5.9 years) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes. Baseline measurements, including frequencies of physical and social activities, health conditions, physical function, cognitive function, metabolic parameters, and other potential disability risk factors (for example, the number of years of education); monthly assessment for disability was monitored through long-term care insurance certification for at least 2 years from baseline. During a mean follow-up of 35.1 months (SD, 6.4 months), 133 participants developed disability. The disability incidence was 19.0 and 27.9 per 1000 person-years for participants who walked more (≥3 times per week) and less (≤3 times per week) frequently, respectively. The potential confounding factor-adjusted disability hazard ratio was 0.67 (95% confidence interval, 0.46 to 0.96; p = 0.030). The relationship between habitual walking and the number of social activities was statistically significant (p = 0.004). The reduction of disability risk by walking was greater among participants with fewer social activities. Habitual walking was associated with disability incidence, with a more pronounced effect among older adults who were less likely to engage in social activities.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes and prediabetes contribute to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Currently, it remains unclear whether elevated blood HbA1c levels, including prediabetes levels, affect reversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to normal cognition. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the prospective associations of diabetes and prediabetes with reversion from MCI to normal cognition among community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study with a 4-year follow-up. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling older adults with MCI, aged ≥65 years at baseline (n = 787). METHODS: Participants' medical history of diabetes and blood HbA1c levels at baseline were assessed, and they were classified as control, prediabetes, and diabetes. Objective cognitive screening was performed using a multicomponent neurocognitive test at baseline and follow-up. Reversion from MCI to normal cognition over 4 years was determined. In the longitudinal analysis, we performed multiple imputations to adjust for a selection bias and loss of information. RESULTS: The reversion rates of MCI in the control, prediabetes, and diabetes groups were 63.4%, 55.6%, and 42.9%, respectively, in the completed follow-up dataset, and 54.6%, 47.2%, and 34.1%, respectively, in the imputed dataset. Multivariate logistic regression showed that diabetes decreases the probability of MCI reversion both before and after multiple imputations [odds ratio (OR) 0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.18-0.74 for before imputation, OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.19-0.72 for after imputation]. Furthermore, prediabetes also showed significantly decreased probabilities of MCI reversion both before and after multiple imputations (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34-0.94 for before imputation, OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.37-0.97 for after imputation). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Diabetes and prediabetes could inhibit MCI reversion. Adequate glycemic control may be effective in enhancing the reversion from MCI to normal cognition in a community setting.

OBJECTIVES: Investigating the lifestyle activity patterns of urban community-dwelling Japanese older adults, focusing on physical frailty and cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants comprised 8003 older adults (4489 women; mean age: 72.5 years, SD = ±6.1, range 60-95 years) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes. METHODS: Participants reported on their lifestyle activity status, including using public transport, grocery shopping, light exercise, gardening, money management, meeting friends, participating in events, and travel. Several potential confounding variables, such as demographic characteristics, were considered. We assessed their lifestyle activity patterns using a latent class analysis and defined physical frailty by either slow walking speed or poor grip strength. Cognitive impairment was defined by participants exhibiting more than 1 of the following symptoms: poor word list memory, poor attention, reduced executive function, and low processing speed test scores. We also examined the relationship between their lifestyle activity patterns and physical frailty and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of robustness, physical frailty, cognitive impairment, and frailty and cognitive impairment was 54.6%, 21.4%, 13.3%, and 10.7%, respectively. We defined 4 classes using latent class analysis: greater engagement in multidomain activities, lower engagement in going-out activities, lower engagement in cognitive and physical activities, and lower engagement in multidomain activities. Moreover, physical frailty and cognitive impairment were independently associated with lower engagement in going-out activity, lower engagement in cognitive and physical activities, and lower engagement in multidomain activities, after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Considering an older adult's lifestyle activity patterns in their day-to-day practice, clinicians can deliver more older adult-centered care, which in turn might lead to better outcomes in the primary prevention of disease.

AIM: The prevalence of diabetes generally increases with age, and older adults with diabetes are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes. Visceral fat accumulation is a well-known risk factor for diabetes in middle-aged adults, and its association with diabetes increases with age. The present study investigated the association between visceral fat and risk of diabetes in older adults that is yet to be completely elucidated. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 2850 community-dwelling older adults. Participants underwent abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis to estimate the visceral fat area (VFA). The risk of diabetes was assessed using the value of hemoglobin A1c according to the diagnostic criteria of diabetes. We examined the relationship of VFA and risk of diabetes, and explored the optimal cut-off value stratified by sex. RESULTS: In total, 47 of 1640 (2.9%) women and 41 of 1210 (3.4%) men had a high risk of diabetes. Higher values of VFA in units of 10 cm2 were significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes for both women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.17; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.02-1.34) and men (aOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.06-1.31) in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The cut-off value to classify 30% of subjects into high VFA (72 cm2 ) had a relatively higher sensitivity of 0.660 and was significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes for women (aOR: 3.49; 95% CI: 1.54-8.12), whereas all cut-off values we examined had no relation in men. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in VFA is associated with a high risk of diabetes in older adults but the optimal cut-off value is inconclusive in men. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; ••: ••-••.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal studies have shown that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) reverts to normal cognition (NC). However, we could not find any reports on the examination of changes in lifestyle activity patterns in older adults diagnosed with MCI and their outcomes, in a longitudinal study. We determined the changes in lifestyle activity patterns among older adults with MCI. METHODS: The participants in this study were 769 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years with MCI at baseline. Four years later, participants were categorized into reverters, maintainers, and converters who reverted from MCI to NC, maintained MCI, and had global cognitive impairment or Alzheimer disease, respectively. We used latent class analysis to classify changes in instrumental activities of daily living, and in cognitive, social, and productive activities of the participants. Subsequently, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed with reversion status and class membership as the dependent and independent variables, respectively. RESULTS: The reversion rate of 769 participants was 33.3%. The reverters maintained multidomain lifestyle activities, converters discontinued multidomain lifestyle activities or were inactive, and maintainers maintained productive activities. According to the logistic regression analysis, the activity patterns of those who continued to engage in multidomain lifestyle activities and start activities, were more likely to help in reverting from MCI to NC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Community-dwelling older adults with MCI who continued their multidomain lifestyle activities were more likely to revert to NC. Even if it does not revert to NC, continuing productive activities is important to maintaining MCI without converting.

Background: The estimated absolute cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk level is known to be a useful surrogate marker for future cognitive impairment; however, evidence regarding its predictive validity in terms of cognitive subtypes is limited. We aimed to examine subtype-dependent differences in the associations between absolute CVD risk and the incidence of cognitive impairment in a community-dwelling older Japanese cohort. Methods and Results: This study comprised 1,641 cognitively intact older Japanese participants without CVDs at baseline. We estimated absolute CVD risk using WHO region-specific risk estimation charts and included age, sex, diabetes mellitus, smoking, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol at baseline, and the CVD risk level was stratified into the three following risk categories: low (<10%), moderate (10 to <20%), and high (≥20%). Objective cognitive screening was performed using a multicomponent neurocognitive test at baseline and follow-up, and the incidence of cognitive impairment over 48 ± 2 months was determined. The incidence of cognitive impairment in low-, moderate-, and high-CVD risk participants was 1.2, 3.0, and 5.4%, respectively, for amnestic subtypes and 5.8, 10.1, and 14.0%, respectively, for non-amnestic subtypes. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the absolute CVD risk level was significantly associated with non-amnestic impairment but not with amnestic impairment. Conclusions: The absolute CVD risk estimated using region-specific risk estimation charts in old age is useful to predict incidence of cognitive impairment. Strategies to screen populations at risk of cognitive impairment and to prevent progression to dementia should be cognitive subtype-specific.

Social engagement and networking deter depression among older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults are especially at risk of isolation from face-to-face and non-face-to-face interactions. We developed the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Social Network Scale (NCGG-SNS) to assess frequency of, and satisfaction with, social interactions. The NCGG-SNS consists of four domains: face-to-face/non-face-to-face interactions with family/friends. Each domain score is obtained by multiplying frequency ratings by satisfaction ratings for each item; all scores were summed to obtain a total NCGG-SNS score (range: 0-64). Additionally, face-to-face and non-face-to-face subscores were calculated. Higher scores indicated satisfactory social networking. A cohort of 2445 older Japanese adults completed the NCGG-SNS and the Geriatrics Depression Scale-Short form. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and logistic regression determined predictive validity for depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were reported by 284 participants (11.6%). The optimal NCGG-SNS cut-off value to identify depressive symptoms was 26.5 points. In logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders, lower NCGG-SNS values were significantly associated with greater prevalence of depressive symptoms. Face-to-face and non-face-to-face subscores were associated with depressive symptoms. The NCGG-SNS is a valid and useful indicator of multidimensional social networking enabling identification of depressive symptoms in older adults.

Many of the modifiable risk factors for dementia are lifestyle-related, and multidomain interventions tailored to individual lifestyles are recommended to prevent cognitive decline and dementia. However, studies of the relationship between the environment and cognitive function have shown that cognitive disorders and dementia are more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of lifestyle activities on the association between neighborhood amenities and cognitive function. Our data were measured between August 2011 and February 2012. Participants comprised 3786 older adults (mean age: 71.5 years, standard deviation (SD) = ±5.2). We categorized neighborhood amenities as institutional resources that promote cognitively beneficial activities such as physical activity. We calculated the Walk Score® for all participants using their home address and divided them into three groups. We assessed their 12 lifestyle activities performed outdoors. Cognitive function was measured via Mini-Mental Status Exam, word list memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed. We found that participants who were more likely to report many lifestyle activities were more likely to have normal cognition, even in areas where neighborhood amenities were scarce. The clinical significance of this study is that increased lifestyle activity contributes to the prevention of cognitive decline.

The aim of this study was to examine the association between lifestyle activities, including physical, cognitive, and social activities, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) signature cortical thickness, as well as to examine the mediating role of AD signature cortical thickness in lifestyle activities and cognitive function in community-dwelling healthy older adults. Participants were 1026 older adults who met the study inclusion criteria. The physical, cognitive, and social activities of daily life were assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire. AD signature cortical thickness was determined using FreeSurfer software. Cognitive function was evaluated using the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool. Path analysis (based on structural equation modeling (SEM)) of cognitive activities indicated that the direct path from cognitive activities to cognitive function was significant (p < 0.001), as was the direct path from AD signature cortical thickness to cognitive function (p < 0.001). Physical (p < 0.05) or social activities (p < 0.05) had a direct effect on cognitive function. However, AD signature cortical thickness did not mediate the relationship between physical or social activities and cognitive function. Our findings suggest that higher levels of cognitive activities later in life have a significant and positive direct effect on cognitive function. Additionally, AD signature cortical thickness significantly mediates the relationship between cognitive activities and cognitive function.

The aim of this study was to examine cortical thickness changes associated with a multicomponent exercise intervention combining physical exercise and cognitive training in older adults with cognitive decline. This study involved a secondary analysis of neuroimaging data from a randomized controlled trial with 280 older adults having cognitive decline who were randomly assigned to either a multicomponent exercise group (n = 140) that attended weekly 90-minute exercise and cognitive training sessions or a health education control group (n = 140). The cortical thickness and cognitive performance were assessed at the baseline and at trial completion (10 months). The cortical thickness in the frontal and temporal regions was determined using FreeSurfer software. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool (NCGG-FAT). The cortical thickness significantly increased in the middle temporal (p < 0.001) and temporal pole (p < 0.001) in the multicomponent exercise group compared with the control group. Cortical thickness changes were significantly associated with change in trail making test (TMT)-A, TMT-B, and story memory after a 10-month multicomponent exercise intervention. This study suggests that multicomponent exercise programs combining physical exercise and cognitive training have important implications for brain health, especially in providing protection from age-related cortical thinning.

This study clarified the patterns of possessing modifiable risk factors of dementia that can be corrected by the elderly who were primarily determined to have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and then determined the relationship between retention patterns and outcomes from MCI through a 4-year follow-up study. The participants were 789 community-dwelling elders who were ≥65 years old with MCI at baseline. After 4 years, participants were classified into reverters and nonreverters, according to their cognitive function. Repeated measures analysis was performed after imputing missing values due to dropout. Nine modifiable risk factors at baseline were classified by latent class analysis. Subsequently, we performed binomial logistic regression analysis. The reversion rate of 789 participants was 30.9%. The possession patterns of modifiable risk factors among the elderly with MCI were classified into five patterns: low risk, psychosocial, health behavior, educational, and smoking factors. According to logistic regression analysis, the low risk factors class was more likely to recover from MCI to normal cognitive than the other classes (p < 0.05). These results may provide useful information for designing interventions to prevent cognitive decline and dementia in individuals with MCI.

We examined the predictive validity of a newly developed scale-the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Activities of Daily Living (NCGG-ADL)-to measure instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) ability. We tested the scale for detecting new incidences of functional disability among community-dwelling older Japanese adults. Participants were 2708 older adults (mean age = 79.0 years, 51.6% women) living in the community who had no functional decline at baseline. We assessed IADL ability using the NCGG-ADL scale, comprising 13 self-report questions. Next, we assessed their functional disability monthly for 24 months, based on the national long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. Among all participants, 430 (15.9%) had an IADL limitation at baseline, and 289 (10.7%) were newly certified as functionally disabled. Participants scoring ≤ 12 of 13 points in the NCGG-ADL showed a significantly higher risk of functional disability than did those scoring 13 points, even after adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.58 [1.19-2.09]). We thus validated the NCGG-ADL as a screening tool for assessing the risk of functional disability among community-dwelling older Japanese adults. We conclude that IADL limitations, as measured by the NCGG-ADL, could be useful predictors of functional disability.

OBJECTIVES: Visceral fat accumulation is detrimental for brain health and is associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. The objectives of the present study were to examine the association between visceral fat accumulation and prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and its subtypes. DESIGN: a cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: This study enrolled 6,109 community-dwelling older adults, including 3,434 women (mean age: 74.4 years) and 2,675 men (mean age: 74.3 years). Individuals with dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≤23, and who could not perform basic activities of daily living independently were excluded. MEASUREMENTS: Participants underwent neurocognitive assessments to assess mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and its subtypes. Visceral fat area (VFA) was measured using abdominal bioelectrical impedance analysis. Participants were divided into quartile groups by VFA. RESULTS: There were 731 (21.3%) women and 562 (21.0%) men with MCI, and the median VFA values were 63.3 cm2 and 96.3 cm2, respectively. Women participants in the second (adjusted odds ratios [aOR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.54-0.94), third (aOR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47-0.92), and fourth quartiles of VFA (aOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.93) had a significantly lower risk of MCI than those in the first quartile. Higher VFA quartiles in women were associated with lower risk of non-amnestic MCI. There were no significant differences in men between quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: Visceral fat accumulation was associated with MCI, especially non-amnestic MCI, in community-dwelling older Japanese women. These results suggest that visceral fat accumulation is partially protective against cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Both pain interference and depressive symptoms have certain effects on dementia, and these are reciprocally related. However, comorbid effects of pain interference and depressive symptoms on dementia have not been examined in detail. OBJECTIVE: This longitudinal study aimed to examine the combined effects of pain interference and depressive symptoms on the incidence of dementia in community-dwelling elderly individuals. METHODS: This prospective cohort study with a 36-month follow-up period included 4,326 community-dwelling elderly individuals without dementia at baseline. Pain interference and depressive symptoms were assessed for every participant at baseline. We collected medical records in the Japanese public health insurance system to identify the incidence of dementia for 36 months. RESULTS: The incidence rates of dementia during the follow-up period in the control, pain-interference, depressive-symptoms, and comorbid group were 3.2%, 6.2%, 7.9%, and 11.3%, respectively. A Cox regression analysis showed that the hazard ratios for the incidence of dementia were 1.85 (95% CI: 1.13-3.03) in the pain interference group, 1.87 (95% CI: 1.27-2.76) in the depressive symptoms group, and 2.20 (95% CI: 1.26-3.84) in the comorbid group, after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSION: The coexistence of pain interference and depressive symptoms had a greater effect on the incidence of dementia than either condition alone in community-dwelling elderly individuals. Pain interference and depressive symptoms are known as common comorbid conditions and often form a negative cycle that accelerates the worsening of the individual symptoms of both. Thus, the comorbidity of these conditions may require monitoring for the prevention of dementia.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention combining physical, cognitive, and social activities developed to promote community activity in improving cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). DESIGN: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A total of 83 Japanese older adults with MCI participated in the study from April to September 2017. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to either the multicomponent intervention group (n = 41), attending 90-minute physical, cognitive, or social activity sessions using community resources twice weekly, or the health education control group (n = 42). OUTCOMES: The primary outcomes were cognitive functions, and the secondary outcomes were grip strength, walking speed, depressive symptoms, physical activities, number of outdoor activities, and conversation time. RESULTS: Analysis using linear mixed models revealed significantly greater improvements in the intervention group in spatial working memory (p =  0.024) following intervention compared with the control group. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p =  0.048) and step count (p =  0.059) decreased from the baseline post-intervention in the control group, whereas the baseline was maintained in the intervention group. No significant between-group differences were found post-intervention in the other primary and secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that a 24-week multicomponent intervention program was effective in improving spatial working memory and maintaining physical activity in older adults with MCI. A follow-up investigation is required to determine whether continuation of physical, cognitive, and social activity can prevent dementia or reverse MCI in older adults.

This study examined the association between pain characteristics and the incidence of functional disability among community-dwelling older adults. This prospective cohort study included 4,365 older adults (mean age 74.7 years, 53.5% female) living in community settings. Pain characteristics, including severity and duration of pain, were assessed in participants who also underwent monthly follow-up assessment of functional disability for 24 months based on the national long-term care insurance system. Among the 4,365 participants, 2,149 (48.7%) reported pain, regardless of severity and duration. Of the 2,149 participants with pain, 950 (44.2%) reported moderate to severe pain and 1,680 (78.2%) reported chronic pain. Based on the univariate analyses, participants with moderate (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.48 [1.05-2.09]) or severe (2.84 [1.89-4.27]) pain and chronic pain (1.50 [1.15-1.95]) showed significantly higher risk of disability incidence than did those without pain. After adjusting for covariates, severe pain remained a significant predictor (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.66 [1.05-2.62]), but moderate (1.00 [0.69-1.47]) and chronic pain (1.04 [0.77-1.40]) did not. Our results established that moderate to severe pain or chronic pain affects functional disability; in particular, severe pain was independently associated with the incidence of disability. Subjective complaints of pain do not always correspond to physical causes; however, simplified questions regarding pain characteristics could be useful predictors of functional disability in community-dwelling older people.

Introduction: Numerous studies have focused on nonpharmacological interventions on cognitive function and the effects of cognitive function on daily living. However, effects of behavior change techniques that promote physical, cognitive, and social activities on cognitive function and incident dementia in the elderly are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to design a single-blind, randomized controlled trial to study dementia prevention effects of behavior change techniques, using an accelerometer and a newly developed daily activity booklet in community-living older adults. Methods: The study cohort comprised 5390 individuals aged 65 years and older who were randomized into one of the following three groups: accelerometer group (n = 1508), accelerometer and daily activity booklet group (n = 1180), or a control group (n = 2702; vs. accelerometer group [n = 1509] vs. accelerometer and daily activity booklet group [n = 1193]). Incident dementia was diagnosed based on the Japanese Health Insurance System data. The participants without dementia at baseline, who are diagnosed with dementia over a 36-month follow-up period, are considered to have incident dementia. The participants of the accelerometer group were asked to wear the accelerometer everyday and visit a site having data readers to download the accelerometer data every month. The subjects of the booklet group were requested to not only wear the accelerometer but also record the physical, cognitive, and social activities. The participants receive a feedback report from the data of the accelerometer and booklet. Discussion: The study has the potential to provide the first evidence of effectiveness of the self-monitoring tools in incident dementia. In case our trial results suggest a delayed dementia onset upon self-monitoring interventions, the study protocol will provide a cost-effective and safe method for maintaining a healthy cognitive aging.