Young Adults Study Research Articles

Multimodal Adaptations to Expiratory Musculature-Targeted Resistance Training: A Preliminary Study in Healthy Young Adults.

Exercise-induced adaptations, including neuroplasticity, are well studied for physical exercise that targets skeletal muscles. However, little is known about the neuroplastic potential of targeted speech and swallowing exercises. The current study aimed to gather preliminary data on molecular and functional changes associated with the neuroplastic effects of 4-week expiratory musculature-targeted resistance training in healthy young adults. Five healthy young adult men aged between 19 and 35 years, M (SD) = 28.8 (2.68) years, underwent 4 weeks of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST). We measured changes in maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels at baseline and posttraining conditions. Furthermore, functional and structural magnetic resonance images were obtained to investigate the neuroplastic effects of EMST. We analyzed the effects of training using a linear mixed model for each outcome, with fixed effects for baseline and posttraining. MEP and serum BDNF levels significantly increased posttraining. However, this effect was not observed for IGF-1. A significant increase in functional activation in eight regions was also observed posttraining. However, we did not observe significant changes in the white matter microstructure. Preliminary data from our study suggest targeted resistance training of expiratory muscles results in molecular and neuroplastic adaptations similar to exercise that targets skeletal muscles. Additionally, these results suggest that EMST could be a potential intervention to modulate (or prime) neurotrophic signaling pathways linked to functional strength gains and neuroplasticity.

Associations of long-term exposure to temperature with coronary artery calcification risk among middle-aged adults: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

The impact of ambient temperature on population health has drawn increasing attention as climate change drives more extreme temperatures globally. However, little research has investigated its connection to subclinical cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to examine the impact of long-term exposure to temperature on coronary artery calcification (CAC) among middle-aged Black and White adults in four U.S. areas with varying climate and weather conditions. This study compiled long-term environmental temperature data and individual coronary artery Agatston score (0 vs. >0) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. It employed logistic regression and examined the influences of multiple temperature metrics, including average temperature and variation in the summer, winter, or during the year. Subgroup analyses by sex and race were also conducted. Increased average temperatures were associated with lower odds in the presence of CAC (winter average: odds ratio, 0.988 [95% CI, 0.979-0.998]; yearly average: 0.981 [0.964-0.999]), and yearly variation in temperatures was positively related to individuals' CAC risk (1.031 [1.005-1.057]). With statistical adjustment, female participants' CAC risk was significantly related to winter and yearly average temperatures (0.964 [0.932-0.998] and 0.943 [0.891-0.999], respectively), and White participants' CAC risk would increase with greater annual temperature variations (1.181 [1.023-1.363]). This study appears to be the first to examine the impact of long-term exposure to ambient temperature on subclinical cardiovascular diseases. Increased risks of CAC are linked to decreased average winter/yearly temperatures among females and greater yearly temperature variations among White adults.

The association between depressive symptoms and lower urinary tract symptoms and impact among women: Investigating behavioural, cognitive and physiological pathways.

Mechanistic studies are needed to understand why depressive symptoms are associated with poorer physical health. The objective of this study was to examine whether behavioural, cognitive and physiological factors mediated an association between depressive symptoms, measured in early adulthood, and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and their impact, a composite variable measured in mid-life adulthood, among women in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, conducted in four regions of the United States. Prospective cohort study. Data were examined for 871 women. Depressive symptoms were measured and averaged across Years 5, 10 and 15. Year 20 health behaviour combined information about smoking, physical activity and diet. Year 25 cognitive function combined performance on different cognitive tests. Year 25 metabolic syndrome combined standard risk criteria for waist circumference, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, blood pressure and glucose. A cluster analysis of urinary incontinence, other LUTS and impact data-collected two years after Year 25-was used to group women into one of four categories: no or very mild symptoms with no impact (bladder health) versus mild, moderate or severe symptoms/impact. Structural equation modelling showed a statistically significant direct path between depressive symptoms and LUTS/impact. Tests of indirect paths showed that health behaviours, cognitive function and metabolic syndrome did not mediate the association between depressive symptoms and LUTS/impact. Depressive symptoms in early adulthood appear to be associated with LUTS and their impact in mid-life adulthood over and above health behaviours, cognitive function and metabolic syndrome.

Impact of Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumor Treatments on Working Memory Tracts Using Resting-State fMRI and Tractography.

Working memory, a primary cognitive domain, is often impaired in pediatric brain tumor survivors, affecting their attention and processing speed. This study investigated the long-term effects of treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy (CT), on working memory tracts in children with posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion MRI tractography. This study included 16 medulloblastoma (MB) survivors treated with postoperative RT and CT, 14 pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) survivors treated with surgery alone, and 16 healthy controls from the Imaging Memory after Pediatric Cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults study (NCT04324450). Working memory tracts were identified by combining seed masks from rs-fMRI maps and whole-brain tractography from diffusion MRI. Connectivity alterations were assessed qualitatively and quantitatively, alongside neuropsychological evaluations and correlations with behavioral outcomes and mean supratentorial dose. Compared to controls, MB survivors exhibited significant impairments in the working memory network, including reductions in tract volume (TV), fiber density, fiber cross-section (FC), mean streamline length (MLS), and fractional anisotropy (FA) (all p = 0.04). Lower working memory scores were correlated with reduced TV and FA in MB survivors. Higher mean supratentorial doses were associated with lower TV, FC, and FA values across multiple tracts, particularly in the arcuate and superior longitudinal fasciculi. Tractography-derived features highlighted white matter damage as a biomarker of treatment-related neurotoxicity in PFTs survivors. These findings underscore the detrimental impact of RT and CT on working memory networks and emphasize the importance of preserving cognitive function during treatment planning.

Relationship between social support, functional outcomes and health-related quality of life in working-aged adults at three months after ischemic stroke: results from the FRAILTY study

BackgroundThe relationship between social support and functional outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after ischemic stroke (IS) remains unclear, especially in working-aged patients.AimTo assess the relationship between perceived social support, functional outcomes, post-stroke psychosocial symptoms, and HRQoL in working-aged adults three months after IS.MethodsA prospective and correlational design was used. Patients of working age (18–65 years) admitted for first-ever IS were enrolled in the prospective FRAILTY (Factors Affecting the Quality of Life After Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults) study (NCT04839887). HRQoL (using the Stroke Impact Scale, Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders), social support (using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), functional outcomes (using a modified Rankin Scale—mRS), and post-stroke psychosocial symptoms were assessed three months after IS. Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman’s correlations and multiple linear regression were used for analysis.ResultsA total of 121 (54.5% males, mean age 51.7 ± 8.4 years) IS patients were analyzed. Of those, 87.7% had excellent clinical outcomes (mRS 0–1) after three months. Patients reported significant improvement in all domains of self-reported HRQoL except memory and communication after three months. The overall perceived social support was not associated with HRQoL domains. Post-stroke depression was negatively associated with all domains of HRQoL. Living arrangements (living alone) and post-stroke depression were negatively associated with perceived social support after IS.ConclusionsMore insight into the relationship between variables of HRQoL in working-aged adults might increase their social participation, strengthen supportive relationships, and promote their recovery and rehabilitation process. Focusing on the management of emotional problems and supporting functional outcomes may be modifiable factors that may represent targets for strategies to improve the HRQoL. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between pre-stroke perceived social support and its types and post-stroke psychosocial symptoms in the long term.

U-Shaped Association Between Dietary Copper Intake and New-Onset Chronic Kidney Disease: A 30-Year Follow-Up Study From Young Adulthood to Midlife.

The relationship of dietary copper intake with new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) remained unclear. We aimed to examine the association of dietary copper intake with new-onset CKD in a 30-year follow-up study from young adulthood to midlife. A total of 4038 U.S. adults aged 18-30 years and without reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study was included. During a 30-year follow-up, 642 (15.9%) participants developed new-onset CKD. Overall, there was a U-shaped relationship between dietary copper intake and new-onset CKD (p for nonlinearity = 0.034). When copper intake was assessed as quartiles, compared with those in the second quartile (2.03-<2.46mg/day), the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) for new-onset CKD were 1.29 (1.05, 1.66), 1.29 (1.02, 1.64), and 1.49 (1.16, 1.91) for participants in the first (<2.03mg/day), third (2.46-<3.11mg/day), and fourth (≥3.11mg/day) quartiles, respectively. Similar U-shaped associations were observed for new-onset eGFR decline and albuminuria. There was a U-shaped relationship of dietary total copper intake with new-onset CKD, with the lowest risk at a dietary copper intake of 2.03-<2.46mg/day. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining optimal copper intake levels for the primary prevention of CKD.

Longitudinal Measures of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Are Associated with Subfertility in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

Previous reports have noted associations between subfertility in women and increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in later life. However, reports conflict regarding the associations between subfertility and CVD risk factors. Using data from a population-based cohort of Black and White women, we examined the association between longitudinal assessments of CVD risk factors and subfertility. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study is a prospective cohort of Black and White women who have undergone repeated assessment of CVD risk factors beginning at study baseline (1985-1986). Risk factors included cigarette smoking, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipid levels, glucose, and C-reactive protein. At approximately 40 years of age, an ancillary study assessed histories of subfertility. We used generalized estimating equations with a logit link model to examine associations between subfertility (dependent variable) and repeated CVD risk factors (independent variables), with adjustment for age, race, center, and education level in 1107 women. Cigarette use and higher levels of BMI, glucose, and triglycerides and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) were associated with subfertility after adjustment for age, race, and education. In multivariable models which included all of these risk factors, cigarette use (odds ratio [OR] 1.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.002, 1.006, p<0.0001) and HDL (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99, 0.995, p=0.046) were still associated with subfertility, but associations with BMI, glucose, and triglycerides were no longer significant. Women with subfertility histories have adverse CVD risk factors across the reproductive lifespan. Cigarette use is a strong risk factor for infertility.

Brain Function Outcomes of Recent and Lifetime Cannabis Use

Cannabis use has increased globally, but its effects on brain function are not fully known, highlighting the need to better determine recent and long-term brain activation outcomes of cannabis use. To examine the association of lifetime history of heavy cannabis use and recent cannabis use with brain activation across a range of brain functions in a large sample of young adults in the US. This cross-sectional study used data (2017 release) from the Human Connectome Project (collected between August 2012 and 2015). Young adults (aged 22-36 years) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), urine toxicology, and cannabis use data were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from January 31 to July 30, 2024. History of heavy cannabis use was assessed using the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism, with variables for lifetime history and diagnosis of cannabis dependence. Individuals were grouped as heavy lifetime cannabis users if they had greater than 1000 uses, as moderate users if they had 10 to 999 uses, and as nonusers if they had fewer than 10 uses. Participants provided urine samples on the day of scanning to assess recent use. Diagnosis of cannabis dependence (per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria) was also included. Brain activation was assessed during each of the 7 tasks administered during the functional MRI session (working memory, reward, emotion, language, motor, relational assessment, and theory of mind). Mean activation from regions associated with the primary contrast for each task was used. The primary analysis was a linear mixed-effects regression model (one model per task) examining the association of lifetime cannabis and recent cannabis use on the mean brain activation value. The sample comprised 1003 adults (mean [SD] age, 28.7 [3.7] years; 470 men [46.9%] and 533 women [53.1%]). A total of 63 participants were Asian (6.3%), 137 were Black (13.7%), and 762 were White (76.0%). For lifetime history criteria, 88 participants (8.8%) were classified as heavy cannabis users, 179 (17.8%) as moderate users, and 736 (73.4%) as nonusers. Heavy lifetime use (Cohen d = -0.28 [95% CI, -0.50 to -0.06]; false discovery rate corrected P = .02) was associated with lower activation on the working memory task. Regions associated with a history of heavy use included the anterior insula, medial prefrontal cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Recent cannabis use was associated with poorer performance and lower brain activation in the working memory and motor tasks, but the associations between recent use and brain activation did not survive false discovery rate correction. No other tasks were associated with lifetime history of heavy use, recent use, or dependence diagnosis. In this study of young adults, lifetime history of heavy cannabis use was associated with lower brain activation during a working memory task. These findings identify negative outcomes associated with heavy lifetime cannabis use and working memory in healthy young adults that may be long lasting.

Association Between Self-Reported Lactose Intolerance, Additional Environmental Factors, and Bone Mineral Density in Young Adults.

This study examines the relationship between self-reported lactose intolerance (LI), environmental factors, and their effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in young adults from Slovakia. We assessed 985 adults aged 18-30 years, with an average age of 21.61 ± 2.32 years, who were enrolled in this pilot cross-sectional study during the period 2019-2023. Individual environmental factors (smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, milk and milk product intake, and calcium intake) and self-reported LI were assessed using a detailed questionnaire. BMD was analyzed using the QUS device (Sunlight MiniOmni), and total weight was measured with the InBody 770 bioimpedance analyzer. Linear regression analysis showed the independent influence of age, total weight, and the presence of LI on the speed of sound in meters per second (SOS; m/s) and Z-score parameters in women (p < 0.05), whereas in men, age and smoking status were significant predictors of SOS (p < 0.05), and age and LI status significantly influenced the Z-score (p < 0.05). In the present study of young Slovak adults, the presence of self-reported LI and smoking had a negative effect on BMD, resulting in lower BMD in the radius.

Dietary carbohydrate quality is associated with epigenetic age acceleration: a cross-sectional study of the CARDIA cohort.

Dietary intake is one lifestyle factor that is expected to impact gene expression by altering DNA methylation (DNAm), thus affecting epigenetic aging. Studies on the association between quality of carbohydrates and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are scarce despite the evidence that quality may be more important than amount of carbohydrates consumed. We aimed to identify the cross-sectional associations of carbohydrate quality and fiber-rich food score with epigenetic age acceleration in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Trained interviewers administered the CARDIA Diet History to obtain dietary intake at exam year 20. EAA measures, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA) and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), were generated based on epigenetic age estimates calculated using DNAm profiling data from fasting blood samples at exam years 20, 25, and 30. Linear mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate the association of carbohydrate quality, defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio, and fiber-rich food score with EAA measures. After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, quartiles of carbohydrate quality (defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest carbohydrate quality quartile showing a difference (SE) of -1.19 (0.2) years of PhenoAA (p-trend<0.001) and -1.20 (0.1) years of GrimAA (p-trend<0.001) compared with the lowest carbohydrate quality quartile. Similarly, quartiles of fiber-rich food score (created based on daily intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest quartile showing a difference (SE) of -1.06 (0.2) years of PhenoAA (p-trend=0.002) and -1.31 (0.2) years of GrimAA (p-trend<0.001) compared with the lowest quartile. Our study findings suggest that consuming a high carbohydrate quality diet and a dietary pattern composed of fiber-rich foods is cross-sectionally associated with slower biological aging.

Neuroanatomical prediction of individual anxiety problems level using machine learning models: A population-based cohort study of young adults.

Anxiety, a mental state in healthy individuals, is characterized by apprehension of potential future threats. Though the neurobiological basis of anxiety has been investigated widely in the clinical populations, the underly mechanism of neuroanatomical correlates with anxiety level in healthy young adults is still unclear. In this study, 1080 young adults were enrolled from the Human Connectome Project Young Adult dataset, and machine learning-based elastic net regression models with cross validation, together with linear mix effects (LME) models were adopted to investigate whether the neuroanatomical profiles of structural magnetic resonance imaging indicators associated with anxiety level in healthy young adults. We found multi-region neuroanatomical profiles predicted anxiety problems level and it was still robust in an out-of-sample. The neuroanatomical profiles had widespread brain nodes, including the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, supramarginal gyrus, and entorhinal cortex, which implicated in the default mode network and frontoparietal network. This finding was further supported by LME models, which showed significant univariate associations between brain nodes with anxiety. In sum, it's a large sample size study with multivariate analysis methodology to provide evidence that individual anxiety problems level can be predicted by machine learning-based models in healthy young adults. The neuroanatomical signature including hub nodes involved theoretically relevant brain networks robustly predicts anxiety, which could aid the assessment of potential high-risk of anxiety individuals.

Associations of nonoccupational sedentary behaviors with cardiometabolic outcomes: coronary artery risk development in young adults (CARDIA).

The association between sedentary behavior (SB) and cardiometabolic risk may differ by SB domain and context. Nonoccupational SB is particularly important because it is discretionary and more amenable to change. This study estimated associations of nonoccupational SB contexts with hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM). A total of 3370 middle-aged adults (50.1 ± 3.6 years; 56% F) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study were included. Cross-sectional and 5-year prospective associations between self-report total SB and 6 context-specific SBs (television-TV, computer, transportation, phone, music, and paperwork) with HTN and DM were tested using logistic regression. Fully adjusted models controlled for sociodemographic variables, body mass index, and self-report moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity. Prevalences of HTN and DM at baseline were 48% (1618 cases) and 10% (320 cases), respectively. Each hour per day of total-SB was cross-sectionally associated with HTN (OR: 1.03, 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) but not DM, with nonsignificant prospective associations for HTN and DM. Of the context-specific SBs, only TV-SB was significantly associated with HTN or DM. Each hour of TV-SB was cross-sectionally associated with HTN (OR: 1.09, 95% CI, 1.03-1.15) and DM (OR: 1.18, 95% CI, 1.09-1.29), and prospectively with HTN (OR: 1.14, 95% CI, 1.04-1.26) but not DM. When comparing total-SB and the 6 context-specific SBs, TV-SB was most robustly associated with HTN. The findings were less clear for DM. Behavior change strategies that target TV-SB reduction may be effective at reducing HTN risk in middle-aged adults.

Predicting high variability in imageability ratings across age groups and its influence on visual word recognition.

Imageability, an important word characteristic in the psycholinguistic literature, is typically assessed by asking participants to estimate the ease with which a word can evoke a mental image. Our aim was to explore inter-rater disagreement in normative imageability ratings. We examined the predictors of variability around average imageability ratings for young, middle-aged and older adults (Study 1) and assessed its impact on visual word recognition performance in young adults (Study 2). Analyses of French age-related imageability ratings (Ballot et al., Behavior Research Methods, 54, 196-215, 2022) revealed that inter-rater disagreement around the average imageability value was critically high for most words within the imageability norms, thus questioning the construct validity of the average rating for the most variable items. Variability in ratings changed between age groups (18-25, 26-40, 41-59, and over 60 years) and was associated with words that are longer, less frequent, learnt later in life and less emotional (Study 1). To examine the consequences of elevated standard deviations around the average imageability rating on visual word recognition, we entered this factor in a hierarchical regression alongside classic lexico-semantic predictors. The effect of word-imageability on young adults' lexical decision times (Ferrand et al., Behavior Research Methods, 50, 1285-1307, 2018) remained significant after accounting for inter-rater disagreement in imageability ratings, even when considering the least consensual words (Study 2). We conclude that imageability ratings reliably predict visual word recognition performance in young adults for large datasets, but might require caution for smaller ones. Given imageability rating differences across adulthood, further research investigating age-related differences in language processing is necessary.

The menopausal transition and multiple physiologic measures of early brain health in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study.

This study proposed to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of menopausal status with physiologic brain magnetic resonance imaging measures. The sample included women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study who self-reported their reproductive histories and participated in the brain magnetic resonance imaging substudies at the year 25 (n = 292) and year 30 (n = 258) follow-up examinations. Menopausal status was classified based on natural menstrual cycle regularity/cessation at both time points. Gray matter cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) was calculated as mean percent change in blood oxygen level-dependent signals in activated voxels following a breath-hold challenge. Gray matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) was assessed using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling. Linear regression models were used to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of menopausal status with gray matter CVR and CBF after adjustment for potential age-related covariates. Women were mean age 50 years at year 25; 37% were Black; and 46% were postmenopausal. Relative to premenopause or perimenopause, postmenopause was associated with lower gray matter CVR at year 30 cross-sectionally (1.86% vs 1.69%, P = 0.03, respectively) and longitudinally for women who were postmenopausal at both time points (-0.32% [95% CI, -0.63% to -0.02%]) after covariate adjustment. Mean CVR values were also lower for these women when compared with women who remained premenopausal or perimenopausal (1.71% compared with 2.04%, respectively). Menopausal status was unrelated to either concurrent or longitudinal gray matter CBF. These findings suggest that the ability of vessels to adapt in response to hypercapnia may be impaired during menopause, even within a relatively short time window.

The prospective association of cellular markers of biological aging with menopause in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

Evidence from cross-sectional studies mainly among postmenopausal women suggests that biological aging is associated with reproductive senescence. We evaluated the prospective association of cellular markers of biological aging measured during the premenopausal period, and changes in these markers, with age at menopause. We studied 583 premenopausal women (39% Black) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study who had data on biological aging markers in 2000-2001 and reached menopause by 2020-2021. Linear regression models were used to evaluate the association of telomere length, mitochondrial DNA copy number, intrinsic or extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration, and PhenoAge or GrimAge acceleration with age at menopause. The mean age at baseline was 41.2 ± 3.3 years, with the mean age at menopause being 49.1 (median, 50) years. About one in five women had surgical menopause. In chronological age-adjusted models, only baseline GrimAge acceleration was associated with age at menopause; women whose epigenetic age was older than their chronological age reached menopause at 0.12 years (~6 weeks) earlier compared with women with equal epigenetic and chronological age (β = -0.123; 95% CI, -0.224 to -0.022; P = 0.018). However, this association was not statistically significant after adjustment for sociodemographic, behavior/lifestyle, and metabolic factors. Similar results were observed when changes in these biological aging markers were evaluated. The same associations were observed in analyses limited to women who reached natural menopause. Sociodemographic, behavior/lifestyle, and metabolic factors remain comparable, if not more robust predictors of the age at menopause compared with cellular measures of biological age.

Maternal Wealth Implications of Child Incarceration: Examining the Upstream Consequences of Children's Incarceration for Women's Assets, Homeownership, and Home Equity

Qualitative research has documented mothers’ critical role in supporting adult children during and after incarceration. Yet, the implications of incarceration for mothers have been relatively unexplored. Wealth research has also largely overlooked the influence of adult children on parental wealth. Using linked mother–child data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the NLSY79 Child and Young Adult study, we investigate whether a child's incarceration influences mothers’ wealth and whether accounting for child incarceration history helps explain the racial wealth gap. We use an event-study analysis and fixed-effects models to assess the evidence that children's incarceration affects three forms of wealth: financial assets, homeownership, and home equity. We find significant relationships between child incarceration and maternal wealth, but the importance of current versus prior child incarceration depends on the type of wealth considered. We also find that child incarceration is much more detrimental in dollar terms for White women than for Black or Hispanic women, but the financial asset penalty associated with child incarceration is larger in percentage terms for Black women than for White women.

The association of coronary artery calcium progression and cognitive function in midlife ‐ The Coronary Artery Risk Development In Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about the impact of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and its progression on cognitive function in midlife, a time of importance for cognitive aging.MethodsIn CARDIA, CAC was measured using computed tomography at years 15 (baseline), 20 and 25. CAC progression was defined as: (1) CAC&gt;0 at follow‐up among participants with baseline CAC = 0; (2) an annualized change of ≥10 units at follow‐up among those with 0&lt;baseline CAC&lt;100; or (3) an annualized percent change (annualized change in CAC score divided by baseline CAC score) ≥10% among those with baseline CAC≥100. Cognitive function was measured with Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Stroop Interference, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Verbal Fluency (Letter and Category Fluency) at year 35. We used linear regression to estimate the difference between marginal means with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of each cognitive test by CAC score (0 vs &gt;0) and CAC progression.ResultsAmong 2,341 participants (mean age 40.3 ± 3.6 years, 56% female, 43% Black at baseline), higher CAC score and CAC progression were associated with significantly lower cognitive performance in all cognitive tests. After adjustment for demographics, the association remained for CAC progression, compared to no progression, for most test scores: DSST (‐2.70 95% CI: ‐4.05 to ‐1.36, p &lt; 0.001), MoCA (‐0.44 95% CI: ‐0.74 to ‐0.13, p = 0.005) and verbal fluency (‐0.85 95% CI: ‐1.57 to ‐0.12, p = 0.02). Similar associations were observed for higher CAC score (&gt;0 vs 0): DSST (‐3.11 95% CI: ‐5.16 to ‐1.06, p = 0.003), MoCA (‐0.81 95% CI: ‐1.28 to ‐0.34, p = 0.001) and RAVLT (‐0.67 95% CI: ‐1.12 to ‐0.23, p = 0.003). Additional adjustment for physical activity, depressive symptoms, and APOE, and mutually for baseline CAC score and progression did not materially change the association.ConclusionsCAC score and progression were associated with lower cognitive function in midlife. CAC progression may be an independent risk factor for early cognitive aging, independent of baseline CAC score and other risk factors.

A head-mounted Tilted Reality Device for the treatment of pusher syndrome: a usability study in healthy young and older adults

Pusher syndrome is a disorder of postural control after stroke. Patients show a mismatch in their perception of (almost preserved) visual and (pathologically tilted) postural verticality. In order to reduce this mismatch, we developed a novel head-mounted Tilted Reality Device (TRD). It presents patients visual footage of their actual surroundings but tilted to one side rather than upright. We investigated its usability and possible limitations in its use for the treatment of pusher patients in two samples of healthy participants with an average age of 26.4 years and 63.9 years respectively. Individuals from both age groups showed similar levels of tolerance to prolonged exposure to the tilted visual environment for an average of 40.4 min while walking around in the hospital. The TRD was found to be comfortable and not frustrating whilst wearing, but somewhat challenging in terms of technical handling, particularly for older participants. At the end of the maximally tolerated exposure time participants of both groups experienced some feelings of discomfort, like dizziness or increased stomach awareness, which disappeared rapidly after terminating TRD exposure. Our TRD appears to be a practical device especially for an older population, like pusher patients. While users must be aware of the possibility of side effects, these should be balanced against the benefits of future use for rehabilitation purposes.

Birth order, daycare attendance, and childhood socioeconomic status in relation to gingivitis: a cross-sectional study in Turkish young adults

AimBirth order, sibship size, breastfeeding, daycare attendance, and delivery method are known to influence the development of gut microbiota and the immune system, affecting the risk of many infectious diseases. This study aims to explore the impact of these factors, along with socioeconomic background and familial factors, on gingivitis and oral hygiene practices in early adulthood among the Turkish population.Materials and methodsPatients were diagnosed using periodontal clinical and radiographic assessments, adhering to the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. The study included 18-year-old individuals diagnosed with either generalized gingivitis or clinical gingival health. Data collected included sociodemographic factors, birth order, sibship size, delivery methods, breastfeeding duration, daycare attendance, and oral hygiene behaviors. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyze the associations between these factors and the presence of generalized gingivitis.ResultsA total of 178 individuals were evaluated, including 124 with generalized gingivitis and 54 with clinical gingival health. Daycare attendance was significantly associated with gingival health. Among those with gingival health, 55.6% had attended daycare, whereas only 29% of participants with generalized gingivitis had attended daycare. Conversely, 71% of those with generalized gingivitis did not attend daycare, compared to 44.4% in the gingival health group (p = 0.001). Univariate logistic regression identified a significant association between daycare attendance and a reduced risk of generalized gingivitis (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.327, p = 0.001). Later birth order was associated with a reduced risk of gingivitis (OR = 0.470, p = 0.037). Sibship size, delivery methods, and breastfeeding duration showed no clear associations with gingivitis (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe findings indicate a potential association between oral health status in adulthood and early childhood exposures, such as daycare attendance and birth order. Further research is necessary to confirm these associations and elucidate the mechanisms involved, even though these factors may contribute to gingival health in early adulthood. These insights may enhance our understanding of how early-life exposures relate to oral health outcomes and suggest that considering such factors could be beneficial in future oral health management strategies.Trial registrationTrial registration is also available at clinicaltrail.gov.Clinical Trials-ID: NCT06240247.Registration Date: 22.01.2024.

Latent class analysis of cardiac structure and function and association with premature cardiovascular disease: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study

ObjectiveTo generate data-driven phenogroups of cardiac structure and function based on echocardiographic measures assessed in asymptomatic middle-aged adults free of CVD, and examine associations between these newly defined phenogroups and incident premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). MethodsData were analyzed from participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study free of CVD who underwent an echocardiogram at the Year 25 (2010-2011) in-person examination. Continuous echocardiographic measures of left heart structure, left ventricular systolic function (including strain) and diastolic function, right ventricular systolic function, and hemodynamic measures were included in latent class analysis to generate novel phenogroups. Associations between data-driven phenogroups and risk of premature CVD (coronary artery disease, stroke, or heart failure) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for traditional CVD risk factors. ResultsAmong 3361 participants, mean (standard deviation) age was 50.1 (3.6) years, 57% were female, and 46% were non-Hispanic Black. Three overall phenogroups were identified and labeled as: (1) optimal cardiac mechanics (36.2%); (2) suboptimal systolic function (38.2%); and (3) suboptimal diastolic function (25.6%). Over a median 8.9 years of follow-up, 121 premature CVD events occurred. Risk of CVD was higher in the suboptimal diastolic function group (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 4.08 [95% CI: 2.48, 6.71] and adjusted HR 1.95 [1.12, 3.40]) compared with the optimal group. The suboptimal systolic function group had a higher unadjusted risk of CVD (1.86 [1.10, 3.15]), which was attenuated after adjustment for CVD risk factors (1.36 [0.79, 2.36]). Conclusions and relevanceUnbiased, data-driven clustering of echocardiographic measures in middle-aged adults identified distinct patterns of cardiac remodeling that were associated with risk of premature CVD. Premature CVD risk was highest with the pattern of suboptimal diastolic function. This suggests potential utility of a composite echocardiography-based index for prioritizing prevention strategies earlier in the life course.