1. |
- Santangelo, James S., et al.
(author)
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Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover
- 2022
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 375
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural dines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale.
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2. |
- Gonzales, Mitzi M., et al.
(author)
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Chronic depressive symptomatology and CSF amyloid beta and tau levels in mild cognitive impairment
- 2018
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In: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. - : Wiley. - 0885-6230 .- 1099-1166. ; 33:10, s. 1305-1311
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To investigate the association between chronic subsyndromal symptoms of depression (SSD), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, and neuropsychological performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Participants included 238 older adults diagnosed with MCI from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative repository with cognitive and CSF amyloid beta (Aβ1–42), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) data. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory identified individuals with chronic endorsement (SSD group N = 80) or no endorsement (non-SSD group N = 158) of depressive symptoms across timepoints. CSF biomarker and cognitive performance were evaluated with linear regression models adjusting for age, education, gender, APOE genotype, global cognitive status, and SSD group. Results: As compared to the non-SSD group, the SSD group displayed lower CSF Aβ1–42 levels (β = −24.293, S.E. = 6.345, P < 0.001). No group differences were observed for CSF t-tau (P = 0.497) or p-tau levels (P = 0.392). Lower CSF Aβ1–42 levels were associated with poorer performance on learning (β = 0.041, S.E. = 0.018, P = 0.021) and memory (β = −0.012, S.E. = 0.005, P = 0.031) measures, whereas higher CSF t-tau levels were associated with poorer performance on measures of global cognition (β = 0.022, S.E = 0.008, P = 0.007) and language (β = −0.010, S.E = 0.004, P = 0.019). SSD was independently associated with diminished global cognition, learning and memory, language, and executive function performance over and above the effects of CSF biomarkers (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: MCI participants with SSD displayed diminished CSF Aβ1–42 levels but did not differ from non-SSD controls in CSF tau levels. Additionally, CSF biomarkers and SSD independently accounted for variance in cognitive performance, suggesting that these factors may uniquely confer cognitive risk in MCI.
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3. |
- Mackin, R. Scott, et al.
(author)
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Late-Life Depression Is Associated With Reduced Cortical Amyloid Burden : Findings From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Depression Project
- 2021
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In: Biological Psychiatry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3223. ; 89:8, s. 757-765
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: We evaluated the role of cortical amyloid deposition as a factor contributing to memory dysfunction and increased risk of dementia associated with late-life depression (LLD). Methods: A total of 119 older adult participants with a current diagnosis of major depression (LLD) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) Depression Project study and 119 nondepressed (ND) cognitively unimpaired participants matched on age, sex, and APOE genotype were obtained from the ADNI database. Results: Thirty-three percent of LLD participants met ADNI criteria for mild cognitive impairment. Compared with ND individuals, the LLD group exhibited less global amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation (p = .05). The proportion of amyloid positivity in the LLD group was 19.3% compared with 31.1% for the ND participants (p = .02). Among LLD participants, global Aβ was not associated with lifetime number of depressive episodes, lifetime length of depression, length of lifetime selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use, or lifetime length of untreated depression (p >. 21 for all). Global Aβ was associated with worse memory performance (p = .05). Similar results were found in secondary analyses restricting comparisons to the cognitively unimpaired LLD participants as well as when comparing the LLD group with an ND group that included participants with mild cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Contrary to expectation, the LLD group showed less Aβ deposition than the ND group and Aβ deposition was not associated with depression history characteristics. Aβ was associated with memory, but this relationship did not differ between LLD and ND. Our results suggest that memory deficits and accelerated cognitive decline reported in previous studies of LLD are not due to greater cortical Aβ accumulation.
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4. |
- Morin, Ruth T., et al.
(author)
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Depression Severity, but Not Cognitive Impairment or Frailty, is Associated with Disability in Late-Life Depression
- 2020
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In: Clinical Gerontologist. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0731-7115 .- 1545-2301. ; 43:4, s. 411-419
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Assess the relationship of cognitive impairment to disability, accounting for depression severity and frailty, among older adults with late-life depression (LLD). Methods: Data were analyzed from 78 community-dwelling older adults with LLD and without dementia (age M = 71.9; SD = 6.1). Cognitive functioning was assessed using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Depression severity was measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS; cutoff ≥15). Frailty was assessed using several motor tests. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS) measured disability status. A linear regression analysis was performed to identify relationships of cognition, frailty and depression severity with disability. Results: The average number of impaired cognitive tests was 2.0 (SD = 1.9), with 28.2% of participants showing no impaired scores. On average participants reported depression severity of 17.3 (SD = 3.6), and disability total score of 15.1 (SD = 6.9). The regression model accounted for 25.1% of the variance in disability, with only depression severity significantly predicting disability status. Burden of cognitive impairment and frailty were not predictive of disability in this sample. Conclusions: In this sample, only depression severity was associated with increased disability. Clinical Implications: These findings have implications for intervention in LLD, as depression severity may represent a more modifiable risk factor for disability.
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5. |
- Morin, Ruth T., et al.
(author)
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Latent Classes of Cognitive Functioning among Depressed Older Adults Without Dementia
- 2019
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In: Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. - 1355-6177. ; 25:8, s. 811-820
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective:Use latent class analysis (LCA) to identify patterns of cognitive functioning in a sample of older adults with clinical depression and without dementia and assess demographic, psychiatric, and neurobiological predictors of class membership.Method:Neuropsychological assessment data from 121 participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative-Depression project (ADNI-D) were analyzed, including measures of executive functioning, verbal and visual memory, visuospatial and language functioning, and processing speed. These data were analyzed using LCA, with predictors of class membership such as depression severity, depression and treatment history, amyloid burden, and APOE e4 allele also assessed.Results:A two-class model of cognitive functioning best fit the data, with the Lower Cognitive Class (46.1% of the sample) performing approximately one standard deviation below the Higher Cognitive Class (53.9%) on most tests. When predictors of class membership were assessed, carrying an APOE e4 allele was significantly associated with membership in the Lower Cognitive Class. Demographic characteristics, age of depression onset, depression severity, history of psychopharmacological treatment for depression, and amyloid positivity did not predict class membership.Conclusion:LCA allows for identification of subgroups of cognitive functioning in a mostly cognitively intact late life depression (LLD) population. One subgroup, the Lower Cognitive Class, more likely to carry an APOE e4 allele, may be at a greater risk for subsequent cognitive decline, even though current performance on neuropsychological testing is within normal limits. These findings have implications for early identification of those at greatest risk, risk factors, and avenues for preventive intervention.
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6. |
- Morin, Ruth T., et al.
(author)
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Somatic and anxiety symptoms of depression are associated with disability in late life depression
- 2020
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In: Aging and Mental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 24:8, s. 1225-1228
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To assess the relationships of somatic and anxiety symptoms of depression with functional disability in a sample of older adults with late life depression. Method: Data were analyzed from 78 older adults aged 65–88 with current major depression. Somatic and anxiety symptoms from the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were summed to create variables measuring severity of these symptoms. Other symptoms of depression were also assessed using the remaining items of the HDRS. Current physical health burden was assessed using the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI). Disability was measured with the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) total limitation score. A linear regression analysis was performed to assess the association of somatic and anxiety symptoms with disability independent of other factors. Results: The model accounted for 26.6% of variance in disability, (F(6,51) = 3.1, p =.01). Somatic (B = −1.9, p =.004) and anxiety (B = −3.7, p =.04) symptoms of depression were significantly associated with disability. Other depressive symptoms and physical illness burden were not associated with disability. Discussion: In older adults with major depression, somatic and anxiety symptoms of depression are associated with disability. Identification and treatment to remission of these symptoms may improve functional outcomes among older depressed adults.
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7. |
- Rhodes, Emma, et al.
(author)
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The impact of amyloid burden and APOE on rates of cognitive impairment in late life depression
- 2021
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In: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877. ; 80:3, s. 991-1002
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is a key feature of late life depression (LLD), but the contribution of underlying neurodegenerative pathology remains unclear. Objective: To evaluate cognitive dysfunction in LLD relative to a sample of nondepressed (ND) older adults with matched levels of memory impairment and amyloid-β (Aβ) burden. Methods: Participants included 120 LLD and 240 ND older adults matched on age, education, sex, Mini-Mental State Exam, mild cognitive impairment diagnosis, and PET Aβ burden. Results: LLD showed higher rates of impairment relative to ND with 54.6% of the LLD sample demonstrating impairment in at least one cognitive domain compared to 42.9% of controls (H = 7.13, p = 0.008). LLD had poorer performance and higher rates of impairment on Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test learning and memory compared to controls. In the overall sample, Aβ positivity was associated with worse performance on Logical Memory I (p = 0.044), Logical Memory II (p = 0.011), and Trail Making Test -B (p = 0.032), and APOE ϵ4 genotype was associated with worse performance on Logical Memory I (p =0.022); these relationships did not differ between LLD and ND. Conclusion: LLD showed higher rates of CI driven by focal deficits in verbal learning and memory. Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers were associated with worse performance on timed set-shifting and story learning and memory, and these relationships were not impacted by depression status. These findings suggest that AD may account for a portion of previously reported multi-domain CI in LLD and highlight the potential for AD to confound studies of cognition in LLD.
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