Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate associations between common infections and neuroimaging markers of dementia risk (brain volume, hippocampal volume, white matter lesions) across three population-based studies. METHODS: We tested associations between serology measures (pathogen serostatus, cumulative burden, continuous antibody responses) and outcomes using linear regression, including adjustments for total intracranial volume and scanner/clinic information (basic model), age, sex, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic position, alcohol, body mass index, and smoking (fully adjusted model). Interactions between serology measures and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype were tested. Findings were meta-analyzed across cohorts (N main = 2632; N APOE-interaction = 1810). RESULTS: Seropositivity to John Cunningham virus associated with smaller brain volumes in basic models (β = −3.89 mL [−5.81, −1.97], P adjusted < 0.05); these were largely attenuated in fully adjusted models (β = −1.59 mL [−3.55, 0.36], P = 0.11). No other relationships were robust to multiple testing corrections and sensitivity analyses, but several suggestive associations were observed. DISCUSSION: We did not find clear evidence for relationships between common infections and markers of dementia risk. Some suggestive findings warrant testing for replication.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2128-2142 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Alzheimer's and Dementia |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Mar 2024 |
Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- cerebral small vessel disease
- common infections
- dementia
- multiplex serology
- pathogen burden