Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, SO-44, Room 284H, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
Urban Health Collaborative and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Sep;56(9):1575-1585. doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-02000-w. Epub 2021 Jan 3.
Greater neighborhood greenspace has been associated with brain health, including better cognition and lower odds of Alzheimer's disease in older adults. We investigated associations between neighborhood greenspace and brain-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures and potential effect modification by sex or apolipoprotein E genotype (APOE), a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.
We obtained a sample of non-demented participants 65 years or older (n = 1125) from the longitudinal, population-based Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). Greenspace data were derived from the National Land Cover Dataset. Adjusted multivariable linear regression estimated associations between neighborhood greenspace five years prior to the MRI and left and right hippocampal volume and 10-point grades of ventricular size and burden of white matter hyperintensity. Interaction terms tested effect modification by APOE genotype and sex. CHS data (1989-1999) were obtained/analyzed in 2020.
Participants were on average 79 years old [standard deviation (SD) = 4], 58% were female, and 11% were non-white race. Mean neighborhood greenspace was 38% (SD = 28%). Greater proportion of greenspace in the neighborhood five years before MRI was borderline associated with lower ventricle grade (estimate: - 0.30; 95% confidence interval: - 0.61, 0.00). We observed no associations between greenspace and the other MRI outcome measures and no evidence of effect modification by APOE genotype and sex.
This study suggests a possible association between greater greenspace and less ventricular enlargement, a measure reflecting global brain atrophy. If confirmed in other longitudinal cohort studies, interventions and policies to improve community greenspaces may help to maintain brain health in older age.
更多的社区绿地与大脑健康有关，包括老年人更好的认知能力和更低的阿尔茨海默病发病几率。我们研究了社区绿地与基于大脑的磁共振成像（MRI）测量之间的关联，以及性别或载脂蛋白 E 基因型（APOE）的潜在影响修饰，APOE 是阿尔茨海默病的一个风险因素。
我们从纵向、基于人群的心血管健康研究（CHS）中获得了一组 65 岁或以上的非痴呆参与者（n=1125）。绿地数据来自国家土地覆盖数据集。调整后的多变量线性回归估计了 MRI 前五年社区绿地与左右海马体体积以及 10 分制脑室大小和白质高信号负担之间的关系。交互项测试了 APOE 基因型和性别对效应的修饰作用。CHS 数据（1989-1999 年）于 2020 年获得/分析。
参与者的平均年龄为 79 岁[标准差（SD）=4]，58%为女性，11%为非白种人。社区绿地的平均比例为 38%（SD=28%）。MRI 前五年社区绿地比例较高与脑室等级较低呈边缘相关（估计值：-0.30；95%置信区间：-0.61，0.00）。我们没有观察到绿地与其他 MRI 结果测量之间的关联，也没有发现 APOE 基因型和性别对效应修饰的证据。
本研究表明，更大的绿地面积与脑室扩大程度较低之间可能存在关联，脑室扩大程度反映了大脑整体萎缩。如果在其他纵向队列研究中得到证实，改善社区绿地的干预和政策可能有助于保持老年人的大脑健康。
