Li Kenan, Shacham Enbal, Brown David, Blake Matthew, Zhu Yiqi, Trani Jean-Francois, Babulal Ganesh M
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Department of Behavioral Science and Health Equity, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Jun;21(6):e70373. doi: 10.1002/alz.70373.
Sociodemographic predictors are established risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a leading cause of cognitive decline. This study examines the influence of environmental exposures like walkability, green space, and light pollution among older adults.
Cross-sectional analysis examined associations between walkability, green space, tree canopy, light pollution, and cognitive functioning among participants with and without preclinical AD based on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and/or positron emission tomography (PET) biomarkers. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) assessed their impact on cognitive performance, controlling for sex and race as categorical covariates, with age and education included as continuous variables modeled using smooth functions.
Walkability, green space, and tree canopy were significantly associated with better cognitive performance, while light pollution negatively impacted cognition. Biomarker positivity was not a significant predictor.
Our findings highlight the crucial role of environmental exposures on cognition, suggesting that urban design and environmental quality influence cognitive trajectories in older adults, regardless of biomarker status.
Walkability, green space, and tree canopy improve cognitive performance. Light pollution is linked to lower cognitive function in older adults. Biomarker positivity was not a significant predictor of cognitive outcomes. Urban design plays a key role in cognitive health and Alzheimer's risk.
社会人口统计学预测因素是阿尔茨海默病（AD）的既定风险因素，AD是认知能力下降的主要原因。本研究探讨了诸如步行便利性、绿地和光污染等环境暴露因素对老年人的影响。
横断面分析研究了基于脑脊液（CSF）和/或正电子发射断层扫描（PET）生物标志物，有或无临床前AD的参与者的步行便利性、绿地、树冠覆盖率、光污染与认知功能之间的关联。广义相加混合模型（GAMMs）评估了它们对认知表现的影响，将性别和种族作为分类协变量进行控制，年龄和教育程度作为连续变量，使用平滑函数进行建模。
步行便利性、绿地和树冠覆盖率与更好的认知表现显著相关，而光污染对认知有负面影响。生物标志物阳性不是一个显著的预测因素。
我们的研究结果突出了环境暴露对认知的关键作用，表明城市设计和环境质量会影响老年人的认知轨迹，无论生物标志物状态如何。
步行便利性、绿地和树冠覆盖率可改善认知表现。光污染与老年人较低的认知功能有关。生物标志物阳性不是认知结果 的显著预测因素。城市设计在认知健康和患阿尔茨海默病风险方面起着关键作用。
