RF1AG077474

Myosteatosis, Cognition, and Blood Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in Persons of African Ancestry - Abstract

Persons of African Ancestry (PAA) have higher rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and higher rates of adiposity, compared to other races. While overall adiposity and visceral fat are known risk factors for cognitive impairment and ADRD, emerging evidence by us and others suggests that fat in muscle (myosteatosis) has independent negative effects on cognition and brain health among PAA.

Since myosteatosis is greater in PAA compared to others, we propose that myosteatosis may be a novel risk factor with special relevance for ADRD in PAA. Compared to overall or visceral adiposity, myosteatosis could be more harmful to the brain. While adipose tissue in muscle and elsewhere releases adipokines with pro-inflammatory effects, myosteatosis also damages muscle and impairs the release of myokines, which are largely beneficial to metabolism and neural health. Since ADRD develops slowly, midlife and subsequent increase in myosteatosis over time may influence later brain health.

Our overarching hypothesis is that myosteatosis in PAA harms brain health in older age, in part, by compromising myokine homeostasis. Unknown, but key to establishing the foundation for this novel source of risk, is whether myosteatosis (Aim 1) and myokines (Aim 2) influence clinical and biological markers of ADRD late in life, and whether these effects are stronger and independent of adipokines, other adiposity (e.g. total, regional).

All hypotheses account for risk factors for poor cognition, especially, but not only, genetic factors (APOE4), and adiposity-related conditions (diabetes, hypertension, sedentary behavior, poor sleep). Since sex affects the prevalence of ADRD and myosteatosis, we test whether associations vary by sex. We build on our ongoing NIH-funded 20+ year longitudinal studies of PAA in the Tobago Caribbean region (N~4,000).

For this Tobago Brain Study, we will recruit 1000 of them who are aged 65+, with existing midlife measures of myosteatosis, other adiposity, demographics, medical and reproductive history, circulating biomarkers of metabolism (HOMA-IR, lipids, etc.), subclinical vascular measures, and blood biorepository. We will repeat these measures and newly add detailed neuropsychological tests, plasma levels of ADRD biomarkers, and adipokines. We measure myokines both at midlife (using our existing biorepository) and at the proposed new exam.

This study provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine the influence of midlife myosteatosis and related myokines on brain health in a minority population using a cost-effective study design and existing NIH investments. We expect to determine the extent to which myosteatosis and specific myosteatosis-related myokine patterns contribute independently to cognitive function and biomarkers of ADRD in PAA. Our findings could lead to novel subgroup-targeted, muscle fat-specific interventions to reduce ADRD risk in PAA.

University Of Pittsburgh - Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

Pennsylvania United States

State-Wide

Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional) (PA-20-272)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 07/31/25 to 03/31/26 and the total obligations have increased 12% from $3,212,010 to $3,601,531.