@article {12509, title = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease genetic burden is associated with mid-life depression among persons with normal cognition.}, journal = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s \& Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s Association}, year = {Forthcoming}, abstract = {

INTRODUCTION: Despite an established link between depression and higher Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease (AD) risk, it is unclear whether the conditions share pathophysiology. Here, we investigated whether depression manifesting after age 50 is associated with a genetic predisposition to AD.

METHODS: From the population-based Health and Retirement Study cohort with biennial assessments of depressive symptoms and cognitive performance, we studied 6656 individuals of European ancestry with whole-genome genotyping. Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for AD were estimated and examined for an association with depression in cognitively normal participants using regression modeling.

RESULTS: Among cognitively normal participants, those with a higher AD PRS were more likely to experience depression after age 50 after accounting for the effects of genetic predisposition to depression, sex, age, and education.

DISCUSSION: Genetic predisposition to AD may be one of the factors contributing to the pathogenesis of mid-life depression. Whether there is a shared genetic basis between mid-life depression and AD merits further study.

}, keywords = {Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease, mid-life depression, Polygenic risk score}, issn = {1552-5279}, doi = {10.1002/alz.12716}, author = {Wingo, Thomas S and Gerasimov, Ekaterina S and Canon, Se Min and Lah, James J and Levey, Allan I and Wingo, Aliza P} } @article {13226, title = {Important Correlates of Purpose in Life in a Diverse Population-Based Cohort: A Machine Learning Approach.}, journal = {Am J Geriatr Psychiatry}, year = {2023}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Purpose-in-life (PiL) refers to the tendency to derive meaning and purpose from daily life experiences. Individuals with higher PiL were more likely to have better physical, mental, and cognitive health in prospective studies. Here, we aimed to identify important correlates of PiL among people of diverse backgrounds.

METHODS: Participants were recruited by the population-based Health and Retirement Study and provided information on 34 different sociodemographic and psychosocial factors through psychometrically validated measures. To identify important correlates of PiL, we employed regularized regression implemented by Elastic Net on the entire cohort as well as among self-identified black participants only and white participants only, respectively.

RESULTS: A total of 6,620 participants were included in this study, among whom 913 were black and 5,707 were white. We identified 12 and 23 important sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of PiL among black and white participants, respectively. Notably, all the 12 correlates in black participants were also correlates among white participants. Interestingly, when we examined both black and white participants together, being black was associated with having higher PiL. The correlates with the largest effect on PiL that were shared among black and white participants were hopelessness, perceived constraint on personal control, and self-mastery.

CONCLUSION: Several sociodemographic and psychosocial factors most strongly associated with PiL were shared among black and white participants. Future studies should investigate whether interventions targeting correlates of PiL can lead to higher sense of life purpose in participants of diverse backgrounds.

}, keywords = {diverse, Purpose in life}, issn = {1545-7214}, doi = {10.1016/j.jagp.2023.03.003}, author = {Bhatt, Rishab and Lori, Adriana and Liu, Jiaqi and Mei, Zhen and Wingo, Thomas S and Wingo, Aliza P} }