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265 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 265
Screening in women at elevated risk for breast cancer
GC-HBOC - German Consortium for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: Rita Katharina Schmutzler, Christoph Engel, Ingrid Schreer

Date Published: 20th Oct 2010

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

Secular trends in the incidence of dementia in high-income countries: a protocol of a systematic review and a planned meta-analysis.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

INTRODUCTION: A global dementia epidemic is projected for the year 2050 with an ever-rising number of individuals living with the syndrome worldwide. However, increasingly, studies are emerging from … high-income countries (HIC) that show a positive trend towards a possible decrease in dementia occurrence. Therefore, we aim to systematically summarise evidence regarding secular trends in the incidence of dementia in HIC. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a systematic review of the literature on secular trends in dementia incidence in HIC according to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) and the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) statements. To do so, we will search the databases MEDLINE (PubMed interface), EMBASE (Ovid interface) and Web of Science (Web of Science interface), as well as the grey literature on unpublished studies. To be eligible, studies must have been published in English or German since 1990 and provide sufficient information on prespecified eligibility criteria regarding outcome measurement and methodological approach. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be performed independently by 2 reviewers. Disagreement will be resolved by discussion and/or the involvement of a third researcher. Data abstraction will include study and participant characteristics, outcomes and methodological aspects. Results will be described and discussed regarding methodology. Depending on the number of studies found and the heterogeneity between the studies, we plan to combine outcome data through meta-analysis in order to get pooled incidence measures. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No primary data will be collected; thus, ethical approval is not required. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016043232.

Authors: S. Roehr, A. Pabst, T. Luck, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 7th Apr 2017

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: dementia, Alzheimer's disease

Sepsis survivors monitoring and coordination in outpatient health care (SMOOTH): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
SepNet - German Competence Network Sepsis

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND Sepsis sequelae include critical illness polyneuropathy, myopathy, wasting, neurocognitive deficits, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and chronic pain. Little is known howlong-term …m sequelae following hospital discharge are treated. The aim of our study is to determine the effect of a primary care-based, long-term program on health-related quality of life in sepsis survivors. METHODS/DESIGN In a two-armed randomized multicenter interventional study, patients after sepsis (n = 290) will be assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months. Patients are eligible if severe sepsis or septic shock (ICD-10), at least two criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), at least one organ dysfunction and sufficient cognitive capacity are present. The intervention comprises 1) discharge management, 2) training of general practitioners and patients in evidence-based care for sepsis sequelae and 3) telephone monitoring of patients. At six months, we expect an improved primary outcome (health-related quality of life/SF-36) and improved secondary outcomes such as costs, mortality, clinical-, psycho-social- and process-of-care measures in the intervention group compared to the control group. DISCUSSION This study evaluates a primary care-based, long-term program for patients after severe sepsis. Study results may add evidence for improved sepsis care management. General practitioners may contribute efficiently to sepsis aftercare. TRIAL REGISTRATION U1111-1119-6345. DRKS00000741, CCT-NAPN-20875 (25 February 2011).

Authors: Konrad Schmidt, Paul Thiel, Friederike Mueller, Katja Schmuecker, Susanne Worrack, Juliane Mehlhorn, Christoph Engel, Katja Brenk-Franz, Stephan Kausche, Ursula Jakobi, Anne Bindara-Klippel, Nico Schneider, Antje Freytag, Dimitry Davydow, Michel Wensing, Frank Martin Brunkhorst, Jochen Gensichen

Date Published: 1st Dec 2014

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: disease by infectious agent

Serum BDNF correlates with connectivity in the (pre)motor hub in the aging human brain--a resting-state fMRI pilot study.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been discussed to be involved in plasticity processes in the human brain, in particular during aging. Recently, aging and its (neurodegenerative) diseases … have increasingly been conceptualized as disconnection syndromes. Here, connectivity changes in neural networks (the connectome) are suggested to be the most relevant and characteristic features for such processes or diseases. To further elucidate the impact of aging on neural networks, we investigated the interaction between plasticity processes, brain connectivity, and healthy aging by measuring levels of serum BDNF and resting-state fMRI data in 25 young (mean age 24.8 +/- 2.7 (SD) years) and 23 old healthy participants (mean age, 68.6 +/- 4.1 years). To identify neural hubs most essentially related to serum BDNF, we applied graph theory approaches, namely the new data-driven and parameter-free approach eigenvector centrality (EC) mapping. The analysis revealed a positive correlation between serum BDNF and EC in the premotor and motor cortex in older participants in contrast to young volunteers, where we did not detect any association. This positive relationship between serum BDNF and EC appears to be specific for older adults. Our results might indicate that the amount of physical activity and learning capacities, leading to higher BDNF levels, increases brain connectivity in (pre)motor areas in healthy aging in agreement with rodent animal studies. Pilot results have to be replicated in a larger sample including behavioral data to disentangle the cause for the relationship between BDNF levels and connectivity.

Authors: K. Mueller, K. Arelin, H. E. Moller, J. Sacher, J. Kratzsch, T. Luck, S. Riedel-Heller, A. Villringer, M. L. Schroeter

Date Published: 2nd Feb 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase Is Related to Cerebellar Connectivity: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pilot Study.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been suggested as a prognostic biomarker for neuronal alterations resulting from conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), neurodegenerative disease, or cardiac … arrest. To validate serum NSE (sNSE) as a brain-specific biomarker, we related it to functional brain imaging data in 38 healthy adults to create a physiological framework for future studies in neuropsychiatric diseases. sNSE was measured by monoclonal two-site immunoluminometric assays, and functional connectivity was investigated with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI). To identify neural hubs most essentially related to sNSE, we applied graph theory approaches, namely, the new data-driven and parameter-free approach, eigenvector centrality mapping. sNSE and eigenvector centrality were negatively correlated in the female cerebellum, without any effects in male subjects. In cerebellar cortex, NSE expression was significantly higher than whole-brain expression as investigated in the whole brain and whole genome-wide atlas of the Allen Institute for Brain Sciences (Seattle, WA). Our study shows a specific linkage between the neuronal marker protein, sNSE, and cerebellar connectivity as measured with rfMRI in the female human brain, although this finding shall be proven in future studies including more subjects. Results suggest that the inclusion of sNSE in the analysis of imaging data is a useful approach to obtain more-specific information on the neuronal mechanisms that underlie functional connectivity at rest. Establishing such a baseline resting-state pattern that is tied to a neuronal serum marker opens new perspectives in the characterization of neuropsychiatric disorders as disconnective syndromes or nexopathies, in particular, resulting from TBI, neurodegenerative disease, or cardiac arrest, in the future.

Authors: M. L. Schroeter, K. Mueller, K. Arelin, J. Sacher, S. Holiga, J. Kratzsch, T. Luck, S. Riedel-Heller, A. Villringer

Date Published: 1st Sep 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Serum S100B Is Related to Illness Duration and Clinical Symptoms in Schizophrenia-A Meta-Regression Analysis.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

S100B has been linked to glial pathology in several psychiatric disorders. Previous studies found higher S100B serum levels in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls, and a number of … covariates influencing the size of this effect have been proposed in the literature. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis on alterations of serum S100B in schizophrenia in comparison with healthy control subjects. The meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to guarantee a high quality and reproducibility. With strict inclusion criteria 19 original studies could be included in the quantitative meta-analysis, comprising a total of 766 patients and 607 healthy control subjects. The meta-analysis confirmed higher values of the glial serum marker S100B in schizophrenia if compared with control subjects. Meta-regression analyses revealed significant effects of illness duration and clinical symptomatology, in particular the total score of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), on serum S100B levels in schizophrenia. In sum, results confirm glial pathology in schizophrenia that is modulated by illness duration and related to clinical symptomatology. Further studies are needed to investigate mechanisms and mediating factors related to these findings.

Authors: K. Schumberg, M. Polyakova, J. Steiner, M. L. Schroeter

Date Published: 5th Mar 2016

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: schizophrenia

Sex differences in the influence of body mass index on anatomical architecture of brain networks.
LIFE - Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The brain has a central role in regulating ingestive behavior in obesity. Analogous to addiction behaviors, an imbalance in the processing of rewarding and salient stimuli results … in maladaptive eating behaviors that override homeostatic needs. We performed network analysis based on graph theory to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and network measures of integrity, information flow and global communication (centrality) in reward, salience and sensorimotor regions and to identify sex-related differences in these parameters. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Structural and diffusion tensor imaging were obtained in a sample of 124 individuals (61 males and 63 females). Graph theory was applied to calculate anatomical network properties (centrality) for regions of the reward, salience and sensorimotor networks. General linear models with linear contrasts were performed to test for BMI and sex-related differences in measures of centrality, while controlling for age. RESULTS: In both males and females, individuals with high BMI (obese and overweight) had greater anatomical centrality (greater connectivity) of reward (putamen) and salience (anterior insula) network regions. Sex differences were observed both in individuals with normal and elevated BMI. In individuals with high BMI, females compared to males showed greater centrality in reward (amygdala, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens) and salience (anterior mid-cingulate cortex) regions, while males compared to females had greater centrality in reward (putamen) and sensorimotor (posterior insula) regions. CONCLUSIONS: In individuals with increased BMI, reward, salience and sensorimotor network regions are susceptible to topological restructuring in a sex-related manner. These findings highlight the influence of these regions on integrative processing of food-related stimuli and increased ingestive behavior in obesity, or in the influence of hedonic ingestion on brain topological restructuring. The observed sex differences emphasize the importance of considering sex differences in obesity pathophysiology.

Authors: A. Gupta, E. A. Mayer, K. Hamadani, R. Bhatt, C. Fling, M. Alaverdyan, C. Torgerson, C. Ashe-McNalley, J. D. Van Horn, B. Naliboff, K. Tillisch, C. P. Sanmiguel, J. S. Labus

Date Published: 1st Apr 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: eating disorder

Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Sex hormones have been implicated in neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, dendritic branching, myelination and other important mechanisms of neural plasticity. Here we review the evidence from animal … experiments and human studies reporting interactions between sex hormones and the dominant neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA and glutamate. We provide an overview of accumulating data during physiological and pathological conditions and discuss currently conceptualized theories on how sex hormones potentially trigger neuroplasticity changes through these four neurochemical systems. Many brain regions have been demonstrated to express high densities for estrogen- and progesterone receptors, such as the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus. As the hippocampus is of particular relevance in the context of mediating structural plasticity in the adult brain, we put particular emphasis on what evidence could be gathered thus far that links differences in behavior, neurochemical patterns and hippocampal structure to a changing hormonal environment. Finally, we discuss how physiologically occurring hormonal transition periods in humans can be used to model how changes in sex hormones influence functional connectivity, neurotransmission and brain structure in vivo.

Authors: C. Barth, A. Villringer, J. Sacher

Date Published: 10th Mar 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Sex-Specific Differences in Circumpapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of sex on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness at 768 circumpapillary locations based on OCT findings. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: … We investigated 5646 eyes of 5646 healthy participants from the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE)-Adult Study of a predominantly white population. METHODS: All participants underwent standardized systemic assessments and ocular imaging. Circumpapillary RNFL (cRNFL) thickness was measured at 768 points equidistant from the optic nerve head using spectral-domain OCT (Spectralis; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). To control ocular magnification effects, the true scanning radius was estimated by scanning focus. Student t test was used to evaluate sex differences in cRNFL thickness globally and at each of the 768 locations. Multivariable linear regression and analysis of variance were used to evaluate individual contributions of various factors to cRNFL thickness variance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Difference in cRNFL thickness between males and females. RESULTS: Our population consisted of 54.8% females. The global cRNFL thickness was 1 mum thicker in females (P < 0.001). However, detailed analysis at each of the 768 locations revealed substantial location specificity of the sex effects, with RNFL thickness difference ranging from -9.98 to +8.00 mum. Females showed significantly thicker RNFLs in the temporal, superotemporal, nasal, inferonasal, and inferotemporal regions (43.6% of 768 locations), whereas males showed significantly thicker RNFLs in the superior region (13.2%). The results were similar after adjusting for age, body height, and scanning radius. The superotemporal and inferotemporal RNFL peaks shifted temporally in females by 2.4 degrees and 1.9 degrees , respectively. On regions with significant sex effects, sex explained more RNFL thickness variance than age, whereas the major peak locations and interpeak angle explained most of the RNFL thickness variance unexplained by sex. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial sex effects on cRNFL thickness were found at 56.8% of all 768 circumpapillary locations, with specific patterns for different sectors. Over large regions, sex was at least as important in explaining the cRNFL thickness variance as was age, which is well established to have a substantial impact on cRNFL thickness. Including sex in the cRNFL thickness norm could therefore improve glaucoma diagnosis and monitoring.

Authors: D. Li, F. G. Rauscher, E. Y. Choi, M. Wang, N. Baniasadi, K. Wirkner, T. Kirsten, J. Thiery, C. Engel, M. Loeffler, T. Elze

Date Published: 17th Nov 2019

Publication Type: Journal article

Sexual and reproductive health of young people with disability in Ethiopia: a study on knowledge, attitude and practice: a cross-sectional study
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Background As is common in developing countries, in Ethiopia young people with disabilities (YPWD) are more likely than the general population to be illiterate, unemployed and impoverished. They often … lack equal access to information and education for reasons ranging from barriers regarding physical access to services to varied special learning needs. Very little is known about knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of YPWD regarding sexual and reproductive health (SRH) related issues. We, therefore, aimed to assess the KAP of 426 YPWD in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012. Data were collected by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic information, as well as information on KAP regarding SRH. Results Only 64.6 % of YPWD were aware of SRH services. Radio and TV were mentioned as the main sources of information by 62.2 % of the participants. 77.9 % had never had a discussion about SRH topics with their parents. Even though 96.7 % of the respondents had heard about HIV, 88 % had poor knowledge about ways of preventing HIV. Perception of the risk of getting infected with HIV was found to be generally low in YPWD; only 21.6 % believed that they were at risk of acquiring HIV. Conclusions Our study, in general, demonstrated that there is a lack of comprehensive knowledge, appropriate practice and favorable attitude of YPWD regarding different SRH-related issues. Our findings thus clearly indicate the need for strategies and programs to raise SRH-related awareness and to help YPWD to develop the appropriate skills and attitudes needed for a healthy reproductive life.

Authors: T. A. Kassa, T. Luck, A. Bekele, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 1st Dec 2016

Publication Type: Journal article

Sleep disturbances and upregulation of brain arousal during daytime in depressed versus non-depressed elderly subjects.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

OBJECTIVES: Although patients with depression often suffer from sleep disturbances, most of them are not sleepy. Upregulation of brain arousal has been proposed as pathophysiological mechanism explaining … sleep disturbances, inner tension, autonomic hyperarousal and anhedonia in depression. The aim of the current study was to examine the association between night-time sleep disturbances and brain arousal regulation the next day in depressed versus non-depressed subjects. METHODS: Twenty-eight elderly subjects (21 female; age = 70.5 +/- 4.4 years) with depressive syndromes without psychotropic medication, and 28 controls (22 female; age = 70.9 +/- 4.5 years), underwent a 15-min resting electroencephalogram; the Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig (VIGALL 2.1) provided an objective measure of brain arousal regulation. Sleep disturbances were assessed by a validated and self-rated sleep questionnaire. RESULTS: In the depressive group, but not in controls, more sleep disturbances were associated with a higher brain arousal stability score (high score corresponds to upregulation) the next day (sleep onset latency: rs = 0.69, P < .0001; sleep quality: rs = -0.59, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The data confirm the hypothesis that in persons with depressive syndromes sleep disturbances are related to upregulation of brain arousal the next day. This finding is in line with the concept that dysregulation of brain arousal is a central pathophysiological aspect in depression.

Authors: C. Ulke, C. Sander, P. Jawinski, N. Mauche, J. Huang, J. Spada, D. Wittekind, R. Mergl, T. Luck, S. Riedel-Heller, T. Hensch, U. Hegerl

Date Published: 25th Aug 2016

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: mental depression

Sleep quality in the general population: psychometric properties of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, derived from a German community sample of 9284 people.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is frequently used to assess sleep problems in patients. The aim of this study was to provide reference values for this questionnaire, to test … psychometric properties, and to analyze associations with psychological, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors. METHODS: A German community sample comprising 9284 adult residents (aged 18-80 years) was surveyed using the PSQI and several other questionnaires. RESULTS: According to the generally accepted cut-off (PSQI > 5), 36% of the general population slept badly. Females reported significantly more sleep problems than males (mean scores: M = 5.5 vs. M = 4.4, respectively; effect size d = 0.35), but there was no linear association between age and sleep quality. Sleep problems were correlated with fatigue, quality of life (physical as well as mental), physical complaints, anxiety, and lack of optimism. Sleep quality was also strongly associated with socioeconomic status, professional situation (poorest sleep quality in unemployed people), and obesity. In addition to the results of the PSQI total score, mean scores of specific components of sleep quality were presented (sleep latency, sleep duration, and use of sleep medication). CONCLUSION: The PSQI proved to be a suitable instrument for measuring sleep quality. Gender differences, psychological factors, and obesity should be taken into account when groups of patients are compared with respect to sleep problems.

Authors: A. Hinz, H. Glaesmer, E. Brahler, M. Loffler, C. Engel, C. Enzenbach, U. Hegerl, C. Sander

Date Published: 21st Feb 2017

Publication Type: Journal article

Smoking and physical inactivity increase cancer prevalence in BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 mutation carriers: results from a retrospective observational analysis
GC-HBOC - German Consortium for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND The aim of this analysis in a pilot study population was to investigate whether we can verify seemingly harmful lifestyle factors such as nicotine and alcohol indulgence, obesity, and physical …l inactivity, as well as a low socioeconomic status for increased cancer prevalence in a cohort of BRCA 1 and 2 mutation carriers. METHODS The analysis data are derived from 68 participants of the lifestyle intervention study LIBRE-1, a randomized, prospective trial that aimed to test the feasibility of a lifestyle modification in BRCA 1 and 2 mutation carriers. At study entry, factors such as medical history, lifestyle behavior, and socioeconomic status were retrospectively documented by interview and the current BMI was determined by clinical examination. The baseline measurements were compared within the cohort, and presented alongside reference values for the German population. RESULTS Study participants indicating a higher physical activity during their adolescence showed a significantly lower cancer prevalence (p = 0.019). A significant difference in cancer occurrence was observed in those who smoked prior to the disease, and those who did not smoke (p \textless 0.001). Diseased mutation carriers tended to have a lower BMI compared to non-diseased mutation carriers (p = 0.079), whereas non-diseased revealed a significantly higher physical activity level than diseased mutation carriers (p = 0.046). DISCUSSION The present data in this small cohort of 68 mutation carriers suggest that smoking and low physical activity during adolescence are risk factors for developing breast cancer in women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Further data of the ongoing LIBRE 2 study are necessary to confirm these findings in a larger cohort of 600 mutation carriers.

Authors: Sabine Grill, Maryam Yahiaoui-Doktor, Ricarda Dukatz, Jacqueline Lammert, Mirjam Ullrich, Christoph Engel, Katharina Pfeifer, Maryam Basrai, Michael Siniatchkin, Thorsten Schmidt, Burkhard Weisser, Kerstin Rhiem, Nina Ditsch, Rita Schmutzler, Stephan C. Bischoff, Martin Halle, Marion Kiechle

Date Published: 1st Dec 2017

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome

SOM portrayal of the peripheral blood transcriptome
LIFE - Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases

Abstract (Expand)

Background: The transcriptome of healthy blood offers an option to characterize the physiological state of an individual with diagnostic impact. As a prerequisite such application requires the understanding … of the variability of the expression landscape of healthy individual’s as a function of factors such as age, gender, and aspects of the human constitution and lifestyle. Previous studies mostly were limited to only small population sizes and thus lack representativeness in many respects. Methods and data: The present thesis provides an extensive and detailed study on the gene expression landscape of peripheral blood of healthy individuals based on transcriptome data of 3,388 individuals screened in the population study LIFE between 2011 and 2014. For analysis we applied a neural network technique using self-organizing maps (SOM). Our home-made R-program ‘oposSOM’ enables to reduce the dimension of expression data from tens of thousands of genes to a few thousand ‘meta-genes’ and generates portraits of transcriptional activity that allowed us the sample-to-sample comparison of expression patterns. Results: We disentangled the expression patterns of the portraits into 15 well separated modules of co-expressed genes. Their activation patterns allowed us to aggregate the participants into three types (‘1’, ‘M’, ‘2’). Enrichment techniques extracts the functional context of the modules and revealed that corresponding cellular processes are selectively activated and de-activated in a type-specific fashion: For example, ‘Inflammation’ and ‘Blood coagulation’ are activated in type ‘1’ and ‘Metabolic activity’ and ‘Translation’ in Type ‘2’ samples. We map clinical parameters (complete blood count, lifestyle status, medication and the anthropometric body and BMI type) into the expression landscape in order to study the association between them and the transcriptome landscape. We found that red blood cell components, drug consumption of several drug classes affecting the cardio-vascular system or blood forming organs, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and the BMI types of obese participants highly correlate with meta-genes in the type ‘1’ area, whereas type ‘2’ meta-genes maximal correlate with the lymphocyte count and pre-obese characteristics of the participants. For blood count parameters and medication we found a gender-specific bias. Conclusion: Our analysis provides a comprehensive description of the human blood transcriptome in terms of a series of characteristic expression modules and of health-relevant factors. It provides a healthy reference system for blood transcriptome profiling studies in healthcare to extract potential associations between emerging diseases and the gene expression patterns in clinical research.

Author: M. Schmidt

Date Published: 9th Jul 2005

Publication Type: Not specified

Soziodemographische Merkmale und soziökonomischer Status der Teilnehmer in der LIFE Child Kohorte im nationalen Vergleich
LIFE Child

Abstract (Expand)

Soziodemographische Merkmale gelten in den Humanwissenschaften als globale Einflussfaktoren in fast allen Forschungsgebieten und bilden das Basiselement von Kohortenstudien. Darüber hinaus wurde in … vielen Bereichen ein direkter Zusammenhang zwischen sozialen Faktoren und Gesundheit nachgewiesen. Insbesondere im Kindes- und Jugendalter nimmt der sozioökonomische Status einer Familie entscheidenden Einfluss auf die physische sowie mentale Entwicklung. Derartige und weitere Forschungsfragen stehen im Blickpunkt des Projektes LIFE Child.

Authors: L. Meißner, C. Bucher, M. Vogel, Toralf Kirsten, S. Nerlich, U. Igel, W. Kiess, A. Hiemisch

Date Published: 17th Dec 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Spatial Analysis of Anthropometric and Lifestyle Data for Children and Adolescents
LIFE Child

Abstract (Expand)

LIFE Child is an epidemiological cohort study at the Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Dis-eases (University of Leipzig). A main goal of LIFE Child is to study the influence of environment and … lifestyle factors to the development of children and adolescent in and near Leipzig. In particu-lar, we search for predominant aspects in the development of children with obesity. Typically, data is analyzed by different statistical methods and approaches to find (perhaps multi-variate) pre-dominant markers. Additionally, we map selected data to geographical maps to study their spatial distribution over urban districts of Leipzig, on the one hand. This allows to compara-tively analyze anthropometric measurements, such as age- and gender-corrected height, weight, and body mass index, together with further participant-related data including social indicators, e.g., in-come, education, socio economic indexes and lifestyle data, to distinguish city districts with a high correlation to those with low or no correlation. On the other hand, we associate anthropometric measurements with publicly available data, such as official statistics including district-specific un-employment rates and inhabitant densities by taking the participant's place of living into account. We developed a spatial analysis pipeline of anthropometric and lifestyle data according to Leipzig city districts. While cohort and publicly available data is managed by a database system, the analysis pipeline is implemented by dedicated R scripts. The sample is with more than 2,500 children large enough for first analyses. … Our first results show that unemployment of parents could be a factor for obesity of children especially in districts with low social index.

Authors: M. Vogel, A. Kiel, M. Rühle, Toralf Kirsten, M. Geserick, R. Gausche, G. Grande, D. Molis, U. Igel, S. Alvanides, W. Kiess

Date Published: 1st Nov 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Stability of BDNF in Human Samples Stored Up to 6 Months and Correlations of Serum and EDTA-Plasma Concentrations.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an important neural growth factor, has gained growing interest in neuroscience, but many influencing physiological and analytical aspects still remain unclear. … In this study we assessed the impact of storage time at room temperature, repeated freeze/thaw cycles, and storage at -80 degrees C up to 6 months on serum and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-plasma BDNF. Furthermore, we assessed correlations of serum and plasma BDNF concentrations in two independent sets of samples. Coefficients of variations (CVs) for serum BDNF concentrations were significantly lower than CVs of plasma concentrations (n = 245, p = 0.006). Mean serum and plasma concentrations at all analyzed time points remained within the acceptable change limit of the inter-assay precision as declared by the manufacturer. Serum and plasma BDNF concentrations correlated positively in both sets of samples and at all analyzed time points of the stability assessment (r = 0.455 to rs = 0.596; p < 0.004). In summary, when considering the acceptable change limit, BDNF was stable in serum and in EDTA-plasma up to 6 months. Due to a higher reliability, we suggest favoring serum over EDTA-plasma for future experiments assessing peripheral BDNF concentrations.

Authors: M. Polyakova, H. Schlogl, J. Sacher, M. Schmidt-Kassow, J. Kaiser, M. Stumvoll, J. Kratzsch, M. L. Schroeter

Date Published: 3rd Jun 2017

Publication Type: Journal article

Structural and functional MRI study of the brain, cognition and mood in long-term adequately treated Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

The current study investigated neuropsychological and underlying structural and functional brain alterations in long-term adequately treated patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in order to examine … much discussed residual complaints in patients in relation to possible long-term neural alterations with a specific interest in the underlying autoimmune process. Eighteen patients with treated hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis (mean age 32, range 18-54 years; two males; mean treatment duration 4.4 years) and 18 healthy matched control subjects underwent 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate grey matter density, resting-state functional MRI to analyse the brain connectivity of areas known to be altered in hypothyroidism and event-related functional MRI to examine brain activity during associative memory encoding. Neuropsychological assessment included memory, working memory, psychomotor speed and attention. We previously reported subclinically reduced mood in this study population and investigated its neural correlates here. Thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodthyronine, free thyroxine and thyroid peroxidase antibodies were measured in serum. We did not find cognitive deficits or alterations in grey matter density, functional connectivity or associative memory-related brain activity in comparison to the control group and cognition was unrelated to thyroid serum measures in the patient group. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies in the patient group correlated with increased grey matter density in right amygdala and enhanced connectivity between subcallosal and parahippocampal areas. Treatment duration was associated with brain structure in frontal and occipital cortex and connectivity between left amygdala and frontal cortex. Mood correlated with brain areas associated with distinct functional networks, but not with those most prominently affected in depression. In conclusion, no cognitive or neural alterations were detected in this young and otherwise healthy cohort of patients in comparison to a healthy control group and current mood status could not be related to depression-related networks. However, autoimmune activity and treatment duration showed a relationship with depression and hypothyroidism-related brain structure and function. They are thus promising factors to further investigate residual complaints despite biochemically adequate treatment in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Given the small sample size, all findings require replication.

Authors: E. M. Quinque, S. Karger, K. Arelin, M. L. Schroeter, J. Kratzsch, A. Villringer

Date Published: 19th Mar 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: autoimmune thyroiditis, hypothyroidism

Studienprotokoll der VISEP-Studie. Entgegnung der SepNet-Studiengruppe
SepNet - German Competence Network Sepsis

Abstract (Expand)

In the commentary by Zander et al. the authors appear concerned about the methods and results of our, at that time, unpublished sepsis trial evaluating hydroxyethyl starch (HES) and insulin therapy. … Unfortunately, the authors’ concerns are based on false assumptions about the design, conduct and modes of action of the compounds under investigation. For instance, in our study the HES solution was not used for maintenance of daily fluid requirements, so that the assumption of the authors that this colloid was used \textquotedblexclusively\textquotedbl is wrong. Moreover, the manufacturer of Hemohes, the HES product we used, gives no cut-off value for creatinine, thus the assumption that this cut-off value was \textquotedbldoubled\textquotedbl in our study is also incorrect. Other claims by the authors such as that lactated solutions cause elevated lactate levels, iatrogenic hyperglycemia and increase O(2) consumption are unfounded. There is no randomized controlled trial supporting such a claim - this claim is neither consistent with our study data nor with any credible published sepsis guidelines or with routine practice worldwide. We fully support open scientific debate. Our study methods and results have now been published after a strict peer-reviewing process and this data is now open to critical and constructive reviewing. However, in our opinion this premature action based on wrong assumptions and containing comments by representatives of pharmaceutical companies does not contribute to a serious, unbiased scientific discourse.

Authors: K. Reinhart, F. M. Brunkhorst, C. Engel, F. Bloos, A. Meier-Hellmann, M. Ragaller, N. Weiler, O. Moerer, M. Gruendling, M. Oppert, S. Grond, D. Olthoff, U. Jaschinski, S. John, R. Rossaint, T. Welte, M. Schaefer, P. Kern, E. Kuhnt, M. Kiehntopf, T. Deufel, C. Hartog, H. Gerlach, F. Stüber, H-D Volk, M. Quintel, M. Loeffler

Date Published: 1st Jul 2008

Publication Type: Journal article

Human Diseases: disease by infectious agent

Subjective Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: An Overview of Self-Report Measures Used Across 19 International Research Studies.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

Research increasingly suggests that subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in older adults, in the absence of objective cognitive dysfunction or depression, may be a harbinger of non-normative cognitive … decline and eventual progression to dementia. Little is known, however, about the key features of self-report measures currently used to assess SCD. The Subjective Cognitive Decline Initiative (SCD-I) Working Group is an international consortium established to develop a conceptual framework and research criteria for SCD (Jessen et al., 2014, Alzheimers Dement 10, 844-852). In the current study we systematically compared cognitive self-report items used by 19 SCD-I Working Group studies, representing 8 countries and 5 languages. We identified 34 self-report measures comprising 640 cognitive self-report items. There was little overlap among measures- approximately 75% of measures were used by only one study. Wide variation existed in response options and item content. Items pertaining to the memory domain predominated, accounting for about 60% of items surveyed, followed by executive function and attention, with 16% and 11% of the items, respectively. Items relating to memory for the names of people and the placement of common objects were represented on the greatest percentage of measures (56% each). Working group members reported that instrument selection decisions were often based on practical considerations beyond the study of SCD specifically, such as availability and brevity of measures. Results document the heterogeneity of approaches across studies to the emerging construct of SCD. We offer preliminary recommendations for instrument selection and future research directions including identifying items and measure formats associated with important clinical outcomes.

Authors: L. A. Rabin, C. M. Smart, P. K. Crane, R. E. Amariglio, L. M. Berman, M. Boada, R. F. Buckley, G. Chetelat, B. Dubois, K. A. Ellis, K. A. Gifford, A. L. Jefferson, F. Jessen, M. J. Katz, R. B. Lipton, T. Luck, P. Maruff, M. M. Mielke, J. L. Molinuevo, F. Naeem, A. Perrotin, R. C. Petersen, L. Rami, B. Reisberg, D. M. Rentz, S. G. Riedel-Heller, S. L. Risacher, O. Rodriguez, P. S. Sachdev, A. J. Saykin, M. J. Slavin, B. E. Snitz, R. A. Sperling, C. Tandetnik, W. M. van der Flier, M. Wagner, S. Wolfsgruber, S. A. Sikkes

Date Published: 24th Sep 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: cognitive disorder, dementia

Systematic review of the effect of the psychosocial working environment on cognition and dementia.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

The high incidence of cognitive impairment in the ageing population, together with the challenges it imposes to health systems, raises the question of what affect working life has on cognitive abilities. … The study, therefore, reviews recent work on the longitudinal impact of psychosocial work conditions on cognitive functioning and on dementia. Relevant articles were identified by a systematic literature search in PubMed and PsycINFO using a standardised search string and specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. We included articles reporting longitudinal effects that were investigated in cohort studies, case-control studies or randomised controlled trials in the working population. Two independent reviewers evaluated the studies in three subsequent phases: (i) title-abstract screening, (ii) full-text screening and (iii) checklist-based quality assessment.Methodical evaluation of the identified articles resulted in 17 studies of adequate quality. We found evidence for a protective effect of high job control and high work complexity with people and data on the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Moreover, cognitively demanding work conditions seem to be associated with a decreased risk of cognitive deterioration in old age.Psychosocial work conditions can have an impact on cognitive functioning and even on the risk of dementia. As the world of work is undergoing fundamental changes, such as accelerated technological advances and an ageing working population, optimising work conditions is essential in order to promote and maintain cognitive abilities into old age.

Authors: F. S. Then, T. Luck, M. Luppa, M. Thinschmidt, S. Deckert, K. Nieuwenhuijsen, A. Seidler, S. G. Riedel-Heller

Date Published: 22nd Nov 2013

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: dementia

Systemic and Ocular Determinants of Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measurements in the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Population.
LIFE Adult

Abstract (Expand)

PURPOSE: To investigate systemic and ocular determinants of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFLT) in the European population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional meta-analysis. PARTICIPANTS: … A total of 16 084 European adults from 8 cohort studies (mean age range, 56.9+/-12.3-82.1+/-4.2 years) of the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium. METHODS: We examined associations with pRNFLT measured by spectral-domain OCT in each study using multivariable linear regression and pooled results using random effects meta-analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Determinants of pRNFLT. RESULTS: Mean pRNFLT ranged from 86.8+/-21.4 mum in the Rotterdam Study I to 104.7+/-12.5 mum in the Rotterdam Study III. We found the following factors to be associated with reduced pRNFLT: Older age (beta = -0.38 mum/year; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.57 to -0.18), higher intraocular pressure (IOP) (beta = -0.36 mum/mmHg; 95% CI, -0.56 to -0.15), visual impairment (beta = -5.50 mum; 95% CI, -9.37 to -1.64), and history of systemic hypertension (beta = -0.54 mum; 95% CI, -1.01 to -0.07) and stroke (beta = -1.94 mum; 95% CI, -3.17 to -0.72). A suggestive, albeit nonsignificant, association was observed for dementia (beta = -3.11 mum; 95% CI, -6.22 to 0.01). Higher pRNFLT was associated with more hyperopic spherical equivalent (beta = 1.39 mum/diopter; 95% CI, 1.19-1.59) and smoking (beta = 1.53 mum; 95% CI, 1.00-2.06 for current smokers compared with never-smokers). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to previously described determinants such as age and refraction, we found that systemic vascular and neurovascular diseases were associated with reduced pRNFLT. These may be of clinical relevance, especially in glaucoma monitoring of patients with newly occurring vascular comorbidities.

Authors: M. M. Mauschitz, P. W. M. Bonnemaijer, K. Diers, F. G. Rauscher, T. Elze, C. Engel, M. Loeffler, J. M. Colijn, M. A. Ikram, J. R. Vingerling, K. M. Williams, C. J. Hammond, C. Creuzot-Garcher, A. M. Bron, R. Silva, S. Nunes, C. Delcourt, A. Cougnard-Gregoire, F. G. Holz, C. C. W. Klaver, M. M. B. Breteler, R. P. Finger

Date Published: 3rd May 2018

Publication Type: Journal article

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