Telomere Length and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Vascular Brain Injury and Central Brain Atrophy: The Strong Heart Study.

We examined associations between LTL and magnetic resonance imaging in 363 American Indians aged 64-93 years from the Strong Heart Study (1989-1991) and its ancillary study, Cerebrovascular Disease and Its Consequences in American Indians (2010-2013). Our results showed significant associations of LTL with ventricular enlargement and the presence of white matter hyperintensities. Secondary models indicated that renal function may mediate these associations, although small case numbers limited inference. Hypertension and diabetes showed little evidence of effect modification. Results were most extreme among participants who evinced the largest decline in LTL. Although this study was limited to cross-sectional comparisons, it represents (to our knowledge) the first consideration of associations between telomere length and brain aging in American Indians. Findings suggest a relationship between vascular aging by cell senescence and severity of brain disease. PMID: 29860472 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Am J Epidemiol - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Tags: Am J Epidemiol Source Type: research