Grantee Research Project Results

2011 Progress Report: Cognitive Decline, Cardiovascular Changes, and Biological Aging in Response to Air Pollution

EPA Grant Number: R834798C002
Subproject: this is subproject number 002 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R834798
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)
Center Director: Greenbaum, Daniel S.
Title: Cognitive Decline, Cardiovascular Changes, and Biological Aging in Response to Air Pollution
Investigators: Schwartz, Joel , Mittleman, Murray
Institution: Harvard University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2015 (Extended to December 31, 2016)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2011 through June 30,2011
RFA: Clean Air Research Centers (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health , Air

Objective:

In this Project we investigate the acute and chronic effects of air pollution on cognitive and neurological impairments, systemic inflammation, and vascular dysfunction. We will determine how these effects differ depending on the composition of multi-pollutant mixtures and the source contributions to PM composition. We then will ascertain the level of increased effects in susceptible and vulnerable subpopulations by examining modifying factors of obesity, diabetes, diet, socioeconomic position, and psychosocial stress.

Progress Summary:

While the project has only recently begun, we have the following accomplishments to report:

A key part of this project and of all the cohort studies is development of a spatio-temporal model predicting daily PM_2.5 concentrations in New England using land use regression terms and satellite remote sensing. We have developed that model, and have a paper in review describing it. We have papers in progress using it to examine the association of PM_2.5 with birthweight and mortality. A poster on this work will be presented at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology meeting in Barcelona in September.
We have published a paper examining the association of long-term exposure to black carbon particles at residence and cognitive function in the Normative Aging Study. This paper shows that traffic particles are associated with lower cognitive function, similar to a few years of aging, in an elderly cohort (Power et al., 2011, see publications).
We have a paper in press (Peters, et al., 2011, see publications) reporting an association between long-term lead exposure and psychosocial stress. This will serve as a template for further examination of other air pollutants.
We have a paper in press using our novel approach to within city survival analysis to examine the association of ozone in survival in four cohorts of potentially susceptible individuals. We find significant associations with long-term survival, only the second paper to report such results (Zanobetti and Schwartz, 2011, see publications).
We will present preliminary results of an analysis of long-term exposure to black carbon and Intima-media thickness of the carotid artery at the ISEE meeting in September.
We also will present results of a genome wide DNA methylation analysis to identify genes whose methylation is significantly perturbed by air pollution at the ISEE meeting in September.
We will present results of a further follow up of the Harvard Six Cities study at the ISEE meeting in September that examines more years of follow up, and addresses the linearity of the dose-response curve and sensitivity to modeling assumptions.

Future Activities:

We will continue to work on the activities proposed in our grant application. In addition, we expect to receive a grant from NIEHS to look at epigenomic effects of environmental exposures that will allow us to continue to examine exposure and epigenetic effects in the Normative Aging Study. We expect the ISEE presentations to become published papers in the next year.

Journal Articles on this Report : 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other subproject views:	All 87 publications	87 publications in selected types	All 87 journal articles
Other center views:	All 476 publications	411 publications in selected types	All 411 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Sub Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Peters JL, Kubzansky LD, Ikeda A, Spiro III A, Wright RO, Weisskopf MG, Kim D, Sparrow D, Nie LH, Hu H, Schwartz J. Childhood and adult socioeconomic position, cumulative lead levels, and pessimism in later life: the VA Normative Aging Study. American Journal of Epidemiology 2011;174(12):1345-1353.	R834798 (2010) R834798 (2011) R834798 (2014) R834798 (2015) R834798 (Final) R834798C001 (2014) R834798C001 (Final) R834798C002 (2010) R834798C002 (2011) R834798C002 (2014) R834798C002 (Final) R832416 (Final) R832416C001 (Final)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link Full-text: AJE-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: AJE-Abstract Exit Other: AJE-Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Power, MC, Weisskopf MG, Alexeef SE, Coull BA, Spiro III A , Schwartz J. Traffic-related air pollution and cognitive function in a cohort of older men. Environmental Health Perspectives 2011;119(5):682-687.	R834798 (2010) R834798 (2011) R834798 (2013) R834798 (2014) R834798 (Final) R834798C002 (2010) R834798C002 (2011) R834798C002 (2014) R834798C002 (Final) R832416 (Final)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link Full-text: EHP-Full Text PDF Abstract: EHP-Abstract & Full Text HTML
Journal Article	Zanobetti A, Schwartz J. Ozone and survival in four cohorts with potentially predisposing diseases. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2011;184(7):836-841.	R834798 (2010) R834798 (2011) R834798 (2013) R834798 (2014) R834798 (2015) R834798 (Final) R834798C001 (2014) R834798C001 (Final) R834798C002 (2010) R834798C002 (2011) R834798C002 (2014) R834798C002 (Final) R834798C005 (Final) R832416 (Final) R832416C001 (Final)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link Full-text: AJRCCM-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: AJRCCM-Abstract Exit Other: AJRCCM-Full Text PDF Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

air pollution, ambient particles, multi-pollutants, cognitive effects, vascular function, inflammation, neurological impairment, susceptibility, susceptibility and vulnerability , Scientific Discipline, Air, air toxics, Health Risk Assessment, Air Pollution Effects, Biochemistry, Environmental Monitoring, Biology, ambient air quality, children's health, complex mixtures, health effects, particulates, sensitive populations, air pollutants, aerosol particles, biological sensitivities, exposure and effects, lung epithelial cells, susceptible populations, chemical composition, neurotoxicity, human exposure, toxicity, coronary artery disease, cardiopulmonary, cardiotoxicity, environmental effects, human health, mortality

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R834798 Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R834798C001 Relative Toxicity of Air Pollution Mixtures
R834798C002 Cognitive Decline, Cardiovascular Changes, and Biological Aging in Response to Air Pollution
R834798C003 Identifying the Cognitive and Vascular Effects of Air Pollution Sources and Mixtures in the Framingham Offspring and Third Generation Cohorts
R834798C004 Longitudinal Effects of Multiple Pollutants on Child Growth, Blood Pressure and Cognition
R834798C005 A National Study to Assess Susceptibility, Vulnerability, and Effect Modification of Air Pollution Health Risks

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.