INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #75 Investigating the Impact of Oral Hygiene Behaviors and Subjective Oral Health on Cognitive Aging and Well-being in Diverse Aging Populations Robyn McDaniel, Columbia University, New York, United States Mark Gettas, Columbia University, New York, United States Jennifer Manly, Columbia University, New York, United States Panos Papapanou, Columbia University, New York, United States James Noble, Columbia University, New York, United States Category: Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease) Keyword 1: mild cognitive impairment Keyword 2: dementia - Alzheimer's disease Keyword 3: cognitive neuroscience Objective: The objective of this observational study was to decipher whether oral hygiene practices, such as toothbrushing and flossing, predict cognitive decline, Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants and Methods: The investigation involved participants from the WHICAP Ancillary Study of Oral Health, encompassing 1,130 residents of northern Manhattan aged 65 years and above. The study was conducted over three years from 2013 to 2016. Logistic regression was employed to analyze associations between the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing and the risk of developing dementia and MCI. The analysis considered important covariates such as age, sex/gender, and educational attainment, and considered race and ethnicity as a possible moderator of associations. Additionally, linear regression models were used to assess whether oral health behaviors could predict performance on composite neuropsychological measures of memory, language, visuospatial skill, and psychomotor speed. Results: The sample included 941 participants; the average age was 74.7 ± 6.3, 67% were women, the racial and ethnic breakdown was 27% Non-Hispanic White, 41% Hispanic, and 34% Non-Hispanic Black, the highest educational attainment was more than 16 years of education for 20.4% of the cohort, and 34.1% had 12 years or less. Hispanic participants reported engaging in regular toothbrushing and flossing more often than their Black and White counterparts (χ2 (1, N=924, df=1) = .7.1; p = .009). Women reported maintaining oral hygiene practices more often than men. Additionally, individuals who reported adhering to consistent oral hygiene practices tended to be younger than those who were less consistent. In unadjusted models, there was no association in the overall sample between oral health habits and dementia (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 0.92-2.34) risk or MCI risk (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.83-1.51), or in adjusted models. Individuals with better oral health practices tended to have higher memory scores in an unadjusted model (β = .14; 95% CI .04 - .24), but this was attenuated when covariates were added (β = .05; 95% CI -.04 - .14). Better oral health practices were associated with higher scores on language measures in the unadjusted (β = .11; 95% CI .02 - .20), and adjusted models (β = .07; 95% CI .01 - .14). Psychomotor speed and visuospatial skill were not associated with oral health practices. Conclusions: The goal of this study was to shed light on the relationship between oral health and cognitive aging among a cohort of older adults who are representative of a diverse neighborhood in New York City. Results suggest that the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing did not impact the risk of developing dementia or MCI. Better oral health practices were related to higher memory scores, but this association was explained by older age and other covariates. Higher language test scores were more robustly associated with the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing, Future work will consider integrating additional covariates and latent growth modeling to clarify the connections between oral health practices, cognitive aging, and broader demographic influences. Exploring the role of inflammatory markers, oral microbiota, and neuroimaging markers of brain health could offer deeper insights into the mechanisms underlying these complex relationships.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #75

Investigating the Impact of Oral Hygiene Behaviors and Subjective Oral Health on Cognitive Aging and Well-being in Diverse Aging Populations

Robyn McDaniel, Columbia University, New York, United States
Mark Gettas, Columbia University, New York, United States
Jennifer Manly, Columbia University, New York, United States
Panos Papapanou, Columbia University, New York, United States
James Noble, Columbia University, New York, United States

Category: Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease)

Keyword 1: mild cognitive impairment
Keyword 2: dementia - Alzheimer's disease
Keyword 3: cognitive neuroscience

Objective:

The objective of this observational study was to decipher whether oral hygiene practices, such as toothbrushing and flossing, predict cognitive decline, Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Participants and Methods:

The investigation involved participants from the WHICAP Ancillary Study of Oral Health, encompassing 1,130 residents of northern Manhattan aged 65 years and above. The study was conducted over three years from 2013 to 2016. Logistic regression was employed to analyze associations between the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing and the risk of developing dementia and MCI. The analysis considered important covariates such as age, sex/gender, and educational attainment, and considered race and ethnicity as a possible moderator of associations. Additionally, linear regression models were used to assess whether oral health behaviors could predict performance on composite neuropsychological measures of memory, language, visuospatial skill, and psychomotor speed.

Results:

The sample included 941 participants; the average age was 74.7 ± 6.3, 67% were women, the racial and ethnic breakdown was 27% Non-Hispanic White, 41% Hispanic, and 34% Non-Hispanic Black, the highest educational attainment was more than 16 years of education for 20.4% of the cohort, and 34.1% had 12 years or less. Hispanic participants reported engaging in regular toothbrushing and flossing more often than their Black and White counterparts (χ2 (1, N=924, df=1) = .7.1; p = .009). Women reported maintaining oral hygiene practices more often than men. Additionally, individuals who reported adhering to consistent oral hygiene practices tended to be younger than those who were less consistent. In unadjusted models, there was no association in the overall sample between oral health habits and dementia (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 0.92-2.34) risk or MCI risk (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.83-1.51), or in adjusted models. Individuals with better oral health practices tended to have higher memory scores in an unadjusted model (β = .14; 95% CI .04 - .24), but this was attenuated when covariates were added (β = .05; 95% CI -.04 - .14). Better oral health practices were associated with higher scores on language measures in the unadjusted (β = .11; 95% CI .02 - .20), and adjusted models (β = .07; 95% CI .01 - .14). Psychomotor speed and visuospatial skill were not associated with oral health practices.

Conclusions:

The goal of this study was to shed light on the relationship between oral health and cognitive aging among a cohort of older adults who are representative of a diverse neighborhood in New York City. Results suggest that the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing did not impact the risk of developing dementia or MCI. Better oral health practices were related to higher memory scores, but this association was explained by older age and other covariates. Higher language test scores were more robustly associated with the frequency of toothbrushing and flossing, Future work will consider integrating additional covariates and latent growth modeling to clarify the connections between oral health practices, cognitive aging, and broader demographic influences. Exploring the role of inflammatory markers, oral microbiota, and neuroimaging markers of brain health could offer deeper insights into the mechanisms underlying these complex relationships.