June 11, 2021

Dissertation, 11 June 2021: Jenna Najar

On 11th of June 2021, Jenna Najar at University of Gothenburg, defended her doctoral thesis entitled: “Risk factors for dementia – Lifestyle, hormones, neurochemistry, and genetics”.

The aim of this thesis was to expand the understanding about the effects of lifestyle factors, indicators of endogenous estrogens, and genetic factors on the risk of dementia and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Data used in this project were derived from the Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies (H70-studies), the Prospective Population Study of Women (PPSW), and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA 70+ study).

Results from the thesis showed that married men had a reduced risk of dementia compared to unmarried men. Moreover, midlife cognitive and physical activity were independently associated with reduced risk of late-life dementia disorders. Also, longer reproductive periods and later age at menopause were associated with an increased risk of dementia and AD, particularly in those with dementia and AD onset after age 85 years. Further, longer reproductive periods were associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for AD. Finally, polygenic risk scores for AD (AD-PRSs, including 39 and 57 genetic variants) and APOE genotype were associated with risk of dementia up to very old ages. 

Photo of Jenna Najar by Ragnhild Larsson

Read more: Jenna Najar, Thesis 2021