Active Travel Mode and Incident Dementia and Brain Structure
Cunpeng Hou, Yaqi Zhang, Feiyang Zhao, Yanling Lv, Mengyun Luo, Chensheng Pan, Ding Ding, Liangkai Chen. JAMA Network Open, 2025-06-09
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The study encompassed 479 723 participants (mean [SD] age, 56.5 [8.1] years; 260 730 females [54.4%]), including 271 690 in the YOD analyses and 334 939 in the LOD analyses. Over a median follow-up of 13.1 years (IQR, 12.8-13.5 years), 8845 cases of dementia (1.8%) and 3956 cases of AD (0.8%) were recorded. Compared with a nonactive travel mode, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for cycling and mixed-cycling were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.73-0.91) for all-cause dementia, 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66-0.92) for AD, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.38-0.95) for YOD, and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.93) for LOD. A significant interaction between travel mode and genetic susceptibility in the all-cause dementia analysis (P = .02 for interaction) and the LOD analysis (P = .04 for interaction) was observed; specifically, for the cycling and mixed-cycling groups, the risks of all-cause dementia and LOD were lower among those without apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) carrier status (all-cause dementia: hazard ratio [HR], 0.74 [95% CI, 0.63-0.87]; LOD: HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.89]) compared with those with APOE ε4 carrier status (all-cause dementia: HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.76-1.02]; LOD: HR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.78-1.05]). The cycling and mixed-cycling mode was significantly associated with a higher hippocampal volume (β, 0.05 [95% CI, 0.02-0.08]). Genetic risk significantly modified the association with all-cause dementia (P = .02 for interaction) and LOD (P = .04 for interaction). Specifically, for the cycling and mixed-cycling groups, the risk of all-cause dementia was lower among those without APOE ε4 (HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.63-0.87]) compared with those with APOE ε4 (HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.76-1.02]). Similarly, the risk of LOD was lower among those without APOE ε4 (HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.89]) compared with those with APOE ε4 (HR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.78-1.05]). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study suggest an association between active travel mode and incident dementia and brain structure. The cycling and mixed-cycling mode was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause dementia, including YOD, LOD, and AD, as well as an increased hippocampal volume, suggesting a promising approach for maintaining brain health.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Hou, C., Zhang, Y., Zhao, F., Lv, Y., Luo, M., Pan, C., et al. (2025). Active Travel Mode and Incident Dementia and Brain Structure. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.14316
Vancouver
Hou C, Zhang Y, Zhao F, Lv Y, Luo M, Pan C, et al. Active Travel Mode and Incident Dementia and Brain Structure. JAMA Network Open. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.14316. PMID: 40489111.
BibTeX
@article{hou2025-40489111,
author = {Hou, Cunpeng and Zhang, Yaqi and Zhao, Feiyang and Lv, Yanling and Luo, Mengyun and Pan, Chensheng and Ding, Ding and Chen, Liangkai},
title = {{Active Travel Mode and Incident Dementia and Brain Structure}},
journal = {JAMA Network Open},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.14316},
pmid = {40489111},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.14316}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The study encompassed 479 723 participants (mean [SD] age, 56.5 [8.1] years; 260 730 females [54.4%]), including 271 690 in the YOD analyses and 334 939 in the LOD analyses.
- Over a median follow-up of 13.1 years (IQR, 12.8-13.5 years), 8845 cases of dementia (1.8%) and 3956 cases of AD (0.8%) were recorded.
- Compared with a nonactive travel mode, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for cycling and mixed-cycling were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.73-0.91) for all-cause dementia, 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66-0.92) for AD, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.38-0.95) for YOD, and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75-0.93) for LOD.
- A significant interaction between travel mode and genetic susceptibility in the all-cause dementia analysis (P = .02 for interaction) and the LOD analysis (P = .04 for interaction) was observed; specifically, for the cycling and mixed-cycling groups, the risks of all-cause dementia and LOD were lower among those without apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) carrier status (all-cause dementia: hazard ratio [HR], 0.74 [95% CI, 0.63-0.87]; LOD: HR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.89]) compared with those with APOE ε4 carrier status (all-cause dementia: HR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.76-1.02]; LOD: HR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.78-1.05]).
- The cycling and mixed-cycling mode was significantly associated with a higher hippocampal volume (β, 0.05 [95% CI, 0.02-0.08]).
Why it matters
In this cohort of nearly 480,000 participants, cycling and mixed-cycling travel modes were associated with lower risks of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, young-onset dementia, and late-onset dementia compared with nonactive travel modes. The association was stronger in people without the APOE ε4 allele, and cycling was also associated with higher hippocampal volume.
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Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants723
- Effect size54.4%; 1.8%; 0.8%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA Network Open) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Network Open: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 723 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Liangkai Chen: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Sydney: institution h-index 1,466 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40489111) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.14316
- PubMed: 40489111
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Network Open →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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