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Characterizing Exposure to Traffic‐Related Air Pollution in a Diverse Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Cohort
Charles DeCarli, Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Michele M. Tobias, Danielle Jenine Harvey, Randy P. Carney, Anthony S. Wexler, Keith J. Bein, Mike Kleeman et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2024-12-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Abstract Background Most studies on the associations between traffic related air pollution (TRAP), cognition, and dementia focus on particulate matter (PM) 2.5, are cross‐sectional and based on non‐Hispanic White (NHW) individuals. Less is known about how exposure to ultrafine PM (UFPM) affects cognition in racially/ethnically diverse cohorts. The UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (UCD ADRC) recently launched a study on TRAP that will assess the impact of UFPM on cognition, brain imaging and neuropathology. This abstract describes the broad geographic location, varying TRAP exposure, and demographic diversity of the cohort. Method A total of 985 adults, average age of 81.3 ± 8.2 years, 62.6% female and consisting of 44% NHW, 24% Hispanic/Latino, 26.4% Black/African American, and approximately 4% other races/ethnicities had physical addresses geocoded to identify geographic coordinates; 29% of participants were cognitively normal, 18% had questionable cognitive impairment, 23% had mild cognitive impairment, and 30% had dementia. Detailed neuropsychological assessments and MRI were conducted annually along with collection of blood samples and data regarding social cultural variables. Median exposure of nearly 30 different TRAP measures including PM ranging in size from 0.1 to 10 µm measured over the years 2000‐2019 were calculated. Individual exposures were determined over an average of 4.4 ± 4.7 years of participant follow‐up. Result Participants lived in 28 counties throughout northern California with major clusters in the East Bay, Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Sacramento, and Central Valley south of Sacramento. We found highly significant differences in ethnoracial distribution according to county designation (Figure 1; p < 0.001; Fisher’s exact) and in both state and national Area Deprivation Index scores (ADI; Figure 2; p <0.0001, one‐way ANOVA). ADI varied significantly with ethnoracial background with Hispanic/Latino participants having the highest ADI at 29 ± 1. MANOVA analysis found significant (p <0.0001) geographic differences in 0.1 µm sized particles (e.g. Figure 3 for sodium and elemental carbon). Conclusion Preliminary analysis indicates significant differences in location, ethnoracial background, ADI, and TRAP exposure amongst UCD ADRC participants. This heterogeneity will allow comprehensive evaluation of the clinical impact of TRAP exposure on cognition among diverse individuals.
Key findings
- Result Participants lived in 28 counties throughout northern California with major clusters in the East Bay, Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Sacramento, and Central Valley south of Sacramento.
- We found highly significant differences in ethnoracial distribution according to county designation (Figure 1; p < 0.001; Fisher’s exact) and in both state and national Area Deprivation Index scores (ADI; Figure 2; p <0.0001, one‐way ANOVA).
- ADI varied significantly with ethnoracial background with Hispanic/Latino participants having the highest ADI at 29 ± 1.
- MANOVA analysis found significant (p <0.0001) geographic differences in 0.1 µm sized particles (e.g.
- Conclusion Preliminary analysis indicates significant differences in location, ethnoracial background, ADI, and TRAP exposure amongst UCD ADRC participants.
Why it matters
This abstract describes the launch of a study on traffic-related air pollution and cognition in a diverse Alzheimer's Disease Research Center cohort. It reports on the geographic and demographic makeup of the cohort and does not yet test whether air pollution affects cognition or whether any treatment works.
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Study details
- Participants985
- Effect size62.6%; 26.4%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 39/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 985 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 | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Oanh L. Meyer: h-index 24 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of California, Davis: institution h-index 1,257 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
DeCarli, C., Farias, S. T., Tobias, M. M., Harvey, D. J., Carney, R. P., Wexler, A. S., et al. (2024). Characterizing Exposure to Traffic‐Related Air Pollution in a Diverse Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Cohort. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.092071
Vancouver
DeCarli C, Farias ST, Tobias MM, Harvey DJ, Carney RP, Wexler AS, et al. Characterizing Exposure to Traffic‐Related Air Pollution in a Diverse Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Cohort. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2024. doi:10.1002/alz.092071.
BibTeX
@article{decarli2024-8df7065f,
author = {DeCarli, Charles and Farias, Sarah Tomaszewski and Tobias, Michele M. and Harvey, Danielle Jenine and Carney, Randy P. and Wexler, Anthony S. and Bein, Keith J. and Kleeman, Mike and others},
title = {{Characterizing Exposure to Traffic‐Related Air Pollution in a Diverse Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Cohort}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1002/alz.092071},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.092071}
}
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