Seshadri Team Publishes Nine Papers Using Framingham Study Data

For more than 65 years researchers at the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) have worked to identify risk factors for cardiovascular disease; the role of genetic factors for stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases; and ultimately work toward the development of effective treatment and preventive strategies in clinical practice.

Researchers have discovered that many of these conditions start as subtle brain changes 20-30 years before the first symptom, and that intervention at the preclinical stage may be the best option for preventing disease.

BUSM Neurology Professor Sudha Seshadri, MD, leads research teams in the clinical neurology and neurogenetics cores at the FHS, where they explore the cumulated and age-specific impacts of a wide variety of genomic and environmental risk factors underlying stroke, dementia and brain aging across three generations of participants.

January and February 2017 have been exceptionally fruitful months for Seshadri with nine published studies focusing on two themes: “Risk factors for dementia and Alzheimers disease” and “Population neuroscience.” Specifically, four papers were published in Stroke; one each in American Heart Association Journal, Nature Communications, Circulation and Current Alzheimer Research. Additionally, one paper was published online in Circulation focusing on an updated version of the “Framingham Stroke Risk Profile.”

“Researchers are recognizing that clinical dementia occurs due to a combination of vascular brain injury and Alzheimer type changes, in most persons; how much of each and what else is contributing may vary between people,” said Seshadri.  “Understanding how to predict and prevent dementia as one grows old depends on clearly understanding what midlife factors increase risk or protect from both stroke and neurodegeneration. Our team uses the uniquely rich, Framingham Heart Study data to try and uncover all genetic and vascular factors leading to dementia.”