Danielle Laurin

• PhD
• Professor (Full) at Université Laval

Background: Online educational programs focused on ways to improve brain health could increase participant literacy, empowerment, and engagement in activities that support personal brain health, potentially reducing dementia risk. Objectives: Our goal was to develop an evidence-based online educational program with a focus on risk and protective...

Background The perplex interrelation between circulating extracellular vesicles (cEVs) and amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is poorly understood. Objective This study aims to 1) analyze the possible cross-linkage of the neurotoxic amyloid-β oligomers (oAβ) to the human cEVs, 2) identify cEVs corona proteins associ...

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) causes significant health loss worldwide and is one of the major public health issues of our time. Cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor of CMP. The present study examined the potential mediating role of 2 subproducts of cigarette smoke, acrylamide and cadmium, individually and combined, on the associati...

Background Collaborative research with end-users is an effective way to generate meaningful research applications and support greater impact on practice and knowledge exchange. To address these needs, a Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) of nine older adults (ages 64–80, 67% women) was formed to advise scientists on the development of Brain Health PRO (B...

Objectives To develop a web-based food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) measuring intake of plant-based protein foods (PBPs) among older adults from the province of Quebec, Canada. Design The questionnaire was adapted from an existing self-administered FFQ and first underwent expert panel evaluation for face and content validity. Then, three phases o...

Background Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is the leading contributor to disability, limiting mobility and dexterity. As research on the determinants of MSP is evolving, biomarkers can probably play a significant role in understanding its causes and improving its clinical management. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of the associations b...

Objectives Evidence suggests that workers exposed to psychosocial stressors at work from the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, evidence about the effect of ERI on prediabetes is scarce. This study aimed to examine the association between effort-reward imbalance at work, glycated...

Purpose: Major changes were made to Canada’s Food Guide (CFG) in 2019. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of older adults toward this newest version. Methods: Older adults were invited to participate via newsletters sent to older adults and retirees’ organizations in the Province of Quebec. Participants completed an online survey about...

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated the implementation of extended interval immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in an effort to limit hospital visits, but few studies have examined their safety. This study aimed to compare in oncology outpatients, immune-mediated adverse events (IMAEs) in terms of total number, incidence, severity, and time to occur...

Introduction: The objective of this study was to examine whether a healthy lifestyle composite score of social engagement, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence moderates the association between psychological distress and global cognitive decline among cognitively healthy older adults (67+ years of age at baseline). Methods: A tota...

BACKGROUND The effect of marine omega-3 PUFAs on risk of stroke remains unclear. METHODS We investigated the associations between circulating and tissue omega-3 PUFA levels and incident stroke (total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic) in 29 international prospective cohorts. Each site conducted a de novo individual-level analysis using a prespecified ana...

Background The Intervention mapping framework was used to plan and develop Brain Health PRO (BHPro), a 45‐week, theory‐ and evidence‐based online educational program co‐created with users in English and French. The goal of the program is to improve dementia literacy, self‐efficacy, and attitude toward dementia and ultimately have a positive impact...

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVRFs) contribute to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods: This study examined the associations between circulating CVRF biomarkers and cognition in 386 cognitively healthy older adults (mean age = 78 ± 4 years, 53% females) selected from the Quebec Longitudinal Study on N...

Background Psychosocial stressors at work, like job strain and effort-reward imbalance (ERI), can increase coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. ERI indicates an imbalance between the effort and received rewards. Evidence about the adverse effect of combined exposure to these work stressors on CHD risk is scarce. This study examines the separate and c...

Malnutrition is correlated with poor cognition; however, an understanding of the association between nutrition risk, which precedes malnutrition, and cognition is lacking. This study aimed to determine if nutrition risk measured with the SCREEN-8 tool is associated with cognitive performance among cognitively healthy adults aged 55+, after adjustin...

The identification of modifiable factors that could maintain cognitive function is a public health priority. It is thought that some work-related psychosocial factors help developing cognitive reserve through high intellectual complexity. However, they also have well-known adverse health effects and are considered to be chronic psychosocial stresso...

Contex Prospective studies and meta-analyses suggest that psychosocial stressors at work from the effort-reward imbalance model are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Prediabetes is an intermediate disorder on the glucose metabolism continuum. It increases the risk of developing T2DM, while also being separately a...

The revised Canada's food guide released in 2019 promotes the consumption of plant-based protein foods (PBP). Yet, older adults consume little of them. This qualitative study aimed to identify older adults' beliefs about consuming PBP and to assess differences in beliefs by gender and baseline PBP consumption. Recruitment was done to obtain an equa...

Contexte La douleur musculosquelettique génère l'un des principaux fardeaux de santé dans de nombreux pays. Au cours des dernières années, la recherche a montré que les expositions professionnelles n'expliquent qu'une modeste partie de ce problème. Afin d'identifier des biomarqueurs de la douleur musculosquelettique, nous avons réalisé une étude ex...

Background Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are suggested to play a role in the prevention of cognitive decline. The evidence may be inconsistent due to methodological issues including interrelations with other long-chain (14 or more carbons) fatty acids (LCFAs) and use of sex as a confounding factor rather than an effect modifier....

Objectives This study was an in-depth exploration of unique data from a nationally representative sample of adults living in the United States to identify biomarkers associated with musculoskeletal pain. Methods We performed secondary analyses of 2003–2004 NHANES data. After a first screening of 187 markers, analyses of 31 biomarkers were conducte...

Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) have been suggested as modifiable protective factors for cognitive decline because of their neuroprotective properties. However, the evidence is still inconsistent regarding types of omega-3 FAs, and the probable interrelation with other circulating long chain FAs (LCFAs). This study aimed to evaluate associations between...

Background: Deprescribing, a relatively recent concept, has been proposed as a promising solution to the growing issues of polypharmacy and use of medications of questionable benefit among older adults. However, little is known about the health outcomes of deprescribing interventions. Objective: This paper presents the protocol of a study that a...

PurposeBisphosphonates are used to treat osteoporosis. Despite their benefits on bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures, they have shown adverse effects, sometimes severe, during chronic use. Taken for several years, they achieve long-term bone retention, making deprescribing feasible. This review aimed to synthesize evidence on the success and h...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to check if self-reported smoking is still associated with back pain above and beyond its association with cotinine, to test the hypothesis that the association of self-reported cigarette smoking with back pain is due to residual confounding. Methods: Secondary analyses of population-based cross-sectional data...

Background In brain, extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential role in neuron‐glia interface and ensure the crosstalk between the brain and the periphery. Only a few studies have demonstrated the apolipoprotein E4 variant ( APOE ε4)‐driven dysfunction of EVs pathway and the risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To better understand the rol...

Introduction: The substantial link between apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele and oxidative stress may underlie enhanced Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. Here, we studied the impact of APOE ε4 on the level of apolipoproteins with antioxidant activities along with oxidative markers in circulating extracellular vesicles (cEVs) and plasma from cognitive...

Background Chronic low-grade inflammation has been associated with high risk of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, depression, and dementia. As low-grade inflammation could be present long before the apparition of the disease, identifying modifiable risk factors could allow to act upstream. Psychosocial stressors at...

Objectives Psychosocial stressors at work have been proposed as modifiable risk factors for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cumulative exposure to psychosocial stressors at work on cognitive function. Methods This study was conducted among 9188 white-collar workers recruited in 1991–1993 (T1), with follo...

Hypertension is an established risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia in older adults, highlighting the potential importance of antihypertensive treatments in prevention efforts. Work surrounding antihypertensive treatments has suggested possible salutary effects on cognition and neuropathology. Several studies have specifically highlighted...

The health effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been controversial. Here we report the results of a de novo pooled analysis conducted with data from 17 prospective cohort studies examining the associations between blood omega-3 fatty acid levels and risk for all-cause mortality. Over a median of 16 years of follow-up, 15,720 deaths occurred among 42...

It is now well established that adjusting for pure predictors of the outcome, in addition to confounders, allows unbiased estimation of the total exposure effect on an outcome with generally reduced standard errors (SEs). However, no analogous results have been derived for mediation analysis. Considering the simplest linear regression setting and t...

Introduction: In brain, extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential role in the neuron-glia interface and ensure the crosstalk between the brain and the periphery. Some studies now link the pathway dysfunction of the EVs to apolipoprotein E gene variant (APOE ε4) and the risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). To better understand the...

Background Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the most common form of dementia worldwide. Actually, the search for early peripheral biomarkers for AD and other dementia represent a great challenge. Exosomes or extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key players in cerebral function. We have demonstrated that the levels of some pathogen...

Background By 2050, an estimated 152 million people will be living with dementia. Prospective studies suggest that exposure to psychosocial stressors at work could be associated with a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, but the evidence is still not clear. Method This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cumulative exposure to...

Background Prior studies have reported that older adults can benefit from formal educational programs about dementia. Participating in an online educational program focusing on risk and protective factors could potentially increase participants’ dementia literacy, empowerment, and engagement in brain health promotion, which in turn could reduce the...

BACKGROUND Deprescribing, a relatively recent concept, has been proposed as a promising solution to the growing issues of polypharmacy and use of medications of questionable benefit among older adults. However, little is known about the health outcomes of deprescribing interventions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to contribute to the knowledge on depr...

Objectives This study examined the effect of dietary patterns and engagement in cognitive stimulating lifestyle (CSL) behaviors on the trajectory of global cognition, executive function (EF), and verbal episodic memory (VEM). Methods Western and prudent dietary patterns were empirically derived using food frequency questionnaire responses from 350...

Background Deprescribing, a relatively recent concept, has been proposed as a promising solution to the growing issues of polypharmacy and use of medications of questionable benefit among older adults. However, little is known about the health outcomes of deprescribing interventions. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge on deprescribing b...

Background: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity...

Background: The scientific literature shows an association between inflammatory arthritis and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with inflammation being a shared characteristic between the two types of diseases. Among patients with arthritis, it is possible that the protective factors against inflammation, such as vitamin D, are also protective factors...

Background: Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity...

Importance Mental health problems are associated with considerable occupational, medical, social, and economic burdens. Psychosocial stressors at work have been associated with a higher risk of mental disorders, but the risk of sickness absence due to a diagnosed mental disorder, indicating a more severe condition, has never been investigated in a...

Background Consumption of a prudent dietary pattern rich in healthy nutrients is associated with enhanced cognitive performance in older adulthood, while a Western dietary pattern low in healthy nutrients is associated with poor age-related cognitive function. Sex differences exist in dietary intake among older adults; however, there is a paucity o...

Objective Vitamin D could prevent cognitive decline because of its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations with global cognitive function and incident dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods The Canadian Study o...

Introduction Depression is a common and disabling health problem that contributes to an important social and economic burden, particularly among the working age population. The deleterious effect of psychosocial work factors on depression has been documented. However, the most recent systematic reviews had restrictive eligibility criteria and, sinc...

Background: The use of benzodiazepines in relation to cognitive decline remains an area of controversy in aging populations. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the risk of cognitive impairment–not dementia (CIND), Alzheimer disease (AD), and all-cause dementia with benzodiazepine use. The effect modification by sex was also investigated. Method...

Background: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a short, self-administered questionnaire to assess diet quality in clinical settings, using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) as reference. Methods: A total of 1040 men and women (aged 44.6 ± 14.4 y) completed a validated web-based food frequency questionnaire (webFFQ)...

Dietary patterns, or the combination of foods and beverages intake, have been associated with better cognitive function in older persons. To date, no study has investigated the link between a posteriori nutrient patterns based on food intake, and cognitive decline in longitudinal analyses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship betw...

Background: Little attention has been paid to neurotoxicants on the risk of dementia. Exposure to known neurotoxicants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides is suspected to have adverse cognitive effects in older populations. Objective: To assess whether plasma concentrations of PCBs and OC pesticides are as...

Peripheral biomarkers have shown significant value in predicting brain health and may serve as a useful proxy measurement in the assessment of evidence-based lifestyle behavior modification programs, including physical activity and nutrition programs, that aim to maintain cognitive function in late life. The aim of this systematic review was to elu...

Introduction Mental health problems (MHPs) are frequent and disabling and are the first or second leading cause of certified sickness absences from work in industrialised countries. They are generally long lasting and generate a considerable human and socioeconomic burden. The deleterious effect of adverse psychosocial work factors on MHP has been...

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide accounting for 17.7 million deaths per year. Mental health problems (MHP) are the fi rst cause of disability worldwide. Their prevalence, long duration and high risk of recurrence place a considerable burden on health and social care systems and important producti...

Study design: A nationwide cross-sectional study. Objectives: To measure the associations between cigarette smoking (defined as serum cotinine concentration > 15 ng/ml) and the 3-month prevalence of spinal pain (neck pain, low back pain, low back pain with pain below knee, and self-reported diagnosis of arthritis/rheumatism) and related limitati...

Background: There are few studies of the association between the use of antioxidant vitamin supplements and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitive decline is generally viewed as part of the continuum between normal aging and AD. Objective: To evaluate whether the use of vitamin E and C supplements is associated with reduced risks of cog...

Back pain brings about one of the heaviest burden of disease. Despite much research, this condition remains poorly understood and effective treatments are frustratingly elusive. Thus, researchers in the field need to consider new hypotheses. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential co-factor for collagen crosslinks, a key determinant of ligament,...

The prevalence of hypovitaminosis C in the general population is high. Our study shows associations between vitamin C and spinal pain that warrant further investigation to determine the possible importance of vitamin C in the treatment of back pain patients.

Background: Dietary and nutrient patterns have been linked to health outcomes related to aging. Food intake is influenced by environmental and genetic factors. The aim of the present study was to compare nutrient patterns across two elderly populations sharing a common ancestral cultural background, but living in different environments. Methods:...

RÉSUMÉ L’augmentation du nombre de personnes âgées présentant des incapacités et ayant des maladies chroniques entraîne une hausse des besoins en services de santé à domicile. Le nombre d’études et de revues systématiques traitant des approches préventives pour cette clientèle a proliféré, générant un besoin de synthèse des connaissances. Nous avon...

Background: Even though polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides are recognized as neurotoxicants, few studies have investigated their associations with dementia. Here, we assess associations of plasma PCB and OC pesticide concentrations with all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Analyses are based...

This study examines the association of plasma oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) levels with all-cause dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Data are taken from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, a population-based study of a representative sample of persons aged more than 65 years conducted from 1991 to 200...

Dans un contexte où la demande de soins à domicile augmente beaucoup plus rapidement que ne le fait l’offre de services, les décisions prises et les priorités retenues doivent reposer sur les meilleures données probantes disponibles. Quelles sont les meilleures pratiques et stratégies cliniques de soins à domicile? Quels sont les effets des visites...

It is presently unclear whether there is a significant association between thyroid function and cognitive decline in euthyroid elderly. This case-control study aimed to examine serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total thyroxine, free thyroxine, total triiodothyronine, and free triiodothyronine in relation to cognitive decline over a 3-year pe...

Dans un contexte où la demande de soins à domicile augmente beaucoup plus rapidement que ne le fait l’offre de services, il est d’autant plus pertinent de baser les décisions prises et les priorités retenues sur les meilleures données probantes disponibles. Les études scientifiques mettent en évidence que la planification du congé d'une personne âg...

Cognitive decline may lead to dementia whose most frequent cause is Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among the many potential risk factors of cognitive decline and AD, diet raises increasing interest. Most studies considered diet in the frame of a single nutrient approach with inconsistent results. A novel approach to examine the link between nutrition an...

Some observational studies have established an association between exposure to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and a decreased risk of subsequently developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mild cognitive impairment or cognitive impairment, not dementia (CIND) is more likely to convert to AD, and no specific preventive method is currently...

Coffee: Emerging Health Benefits and Disease Prevention presents a comprehensive overview of the recent scientific advances in the field. The book focuses on the following topics: coffee constituents; pro-and antioxidant properties of coffee constituents; bioavailability of coffee constituents; health benefits and disease prevention effects of coff...

Introduction Review of epidemiologic studies of coffee in relation to Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and selected aspects of cognitive functioning The strength of the evidence for preventing Alzheimer's disease References

see attached abstract

No nationwide study has ever measured polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and organochlorine pesticide (OCP) body burden in Canadians aged 65 years and over. The objective of this study was to determine plasma concentrations of PCB congeners and OCPs in participants from a sub-cohort of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging and to examine the effects o...

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) may protect against dementia, although epidemiologic studies have yielded inconclusive results. Fish is the main dietary source of n-3 PUFAs and is sometimes contaminated with mercury. This neurotoxicant may modify the association with dementia. We evaluated the association of erythrocyte membrane tot...

The brain-at-risk stage is the earliest phase of the vascular cognitive impairment continuum and includes individuals with vascular risk factors (VRF). However, there is still no clear definition of this concept. The aim of the study is to characterize the neuropsychological profile of elderly individuals by 3 levels of VRF. This is a cross-section...

The authors evaluated the association of complexity of work with data, people, and things with the incidence of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, while adjusting for work-related physical activity. The Canadian Study of Health and Aging is a 10-year population study, from 1991 to 2001, o...

There is evidence for a relationship between raised inflammatory markers, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), measured late in life, and an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This study evaluates the association of midlife hs-CRP concentrations with late-life longitudinal trends in cognitive function. Data are fro...

Measurement of the ankle-to-brachial index (ABI) is a noninvasive test to assess peripheral arterial disease. A low ABI is a strong correlate of cardiovascular disease and subsequent mortality. Evidence indicates the existence of vascular components in the pathogenesis of dementia. Here, we examine the association of ABI with dementia and subtypes....

The authors examined whether low levels of social engagement in midlife and late life were associated with the risk of incident dementia in 2,513 Japanese-American men who have been followed since 1965 as part of the Honolulu Heart Program and the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. In 1991, assessment of dementia began; incident dementia cases (n = 222) we...

Disruptive behaviors are frequent among elderly individuals in long-term care centers. Neuroleptics remain the most common pharmacological treatment for controlling these challenging behavioral manifestations. However, their effectiveness is a subject of controversy and it is unclear what specific behaviors are more likely to be managed with neurol...

Neuroleptics, also called antipsychotic drugs (e.g., haloperidol, risperidone) are the cornerstone drug therapy for psychiatric disorders. Despite the fact that they are widely used in nursing homes, little is known about their clinical determinants. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence rate of neuroleptic administ...

Inappropriate medication use is a major healthcare issue for the elderly population. This study explored the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) in long-term care in metropolitan Quebec. A cross sectional chart review of 2,633 long-term care older patients of the Quebec City area was performed. An explicit criteria list for...

Appendix: List of explicit criteria used to assess the quality of prescribing in long-term care for elderly patients provide as additional file