Low ambient temperature as a novel risk factor of oral diseases: A time-series study. Qian Yifeng,Gao Ya,Cai Binxin,Zhang Wenbin,Wang Xudong,Chen Renjie The Science of the total environment BACKGROUND:The seasonal variation of oral diseases has been observed in life, but the influences of oral diseases associated with non-optimal ambient temperature were unknown. OBJECTIVE:To examine whether non-optimum ambient temperature is associated with increased risks of oral diseases. METHODS:We conducted a time series study based on outpatient data from the Shanghai Health Information Center, containing all public hospitals in Shanghai from 2016 to 2019. Generalized additive models with distributed lagged nonlinear models were applied to fit the data. RESULT:A total of 3,882,636 outpatient cases of oral diseases were collected. Low temperature (<7 °C) posed increased risks for oral diseases. Daily temperature above 7 °C had no effect on oral diseases. The excess risks were present on the lag 1 day and lasted till lag 7 day. Relative to referent temperatures, the cumulative risks of total oral diseases, pulpitis, periodontitis, gum pain, stomatitis, and glossitis at extreme low temperature (-3 °C, 1st percentile) over lag 0-7 day were 1.92 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.40, 2.63), 2.40 (95% CI: 1.78, 3.25), 1.62 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.29), 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.83), 1.81 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.53), and 2.22 (95% CI: 1.23, 3.99). These associations were larger in patients who were above age 60. CONCLUSION:This study provided novel epidemiological evidence that low ambient temperature may increase the risks of oral diseases. The temperature thresholds for eight oral diseases range from 3 to 7 °C. The excess risks could last for 7 days and were larger in older patients. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152229

The Association of Meteorological Factors with Cognitive Function in Older Adults. Qiu Yuehong,Wei Kaigong,Zhu Lijun,Wu Dan,Jiao Can International journal of environmental research and public health Individual and meteorological factors are associated with cognitive function in older adults. However, how these two factors interact with each other to affect cognitive function in older adults is still unclear. We used mixed effects models to assess the association of individual and meteorological factors with cognitive function among older adults. Individual data in this study were from the database of China Family Panel Studies. A total of 3448 older adults from 25 provinces were included in our analysis. Cognitive functions were measured using a memory test and a logical sequence test. We used the meteorological data in the daily climate dataset of China's surface international exchange stations, and two meteorological factors (i.e., average temperature and relative humidity) were assessed. The empty model showed significant differences in the cognitive scores of the older adults across different provinces. The results showed a main impact of residence (i.e., urban or rural) and a significant humidity-residence interaction on memory performance in older adults. Specifically, the negative association between humidity and memory performance was more pronounced in urban areas. This study suggested that meteorological factors may, in concert with individual factors, be associated with differences in memory function in older adults. 10.3390/ijerph18115981

The Effect of Cold Exposure on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. Falla Marika,Micarelli Alessandro,Hüfner Katharina,Strapazzon Giacomo International journal of environmental research and public health Several aspects of cognition can be affected after cold exposure, but contradictory results have been reported regarding affected cognitive domains. The aim of the current systematic review was to evaluate the effects of specific cold exposure on cognitive performance in healthy subjects. A systematic search was performed using MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus) and PsycINFO databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Inclusion criteria were healthy subjects exposed to a cold environment (either simulated or not) and cognitive performance related to cold exposure with an experimental design. The literature search identified 18 studies, eight studies investigated the effect of cold air exposure and ten the effect of cold water immersion on cognitive performance of healthy subjects. There were several differences among the studies (environmental temperature reached, time of exposure, timing, and type of cognitive test administration). Cold exposure induced in most of the experimental settings (15 of 18) an impairment of CP even before accidental hypothermia was established. The most investigated and affected cognitive domains were attention and processing speed, executive function, and memory. Gender differences and effects of repeated exposure and possible acclimation on cognitive performance need further studies to be confirmed. 10.3390/ijerph18189725

The impact of living environmental factors on cognitive function and mild cognitive impairment: evidence from the Chinese elderly population. BMC public health OBJECTIVES:Mild cognitive impairment represents a pivotal stage in the cognitive decline of older adults, with a considerable risk of advancing to dementia. Recognizing how living environmental factors affect cognition is crucial for crafting effective prevention and intervention strategies. This study seeks to elucidate the relationship between various living environmental factors and cognitive function, with a specific focus on mild cognitive impairment, within a Chinese elderly population. METHODS:This is a cross-section and longitudinal study. Utilizing data from CHARLS, our cross-sectional analysis included 4,401 participants, while the cohort study comprised 3,177 individuals. We assessed living environmental factors based on household fuel types, water sources, indoor temperatures, residential building types, and ambient PM2.5 levels. We employed multiple linear regression for cross-sectional analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models for longitudinal assessments to determine the effects of living environments on cognitive function and MCI risk. Stratified analyses, interaction tests, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to further validate our findings. RESULTS:The findings revealed that, compared to those in high-risk environments, participants in low-risk settings exhibited higher cognitive scores (β = 1.25, 95%CI: 0.85, 1.65), better mental status (β = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.48, 0.92), and improved episodic memory (β = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.41). Over a 7-year follow-up, the use of low-risk living environments (HR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.49, 0.91), including clean fuels (HR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.57, 0.95) and tap water (HR = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.71, 1.00), demonstrated a protective effect against MCI development. This correlation remained significant regardless of age, gender, residence, education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, and depression. CONCLUSION:This research provides substantial evidence that living environmental factors significantly affect cognitive function and MCI risk in Chinese older adults. Enhancing living conditions may be a key strategy for promoting cognitive health and preventing MCI in this demographic. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term impacts and potential intervention strategies to optimize living environments for better cognitive outcomes in aging populations. 10.1186/s12889-024-20197-2