Merrill F Elias
Biographic Data
| ID | 1559992 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Merrill F Elias |
| GIVEN NAMES | Merrill F |
| FAMILY NAME | Elias |
| SIGNATURE | ELIAS M F |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Maine |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7386-9282 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Depressive symptoms prospectively predict cardiovascular disease among older adults
A recent meta-analysis identified a prospective association between depression and cardiovascular disease; however, there was no association for studies with long-term follow-up periods. The literature has primarily focused on baseline depression status or symptoms, which may not capture the chronic nature of depression. This study examined the prospective relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease up to 15 years later in…
Challenging the “jolly fat” hypothesis among older adults
Several investigators have observed lowered risk of depression among obese older adults, coining the “jolly fat” hypothesis. We examined this hypothesis using baseline and a 5-year follow-up body mass index, depressive symptoms, and covariates from 638 community-based older adults. High objectively measured body mass index and functional limitations predicted increased future depressive symptoms. However, symptoms did not predict future body mass…
Habitual chocolate intake and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study
Association between depressive symptoms, use of antidepressant medication and the metabolic syndrome
Depressive symptoms and the use of antidepressant medications are associated with the prevalence of MetS, and with some of the individual components of the syndrome
Chocolate intake is associated with better cognitive function
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular health, as indexed by seven health metrics, was higher in the European study site than in the US study site. The largest differences were for the four lifestyle/behavior metrics, namely body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and diet. Preventative and intervention strategies will continue to be important for both countries in order to improve cardiovascular health
Adult Development and Aging
In this chapter, we address research and theory in adult development and aging that have the potential to be important for aging research in health psychology and for opportunities for practice in clinical health psychology of aging in the decade ahead. These areas include (a) personality and prediction of disease, especially the potential for early Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; (b) cognitive declines leading to physical health changes…
Disciplinary Barriers to Progress in Behavior Genetics
The broad perspective provided by an interdisciplinary approach to behavior genetics seems essential for the synthesis of available data and the application of resulting generalizations to the bias needs of society Such an approach has long been impeded by at tempts to determine how much of a particular behavior is contributed by heredity and how much by environment. Contemporary behavior geneticists view this approach as meaningless and suggest …
Homocysteine, Folate, and Vitamins B6 and B12 Blood Levels in Relation to Cognitive Performance
Objective: Our objective was to examine associations among plasma homocysteine concentrations (tHcy), the tHcy-cofactors (folate, vitamins B6 and B12), and multiple domains of cognitive performance, with statistical adjustment for possible confounds, including cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVD-RF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Subjects were 812 participants (58% women) of the Maine-Syracuse study who were free of dementia and …
Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in an African-American and a Caucasian-American Sample
OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to examine associations between indices of blood pressure (BP) and cognitive function for African-American participants in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS). Corresponding data for the Caucasian-American MSLS participants were included to provide a basis for comparison. Interactions of age with BP indices were also assessed in relation to cognitive function. METHODS: Data were drawn from…
Serum Cholesterol and Cognitive Performance in the Framingham Heart Study
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between total cholesterol (TC) and cognitive performance within the context of the Framingham Heart Study, a large, community-based, prospective investigation of cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Participants were 789 men and 1105 women from the Framingham Heart Study original cohort who were free of dementia and stroke and who received biennial TC determinations over a 16…
A Longitudinal Study of Blood Pressure in Relation to Performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
A 15-Year Longitudinal Study of Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Performance
Using a two-stage growth curve analysis, change over time in performance on tests in the Halstead-Reitan Battery and Average Impairment Rating (AIR) was assessed for 53 individuals who varied in age and health status. In the first stage of the analysis, estimated slope and intercept values were calculated for each individual by regressing longitudinal data points on time. In the second stage, estimated slope and intercept values obtained in the f…
Unmedicated blood pressure levels and quality of life in elderly hypertensive women
We examined the associations between unmedicated systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) levels and measures of quality of life (QOL). Women (N = 315) ranging in age from 60 to 80 with diagnoses of mild to moderate hypertension were removed from antihypertensive medications and placed on placebo medication in the context of a clinical drug trial. Unmedicated BP levels were measured at the QOL interview, which followed a 4- to 8-week placebo ru…
Hypertension affects neurobehavioral functioning
Maze Learning
Recombinant inbred strains, their progenitor strains, and their reciprocal F 1 hybrids were tested for maze learning in the Lashley III maze and in the Y-water maze. The resulting pattern of strain distribution suggested that the genetic model provided by the RI strains is based on at least two, and possibly many more, loci. There was no evidence of maternal effects or heterosis. Although the BALB/cBy strain represented an extremely high scoring …
Separating Measures of Learning and Incentive in Water Maze Experiments with Aging Inbred Strains of Mice
Three age groups of DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice (5, 10, and 16 mo.) were given reversal learning trials in a spatial water maze with water temperatures (incentive conditions) of 12, 22, 34, and 45°C. Swimming times to the choice point were used as the index of motivation while trials-to-criterion were used as a measure of learning. Age effects were nonsignificant. For both strains water temperatures of 12°C and 45°C resulted in increased swimming ti…
Challenging the “jolly fat” hypothesis among older adults
Several investigators have observed lowered risk of depression among obese older adults, coining the “jolly fat” hypothesis. We examined this hypothesis using baseline and a 5-year follow-up body mass index, depressive symptoms, and covariates from 638 community-based older adults. High objectively measured body mass index and functional limitations predicted increased future depressive symptoms. However, symptoms did not predict future body mass…
Maze Learning
Recombinant inbred strains, their progenitor strains, and their reciprocal F 1 hybrids were tested for maze learning in the Lashley III maze and in the Y-water maze. The resulting pattern of strain distribution suggested that the genetic model provided by the RI strains is based on at least two, and possibly many more, loci. There was no evidence of maternal effects or heterosis. Although the BALB/cBy strain represented an extremely high scoring …
Separating Measures of Learning and Incentive in Water Maze Experiments with Aging Inbred Strains of Mice
Three age groups of DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice (5, 10, and 16 mo.) were given reversal learning trials in a spatial water maze with water temperatures (incentive conditions) of 12, 22, 34, and 45°C. Swimming times to the choice point were used as the index of motivation while trials-to-criterion were used as a measure of learning. Age effects were nonsignificant. For both strains water temperatures of 12°C and 45°C resulted in increased swimming ti…
Hypertension affects neurobehavioral functioning
Unmedicated blood pressure levels and quality of life in elderly hypertensive women
We examined the associations between unmedicated systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) levels and measures of quality of life (QOL). Women (N = 315) ranging in age from 60 to 80 with diagnoses of mild to moderate hypertension were removed from antihypertensive medications and placed on placebo medication in the context of a clinical drug trial. Unmedicated BP levels were measured at the QOL interview, which followed a 4- to 8-week placebo ru…
A 15-Year Longitudinal Study of Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Performance
Using a two-stage growth curve analysis, change over time in performance on tests in the Halstead-Reitan Battery and Average Impairment Rating (AIR) was assessed for 53 individuals who varied in age and health status. In the first stage of the analysis, estimated slope and intercept values were calculated for each individual by regressing longitudinal data points on time. In the second stage, estimated slope and intercept values obtained in the f…
A Longitudinal Study of Blood Pressure in Relation to Performance on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in an African-American and a Caucasian-American Sample
OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to examine associations between indices of blood pressure (BP) and cognitive function for African-American participants in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS). Corresponding data for the Caucasian-American MSLS participants were included to provide a basis for comparison. Interactions of age with BP indices were also assessed in relation to cognitive function. METHODS: Data were drawn from…
Serum Cholesterol and Cognitive Performance in the Framingham Heart Study
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between total cholesterol (TC) and cognitive performance within the context of the Framingham Heart Study, a large, community-based, prospective investigation of cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Participants were 789 men and 1105 women from the Framingham Heart Study original cohort who were free of dementia and stroke and who received biennial TC determinations over a 16…
Homocysteine, Folate, and Vitamins B6 and B12 Blood Levels in Relation to Cognitive Performance
Objective: Our objective was to examine associations among plasma homocysteine concentrations (tHcy), the tHcy-cofactors (folate, vitamins B6 and B12), and multiple domains of cognitive performance, with statistical adjustment for possible confounds, including cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVD-RF) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Subjects were 812 participants (58% women) of the Maine-Syracuse study who were free of dementia and …
Disciplinary Barriers to Progress in Behavior Genetics
The broad perspective provided by an interdisciplinary approach to behavior genetics seems essential for the synthesis of available data and the application of resulting generalizations to the bias needs of society Such an approach has long been impeded by at tempts to determine how much of a particular behavior is contributed by heredity and how much by environment. Contemporary behavior geneticists view this approach as meaningless and suggest …
Adult Development and Aging
In this chapter, we address research and theory in adult development and aging that have the potential to be important for aging research in health psychology and for opportunities for practice in clinical health psychology of aging in the decade ahead. These areas include (a) personality and prediction of disease, especially the potential for early Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; (b) cognitive declines leading to physical health changes…
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular health, as indexed by seven health metrics, was higher in the European study site than in the US study site. The largest differences were for the four lifestyle/behavior metrics, namely body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and diet. Preventative and intervention strategies will continue to be important for both countries in order to improve cardiovascular health
Association between depressive symptoms, use of antidepressant medication and the metabolic syndrome
Depressive symptoms and the use of antidepressant medications are associated with the prevalence of MetS, and with some of the individual components of the syndrome
Chocolate intake is associated with better cognitive function
Habitual chocolate intake and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study
Challenging the “jolly fat” hypothesis among older adults
Several investigators have observed lowered risk of depression among obese older adults, coining the “jolly fat” hypothesis. We examined this hypothesis using baseline and a 5-year follow-up body mass index, depressive symptoms, and covariates from 638 community-based older adults. High objectively measured body mass index and functional limitations predicted increased future depressive symptoms. However, symptoms did not predict future body mass…
Depressive symptoms prospectively predict cardiovascular disease among older adults
A recent meta-analysis identified a prospective association between depression and cardiovascular disease; however, there was no association for studies with long-term follow-up periods. The literature has primarily focused on baseline depression status or symptoms, which may not capture the chronic nature of depression. This study examined the prospective relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease up to 15 years later in…
Medicine (14 works) · Psychology (13 works) · Psychiatry (11 works) · Cognition (10 works) · Internal Medicine (9 works) · Gerontology (7 works) · Cardiac Health and Mental Health (5 works) · Disease (5 works) · Longitudinal study (5 works) · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research (4 works)