Prosocial helping behaviors attenuate accelerated cognitive decline driven by APOE ε4

IF 12.8 1区医学 Q1 CLINICAL NEUROLOGY

Alzheimer's & Dementia Pub Date : 2026-09-23 DOI:10.1002/alz.71877

Sae Hwang Han, Jessica Danielle Faul

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 allele accelerates cognitive decline through multiple biological pathways—including neuroinflammatory, vascular, and stress‐regulatory mechanisms—yet few modifiable behaviors counter this genetic vulnerability. Prosocial helping engages these same systems in opposing directions, suggesting it may attenuate APOE ε4–related cognitive decline. METHODS We analyzed more than two decades of longitudinal data from a large, multiethnic US sample ( N = 17,972). Multilevel models that isolate within‐person change tested whether transitions in formal volunteering and informal helping moderate APOE ε4–related cognitive decline, while addressing key sources of endogeneity. RESULTS Adopting and sustaining formal volunteering attenuated the accelerated cognitive decline typically observed among ε4 carriers, with protective associations evident at modest engagement levels (≤ 4 hours/week). Informal helping was uniquely protective among Hispanic older adults, highlighting the role of cultural context in prosocial engagement. DISCUSSION Prosocial helping may be a feasible, scalable strategy for slowing APOE ε4–driven cognitive decline.

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亲社会帮助行为减弱APOE ε4驱动的加速认知衰退

载脂蛋白E (APOE) ε4等位基因通过多种生物途径加速认知能力下降，包括神经炎症、血管和应激调节机制，但很少有可改变的行为对抗这种遗传易感性。亲社会帮助以相反的方向参与这些相同的系统，这表明它可能减轻APOE ε4相关的认知衰退。方法：我们分析了20多年来来自美国大型多种族样本（N = 17972）的纵向数据。隔离个人内部变化的多层次模型测试了正式志愿服务和非正式帮助的转变是否会缓和APOE ε4相关的认知衰退，同时解决了内质性的关键来源。结果：在ε4携带者中，采用和维持正式的志愿服务可以减缓认知能力的加速下降，在适度的参与水平（≤4小时/周）中，这种保护性关联很明显。非正式帮助在西班牙裔老年人中具有独特的保护作用，突出了文化背景在亲社会参与中的作用。亲社会帮助可能是减缓APOE ε4驱动的认知衰退的一种可行的、可扩展的策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Alzheimer's & Dementia 医学-临床神经学

CiteScore

14.50

自引率

5.00%

发文量

299

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Alzheimer's & Dementia is a peer-reviewed journal that aims to bridge knowledge gaps in dementia research by covering the entire spectrum, from basic science to clinical trials to social and behavioral investigations. It provides a platform for rapid communication of new findings and ideas, optimal translation of research into practical applications, increasing knowledge across diverse disciplines for early detection, diagnosis, and intervention, and identifying promising new research directions. In July 2008, Alzheimer's & Dementia was accepted for indexing by MEDLINE, recognizing its scientific merit and contribution to Alzheimer's research.