International Mind, Activities and Urban Places (iMAP) study: methods of a cohort study on environmental and lifestyle influences on brain and cognitive health
Amanda J Wheeler,
Kaarin J Anstey,
Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen,
Ester Cerin,
Nicola T Lautenschlager,
David W Dunstan,
Bin Jalaludin,
Basile Chaix,
James F Sallis,
Michael Y Ni,
Takemi Sugiyama,
Anthony Barnett,
Karen Caeyenberghs,
Govinda Poudel,
David Donaire-Gonzalez,
Rachel Tham,
Luke Knibbs,
Linwei Tian,
Yih-kai Chan,
Alison Carver
Affiliations
Amanda J Wheeler
School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Kaarin J Anstey
UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen
Air pollution and Urban Environment, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
Ester Cerin
Mary MacKillop Inst Health Res, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Nicola T Lautenschlager
Academic Unit of Psychiatry of Old Age, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
David W Dunstan
2 Physical Activity, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Bin Jalaludin
10 Centre for Research, Evidence Management and Surveillance, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia
Basile Chaix
Institut Pierre Louis d’Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, Île-de-France, France
James F Sallis
Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
Michael Y Ni
School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Takemi Sugiyama
Mary MacKillop Inst Health Res, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Anthony Barnett
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Karen Caeyenberghs
1 Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
Govinda Poudel
Mary MacKillop Inst Health Res, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
David Donaire-Gonzalez
Mary MacKillop Inst Health Res, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Rachel Tham
UCB Pharma, Slough, UK
Luke Knibbs
15 Public Health Research Analytics and Methods for Evidence, Public Health Unit, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
Linwei Tian
School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Yih-kai Chan
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Alison Carver
Mary MacKillop Inst Health Res, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Introduction Numerous studies have found associations between characteristics of urban environments and risk factors for dementia and cognitive decline, such as physical inactivity and obesity. However, the contribution of urban environments to brain and cognitive health has been seldom examined directly. This cohort study investigates the extent to which and how a wide range of characteristics of urban environments influence brain and cognitive health via lifestyle behaviours in mid-aged and older adults in three cities across three continents.Methods and analysis Participants aged 50–79 years and living in preselected areas stratified by walkability, air pollution and socioeconomic status are being recruited in Melbourne (Australia), Barcelona (Spain) and Hong Kong (China) (n=1800 total; 600 per site). Two assessments taken 24 months apart will capture changes in brain and cognitive health. Cognitive function is gauged with a battery of eight standardised tests. Brain health is assessed using MRI scans in a subset of participants. Information on participants’ visited locations is collected via an interactive web-based mapping application and smartphone geolocation data. Environmental characteristics of visited locations, including the built and natural environments and their by-products (e.g., air pollution), are assessed using geographical information systems, online environmental audits and self-reports. Data on travel and lifestyle behaviours (e.g., physical and social activities) and participants’ characteristics (e.g., sociodemographics) are collected using objective and/or self-report measures.Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Australian Catholic University, the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong and the Parc de Salut Mar Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Government of Catalonia. Results will be communicated through standard scientific channels. Methods will be made freely available via a study-dedicated website.Trial registration number ACTRN12619000817145.
