Research interests

Brief Biography

            Professor or Psychology, University of Maine, 1977 to present. Cooperating professor in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (2008-   ); Affiliate Senior Scientist Maine Institute of Genetics and Health (2008-  ). PhD, Experimental Psychology, Purdue University (1963), MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health (1966). Fellow, American Psychological Association, Society of Psychosomatic Medicine, American Heart Association Councils on High Blood Pressure and Epidemiology. Research support: NSF, NIH, NATO. Framingham Heart Study Investigator (1994- ).  Principal Investigator, Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.

 

Research Interests

My research combines interests in cognitive functioning and cardiovascular epidemiology. My major research activity focuses on the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS). Beginning at Syracuse University in 1975 and moving to the University of Maine in 1977, the MSLS has continued uninterrupted for more than 33 years thanks to support from the National Institute on Aging (NIH) and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NIH).  This community-based study offers students and faculty opportunities for archival data analysis focusing on relations among newly recognized and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease and cognitive performance across the adult lifespan. Some examples of variables in the data base are as follows: blood pressure, diabetes, blood glucose levels, adiposity, depression, anxiety, stroke, cardiovascular disease, homocysteine, lipids, ApoE e4,  arterial stiffness (indexed by pulse wave velocity), smoking, alcohol consumption, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, folate, functional disability, activities of daily living, stroke and dementia history.  The MSLS offers longitudinal and cross-sectional data on these risk factors and an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Among our collaborators are faculty at the University of Maine, Boston University, the University of Virginia, the University of Southern California, Oxford University (UK), the University or Birmingham (UK) and Australian National University.

 

Publications

• Elias, M.F, & Davey, A. (2009). Predicting conversion to mild cognitive impairment: Some error is the price of much truth. Neurology, 73, 1432-1433.

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• Dore, G. A., Elias, M. F., Robbins, M. A., Elias, P. K., Nagy, Z. (2009). Presence of the APOE ?4 allele modifies the relationship between type 2 diabetes and cognitive performance: the Maine–Syracuse Study. Diabetologia. DOI 10.1007/s00125-009-1497-2

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• Elias, M.F., Elias, P.K., Seliger, S.L., Narsipur, S.S., Dore, G.A. & Robbins, M.A. (2009). Chronic kidney disease, creatinine and cognitive functioning. Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, 24, 2446-2452.

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• Elias, M.F., Robbins, M.A., Budge, M.M., Abhayaratna, W.P., Dore, G.A., & Elias, P.K. (2009). Arterial pulse wave velocity and cognition with advancing age. Hypertension, 53, 668-673.

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• Elias, M. F. & Gore, G.A. (2008). Brain indices predict blood pressure control: Aging brains and new predictions. Hypertension, 52, 1014-1015.

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• Elias, M.F., Elias, P.K., Dore, G.A., & Robbins, M.A. (2008). High-normal blood pressure and cognition: Supplying the missing data [Letter to the Editor]. Hypertension, 52(1), e1-e2.

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• Dore, G. A., Elias, M. F., Robbins, M. A., Budge, M. M., & Elias, P. K. (2008). Relation between central adiposity and cognitive function in the Maine-Syracuse Study: Attenuation by physical activity. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 35(3), 341-350. (DOI 10.1007/s12160-008-9038-7)

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• Elias, M.F., Robbins, M.A., Budge, M.M., Elias, P.K., Dore, G.A., Brennan, S.L., Johnston C., & Nagy, Z. (2008). Homocysteine and cognitive performance: modification by the ApoE genotype. Neuroscience Letters, 430, 64-69.

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• Elias, M. F. & Elias, P. K. (2007). Blood pressure and disability. Novus orsa [Editorial Comment]. Hypertension, 50, 1006-1008.

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• Elias, M. F., Sullivan, L. M., Elias, P. K., D’Agostino, R. B., Sr., Wolf, P. A. Seshadri, S., Au, R., Benjamin, E. J., & Vasan, R. S. (2007). Left ventricular mass, blood pressure and lowered cognitive performance in the Framingham Offspring. Hypertension, 49, 439-445.

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• Elias, M. F., Sullivan, L. M., Elias, P. K., Vasan, R. S., D’Agostino, R. B., Seshadri, S., Au, R., Wolf, P. A., & Benjamin, E. J. (2006). Atrial fibrillation is associated with lower cognitive performance in the Framingham Offspring men. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 15, 214-222.

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• Elias, M. F., Robbins, M. A., Budge, M. M., Elias, P. K., Brennan, S. L., Johnston, C., Nagy, Z., & Bates, C. J., (2006). Homocysteine, folate, vitamins B6 and B12 blood levels in relation to cognitive performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 547-554.

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• Elias, M. F., Elias, P. K., Sullivan, L. M., Wolf, P. A., & D’Agostino, R. B. (2005). Obesity, diabetes and cognitive deficit: The Framingham Heart Study. Neurobiology of Aging, 26S: S11-S16.

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• Robbins, M.A., Elias, M.F., Elias, P.K., & Budge, M.M. (2005). Blood pressure and cognitive function in an African-American and a Caucasian-American sample: The Maine-Syracuse Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 707-714.

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• Robbins, M. A., Elias, M. F., Budge, M. M., Brennan, S. L., & Elias, P. K. (2005). Homocysteine, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cognitive performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 43, 1101-1106.

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• Elias, M. F., Sullivan, L. M., D’Agostino, R. B., Elias, P. K., Jacques, P. F., Selhub, J., Seshadri, S., Au, R., Beiser, A., & Wolf, P. A. (2005). Homocysteine and cognitive performance in the Framingham Offspring Study: age is important. American Journal of Epidemiology, 162, 1-10.

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• Elias, P. K., Elias, M. F., D'Agostino, R. B., Sullivan, L. M., & Wolf, P. A. (2005). Serum cholesterol and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. Psychosomatic Medicine, 67, 24-30.

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• Elias, P. K., Elias, M. F., Robbins, M. A., & Budge, M. M. (2004). Blood pressure-related cognitive decline: does age make a difference? Hypertension, 44, 631-636.

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• Elias, M. F., Sullivan, L. M., D’Agostino, R. B., Elias, P. K., Beiser, A., Au, R., Seshadri. S., DeCarli, C., & Wolf, P. A. (2004). The Framingham stroke risk profile and lowered cognitive performance. Stroke, 35, 404-409.

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