Ciri and Ciri 5v

The CIRI project (Cognition, Insulin Resistance and Inflammation) aims to evaluate if midlife insulin resistance is associated with brain beta-amyloid accumulation which is the earliest neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. We also aim to examine if midlife metabolic risk factors – such as insulin resistance or low-grade inflammation – are associated with neuroinflammation (measured with PET), with vascular lesions of the brain or with cognitive decline. All the participants of the CIRI and CIRI_5Y studies have taken part in the population-based health examination Health 2000 and Health 2011 Surveys that were conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Wellfare. Therefore, we have detailed information on the study population for over 20 years. All the participants of the original CIRI study were also invited to a 5-year follow-up study (CIRI_5Y). The study participants underwent the same examinations as five years previously at the follow-up. To date, two PhD thesis have been conducted based on the CIRI results of the CIRI project (Laura Ekblad, MD, PhD and Sini Toppala, MD, PhD). There are two on-going PhD projects on the CIRI_5Y project (Elina Pietillä, MD and Teemu Kipinoinen, MD).

Funding: Juho Vainio Foundation, Sigrid Juselius Foundation, Pro Humanitate Foundation, Finnish Medical Foundation, Finnish Governmental Research Funding (ERVA)

Collaborators: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Main publications:

Ekblad LL, Johansson J, Helin S, Viitanen M, Laine H, Puukka P, Jula A, Rinne JO. Midlife insulin resistance, APOE genotype, and late-life brain amyloid accumulation. Neurology 2018;90(13):e1150-e1157.

Toppala S, Ekblad LL, Lötjönen J, Helin S, Hurme S, Johansson J, Jula A, Karrasch M, Koikkalainen J, Laine H, Parkkola R, Viitanen M, Rinne JO. Midlife insulin resistance as a predictor for late-life cognitive function and cerebrovascular lesions. Journal of Alzheimer´s Disease 2019;72(1):215-228.

Toppala S, Ekblad LL, Tuisku J, Helin S, Johansson JJ, Laine H, Löyttyniemi E, Marjamäki P, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Jula A, Viitanen M, Rinne JO. Association of Early β-Amyloid Accumulation and Neuroinflammation Measured With [11C]PBR28 in Elderly Individuals Without Dementia. Neurology. 2021 Mar 23;96(12):e1608-e1619.

Ekblad L, Toppala S, Viitanen M, Jula A, Rinne JO. Insuliiniresistenssi, aivot ja muistisairausriski. Katsaus. Duodecim 2019;135(23):2319-26