The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS) of aging, cardiovascular disease and cognitive performance has had its home in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maine since 1976. Participants in the study are persons from the entire adult age-span living in the communities represented by central New York. One must follow longitudinal study subjects wherever they go, and thus the MSLS now includes former residents of central New York who live in Maine and many other states. The longitudinal study paradigm (following the same individuals at prescribed intervals over time) is the ideal design for the study of aging.
The first studies were performed in collaboration between Merrill F. Elias and Professor of Medicine, David H.P. Streeten at what is now State University of New York Health Sciences Center, Syracuse New York. Grant support for this study was transferred from Syracuse University to the University of Maine in 1977. The data analysis and control center resides at the University of Maine, but data collection has always involved the Central New York residents who entered the study at its inception in 1974 Hence the study was labeled the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study.
Professors Merrill Elias and Michael Robbins have been principal and co-principal investigators respectively throughout the 40 years of MSLS presence at the University of Maine. Dr. Ahmed became Associate Director for Research in 2018. Professor Elias is a psychologist and a cardiovascular epidemiologist, Dr. Robbins brings his expertise in social psychology and health psychology to the project, and Dr. Ahmed brings her expertise in clinical psychology, particularly in Neuropsychology.
Papers from 2023
Homocysteine Reduction for Stroke Prevention: Regarding the Recent AHA/ASA 2021 Prevention of Stroke in Patients With Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack, Craig Brown, Jianhua Wang, Hong Jiang, and Merrill F. Elias
Papers from 2022
Medical foods for lowering homocysteine in hypertensive patients, Merrill F. Elias and Craig J. Brown
Papers from 2021
Reclaiming the importance of homocysteine as a marker of cardiovascular and neurologic disease, Merrill F. Elias
New Evidence for Homocysteine Lowering for Management of Treatment-Resistant Hypertension, Merrill F. Elias and Craig J. Brown
Higher yogurt intake is associated with lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals: Cross-sectional findings from the Maine–Syracuse longitudinal study, Alexandra T. Wade, Benjamin A. Guenther, Fayeza S. Ahmed, and Merrill F. Elias
Papers from 2020
Adherence to a Mediterranean diet associated with lower blood pressure in a US sample: Findings from the Maine- Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Fayeza S. Ahmed, Alexandra T. Wade, Benjamin A. Guenther, Karen J. Murphy, and Merrill F. Elias
Human Errors in Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurement, Merrill F. Elias and Amanda L. Goodell
The Perils of Automated Wrist-Cuff Devices and Dental Chairs in Opportunistic Blood Pressure Screening, Merrill F. Elias, Amanda L. Goodell, and Adam Davey
Papers from 2019
Setting the record straight for two heroes in hypertension: John J. Hay and Paul Dudley White, Merrill Elias and Amanda L. Goodell
Papers from 2018
Poorer Visual Acuity is Associated with Declines in Cognitive Performance across Multiple Cognitive Domains: The Maine Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Peter J. Dearborn, Merrill F. Elias, Kevin J. Sullivan, Cara E. Sullivan, and Michael A. Robbins
Design of the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Merrill F. Elias
Parameters of left ventricular mass and dementia: moving the literature forward, Merrill F. Elias, Rachael V. Torres, and Adam Davey
Papers from 2017
The Renaissance of Heart Rate Variability as a Predictor of Cognitive Functioning, Merrill F. Elias and Rachael V. Torres
Albuminuria and cognitive performance: New evidence for consideration of a risk factor precursor model from the Maastricht Study, Merrill F. Elias, Rachael V. Torres, and Adam Davey
Systolic orthostatic hypotension is related to lowered cognitive function: Findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Rachael V. Torres, Merrill Elias, Georgina E. Crichton, Gregory A. Dore, and Adam Davey
Papers from 2016
Daily chocolate consumption is inversely associated with insulin resistance and liver enzymes in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors study, Ala’a Alkerwi, Nicolas Sauvegeot, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, and Saverio Stranges
Chocolate intake is associated with better cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, and Ala’a Alkerwi
Relation of habitual chocolate consumption to arterial stiffness in a community-based sample: Preliminary findings, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Ala’a Alkerwi, and Walter P. Abhayaratna
Habitual chocolate intake and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study: (1975-2010): Prospective observations, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Peter J. Dearborn MA, and Michael A. Robbins
Association between depressive symptoms, use of antidepressant medication and the metabolic syndrome: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, and Michael A. Robbins
Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are associated with poorer cognitive function in individuals with type 2 diabetes: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, and Rachael V. Torres
Challenging the “jolly fat” hypothesis among older adults: High body mass index predicts increases in depressive symptoms over a 5-year period, Peter J. Dearborn MA; Michael A. Robbins Ph.D.; and Merrill F. Elias Ph.D., MPH
The eye is the window to the kidney and brain, Merrill F. Elias, Rachael V. Torres, and Adam Davey
Risk for cognitive impairment across 22 measures of cognitive ability in early-stage chronic kidney disease, Rachael V. Torres, Merrill F. Elias, Stephen L. Seliger, Adam Davey, and Michael A. Robbins
Papers from 2015
Demographic and socioeconomic disparity in nutrition: Application of a novel correlated Component Regression Approach, Ala'a Alkerwi, Céderic Vernier, Nicholas Sauvageot, Georgina E. Crichton, and Merrill F. Elias
Diet soft drink consumption is associated with the metabolic syndrome: A two sample comparison., Georgina E. Crichton, Ala'a Alkerwi, and Merrill F. Elias
Intake of lutein-rich vegetables is associated with higher levels of physical activity, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Ala'a Alkerwi, and Jonathon Buckley
Higher cognitive performance is prospectively associated with healthy dietary choices: The Maine Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Adam Davey, Ala'a Alkerwi, and Gregory A. Dore
Papers from 2014
Dairy food intake and cardiovascular health: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton and Merrill F. Elias
Cardiovascular health and cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Adam A. Davey, and Ala'a Alkerwi
Cardiovascular health: A cross-national comparison between The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (Central New York, USA) and ORISCAV-LUX (Luxembourg), Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Adam A. Davey, Nicholas Sauvageot, and Charles Delagardelle
Higher HDL cholesterol is associated with better cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Adam A. Davey, and Kevin J. Sullivan
Measurement-to-measurement blood pressure variability is related to cognitive performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Rachael V. Torres, and Michael A. Robbins
Cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, and Michael A. Robbins
Papers from 2013
Dairy Consumption and Hypertension: Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, and Georgina E. Crichton
Kidney Disease and Cognitive Function, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, and Adam Davey
High Rates of Uncontrolled Blood Pressure: Pulse Wave Velocity and Future Opportunities, Merrill Elias, Kevin Sullivan, Gregory A. Dore, and Michael A. Robbins
Papers from 2012
Relations between dairy food intake and arterial stiffness: Pulse wave velocity and pulse pressure, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Walter P. Abhayaratna, and Michael A. Robbins
Relations between dairy food intake and arterial stiffness: Pulse wave velocity and pulse pressure, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Walter P. Abhayaratna, and Michael A. Robbins
Relation between dairy food intake and cognitive function: The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, and Michael A. Robbins
Diabetes mellitus in centenarians, Adam Davey, Uday Lele, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Ilene C. Seliger, Mary Ann Johnson, Dorothy B. Hausman, Lisa Tenover, Leonard W. Poon, and Georgian Centenarian Study
Hypertension and Cognitive Functioning: A Perspective in Historical Context, Merrill F. Elias, Amanda L. Goodell, and Gregory A. Dore
Papers from 2011
Metabolic syndrome, cognitive performance and dementia: A review, Georgina E. Crichton, Merrill F. Elias, Jonathan Buckley, Karen Murphy, Janet Bryan, and Vincenza Frisardi
Balanced decisions and unbiased reporting in bioscience and medicine, Merrill F. Elias, Adam Davey, and Amanda L. Goodell
Norms and reference values for pulse wave velocity: One size does not fit all, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Adam Davey, Walter P. Abhayaratna, Amanda L. Goodell, and Michael A. Robbins
Papers from 2010
Cognitive Function, Physical Performance, Health, and Disease: Norms from the Georgia Centenarian Study, Adam Davey, Merrill F. Elias, Ilene C. Seigler, Uday Lele, Peter Martin, Mary Ann Johnson, Dorothy B. Hausman, Leonard W. Poon, and Georgia Centenarian Study
From Blood Pressure to Physical Disability: The Role of Cognition, Merrill F. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Adam Davey, Michael A. Robbins, and Penelope K. Elias
Diet and exercise-blood pressure and cognition: to serve and protect, Merrill F. Elias and Amanda L. Goodell
Papers from 2009
Predicting conversion to mild cognitive impairment: Some error is the price of much truth, Merrill F. Elias and Adam Davey
Chronic kidney disease, creatinine and cognitive functioning, Merrill F. Elias, Penelope K. Elias, Stephen L. Seliger, Sriram S. Narsipur, Gregory A. Dore, and Michael A. Robbins
Arterial Pulse Wave Velocity and Cognition With Advancing Age, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Marc M. Budge, Walter P. Abhayaratna, Gregory A. Dore, and Penelope K. Elias
Papers from 2008
Relation Between Central Adiposity and Cognitive Function in the Maine–Syracuse Study: Attenuation by Physical Activity, Gregory A. Dore, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Marc M. Budge, and Penelope K. Elias
Homocysteine and cognitive performance: Modification by the ApoE genotype, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Marc M. Budge, Penelope K. Elias, Gregory A. Dore, Suzanne L. Brennan, Carole Johnston, and Suzsanna Nagy
Blood Pressure and Disability: First Steps in Future Studies, Michael A. Robbins, Penelope K. Elias, and Merrill F. Elias
Papers from 2007
Cognitive performance and age: Norms from the Maine-Syracuse Study, Gregory A. Dore, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Penelope K. Elias, and Suzanne L. Brennan
Papers from 2006
Homocysteine, Folate, and Vitamins B6 and B12 Blood Levels in Relation to Cognitive Performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Marc M. Budge, Penelope K. Elias, Suzanne L. Brennan, Carole Johnston, Zsuzsanna Nagy, and Christopher J. Bates
Papers from 2005
Serum Cholesterol and Cognitive Performance in the Framingham Heart Study, Penelope K. Elias, Merrill F. Elias, Ralph B. D'Agostino, Lisa M. Sullivan, and Philip A. Wolf
Homocysteine, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cognitive performance: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Michael A. Robbins, Merrill F. Elias, Marc M. Budge, Suzanne L. Brennan, and Penelope K. Elias
Blood Pressure and Cognitive Function in an African-American and a Caucasian-American Sample: The Maine-Syracuse Study, Michael A. Robbins, Merrill F. Elias, Penelope K. Elias, and Marc M. Budge
Papers from 2004
New Norms for a New Generation: Cognitive Performance in the Framingham Offspring Cohort, Rhoda Au, Sudha Seshadri, Philip A. Wolf, Merrill F. Elias, Penelope K. Elias, Lisa Sullivan, Alexa Beiser, and Ralph B. D'Agostino
Papers from 2000
Low Blood Pressure and Depression: Comorbidity and Competing Outcomes, Michael A. Robbins, Penelope K. Elias, and Merrill F. Elias
Papers from 1998
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension and orthostatic edema may share a common pathogenesis, Deborah L. Friedman and David H. P. Streeten
Papers from 1994
Effects of Antihypertensive Medications on Quality of Life in Elderly Hypertensive Women, Sydney H. Croog, Merrill F. Elias, Theodore Colton, Robert M. Baume, Sandra R. Leiblum, C David Jones, H Mitchell Perry, and W Dallas Hall
Unmedicated blood pressure levels and quality of life in elderly hypertensive women, Michael A. Robbins, Merrill F. Elias, Sydney F. Croog, and Theodore Colton
Papers from 1993
Treatment of orthostatic hypotension with erythropoietin, Robert D. Hoeldtke and David H. P. Streeten
Papers from 1992
Delayed orthostatic intolerance, David H. P. Streeten and Gunnar H. Anderson
Papers from 1990
Pathogenesis of hyperadrenergic orthostatic hypotension: Evidence of disordered venous innervation exclusively in the lower limbs, David H. P. Streeten
Primary hyperepinephrinemia in patients without pheochromocytoma, David H. P. Streeten, Gunnar H. Anderson, Mitchell Lebowitz, and Philip J. Speller
Papers from 1987
Clinical significance of cognitive performance by hypertensive patients, Merrill F. Elias, Michael A. Robbins, Norman R. Schultz, David H. P. Streeten, and Penelope K. Elias
Papers from 1979
Relationship of age and hypertension to neuropsychological test performance, Clyde A. Pentz III, Merrill F. Elias, W Gibson Wood, Norman A. Schultz, and John Dineen