Yian Gu, MD, MS, PhD

  • Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology, Epidemiology in the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and in the Taub Institute) at the Columbia University Medical Center
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Overview

Dr. Gu received her training in epidemiology at Fudan University and New York University, and her research aims to understand the role of diet, physical activities, sleep, and other lifestyle factors in brain aging, cognitive aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Gu’s current research focuses on elucidating the biological mechanisms for the lifestyle-brain relationship.

 

Academic Appointments

  • Associate Professor of Neurological Sciences (in Neurology, Epidemiology in the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and in the Taub Institute) at the Columbia University Medical Center

Credentials & Experience

Education & Training

  • MD, Maternal and Child Health, Shanghai Medical University (China)
  • MS, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Fudan University (China)
  • PhD, Epidemiology, New York University, New York, NY

Committees, Societies, Councils

Memberships:

International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART)

American Academy of Neurology (AAN)

Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER)

Editorial Boards

Current Alzheimer Research

Honors & Awards

  • Diet and Cognition within a Reserve framework, National Institute on Aging, R01AG061008 (PI)
  • The role of inflammation in the association between diet and Alzheimer’s disease
  • NIH/National Institute on Aging, R01AG059013 (PI)
  • Diet in relation to brain and cognitive health in a middle-aged multiethnic population: nutritional implications for aging and Alzheimer's disease, NIH/National Institute on Aging, R56AG060156 (contact MPI, Gu/Scarmeas)
  • Dietary Factors and Neuroimaging Markers, NIH/National Institute on Aging, K99R00AG042483 (PI)

Research

Research Interests

  • Aging
  • Dementia
  • Epidemiology

Selected Publications

  1. Gu Y, Honig LS, Kang MS, Bahl A, Sanchez D, Reyes-Dumeyer D, Manly JJ, Dage JL, Lantigua RA, Brickman AM, Vardarajan BN, Mayeux R. Risk of Alzheimer's disease is associated with longitudinal changes in plasma biomarkers in the multi-ethnic Washington Heights-Hamilton Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) cohort. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2024 Jan 6. doi: 10.1002/alz.13652. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38183363.
  2. * Thomas A, Belsky DW, Gu Y. Healthy lifestyle behaviors and biological aging in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999-2018. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2023 Mar 10:glad082. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glad082. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36896965.
  3. * Gaynor AM, Varangis E, Song S, Gazes Y, Habeck C, Stern Y, Gu Y. Longitudinal association between changes in resting-state network connectivity and cognition trajectories: The moderation role of a healthy diet. Front Hum Neurosci. 2023 Jan 19;16:1043423. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1043423. PMID: 36741777; PMCID: PMC9893792.
  4. * Song S, Gaynor AM, Cruz E, Lee S, Gazes Y, Habeck C, Stern Y, Gu Y. Mediterranean Diet and White Matter Hyperintensity Change over Time in Cognitively Intact Adults. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 5;14(17):3664. doi: 10.3390/nu14173664. PMID: 36079921; PMCID: PMC9460774.
  5. Gu Y, Kociolek AJ, Fernandez KK, Cosentino S, Zhu CW, Jin Z, Leverenz JB, Stern Y. Clinical trajectories at the end of life in dementia patients with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body neuropathological changes. Neurology. 2022, Apr 4:10.1212/WNL.0000000000200259. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200259. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35379761.
  6. * Song S, Stern Y, Gu Y. Modifiable lifestyle factors and cognitive reserve: a systemic review of current evidence. Ageing Research Reviews. 2022 Feb;74:101551. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101551. Epub 2021 Dec 21. PMID: 34952208; PMCID: PMC8794051.
  7. * Guo J, Brickman AM, Manly JJ, Reitz C, Schupf N, Mayeux RP, Gu Y. Association between Life’s Simple 7 and incident dementia: longitudinal results from the Washington Heights-Hamilton Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP). Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2021 May 2. doi: 10.1002/alz.12359. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33938146.  PMCID: PMC8560654.
  8. * Gustafson DR*, Bäckman K, Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Manly JJ, Mayeux R, Gu Y. Dietary fatty acids and risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Observations from the Washington Heights-Hamilton Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP). Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2020 Dec;16(12):1638-1649. doi: 10.1002/alz.12154. PMID: 32715635. PMCID: PMC8409226.
  9. Gu Y, Beato JM, Amarante E, Chesebro AG, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Mayeux RP, Brickman AM. Assessment of Leisure Time Physical Activity and Brain Health in a Multi-ethnic Elderly Cohort. JAMA Network Open. 2020 Nov 2;3(11):e2026506. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.26506. PMID: 33211111; PMCID: PMC7677758.
  10. * Zhao C, Tsapanou A, Manly J, Schupf N, Brickman AB, Gu Y. Vitamin D intake is associated with dementia risk in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP). Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2020, Oct;16(10):1393-1401. doi: 10.1002/alz.12096. Epub 2020 Sep 13. PMID: 32921000; PMCID: PMC7544625.
  11. * Ogino E, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Mayeux R, Gu Y. Current and past leisure time physical activity in relation to risk of Alzheimer's disease in older adults. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 2019 Dec;15(12):1603-1611. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.07.013. PMID: 31587996; PMCID: PMC6948182.
  12. Gu Y, Gutierrez J, Meier IB, Guzman VA, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Brickman AM, Mayeux R. Circulating inflammatory biomarkers are related to cerebrovascular disease in older adults. Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation. 2018 Nov 14;6(1):e521. doi: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000521. eCollection 2019 Jan. PMID: 30568999; PMCID: PMC6278856.
  13. Gu Y, Vorburger R, Scarmeas N, Luchsinger JA, Manly JJ, Schupf N, et al. Circulating inflammatory biomarkers in relation to brain structural measurements in a non-demented elderly population. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2017;65:150-60.
  14. Gu Y, Vorburger RS, Gazes Y, Habeck CG, Stern Y, Luchsinger JA, et al. White matter integrity as a mediator in the relationship between dietary nutrients and cognition in the elderly. Annals of neurology. 2016;79(6):1014-25.
  15. Gu Y, Brickman AM, Stern Y, Habeck CG, Razlighi QR, Luchsinger JA, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Mayeux R, Scarmeas N. Mediterranean diet and brain structure in a multiethnic elderly cohort. Neurology. 2015;85:1744-1751
  16. Gu Y, Razlighi QR, Zahodne LB, Janicki SC, Ichise M, Manly JJ, Devanand DP, Brickman AM, Schupf N, Mayeux R, Stern Y. The presence of brain amyloid is preceded by accelerated cognitive decline in non-demented older adults: results from a multi-ethnic population. PLoS ONE, 2015 Jul 29;10(7):e0123743. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123743. eCollection 2015. PMCID: PMC4519341
  17. Gu Y, Scarmeas N. Diet and Neuroimaging Markers of Cerebrovascular Disease. Curr Nutr Rep. 2013 Jun 1;2(2):81-89.
  18. Gu Y, Scarmeas N, Short EE, Luchsinger JA, DeCarli C, Stern Y, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Mayeux R, Brickman AM. Alcohol intake and brain structure in a multiethnic elderly cohort. Clinical Nutrition. 2014, 33(4): 662-667.
  19. Gu Y, Shupf N, Cosentino SA, Luchsinger JA, Scarmeas N. Nutrients intake and plasma & β-amyloid. Neurology. 2012;78:1832-1840.
  20. Gu Y, Scarmeas N. Dietary patterns in Alzheimer's disease and cognitive aging. Current Alzheimer Research. 2011 Aug 1;8(5):510-9.
  21. Gu Y, Luchsinger J, Stern Y, Scarmeas N. (2010) Mediterranean Diet, Inflammatory and Metabolic Biomarkers and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2010; 22(2):483-92.
  22. Gu Y, Nieves JW, Stern Y, Luchsinger JA, Scarmeas N. Food Combination and Alzheimer's disease (AD): a protective diet. Archives of Neurology, 2010;67(6):699-706. Epub 2010 Apr 12.
  23. Gu Y, Lokshin AE, Liu M, Shore RE, Linkov F, Velikokhatnaya L, Koenig KL, Toniolo P, Marrangoni A, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Arslan AA. Reproducilbility of Serum Cytokines and Growth Factors. Cytokine. 2009 Jan; 45(1): 44-49.

For a complete list of publications, please visit PubMed.gov