PM2.5 Exposure, DNA Methylation, and Cognitive Scores from the GEHAS Study

A dataset from the Guangxi Eco-Environmental Health and Aging Study (GEHAS) containing 3554 observations from 1777 middle-aged and older adults. It examines associations between short-term PM2.5 exposure, DNA methylation of circadian rhythm genes, and cognitive function measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. The dataset was authored by Jiahui Rong and last updated on 2026-04 14.

Use Cases

• Modeling the association between PM2.5 exposure levels and cognitive scores based on the reported beta coefficients.
• Analyzing subgroup effects on cognitive function based on reported differences by gender and age.
• Investigating mediation effects of specific CpG sites, such as cg25579477 in PRKAG2, on the PM2.5-cognition relationship.
• Replicating the identification of PM2.5-associated CpG sites using the reported FDR threshold.

Strengths

• Includes a substantial sample of 1777 individuals with 3554 observations.
• Contains DNA methylation data for 552 participants, identifying 44 CpG sites associated with PM2.5 exposure.
• Reports specific, quantified associations (e.g., a 0.474-point MMSE reduction per 5 μg/m³ PM2.5 increase).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count for the primary dataset is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The geographic scope is limited to participants from the Guangxi Eco-Environmental Health and Aging Study.

Provenance

Source

Guangxi Eco-Environmental Health and Aging Study (GEHAS).

Collection Method

Observational study data collection, likely including environmental monitoring, cognitive testing, and epigenetic profiling.

Time Range

The study period is not specified in the provided metadata.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-14 11:04:08; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Study participants are from Guangxi, China.