title: Epidemiology of Major Neurodegenerative Diseases in Women: Contribution of the Nurses' Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the contribution of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) to identifying the role of lifestyle, diet, and genetic or biological factors in several neurodegenerative diseases, including cognitive decline, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We completed a narrative review of the publications of the NHS and NHS II between 1976 and 2016.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In primary findings for cognitive function, higher intake of nuts, moderate alcohol consumption, and higher physical activity levels were associated with better cognitive function. Flavonoids, physical activity, and postmenopausal hormone therapy were related to cognitive decline over 2 to 6 years. The NHS also has been integral in establishing Epstein-Barr virus infection, inadequate vitamin D nutrition, cigarette smoking, and obesity as risk factors for multiple sclerosis and inverse associations between cigarette smoking and caffeine and risk of Parkinson's disease. Increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been associated with cigarette smoking and decreased risk associated with obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NHS has provided invaluable resources on neurodegenerative diseases and contributed to their etiological understanding. We anticipate that the NHS cohorts will continue to make important contributions to the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Kaitlin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hagan
authors.affiliation: Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Kassandra L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Munger
authors.affiliation: Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ascherio
authors.affiliation: Kaitlin A. Hagan, Alberto Ascherio, and Francine Grodstein are with the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Kassandra L. Munger and Alberto Ascherio are with the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grodstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009726:Nurses; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health