Hui-Xin Wang is an Associate Professor at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. She received her PhD in geriatric epidemiology 2001. At present, she is co-supervising one PhD student. She serves regularly as reviewer to a number of international journals. Her scientific production has led to 25 original publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Her major research field is epidemiology of neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly and she has also research experience in epidemiological studies on cardiovascular disease. Her major contribution to research concerns the following topics:

1. Lifestyle factors and risk of dementia. We have provided evidence of the influence of lifestyle factors on risk of dementia. A rich social network, an active lifestyle, participation in different types of leisure activities was each related to a reduced dementia risk by providing cognitive reserve. On the other hand, having a deficient in B12 or folate was related to increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition, we conducted the first study showing that smoking is not a protective factor for dementia or AD. The protective effect of smoking on dementia reported from cross-sectional studies was due to differential survival among demented smokers and non- demented smokers.
   
   
2. Psychosocial factors and risk of dementia. Personality has been extensive studied in relation to cardiovascular disease. Only a few studies have explored the relation between personality and dementia risk. It is known that dementia and cardiovascular disease share some common risk and protective factors. We have shown that low neuroticism in combination with high extraversion is the personality trait associated with the lowest dementia risk. However, among socially isolated individuals even high neuroticism alone seems to increase dementia risk.
   
   
3. Psychosocial factors and progression of coronary heart disease. There is strong and consistent evidence that lack of social support is an independent risk factor for incident coronary heart disease, but its impact on disease progression had not been well documented. We have demonstrated that lack of emotional support, social isolation, and lack of interpersonal social relations are important risk factors for accelerated disease progression in middle-aged women. In addition, in women with coronary disease, depressive symptoms and social isolation in combination accelerated disease progression, suggesting a direct psychosocial effect on the atherosclerotic process. Moreover, stress from family or work life may accelerate coronary disease processes in women, whereas relative protection may be obtained from a satisfactory job and a happy marriage.

Paillard-Borg S, Fratiglioni L, Winblad B, Wang H-X. Leisure Activities in Late Life in Relation to Dementia Risk: Principal Component Analysis. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2009;28(2):136-144.

Rosvall L, Rizzuto D, Wang H-X, Winblad B, Graff C, Fratiglioni L. APOE-related mortality: Effect of dementia, cardiovascular disease and gender. Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Jan 29.

Wang H-X, Karp A, Herlitz A, Crowe M, Kåreholt I, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. Personality and lifestyle in relation to dementia incidence. Neurology 2009;72:253-259.

Wang H-X, Leineweber C, Kirkeeide R, Svane B, Schenck-Gustafsson K, Theorell T, Orth-Gomer K. Psychosocial stress and atherosclerosis: Family and work stress accelerates progression of coronary disease in women. J Intern Med 2007;261(3):245-54.

Wang H-X, Mittleman MA, Leineweber C, Orth-Gomer K. Depressive symptoms in combination with social isolation hastens progression of coronary artery atherosclerosis in middle-aged women. Psychother Psychosom 2006:75;96-102.

Wang H-X, Mittleman MA, Orth-Gomer K. Influence of social support on progression of coronary artery disease in women. Soc Sci Med 2005;60:599-607.

Wang H-X, Karp A, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. Late-life engagement in social and leisure activities is associated with a decreased risk of dementia: A longitudinal study from the Kungsholmen Project. Am J Epidemiol 2002;155:1081-7.

Wang H-X, Wahlin Å, Basun H, Fastbom J, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. Low levels of vitamin B12 and folate and Alzheimer’s disease incidence. Neurology 2001;56:1188-94.

Fratiglioni L, Wang H-X, Maytan M, Ericsson K, Winblad B. The Influence of Social Network on the Occurrence of Dementia: A Community-based Longitudinal Study. Lancet 2000;355:1315-9.

Wang H-X, Fratiglioni L, Frisoni GB, Viitanen M, Winblad B. Smoking and the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease: cross-sectional and longitudinal data in a population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 1999;149:640-4.