Nicole Spartano, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Boston University School of Medicine
Dept of Medicine
Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Weight Management

PhD, Tufts University
MS, Tufts University




Nicole Spartano, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor of Medicine in Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition and Weight Management at the Boston University School of Medicine and Co-Director of the Physical Activity Station at the Framingham Heart Study, overseeing data collection using accelerometers (fitness trackers). She has received funding from the American Heart Association to complete work to understand the impact of physical activity throughout the lifecourse on brain health and the risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Her recent article "Midlife exercise blood pressure, heart rate, and fitness relate to brain volume 2 decades later" was picked up by popular news sites like CNN, TIME, Newsweek, BBC, and Runnersworld for its implication that regular exercise can retain brain health later in life. Dr. Spartano also teaches courses for the Boston University Graduate Medical Sciences program and School of Public Health.

Investigator
Framingham Heart Study


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students)
Boston University School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences



2018 American Heart Association: Sandra A. Daugherty Award, Finalist
2017 American Heart Association Specialty Conferences : Best of American Heart Association Specialty Conferences
2016 American Heart Association: Early Investigator Travel Award
2015 American Heart Association Specialty Conferences: Best of American Heart Association Specialty Conferences
2015 Boston University Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs: Travel Award
2014-2016 NIH/NHLBI: Postdoctoral Training Grant award
2009-2012 NIH/NHLBI: Pre-doctoral Training Grant award
2007-2009 Tufts University: Friedman School of Nutrition Scholarship
2006 Syracuse University: Biology Award for Research Excellence


The Longitudinal Influence of Midlife Physical Activity and Sedentary Time on Vascular Brain Injury
07/01/2016 - 06/30/2019 (PI)
American Heart Association



Physical Inactivity, Epigenetic Aging, and Preclinical Dementia
12/01/2018 - 11/30/2021 (PI)
Alzheimer's Association


Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Chen GC, Qi Q, Hua S, Moon JY, Spartano NL, Vasan RS, Sotres-Alvarez D, Castaneda SF, Evenson KR, Perreira KM, Gallo LC, Pirzada A, Diaz KM, Daviglus ML, Gellman MD, Kaplan RC, Xue X, Mossavar-Rahmani Y. Accelerometer-assessed physical activity and incident diabetes in a population covering the adult life span: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Sep 10. PMID: 32910816
     
  2. Lin H, Sardana M, Zhang Y, Liu C, Trinquart L, Benjamin EJ, Manders ES, Fusco K, Kornej J, Hammond MM, Spartano NL, Pathiravasan CH, Kheterpal V, Nowak C, Borrelli B, Murabito JM, McManus DD. Association of Habitual Physical Activity with Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Circ Res. 2020 Aug 26.View Related Profiles. PMID: 32842915; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.317578;
     
  3. Lin HP, Lynk N, Moore LL, Cabral HJ, Heffernan KS, Dumas AK, Hruska B, Zajdel RA, Gump BB, Spartano NL. A pragmatic approach to the comparison of wrist-based cutpoints of physical activity intensity for the MotionWatch8 accelerometer in children. PLoS One. 2020; 15(6):e0234725.View Related Profiles. PMID: 32559207
     
  4. Lefferts WK, Augustine JA, Spartano NL, Hughes WE, Babcock MC, Heenan BK, Heffernan KS. Effects of Whey Protein Supplementation on Aortic Stiffness, Cerebral Blood Flow, and Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Findings from the ANCHORS A-WHEY Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 10; 12(4). PMID: 32290271
     
  5. Virani SS, Alonso A, Benjamin EJ, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, Carson AP, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Delling FN, Djousse L, Elkind MSV, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Kwan TW, Lackland DT, Lewis TT, Lichtman JH, Longenecker CT, Loop MS, Lutsey PL, Martin SS, Matsushita K, Moran AE, Mussolino ME, Perak AM, Rosamond WD, Roth GA, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Shay CM, Spartano NL, Stokes A, Tirschwell DL, VanWagner LB, Tsao CW. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2020 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020 Mar 03; 141(9):e139-e596.View Related Profiles. PMID: 31992061
     
  6. Spartano NL, Demissie S, Himali JJ, Dukes KA, Murabito JM, Vasan RS, Beiser AS, Seshadri S. Accelerometer-determined physical activity and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from two generations of the Framingham Heart Study. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2019; 5:618-626.View Related Profiles. PMID: 31660424
     
  7. Spartano NL, Lin H, Sun F, Lunetta KL, Trinquart L, Valentino M, Manders ES, Pletcher MJ, Marcus GM, McManus DD, Benjamin EJ, Fox CS, Olgin JE, Murabito JM. Comparison of On-Site Versus Remote Mobile Device Support in the Framingham Heart Study Using the Health eHeart Study for Digital Follow-up: Randomized Pilot Study Set Within an Observational Study Design. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2019 09 30; 7(9):e13238.View Related Profiles. PMID: 31573928; DOI: 10.2196/13238;
     
  8. Ekelund U, Tarp J, Steene-Johannessen J, Hansen BH, Jefferis B, Fagerland MW, Whincup P, Diaz KM, Hooker SP, Chernofsky A, Larson MG, Spartano N, Vasan RS, Dohrn IM, Hagströmer M, Edwardson C, Yates T, Shiroma E, Anderssen SA, Lee IM. Dose-response associations between accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time and all cause mortality: systematic review and harmonised meta-analysis. BMJ. 2019 08 21; 366:l4570.View Related Profiles. PMID: 31434697
     
  9. Spartano NL, Davis-Plourde KL, Himali JJ, Andersson C, Pase MP, Maillard P, DeCarli C, Murabito JM, Beiser AS, Vasan RS, Seshadri S. Association of Accelerometer-Measured Light-Intensity Physical Activity With Brain Volume: The Framingham Heart Study. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 04 05; 2(4):e192745.View Related Profiles. PMID: 31002329; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2745;
     
  10. Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, Bittencourt MS, Callaway CW, Carson AP, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Das SR, Delling FN, Djousse L, Elkind MSV, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Jordan LC, Khan SS, Kissela BM, Knutson KL, Kwan TW, Lackland DT, Lewis TT, Lichtman JH, Longenecker CT, Loop MS, Lutsey PL, Martin SS, Matsushita K, Moran AE, Mussolino ME, O'Flaherty M, Pandey A, Perak AM, Rosamond WD, Roth GA, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Schroeder EB, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Stokes A, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Turakhia MP, VanWagner LB, Wilkins JT, Wong SS, Virani SS. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2019 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019 03 05; 139(10):e56-e528.View Related Profiles. PMID: 30700139
     
Showing 10 of 32 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 32 publications over 8 distinct years, with a maximum of 8 publications in 2019

YearPublications
20131
20146
20151
20163
20174
20184
20198
20205

Dr. Nicole Spartano - Neurology Study

Recent (within 3 months)

AHA News: 5 Easy Ways to Keep Tabs on Heart Health

U.S. News & World Report 7/29/2020
Older

Even a Little Exercise May Bring a Brain Boost

U.S. News & World Report 11/6/2019

Even a Little Exercise May Bring a Brain Boost

Health Day 11/6/2019

Rethinking the approach to fighting Alzheimer’s disease

The Conversation 8/13/2019

Light physical activity might help keep the brain young

Reuters 5/15/2019

Light Physical Activity Associated With Increased Brain Volume

Healio 5/3/2019

Light Is Alright: Mild Physical Activity Comes With Larger Brain

Alzheimer’s Forum 4/26/2019

Light Intensity Physical Activity Promotes Healthy Brain Aging

Coastal Ledger 4/23/2019

Doing This For Just a Few Minutes Each Day Can Improve Your Brain and Body

Thrive Global 4/23/2019

Family Chores Can Maintain Your Mind Younger: Research

Infosurhoy 4/23/2019

Every Single Minute Of Physical Activity Helps Health, Study Shows

Mother Nature Network 4/22/2019

Even a Little More Exercise Might Help Your Brain Stay Young

HealthDay News 4/19/2019

Housework Could Keep Brain Young, Research Suggests

The Guardian 4/19/2019

Even a Little Bit of Exercise Can Keep Your Brain From Shrinking, Study Suggests

Gizmodo 4/19/2019

Light Activity And Even Housework Can Keep Our Brains Young, A New Study Suggests

The National 4/19/2019

Reducing Brain Aging May Be As Simple As Light Physical Activity

Slash Gear 4/19/2019

Want to Maintain Total Cerebral Brain Volume? Keep Walking

Psychology Today 4/19/2019

15 daily habits that might be ageing you prematurely

Reader's Digest Australia 4/16/2019

15 Daily Habits That Might Be Aging You Prematurely

Reader's Digest 11/6/2018

Even light exercise might lessen severity of a future stroke

Reuters 10/4/2018

Light to Moderate Physical Activity Can Lower Stroke Severity

Neurology Live 9/25/2018

Stroke severity reduced in those who walk regularly

Medical News Today 9/20/2018

First-Time Stroke Severity Tied Partly to Physical Activity

MedPage Today 9/19/2018

Weight loss wearables most effective alongside additional efforts, researchers explain

Mobi Health News 8/15/2018

44-Year Study Ties Midlife Fitness to Lower Dementia Risk

Alzforum 3/28/2018
Contact for Mentoring:

315.415.2040
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