Nicole Spartano | Profiles RNS

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

Websites

ResearchGate

ORCID : 0000-0002-0724-8629

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

BU Research
BMC Research

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

Pathiravasan CH, Zhang Y, Trinquart L, Benjamin EJ, Borrelli B, McManus DD, Kheterpal V, Lin H, Sardana M, Hammond MM, Spartano NL, Dunn AL, Schramm E, Nowak C, Manders ES, Liu H, Kornej J, Liu C, Murabito JM. Adherence of Mobile App-Based Surveys and Comparison With Traditional Surveys: eCohort Study. J Med Internet Res. 2021 Jan 20; 23(1):e24773.View Related Profiles.

Borrelli, Belinda
Pathiravasan, Chathurangi
Liu, Chunyu
Benjamin, Emelia
Lin, Honghuang
Murabito, Joanne
Trinquart, Ludovic
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 33470944; DOI: 10.2196/24773;

Spartano NL, Pantoni L. What Can Longitudinal Observational Studies of Physical Activity Teach Us About Prevention of Dementia? Neurology. 2021 02 16; 96(7):297-298. PMID: 33408143

Ekelund U, Tarp J, Fagerland MW, Johannessen JS, Hansen BH, Jefferis BJ, Whincup PH, Diaz KM, Hooker S, Howard VJ, Chernofsky A, Larson MG, Spartano N, Vasan RS, Dohrn IM, Hagströmer M, Edwardson C, Yates T, Shiroma EJ, Dempsey P, Wijndaele K, Anderssen SA, Lee IM. Joint associations of accelero-meter measured physical activity and sedentary time with all-cause mortality: a harmonised meta-analysis in more than 44 000 middle-aged and older individuals. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Dec; 54(24):1499-1506.View Related Profiles.

Larson, Martin
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 33239356

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 11 11; 112(5):1318-1327. PMID: 32910816

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 Oct 23; 127(10):1253-1260.View Related Profiles.

Borrelli, Belinda
Pathiravasan, Chathurangi
Liu, Chunyu
Benjamin, Emelia
Lin, Honghuang
Murabito, Joanne
Trinquart, Ludovic
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 32842915; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.317578;

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.

Cabral, Howard
Moore, Lynn
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 32559207

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

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 03 03; 141(9):e139-e596.View Related Profiles.

Stokes, Andrew
Benjamin, Emelia
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 31992061

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.

Beiser, Alexa
Himali, Jayandra
Murabito, Joanne
Dukes, Kimberly Ann
Spartano, Nicole
Demissie, Serkalem
Seshadri, Sudha

PMID: 31660424

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.

Benjamin, Emelia
Lin, Honghuang
Murabito, Joanne
Lunetta, Kathryn
Trinquart, Ludovic
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 31573928; DOI: 10.2196/13238;

Showing 10 of 35 results. Show More

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.

Larson, Martin
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 31434697

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.

Beiser, Alexa
Himali, Jayandra
Murabito, Joanne
Spartano, Nicole
Seshadri, Sudha

PMID: 31002329; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2745;

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.

Stokes, Andrew
Benjamin, Emelia
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 30700139

McManus DD, Trinquart L, Benjamin EJ, Manders ES, Fusco K, Jung LS, Spartano NL, Kheterpal V, Nowak C, Sardana M, Murabito JM. Design and Preliminary Findings From a New Electronic Cohort Embedded in the Framingham Heart Study. J Med Internet Res. 2019 03 01; 21(3):e12143.View Related Profiles.

Benjamin, Emelia
Murabito, Joanne
Trinquart, Ludovic
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 30821691

Spartano NL, Lyass A, Larson MG, Tran T, Andersson C, Blease SJ, Esliger DW, Vasan RS, Murabito JM. Objective physical activity and physical performance in middle-aged and older adults. Exp Gerontol. 2019 05; 119:203-211.View Related Profiles.

Murabito, Joanne
Larson, Martin
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 30771463

Spartano NL, Davis-Plourde KL, Himali JJ, Murabito JM, Vasan RS, Beiser AS, Seshadri S. Self-Reported Physical Activity and Relations to Growth and Neurotrophic Factors in Diabetes Mellitus: The Framingham Offspring Study. J Diabetes Res. 2019; 2019:2718465.View Related Profiles.

Beiser, Alexa
Himali, Jayandra
Murabito, Joanne
Spartano, Nicole
Seshadri, Sudha

PMID: 30729134; DOI: 10.1155/2019/2718465;

Riffenburg KM, Spartano NL. Physical activity and weight maintenance: the utility of wearable devices and mobile health technology in research and clinical settings. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2018 10; 25(5):310-314. PMID: 30063553

Spartano NL, Bernhardt J. Prestroke physical activity to reduce stroke severity: Moving to lower risk with light activity. Neurology. 2018 10 16; 91(16):727-728. PMID: 30232247

Spartano NL, Ngandu T. Fitness and dementia risk: Further evidence of the heart-brain connection. Neurology. 2018 04 10; 90(15):675-676. PMID: 29540586

Benjamin EJ, Virani SS, Callaway CW, Chamberlain AM, Chang AR, Cheng S, Chiuve SE, Cushman M, Delling FN, Deo R, de Ferranti SD, Ferguson JF, Fornage M, Gillespie C, Isasi CR, Jiménez MC, Jordan LC, Judd SE, Lackland D, Lichtman JH, Lisabeth L, Liu S, Longenecker CT, Lutsey PL, Mackey JS, Matchar DB, Matsushita K, Mussolino ME, Nasir K, O'Flaherty M, Palaniappan LP, Pandey A, Pandey DK, Reeves MJ, Ritchey MD, Rodriguez CJ, Roth GA, Rosamond WD, Sampson UKA, Satou GM, Shah SH, Spartano NL, Tirschwell DL, Tsao CW, Voeks JH, Willey JZ, Wilkins JT, Wu JH, Alger HM, Wong SS, Muntner P. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2018 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018 03 20; 137(12):e67-e492.View Related Profiles.

Benjamin, Emelia
Spartano, Nicole

PMID: 29386200

Heffernan KS, Augustine JA, Lefferts WK, Spartano NL, Hughes WE, Jorgensen RS, Gump BB. Arterial stiffness and cerebral hemodynamic pulsatility during cognitive engagement in younger and older adults. Exp Gerontol. 2018 01; 101:54-62. PMID: 29129735; DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.11.004;

Tan ZS, Spartano NL, Beiser AS, DeCarli C, Auerbach SH, Vasan RS, Seshadri S. Physical Activity, Brain Volume, and Dementia Risk: The Framingham Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017 Jun 01; 72(6):789-795.View Related Profiles.

Beiser, Alexa
Spartano, Nicole
Auerbach, Sanford
Seshadri, Sudha
Ramachandran, Vasan

PMID: 27422439; DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glw130;

Spartano NL, Stevenson MD, Xanthakis V, Larson MG, Andersson C, Murabito JM, Vasan RS. Associations of objective physical activity with insulin sensitivity and circulating adipokine profile: the Framingham Heart Study. Clin Obes. 2017 Apr; 7(2):59-69.View Related Profiles.

Murabito, Joanne
Larson, Martin
Spartano, Nicole
Xanthakis, Vanessa
Ramachandran, Vasan

PMID: 28112860; DOI: 10.1111/cob.12177;

Lefferts WK, Augustine JA, Spartano NL, Atallah-Yunes NH, Heffernan KS, Gump BB. Racial differences in central hemodynamics and subclinical markers of cardiovascular disease risk in children. Journal of Pediatrics. 2017; 180:62-67.

Spartano NL, Heffernan KS, Dumas AK, Gump BB. Accelerometer-determined physical activity and the cardiovascular response to mental stress in children. J Sci Med Sport. 2017 Jan; 20(1):60-65. PMID: 27283342

Spartano NL, Lyass A, Larson MG, Lewis GD, Vasan RS. Submaximal Exercise Systolic Blood Pressure and Heart Rate at 20 Years of Follow-up: Correlates in the Framingham Heart Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 May 27; 5(6).View Related Profiles.

Larson, Martin
Spartano, Nicole
Ramachandran, Vasan

PMID: 27233297; PMCID: PMC4937245; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.115.002821;

Spartano NL, Himali JJ, Beiser AS, Lewis GD, DeCarli C, Vasan RS, Seshadri S. Midlife exercise blood pressure, heart rate, and fitness relate to brain volume 2 decades later. Neurology. 2016 Apr 5; 86(14):1313-9.View Related Profiles.

Beiser, Alexa
Himali, Jayandra
Spartano, Nicole
Seshadri, Sudha
Ramachandran, Vasan

PMID: 26865519; PMCID: PMC4826343; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000002415;

Andersson C, Lyass A, Larson MG, Spartano NL, Vita JA, Benjamin EJ, Murabito JM, Esliger DW, Blease SJ, Hamburg NM, Mitchell GF, Vasan RS. Physical activity measured by accelerometry and its associations with cardiac structure and vascular function in young and middle-aged adults. J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 Mar; 4(3):e001528.View Related Profiles.

Benjamin, Emelia
Murabito, Joanne
Vita, Joseph
Larson, Martin
Hamburg, Naomi
Spartano, Nicole
Ramachandran, Vasan

PMID: 25792127; PMCID: PMC4392434; DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001528;

Heffernan KS, Spartano NL, Augustine JA, Lefferts WK, Hughes WE, Mitchell GF, Jorgensen RS, Gump BB. Carotid artery stiffness and hemodynamic pulsatility during cognitive engagement in healthy adults: a pilot investigation. Am J Hypertens. 2015 May; 28(5):615-22. PMID: 25384407; PMCID: PMC4462651

Hughes WE, Spartano NL, Augustine JA, Lefferts WK, Heffernan KS. Sex differences in noninvasive estimates of left ventricular pressure energetics but not myocardial oxygen demand in young adults. Artery Research. 2014; 197-204.

Spartano NL, Lamon-Fava S, Matthan NR, Ronxhi J, Greenberg AS, Obin MS, Lichtenstein AH. Regulation of ATP-binding cassette transporters and cholesterol efflux by glucose in primary human monocytes and murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 2014 Sep; 122(8):463-8. PMID: 24838154; PMCID: PMC4279857

Spartano NL, Lamon-Fava S, Matthan NR, Obin MS, Greenberg AS, Lichtenstein AH. Linoleic acid suppresses cholesterol efflux and ATP-binding cassette transporters in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. Lipids. 2014 May; 49(5):415-22. PMID: 24595513; PMCID: PMC4009986

Spartano NL, Augustine JA, Lefferts WK, Gump BB, Heffernan KS. Atherosclerosis. Carotid blood pressure reactivity to mental stress predicts carotid intima-media thickness. Elsevier. Amsterdam. 2014; 236(2):227-229.
Spartano NL, Augustine JA, Lefferts WK, Hughes WE, Redmond JG, Martin ED, Gump BB, Kuvin JT, Heffernan KS. Current Biomarker Findings. Arterial stiffness as a non-invasive tissue biomarker of cardiac target organ damage. Dove Medical Press. Auckland. 2014; 4:23-34.

Dillard A, Matthan NR, Spartano NL, Butkowski AE, Lichtenstein AH. Background diet and fat type alters plasma lipoprotein response but not aortic cholesterol accumulation in F1B Golden Syrian hamsters. Lipids. 2013 Dec; 48(12):1177-84. PMID: 24096944

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

Bar chart showing 35 publications over 9 distinct years, with a maximum of 8 publications in 2019

Bar chart showing 35 publications over 9 distinct years, with a maximum of 8 publications in 2019

Year	Publications
2013	1
2014	6
2015	1
2016	3
2017	4
2018	4
2019	8
2020	6
2021	2

Media Mentions
Featured Videos

Dr. Nicole Spartano - Neurology Study

Recent (within 3 months)

Exercise at Midlife Linked to Better Brain Health in Late Life

Medscape 1/15/2021

Older

Midlife Physical Activity Correlates With Late-Life Brain Structure

MedPage Today 1/6/2021

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

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

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

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