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Kheng Ng

TitleAssistant Professor
InstitutionRush University, Rush Medical College
DepartmentCommunity Epidemiology
AddressChicago IL 60612
ORCID ORCID Icon0000-0001-7348-0410 Additional info
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    National University of Singapore, SingaporePhD02/2018Biological Psychiatry

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    Employing inter-disciplinary bio-psycho-social measures, Dr. Ng's research program examines modifiable risk factors, i.e., biomarkers and loneliness/social isolation, for Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) in at-risk older adults, informing novel non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) to improve cognition and health. Key research areas:
    • Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) • Mindfulness & Nature-based Interventions
    • Blood & Salivary Biomarkers • Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
    • Epidemiological Cohort Studies • Loneliness & Social Isolation
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    Collapse selected publications
    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.
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    PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Dhana A, DeCarli CS, Dhana K, Desai P, Ng TKS, Evans DA, Rajan KB. Cardiovascular Health and Biomarkers of Neurodegenerative Disease in Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Mar 03; 8(3):e250527. PMID: 40067299; PMCID: PMC11897837.
      Citations:    
    2. Yu J, Kua EH, Mahendran R, Ng TKS. ChatGPT-estimated occupational complexity predicts cognitive outcomes and cortical thickness above and beyond socioeconomic status among older adults. Geroscience. 2025 Feb 22. PMID: 39985637.
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    3. Ng TKS, Beydoun HA, Von Ah D, Shadyab AH, Wong SC, Freiberg M, Ikramuddin F, Nguyen PK, Gradidge PJ, Qi L, Chen Z, Pituch KA, Hong S, Manson JE. Pre-pandemic leukocyte count is associated with severity of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection among older women in the Women's Health Initiative. Menopause. 2025 Mar 01; 32(3):197-206. PMID: 39874450.
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    4. Beydoun HA, Szymkowiak D, Ng TKS, Tsai J. Characteristics of injury deaths among homeless and non-homeless US veterans (2017-2021). Inj Prev. 2025 Jan 27. PMID: 39870508.
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    5. Ng TKS, Beck T, Dennis KR, Desai P, Krueger K, Dhana K, Wilson RS, Evans DA, Rajan KB. Social isolation, loneliness, and their joint effects on cognitive decline and incident Alzheimer's disease: Findings from the Chicago health and aging project. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2025 Mar; 12(3):100046. PMID: 40015756.
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    6. Ng TKS, Udeh-Momoh C, Lim MA, Gleerup HS, Leifert W, Ajalo C, Ashton N, Zetterberg H, Rissman RA, Winston CN, O' Bryant S, Jenkins R, Carro E, Orive G, Tamburin S, Olvera-Rojas M, Solis-Urra P, Esteban-Cornejo I, Santos GAAD, Rajan KB, Koh D, Simonsen AH, Slowey PD, Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment: Bioflui. Guidelines for the standardization of pre-analytical variables for salivary biomarker studies in Alzheimer's disease research: An updated review and consensus of the Salivary Biomarkers for Dementia Research Working Group. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Feb; 21(2):e14420. PMID: 39737743; PMCID: PMC11848381.
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    7. Nishimura T, Loh PY, Tomita Y, Ng TKS, Maeda T. Urinary pentosidine as a potential biomarker of muscle and physical performance in young adult men. J Physiol Anthropol. 2024 Nov 21; 43(1):29. PMID: 39574202; PMCID: PMC11580618.
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    8. Ng TKS, Beck T, Desai P, Dhana K, Wilson RS, Evans DA, Rajan KB. Prospective associations of interleukin-6 and APOE allele with cognitive decline in biracial community-dwelling older adults: The Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP). Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 2024 Oct-Dec; 16(4):e70002. PMID: 39435276; PMCID: PMC11492147.
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    9. Dhana K, Barnes LL, Beck T, Dhana A, Liu X, Desai P, Ng TKS, Evans DA, Rajan KB. External validation of dementia prediction models in Black or African American and White older adults: A longitudinal population-based study in the United States. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Nov; 20(11):7913-7922. PMID: 39394865; PMCID: PMC11567852.
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    10. Cao L, Han K, Lin L, Hing J, Ooi V, Huang N, Yu J, Ng TKS, Feng L, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Bao Z. Reversal of the concreteness effect can be detected in the natural speech of older adults with amnestic, but not non-amnestic, mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 2024; 16(2):e12588. PMID: 38638800; PMCID: PMC11024957.
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    11. Desai P, Ng TKS, Krueger KR, Wilson RS, Evans DA, Rajan KB. Perceived Stress, Blood Biomarkers, and Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults. Psychosom Med. 2024 Jul-Aug 01; 86(6):507-511. PMID: 38648023; PMCID: PMC11230840.
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    12. Ng TKS, Wee HN, Ching J, Kovalik JP, Chan AW, Matchar DB. Plasma Acylcarnitines as Metabolic Signatures of Declining Health-Related Quality of Life Measure in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Combined Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Pilot Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Mar 01; 79(3). PMID: 35605263.
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    13. Lim ZH, Ng TKS, Bao Z, Yu J, Mahendran R. LFC study: Protocol for a longitudinal follow-up cohort study on ageing and mental health in community-dwelling older adults in Singapore. MethodsX. 2024 Jun; 12:102606. PMID: 38379721; PMCID: PMC10877946.
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    14. Lim ZH, Yu J, Kuparasundram S, Mahendran R, Ng TKS. Associations between Physical Performance Tests with Cognitive Changes: The Moderating Effect of Cognitive Status. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2024; 21(6):423-436. PMID: 39572921.
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    15. Salisbury DL, Li D, Todd M, Ng TKS, Yu F. Aerobic Exercise, Training Dose, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Effects and Relationships with Resting Plasma Neurotrophic Factors in Alzheimer's Dementia. J Vasc Dis. 2023 Sep; 2(3):351-366. PMID: 39328309; PMCID: PMC11426414.
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    16. Beydoun HA, Ng TKS, Beydoun MA, Shadyab AH, Jung SY, Costanian C, Saquib N, Ikramuddin FS, Pan K, Zonderman AB, Manson JE. Biomarkers of glucose homeostasis as mediators of the relationship of body mass index and waist circumference with COVID-19 outcomes among postmenopausal women: The Women's Health Initiative. Clin Nutr. 2023 Sep; 42(9):1690-1700. PMID: 37523800; PMCID: PMC10529929.
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    17. Yu J, Ng TKS, Mahendran R. Cognitive and physical age gaps in relation to mild cognitive impairment and behavioral phenotypes. Geroscience. 2024 Feb; 46(1):1129-1140. PMID: 37428365; PMCID: PMC10828169.
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    18. Wiese LAK, Gibson A, Guest MA, Nelson AR, Weaver R, Gupta A, Carmichael O, Lewis JP, Lindauer A, Loi S, Peterson R, Radford K, Rhodus EK, Wong CG, Zuelsdorff M, Saidi LG, Valdivieso-Mora E, Franzen S, Pope CN, Killian TS, Shrestha HL, Heyn PC, Ng TKS, Prusaczyk B, John S, Kulshreshtha A, Sheffler JL, Besser L, Daniel V, Tolea MI, Miller J, Musyimi C, Corkey J, Yank V, Williams CL, Rahemi Z, Park J, Magzamen S, Newton RL, Harrington C, Flatt JD, Arora S, Walter S, Griffin P, Babulal GM. Global rural health disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: State of the science. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Sep; 19(9):4204-4225. PMID: 37218539; PMCID: PMC10524180.
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    19. Heyn PC, Tagawa A, Pan Z, Reistetter T, Ng TKS, Lewis M, Carollo JJ. The association between isometric strength and cognitive function in adults with cerebral palsy. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023; 10:1080022. PMID: 37181370; PMCID: PMC10170265.
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    20. Adkins-Jackson PB, George KM, Besser LM, Hyun J, Lamar M, Hill-Jarrett TG, Bubu OM, Flatt JD, Heyn PC, Cicero EC, Zarina Kraal A, Pushpalata Zanwar P, Peterson R, Kim B, Turner RW, Viswanathan J, Kulick ER, Zuelsdorff M, Stites SD, Arce Renter?a M, Tsoy E, Seblova D, Ng TKS, Manly JJ, Babulal G, Adkins-Jackson PB, George KM, Besser LM, Hyun J, Lamar M, Hill-Jarrett TG, Bubu OM, Flatt JD, Heyn PC, Cicero EC, Zarina Kraal A, Pushpalata Zanwar P, Peterson R, Kim B, Turner RW, Viswanathan J, Kulick ER, Zuelsdorff M, Stites SD, Arce Renter?a M, Tsoy E, Seblova D, Ng TKS, Manly JJ, Babulal G. The structural and social determinants of Alzheimer's disease related dementias. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 07; 19(7):3171-3185. PMID: 37074203; PMCID: PMC10599200.
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    21. Ng TKS, Dal Bello-Haas V, Negm A, Philippou E, Santos FH, Heyn PC. Editorial: Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 infection (PASC): Implications for geriatric and neurological care. Front Aging Neurosci. 2023; 15:1168720. PMID: 36949773; PMCID: PMC10025520.
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    22. L K, Ng TKS, Wee HN, Ching J. Gut-brain axis through the lens of gut microbiota and their relationships with Alzheimer's disease pathology: Review and recommendations. Mech Ageing Dev. 2023 Apr; 211:111787. PMID: 36736919.
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    23. Qi X, Ng TKS, Wu B. Sex differences in the mediating role of chronic inflammation on the association between social isolation and cognitive functioning among older adults in the United States. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2023 Mar; 149:106023. PMID: 36603408; PMCID: PMC10105626.
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    24. Brinkley TE, Justice JN, Basu S, Bauer SR, Loh KP, Mukli P, Ng TKS, Turney IC, Ferrucci L, Cummings SR, Kritchevsky SB. Research priorities for measuring biologic age: summary and future directions from the Research Centers Collaborative Network Workshop. Geroscience. 2022 Dec; 44(6):2573-2583. PMID: 36242692; PMCID: PMC9768050.
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    25. Ng TKS, Han MFY, Loh PY, Kua EH, Yu J, Best JR, Mahendran R. Differential associations between simple physical performance tests with global and specific cognitive functions in cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment: a cross-sectional cohort study of Asian community-dwelling older adults. BMC Geriatr. 2022 Oct 13; 22(1):798. PMID: 36229767; PMCID: PMC9563467.
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    26. Ng TKS, Feng L, Chua RY, Goh LG, Kua EH, Mahendran R. A 5-year community program in Singapore to prevent cognitive decline. Asia Pac Psychiatry. 2022 Dec; 14(4):e12518. PMID: 35922040.
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    27. Ng TKS, Heyn PC, Tagawa A, Coughlan C, Carollo JJ. Associations of Circulating Insulin-Growth Factor-1 With Cognitive Functions and Quality of Life Domains in Ambulatory Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study. Front Neurol. 2022; 13:748015. PMID: 35832183; PMCID: PMC9271561.
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    28. Islam MS, Ng TKS, Manierre M, Hamiduzzaman M, Tareque MI. Modifications of Traditional Formulas to Estimate and Project Dependency Ratios and Their Implications in a Developing Country, Bangladesh. Popul Res Policy Rev. 2022; 41(5):1931-1949. PMID: 35572094; PMCID: PMC9090599.
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    29. Ng TKS, Tan XR, Todd M, Chen AC, Feng L, Lu Y, Yu F, Kua EH, Mahendran R. Effects of Mindful Awareness Practice (MAP) on Subclinical Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms and General Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A 5-Year Follow-Up of the MAP-Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022; 90(4):1677-1688. PMID: 36314204.
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    30. Ng TKS, Coughlan C, Heyn PC, Tagawa A, Carollo JJ, Kua EH, Mahendran R. Increased plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a potential biomarker for and compensatory mechanism in mild cognitive impairment: a case-control study. Aging (Albany NY). 2021 Oct 15; 13(19):22666-22689. PMID: 34607976; PMCID: PMC8544315.
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    31. Ng TKS, Feng L, Fam J, Rawtaer I, Kumar AP, Rane G, Cheah IK, Mahendran R, Lee YK, Tan EC, Goh LG, Kua EH, Mahendran R. Mindfulness Awareness Practice (MAP) to Prevent Dementia in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial and Implementation Outcomes. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 28; 18(19). PMID: 34639513; PMCID: PMC8508350.
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    32. Ng TKS, Matchar DB, Pyrkov TV, Fedichev PO, Chan AW, Kennedy B. Association between housing type and accelerated biological aging in different sexes: moderating effects of health behaviors. Aging (Albany NY). 2021 Aug 29; 13(16):20029-20049. PMID: 34456185; PMCID: PMC8436907.
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    33. Ng TKS, Gan DRY, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Ho RC. Social connectedness as a mediator for horticultural therapy's biological effect on community-dwelling older adults: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. Soc Sci Med. 2021 Sep; 284:114191. PMID: 34271401.
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    34. Ng TKS, Tagawa A, Ho RC, Larbi A, Kua EH, Mahendran R, Carollo JJ, Heyn PC. Commonalities in biomarkers and phenotypes between mild cognitive impairment and cerebral palsy: a pilot exploratory study. Aging (Albany NY). 2021 Jan 26; 13(2):1773-1816. PMID: 33497355; PMCID: PMC7880365.
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    35. Wong GCL, Ng TKS, Lee JL, Lim PY, Chua SKJ, Tan C, Chua M, Tan J, Lee S, Sia A, Ng MKW, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Ho RCM, Larbi A. Horticultural Therapy Reduces Biomarkers of Immunosenescence and Inflammaging in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2021 Jan 18; 76(2):307-317. PMID: 33070170; PMCID: PMC7812436.
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    36. Ng TKS, Visaria A, Ma S, Chan AW. Differential Effects of Loneliness and Depression on Mortality. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021 Feb; 22(2):476-478.e2. PMID: 33338446.
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    37. Khine WWT, Voong ML, Ng TKS, Feng L, Rane GA, Kumar AP, Kua EH, Mahendran R, Mahendran R, Lee YK. Mental awareness improved mild cognitive impairment and modulated gut microbiome. Aging (Albany NY). 2020 Dec 09; 12(23):24371-24393. PMID: 33318317; PMCID: PMC7762482.
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    38. Ng TKS, Kovalik JP, Ching J, Chan AW, Matchar DB. Novel metabolomics markers are associated with pre-clinical decline in hand grip strength in community-dwelling older adults. Mech Ageing Dev. 2021 Jan; 193:111405. PMID: 33217429.
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    39. Ng TKS, Slowey PD, Beltran D, Ho RCM, Kua EH, Mahendran R. Effect of mindfulness intervention versus health education program on salivary Aß-42 levels in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res. 2021 Apr; 136:619-625. PMID: 33199051.
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    40. Ng TKS, Matchar DB, Sultana R, Chan A. Effects of Self-Care for Older PErsons (SCOPE) on Functional and Physiological Measures: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2020 Mar 24; 9(3). PMID: 32213860; PMCID: PMC7141527.
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    41. Ng TKS, Fam J, Feng L, Cheah IK, Tan CT, Nur F, Wee ST, Goh LG, Chow WL, Ho RC, Kua EH, Larbi A, Mahendran R. Mindfulness improves inflammatory biomarker levels in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Transl Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 21; 10(1):21. PMID: 32066726; PMCID: PMC7026149.
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    42. Ng TKS, Ho CSH, Tam WWS, Kua EH, Ho RC. Decreased Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Levels in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Jan 10; 20(2). PMID: 30634650; PMCID: PMC6358753.
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    43. Ng KST, Sia A, Ng MKW, Tan CTY, Chan HY, Tan CH, Rawtaer I, Feng L, Mahendran R, Larbi A, Kua EH, Ho RCM. Effects of Horticultural Therapy on Asian Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Aug 09; 15(8). PMID: 30096932; PMCID: PMC6121514.
      Citations:    
    44. Chan HY, Ho RC, Mahendran R, Ng KS, Tam WW, Rawtaer I, Tan CH, Larbi A, Feng L, Sia A, Ng MK, Gan GL, Kua EH. Effects of horticultural therapy on elderly' health: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatr. 2017 Aug 29; 17(1):192. PMID: 28851276; PMCID: PMC5576101.
      Citations:    
    45. Almenar-Queralt A, Falzone TL, Shen Z, Lillo C, Killian RL, Arreola AS, Niederst ED, Ng KS, Kim SN, Briggs SP, Williams DS, Goldstein LS. UV irradiation accelerates amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and disrupts APP axonal transport. J Neurosci. 2014 Feb 26; 34(9):3320-39. PMID: 24573290; PMCID: PMC3935090.
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