The University of Tokyo · Psychology
Professor Thomas Svensson's research lab focuses on the intersection of cardiovascular and mental health, with a strong emphasis on identifying modifiable risk factors for age-related cognitive decline, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. The lab investigates the role of physiological markers—such as HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol—alongside psychological stress and genetic susceptibility in predicting cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric outcomes. Utilizing large-scale population-based cohorts and advanced predictive modeling, including machine learning and wearable device validation, the lab aims to improve early detection and prevention strategies. Research also extends to physiological time series analysis, particularly heart rate dynamics, to support personalized risk assessment and disease monitoring.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
A third of dementia cases could be attributable to modifiable risk-factors. Midlife high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a measure which could help identify individuals at reduced risk of developing age-related cognitive decline. The Japan Public Health Centre-based prospective (JPHC) Study is a large population-based cohort which started in 1990. This study included 1299 participants from Saku area in Nagano prefecture. Participants had HDL-C measured in 1995-1996, and underwent a me
An approach-oriented coping strategy, i.e. proactively dealing with sources of stress, may be associated with significantly reduced stroke incidence and CVD mortality in a Japanese population-based cohort.
The Oura Ring Gen3 with OSSA 2.0 shows good agreement with PSG for global sleep measures and time spent in light and deep sleep.
Physiological time series are affected by many factors, making them highly nonlinear and nonstationary. As a consequence, heart rate time series are often considered difficult to predict and handle. However, heart rate behavior can indicate underlying cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as mood disorders. Given the importance of accurate modeling and reliable predictions of heart rate fluctuations for the prevention and control of certain diseases, it is paramount to identify models
Psychological stress has been reported as a possible trigger of atrial fibrillation (AF). No studies have investigated whether any association between stress and AF could be modified by genetic susceptibility to AF (AF-genetic risk score (AF-GRS)). 8765 men and 13,543 women from the Malmö Diet Cancer Study, a population-based cohort, were included in the analyses. A variable representing stress was constructed from questions measuring job strain, and from one question assessing non-occupational
High TC levels may be associated with an increased risk of suicide in women.
This review found that the provision of educational content was satisfactory in most eHealth studies using selected visual methods, such as videos, films, and movies. These findings suggest that eHealth interventions influence people's health behaviors and that the need for this intervention is expected to increase. Despite the need to develop eHealth interventions, standardized measurement tools to evaluate health literacy are lacking. Further research is required to clarify acceptable health l
The association between alcohol intake and colorectal cancer (CRC) may vary secondary to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two pathways related to alcohol intake. 375 cases of CRC were identified among 38 373 Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study (JPHC Study) participants who had returned a baseline questionnaire, reported no diagnosis of any cancer and provided blood samples. For each case, two controls were selected on matching variables. Logistic regression models were us
Sleep durations ≥8 hours are associated with mortality outcomes in men and women. Age may be an effect modifier for the association between sleep duration and mortality from other causes in women.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of death globally. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 19.1 million deaths were attributed to CVDs in 2020, in particular, ischemic heart disease and stroke. Several known risk factors for CVDs include smoking, alcohol consumption, lack of regular physical activity, and diabetes. The last decade has been characterized by widespread diffusion in the use of wristband-style wearable devices which can monitor and collect he
Partial and complete non-responders have increased suicide risk compared with full responders. More than one non-responder category should therefore be considered when interpreting data pertaining to psychosocial questionnaires in longitudinal studies.
A GRS composed of 50 SNPs and predictive of CAD was found for the first time to also strongly predict fatal MI, non-fatal MI and cardiovascular death. A stress-sensitive component of the GRS was isolated on the basis of individual genetic variants that interacted unfavorably with stress.
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