Abstract

AbstractBackgroundBlack/African American (AA) older adults are twice as likely as Non‐Hispanic White (NHW) older adults to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and related dementias. Inflammation and brain beta‐amyloid (Ab) may play a differential role in AD pathophysiology in AA and NHW older adults. We hypothesized that there would be racialized group differences in inflammation, amyloid deposition, and everyday discrimination.MethodOne hundred and ninety‐eight participants (Table 1) were recruited in Pittsburgh, PA and the surrounding areas as a part of the Human Connectome Project. Blood‐based biomarkers of inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) were examined. Brain Ab was quantified using Pittsburgh Compound‐B (PiB) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr). Experiences of discrimination were measured on a subset of 66 participants (mean age = 62.62±9.37 years, 46.97% AA) using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Analysis of covariance, controlling for age, were conducted to examine the racialized group differences for TNFa, IL6, Ab SUVr. Independent samples t‐tests were conducted to compare EDS by racialized group.ResultParticipants. AA participants were on average 6.58 years younger than NHW participants and more likely to have a clinical diagnosis of impaired without complaints, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or AD (all p’s<.05) (Table 1). Additionally, in the subset of participants with EDS data, AA participants experienced higher total discrimination than NHW participants (p<.05).Inflammation. NHW participants had higher TNFa inflammation levels than AA participants (p = .029). No differences by racialized group were observed for IL6.PiB‐PET. The frequency of amyloid positivity was higher in NHW than AA participants (p = <.001). Global Ab SUVr was higher in NHW than AA participants (p<.05).ConclusionThe results from this study provide evidence of higher peripheral blood inflammation and PiB PET binding in NHW than AA participants, but higher likelihood of clinical diagnoses and more experiences of discrimination in the AA than in NHW participants. Future investigation of these racialized differences as they relate to age and other determinants of health are needed.

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