The association of neighborhood socioeconomic status, cognition, cardiovascular risk factors, and vascular risk biomarkers in the HABS‐HD study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundNeighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) is linked to poorer cognition and physical health, influencing the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Adverse neighborhood conditions have been also associated with higher cardiovascular biomarker levels. This study goal is to examine whether NSES is associated with cognitive function and whether this relationship is explained by associations between NSES and cardiovascular risk and biomarker factors in a sample of non‐Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Mexican American (MA) elders.MethodWe studied 1391 subjects from the Health and Aging Brain Study (HABS‐HD) with signed consent, fasting blood samples, 3T MRI, clinical evaluation, and cognitive testing. Area deprivation index (ADI) was used as a measure NSES. Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) were ascertained by self‐ report and medical history, and biomarkers were assayed via a multiple‐plex biomarker assay platform using electrochemiluminescence. Three linear regression models examined the association of ADI with cognitive performance, adjusting for age, sex, and education, CVRF, and vascular risk biomarkers.ResultSixty percent of the sample were female. MA were significantly younger, less educated, and had higher ADI scores than NHW. They also had lower scores in global cognition and executive function measures. MA had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and obesity (p = <0.0001). After controlling for demographic variables, ADI was associated with SEVLT [NHW (B = ‐0.003, t = ‐2.18, p = 0.02); MA (B = ‐0.005, t = ‐2.96, p = 0.003)] and Trails B [NHW (B = ‐0.006, t = ‐2.55, p = 0.01); MA (B = ‐0.01, t = ‐3.76, p = <0.001)] scores in both ethnic groups. Dyslipidemia influenced the association of ADI with SEVLT in MA, while obesity influenced the association of ADI and trails B in NHW. The association of ADI and trails B was partially influenced by IL6 in MA, and this association was partially influenced by TNF, CRP, and VCAM values in NHW.ConclusionNSES may influence cognitive functioning. This relationship is only partially explained by CVRF and vascular blood biomarkers. Future research is needed on the longitudinal relationships of NSES, cognitive impairment, and vascular factors.