The roles atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk and depression on cognitive outcomes in Mexican Americans and non‐Hispanic whites

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMexican Americans (MA) experience cognitive decline at younger ages and have higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than Non‐Hispanic whites (NHW). Persons who are depressed are more likely to have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of depression and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) on cognitive function in MA and NHW.MethodData was collected from the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS‐HD) study. A total of 1094 participants who were classified as normal controls were stratified into 4 groups: no depression and low risk ASCVD (N= 684), no depression and high risk ASCVD (N= 222), depression and low risk ASCVD (N=140), and depression and high risk ASCVD (N=48). Depressive symptoms were assessed via Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). ASCVD risk was calculated using a risk calculator. One‐way ANOVAs were conducted to examine differences in cognitive performance based on ASCVD risk and depression.ResultThe results showed that depressed NHW and MA males with a low ASCVD risk had significantly lower mean scores on Trail Making Test A than the non‐depressed with low ASCVD risk group (p < 0.006), (p < 0.017). Depressed MA males with high ASCVD risk had significantly lower mean scores on the MMSE than the non‐depressed low ASCVD risk group (p < 0.00). Depressed NHW females with low ASCVD risk had significantly lower mean scores on delayed memory than the non‐depressed low ASCVD risk group (p < 0.008). Depressed MA females with a high ASCVD risk demonstrated significantly lower mean scores on the COWA and SEVLT Trials 1‐5 and the non‐depressed low ASCVD risk group (p < 0.002), (p < 0.046).ConclusionThe results of this study indicated that depression and risk of ASCVD can impact cognitive functioning in different ways. In men depression impacted scores on Trails A. In MA women comorbid depression and high risk for ASCVD affect scores on the COWA and SEVLT. These findings support that medical comorbidities influence cognitive function. Future research directions include exploring the relationships between other CVD risk factors and depression.