Mexican American Sample Research Articles

Differential Item Functioning and Clinical Utility of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort

Introduction: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ) in a non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Mexican American (MA) sample from Texas in the USA. Methods: Data were obtained from the Health and Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities (HABS-HD; N = 1,691, age = 66.5 ± 8.7, education = 12.4 ± 4.8, 60.6% female, 33.2% MA Spanish speaking). Unidimensionality of the SMCQ was evaluated with confirmatory factor analysis. Differential item functioning (DIF) of the SMCQ was assessed across age, sex, education, and ethnicity/language using item response theory/logistic ordinal regression. Associations of the SMCQ in relation to cognitive status, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) blood-based biomarkers, and psychological distress were examined. Results: The SMCQ showed excellent fit in a single-factor model (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.97, RMSEA [95% CI] = 0.05 [0.04, 0.05], SRMR = 0.07). Significant item-level DIF was detected by education level and ethnicity/language, but not by age or sex; when detected, DIF was not salient (i.e., adverse). The SMCQ was associated with greater psychological distress, worse Clinical Dementia Rating scores, and greater disease burden as measured by total tau and neurofilament light. Conclusions: Practically negligible item-level bias was identified across education and ethnicity/language. Detected DIF can be described as benign, indicating that some items manifested differently between groups but had minimal impact on measurement properties. These results demonstrate that the SMCQ performs appropriately across demographic variables. Our findings also provide support for the associations of SMCQ scores with self-reported mood, cognitive status, and AD blood-based biomarkers.

Developing a Dietary Questionnaire for Rural Mexican Americans.

Latinos form the largest ethnic population in the United States (18.5%), and the majority are Mexican Americans (61.4%). Many Mexican Americans have unique dietary behaviors, yet few food frequency questionnaires explicitly define Mexican American diets. The objective of this work was to engage with a population of rural Mexican Americans to develop a Mexican American food frequency questionnaire. Because acculturation is linked to dietary intake, we also examined acculturation by diet. We used mixed methods with three phases: (1) a qualitative phase in which a sample of rural Mexican-Americans (N = 15) identified and provided rich data about foods they ate; (2) a developmental phase in which 4day food records were completed sequentially by two new and different samples of Mexican Americans (N = 19); and 3) a preliminary assessment phase where a new sample of Mexican Americans (N = 49) completed the final food frequency questionnaire. The final questionnaire included many traditional Mexican foods and beverages identified by study participants as part of their typical diet. Traditional Mexican foods and beverages were consumed regularly; little variation in diet was seen by level of acculturation. Respondents perceived diets containing commercial sugar-sweetened beverages as unhealthful, but not those with traditional Mexican drinks, which may represent an unappreciated source of added sugar in the diet. Future work includes studies examining dietary patterns in other urban and rural communities with traditional Mexican diets.

Alcohol consumption questionnaire: Scale development in a sample of Mexican American young adults and association with ADH7

BackgroundTo understand why some individuals who develop alcohol use disorders (AUD) first begin to drink heavily, a number of scales have been developed that index aspects of alcohol craving and restraint from drinking. We developed a new measure called the Alcohol Consumption Questionnaire (ACQ), based in part on items modified from scales used to index binge eating, because there are data to suggest that binge eating and binge drinking may share common antecedents. We present an initial validity study using data from a sample of Mexican Americans. MethodsData were from 699 Mexican American young adults in San Diego County, CA. A subsample (n = 60) had short-term test-retest data. Factor analysis and reliability assessment guided item reduction. Item response theory (IRT) analyses quantified item severity and identified questions with differential item functioning (DIF). Logistic regression assessed associations of mean scale scores with AUD, adjusting for key demographics, alcohol expectancies and subjective response to alcohol. We also examined associations with a protective genetic variant downstream from the alcohol dehydrogenase 7 (ADH7) gene. ResultsThe scale was reduced from 20 to 14 questions, which can be summarized by a single overall score (Cronbach's alpha = 0.896) or by two sub-scores (Consumption: 12 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.896; Enjoyment: 2 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.780). Test-retest reliability was very high (0.80–0.98) in this sample. The overall ACQ score and each subdomain score were strongly associated with AUD (ORs = 5.95 mild; 11.41 moderate; 48.56 severe) and family history of AUD. Respondents with the protective genetic variant had significantly lower overall ACQ scores (p < 0.001). ConclusionThe ACQ is a novel measure of alcohol consumption with strong relationships with both the AUD phenotype and ADH7 gene variants in a sample of Mexican American young adults.

Abstract 140: Sleep-Disordered Breathing Shortly After Stroke Does Not Predict Post-Stroke Fatigue at 3-months

Background: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common and often disabling symptom, the causes of which are poorly understood. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent among stroke survivors, and can cause fatigue. We examined whether SDB measured shortly after stroke predicted PSF at 3-months, and thus whether SDB might represent an intervention target for the treatment/prevention of PSF. Methods: Ischemic stroke (IS) patients within the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project were identified through active and passive surveillance, and were offered SDB screening with a well-validated cardiopulmonary sleep apnea testing device. The primary exposure was the respiratory event index (REI; sum of apneas plus hypopneas per hour of recording), measured shortly after stroke. The primary outcome was PSF, measured 3-months post-stroke, using the SF-36 vitality scale. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between baseline REI and 3-month PSF, adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic factors listed in the Table, which were obtained from chart review and interviews. Results: A total of 355 IS participants completed baseline SDB screening and 3-month PSF assessments from May 2016 to December 2019. Participants were 44% female, 60% Mexican American (MA), and had a median NIHSS of 2 (IQR: 1-5). Multivariable regression model results are presented in the Table. No association between baseline REI and 3-month PSF was observed in unadjusted (β=0.95, 95% CI=-1.16, 3.05) or fully adjusted models (β=0.66, 95% CI=-1.40, 2.73). In the fully adjusted model, female sex and depression were associated with greater fatigue, while older age and MA ethnicity were associated with less fatigue. Conclusions: SDB in the immediate post-stroke period, at least in this predominantly MA sample, does not predict PSF at 3-months. Though identification and treatment of post-stroke SDB may be important, these efforts are unlikely to impact PSF.

A high burden of diabetes and ankle brachial index abnormalities exists in Mexican Americans in South Texas

Ethnic differences exist in the United States in the interrelated problems of diabetes (DM), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and leg amputations. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factor associations for subclinical PAD in a population sample of Mexican Americans using the ankle brachial (ABI) index.The ABI-High (higher of the two ankle pressures/highest brachial pressure) and ABI-Low (lower of the two ankle pressures/highest brachial pressure) were calculated to define PAD. Toe brachial index (TBI) was also calculated. 746 participants were included with an age of 53.4 ± 0.9 years, 28.3 % had diabetes mellitus (DM), 12.6 % were smokers, and 51.2 % had hypertension (HTN). Using ABI-High ≤ 0.9, the prevalence of PAD was 2.7 %. This rose to 12.7 % when an ABI-Low ≤ 0.9 was used; 4.0 % of the population had an ABI-High > 1.4. The prevalence of TBI < 0.7 was 3.9 %. DM was a significant risk factor for ABI-High ≤ 0.9 and ABI-High > 1.4, and TBI < 0.7. Increased age, HTN, smoking was associated with ABI-High ≤ 0.9, while being male was associated with ABI-High > 1.4. Increased age, smoking, and lower education were all associated with abnormal TBI.Despite relatively younger mean age than other studied Hispanic cohorts, the present population has a high burden of ABI abnormalities. DM was a consistent risk factor for PAD. These abnormalities indicate an important underlying substrate of vascular and metabolic disease that may predispose this population to the development of symptomatic PAD and incident amputations.

24 The Influence of Acculturation in Neuropsychological Test Performance of Hispanic-Americans

Objective:Stephenson (2000) suggested that acculturation is a phenomenon that immigrants and refugees ubiquitously experience. The level of acculturation is impacted by a person’s choice to allow how much of their cultural traits they decide to keep while adapting to the dominant society cultural traits. Depending on what immigrants find to be important or unimportant, it can influence future generations (i.e., their children) in how they will be developed and adapt into a dominant society. Hispanic-Americans are individuals that were born and reside in the United States and have a family background that extends to one of the Spanish speaking countries in Latin America or Spain. The typical language spoken by Hispanic families other than English is Spanish. It has been reported that Hispanics that are capable of speaking English may be afforded better and greater opportunities to resources. Research shows that a person level of acculturation can influence their cognition. In fact, in one study using a Mexican-American sample that was divided into two groups: high and low. Researchers found that highly acculturated Mexican-Americans outperformed lower acculturated Mexican-Americans on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. We evaluated the influence of acculturation in Hispanic-Americans neuropsychological test performance. It was predicted that highly acculturated Hispanic-Americans to American culture would demonstrate better cognitive abilities compared to lower acculturated Hispanic-Americans.Participants and Methods:The present study sample consisted of 75 neurologically and psychologically healthy Hispanic-American undergraduate students with a mean age of 19.44 (SD = 1.37). Participants were divided into two acculturation groups: high (n = 39) and low (n = 36). In addition, all the participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and background questionnaire in English. The Acculturation Rating Scale for Hispanic/Latino Americans is a 20-item scale that was utilized to create our acculturation groups. ANOVAs were used to evaluate cognitive differences between our acculturation groups.Results:Results revealed that the highly acculturated group outperformed the lower acculturated group on the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition vocabulary task and the Boston Naming Test, p’s&lt;.05, n.p’s2=.06. Furthermore, results revealed that the lower acculturated group outperformed the highly acculturated group on the Trail Making Test part A and B, and Comalli Stroop part A, p’s&lt;.05, np’s2=.06-.07.Conclusions:As expected, the highly acculturated group demonstrated better language abilities compared to the lower acculturated group. However, in the opposite direction, the lower acculturated group outperformed the highly acculturated group on several speed attention tasks and one executive functioning task. A possible explanation why the highly acculturated participants demonstrated better language abilities may be attributed that their dominant language is English or they only spoke English. Meanwhile, the opposite could be said for lower acculturated participants that English was not their dominant language or they were bilingual speakers, for that reason they demonstrated better processing speed and executive functioning abilities. Research shows that monolinguals demonstrate better language abilities compared to bilinguals, but the opposite is found on processing speed and executive functioning tasks. Future research should investigate the relationship between bilingualism and acculturation in neuropsychological testing performance of Hispanic-Americans.

Depression, Inflammation, and the Moderating Role of Metformin: Results From the Midlife in the United States Study and Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging.

Depression can promote inflammation and accelerate aging. Metformin, a widely prescribed antidiabetic, has shown promising preclinical evidence of aging-related health benefits, including decreased inflammation. The current study examined whether metformin usage buffers the association between depressive symptoms and inflammatory markers in two large samples of middle-aged and older, primarily White adults, and older Latino adults. Data from the Midlife in the United States Study ( N = 1255) and the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging ( N = 1786) included information on medication use, depressive symptoms, and inflammatory markers, namely, interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α, and C-reactive protein (CRP). These data were merged into a harmonized sample, and the sample group variable was included in a three-way interaction for analysis. Specifically, in the Midlife in the United States Study sample, metformin buffered the association between depressive symptoms and CRP ( b = -0.029, standard error [SE] = 0.013, p = .007) and IL-6 ( b = 0.21, SE = 0.010, p = .046), whereas no significant association was found with tumor necrosis factor α. Metformin nonusers displayed higher depressive symptoms associated with elevated CRP ( b = 0.01, SE = 0.003, p < .001) and IL-6 ( b = 0.011, SE = 0.003, p < .001), whereas this association was not present among metformin users ( p values > .068). Conversely, in the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging sample, metformin use did not show a significant protective link. Results from mostly White, highly educated adults supported a mitigating role of metformin in ties between depression, a well-known behavioral risk factor, and inflammation, a key source of biological aging. However, the benefits did not extend to a large sample of older Mexican Americans. The findings reveal a hidden potential benefit of this therapeutic agent and raise important questions around its health equity. The study was preregistered on OSF ( https://osf.io/c92vw/ ).

Endothelial Dysfunction and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Mexican American Adults: The Cameron County Hispanic Cohort

Endothelial dysfunction assessed by impaired brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) predicts incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). We have previously shown that clustering of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in young Hispanic patients was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. This study aimed to assess determinants of impaired FMD response (%FMD), an earlier marker of atherosclerosis, in a population-based sample of asymptomatic Mexican Americans. Cardiometabolic biomarkers and FMD were obtained from 960 Cameron County Hispanic Cohort participants. Gender-specific median values of %FMD were used to categorize participants into those with %FMD below or above the median. The sample was further stratified into those younger and older than 55years. Survey-weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of cardiometabolic biomarkers on the %FMD groups. The low %FMD group was significantly older, had higher visceral adipose tissue, systolic blood pressure, or plasma glucose, and had metabolic syndrome compared with those in the high %FMD group. Multivariable-adjusted age-stratified logistic regression analyses showed that in older participants, male gender (odds ratio [OR]=2.4 [1.4 to 4.2]) and having hypertension (OR=2.3 [1.3 to 4.3]) or prediabetes mellitus (OR=3.4 [1.5 to 7.5]) remained significantly associated with odds of low %FMD. In younger participants, high low-density lipoprotein (OR=2.8 [1.6 to 4.9]) or having the metabolic syndrome (OR=1.9 [1.1 to 3.6]) were significantly associated with odds of low %FMD. In conclusion, we found age-dependent associations between cardiometabolic biomarkers and an FMD response below the gender-specific median in a sample composed of Mexican Americans without previous CVD. Targeting specific risk factors by age may mitigate progression to incident CVD in this high-risk racial disparity group.

Abstract P666: Prevalence and Determinants of Left Ventricular Structural Abnormalities and Diastolic Dysfunction in Asymptomatic Mexican Americans Living in South Texas

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and concentric LV remodeling (CR) are precursors to development of clinical heart failure (HF), and are associated with obesity, hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM), which are highly prevalent in Mexican Americans. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of subclinical LV structural abnormalities (LVH or CR) and LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in a sample of asymptomatic Mexican Americans in South Texas and determinants of these LV structural abnormalities. Methods: Demographic, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and body composition data were obtained in 1208 participants (66.3% females, mean age 53.0±0.4 years) without any CVD history from the community-based Cameron County Hispanic Cohort study. Echocardiography was used to determine LVH/CR (linear method) and LVDD was assessed using national guidelines. Those with LV systolic dysfunction (n=26) were excluded. Abdominal adiposity was determined by abdominal visceral fat mass (VAT) from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Weighted ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Results: Weighted prevalence rates of LVH (16.6% ± 1.7%), CR (40.7% ± 2.0%) and LVDD (24.2% ± 1.8%) were high in this cohort. In men, age (p&lt;0.01), obesity (p=0.04) and HTN (p&lt;0.001) were positively related to LV abnormalities. In women, age (p&lt;0.001), obesity (p&lt;0.01), education (p=0.02), HTN (p&lt;0.01) and DM (p&lt;0.01) were related to LV abnormalities. VAT was associated with LV abnormalities in women (p=0.02), but not in men (p=0.08). Conclusion: More than half of this asymptomatic Hispanic cohort had evidence of LV structural abnormalities and almost a quarter had subclinical diastolic dysfunction. We noted a gender interaction, with diabetes and abdominal obesity seen to be significantly related to cardiac abnormalities only in women. Identifying subclinical changes in cardiac function in these high-risk patients may mitigate progression to clinical HF by early intervention.

Abstract P121: Varying Determinants of Endothelial Dysfunction by Age Group Among Mexican Americans

Endothelial dysfunction assessed by impaired brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a predictive factor of incident CVD. Most studies included small proportions of Hispanics or Latinos. We aimed to assess determinants of impaired FMD in a large population-based sample of asymptomatic Mexican-Americans. Methods: Cardiometabolic biomarkers, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and FMD were obtained from 960 participants (57.9% females, mean age 52.1±0.9 years, age 18-85 years) from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort. Sex-specific median values of %FMD were used to divide participants into two groups: those with FMD below (low %FMD) and above the median (high %FMD). The sample was further stratified into younger (age&lt;55 years) and older (age ≥ 55 years) age groups. Survey-weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of factors on the %FMD groups. Results: There was a high prevalence of obesity (49.1%), hypertension (47.8%), diabetes (26.1%), hypercholesterolemia (46.7%), and metabolic syndrome (38.2%). The median FMD response was 4.2%±0.3% [3.8% (SE 0.4) in males and 4.5% (SE 0.4) in females]. Low %FMD group was significantly older, had higher VAT, SBP, or plasma glucose levels, and had metabolic syndrome compared to those in the high %FMD group. Multivariable-adjusted age-stratified logistic regression analyses showed that among older participants, male gender [OR =2.4 (1.4-4.2)] and having hypertension [OR=2.3 (1.3-4.3)] or pre-diabetes [OR=3.4 (1.5-7.5)] remained significantly associated with odds of low %FMD. Among younger participants, only high LDL [OR=2.8 (1.6-4.9)] or having metabolic syndrome [OR=1.9 (1.1-3.6)] were significantly associated with odds of low %FMD. Conclusion: We found age-dependent associations between cardiometabolic biomarkers and an FMD response below the gender-specific median in a population composed of Mexican-Americans without prior CVD. Targeting specific risk factors by age may mitigate progression to incident CVD in this high-risk group.

Examining Alzheimer’s Disease Blood‐Based Biomarkers and Cognition Among Non‐Hispanic White and Mexican Americans After Traumatic Brain Injury

AbstractBackgroundThere is limited evidence on the relationship of traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness (TBI‐LOC) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) blood‐based biomarkers in relation to cognition. This research has predominantly examined associations among non‐Hispanic White (NHW) male service members and veterans, which limits generalizability to ethnically diverse community‐dwelling individuals. This study evaluated cognition in relation to TBI‐LOC in a NHW and Mexican American (MA) sample from Dallas‐Fort Worth, Texas in the United States.MethodData were obtained from the Health and Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities. Excluding participants with failed performance validity testing, evidence of alcohol use disorder, severe anxiety/depression, and a history of stroke or seizures, we estimated a cognitive composite using principal component analysis of the cognitive test battery. The remaining sample (n = 899) enabled baseline comparison of those with and without TBI‐LOC, before examining cognition within the TBI‐LOC group (n = 134, mean age(range) = 66.69±7.10(50‐87), mean education = 12.96±4.74, 41% female, 24.6% MA Spanish‐speaking). Multiple regression model comparisons explained variance in cognition by sociodemographic factors (age, gender, education, ethnicity/language), AD blood‐based biomarkers (Aβ42/Aβ40, Tau, Neurofilament light), and TBI‐LOC variables. TBI‐LOC variables included TBIs with loss of consciousness &gt;30 minutes, age at first TBI‐LOC, and longest period of unconsciousness after TBI, scored by the Ohio State University TBI Identification Method.ResultThe TBI‐LOC group did not differ from the non‐TBI‐LOC group across age, education, ethnicity/language, CDR status, or cognition (ps &gt; 0.05); they did differ by gender where the TBI‐LOC group was 59% male compared to 42.4% in the non‐TBI‐LOC group (p &lt;0.001). Within the TBI‐LOC group, sociodemographic factors explained 49.6% of variance in cognition, and the inclusion of AD biomarkers accounted for an additional 0.4% of variance (p = 0.241). The final model including the TBI‐LOC variables explained an additional 2.5% of variance (p = 0.038) in cognition.ConclusionCognitive differences between participants with and without history of TBI‐LOC were not demonstrated. Among those with TBI‐LOC, higher severity of injury was associated with lower cognition, while AD blood‐based biomarkers had non‐significant associations with cognition. Further investigation of alternative biomarkers and specific cognitive domains among ethnically diverse individuals with TBI is warranted.

Biofluid biomarkers in an ethnoracially diverse population and their association with AD

AbstractBackgroundPlasma‐based biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease are cost‐effective, minimally invasive and highly scalable tools to aid in clinical practice and trials. There remain significant gaps in our understanding of the factors that influence their levels. The majority of fluid biomarker research has been conducted in clinical settings using CSF biomarkers with non‐Hispanic Whites. Although Hispanic and African American communities have higher rates of dementia, there is limited research on blood‐based biomarkers of AD in these communities. The current study of a sample of Mexican Americans, African Americans and Non‐Hispanic Whites investigated the performance of plasma biomarker across the three largest ethnic/racial groups in the US to assess the impact of ethnicity/race on the level of the plasma biomarkers of Aβ40, Aβ42, total tau, ptau 181 and NfL.MethodParticipants were 2200 community dwelling older adults (850 Mexican Americans (MA); 850 Non‐Hispanic Whites (NHW) and 500 African Americans (AA) drawn from The Health &amp; Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities (HABS‐HD) study. Cognitive diagnoses were assigned using an algorithm verified by consensus review. Samples were assayed using Simoa technology. Levels of each biomarker were compared for the three ethnoracial groups across cognitive diagnoses.ResultsSignificant differences were found across the groups at each level of cognitive impairment. For those with normal cognition AA had significantly lower levels of each of the biomarkers and NHW had higher levels of Aβ40, Aβ42 and NFL. MA had the highest level of t tau and p tau 181. MCI group NHW had the highest levels on all the biomarkers and AA had the lowest. NHW and MA has higher levels of Aβ40, Aβ42, total tau, ptau 181 compared to AA. NHW levels of NfL were the highest and MA and AA did not differ. For dementia there was no difference between the groups for Aβ42. NHW had significantly higher levels of Aβ40, t tau, ptau 181 and NfL than AA.ConclusionFindings support the importance of considering ethnoracial background in the clinical use of blood‐based biomarkers and the difficulty of establishing universal cutting points for these biomarkers in the diagnostic process.

Abstract 5955: Association of dietary patterns and liver steatosis and fibrosis among Mexican Americans in NHANES 2017-2018

Abstract Background: Mexican Americans (MAs) have the highest rates of liver steatosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and liver cancer compared to other Hispanic subpopulations, non-Hispanic Whites, and non-Hispanic Blacks. While some diet patterns have been identified to increase or decrease risk of liver steatosis and fibrosis, no research to our knowledge has identified diet patterns associated with these outcomes in MAs. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between dietary patterns derived from factor analysis and liver steatosis and fibrosis in a nationally representative sample of MAs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of participant data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2018. Participants were adults who identified as MA who were not pregnant or breastfeeding and had no previous diagnosis of hepatitis A or B, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. Dietary patterns were derived by exploratory factor analysis of 24-hr dietary recall data. Individuals who completed only one recall, had unreliable dietary data, or reported an average caloric intake &amp;lt; 500 kcals/day or &amp;gt; 4,000 kcals/day were excluded. Elastography measurements were obtained from eligible participants in a fasting state using the Fibroscan® which provided measures of liver steatosis as controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness, a validated proxy for fibrosis. The associations of each derived dietary pattern with liver steatosis and fibrosis were evaluated in multivariate linear regression models controlling for body mass index (BMI), sex, age, average total caloric intake, sedentary time, household income, diabetes status, and smoking status. Results: The final analytic sample consisted of 633 MA adults with a mean age of 37.7 ± 0.3 years and mean BMI of 31.0 ± 1.1 kg/m2. Five factors (i.e. diet patterns) were derived accounting for 86% of the variation prior to rotation. Factor 4, characterized by relatively high intake of nuts, seeds, and oils was significantly associated with decreased levels of liver steatosis in two of the three models but not the fully-adjusted model. Factor 4 was also significantly associated with decreased fibrosis in all three models, including the fully-adjusted model (p=0.05). Factor 2, characterized by relatively high intake of milk and dairy, was significantly associated with increased levels of liver steatosis in two of the three models, including the fully-adjusted model (p=0.03). Conclusion: In a large, nationally representative sample of MA adults, we identified diet patterns associated with levels of liver fibrosis and steatosis in an exploratory analysis. Future research should investigate the association of dietary patterns in larger samples to inform interventions to reduce liver disease risk in MAs. Citation Format: Kristin E. Morrill, Melissa Lopez-Pentecost, Joel Parker, David O. Garcia, Elizabeth T. Jacobs. Association of dietary patterns and liver steatosis and fibrosis among Mexican Americans in NHANES 2017-2018 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5955.

Similar or different? Comparing food cultures with regard to traditional and modern eating across ten countries

Food cultures can play a role in health and well-being. This raises the questions of whether nation boundaries unite the food cultures of different regions and ethnic groups, what characterises food cultures from very different parts of the world, and what similarities and differences exist. The present study aimed to investigate these questions with regard to eating traditions and modern eating practices. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 3722 participants from ten countries – Brazil, China, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, and the USA. Participants represented 25 regional and ethnic groups. They were queried about 86 traditional and modern facets of their food cultures in interviews, paper–pencil and online questionnaires. First, hierarchical cluster analysis suggested nine distinct clusters of food cultures – the food cultures of the Brazilian, Chinese, Ghanaian, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Turkish, African and Latin US American samples, and of European descendants. Interestingly, for seven of the ten investigated countries, nation boundaries united food cultures. Second, each of the nine food culture clusters was characterised by a unique pattern of traditional and modern eating practices. Third, the nine food culture clusters varied more in their traditional eating practices than their modern eating practices. These results might promote a better understanding of the link between food cultures and health and well-being that goes beyond nutrients. For instance, food cultures might be linked to well-being via strengthening people’s sense of cultural identity. Moreover, the present results contribute to a better understanding of the complex interplay between food and culture, and could help in developing culturally competent interventions to improve diet and reduce the risk of eating-related diseases.

Linguistic Isolation and Mortality in Older Mexican Americans: Findings from the Hispanic Established Populations Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly.

Purpose: Limited English proficiency and increased language isolation are known to be associated with adverse health outcomes. It is not clear how neighborhood-level linguistic isolation may impact individual health and risk of death among Hispanic older adults. We examined the link between living in a linguistically isolated neighborhood and all-cause mortality among an older Mexican American cohort.Methods: Using a longitudinal sample of older Mexican Americans from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly, we calculated the days from the baseline interview (1993–1994) until observed death through five waves of follow-up (until 2004–2005) using Cox regression. A linguistically isolated neighborhood was defined as a census tract with more than 30% of linguistically isolated households.Results: Our results showed that living in a neighborhood with more than 30% of linguistically isolated households predicted higher mortality (hazard ratio: 1.25; 95% confidence interval: 1.04–1.50), after adjusting for age, sex, nativity, years of education, marital status, self-reported health status, number of chronic conditions, ever smoked, ever drank, and other neighborhood-level contextual factors.Conclusion: Living in a neighborhood with a high proportion of linguistically isolated households predicted higher mortality among older Mexican Americans. Addressing the social capital shortage in linguistically isolated neighborhoods is one way to address health disparities in the United States.

Metabolic Risk and Depression among Elderly Mexican Americans: The Roles of Nativity Status.

To evaluate the relationship between metabolic risk (MR) and depression in a sample of older Mexican Americans and examine whether the association differs by age at migration. Longitudinal study using data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (HEPESE) (N=807, mean age = 84.3). The analytical sample was compiled from wave 6 (2007) to wave 7 (2010-2011) of HEPESE. Random-effect logistic regression examined the association between MR and depression and tested the model stratified by nativity status and age at migration. MR was associated with higher odds of depression for US-born Mexican Americans after controlling for potential confounders. Similarly, among Mexican Americans who migrated before age 20, MR was associated with higher odds of depression. The findings highlight the importance of age at migration when evaluating the health of foreign-born Mexican Americans from a life-course perspective. Particularly among Mexican Americans who migrated before age 20, those with MR were more vulnerable to depression than their counterparts without MR.

Relationship of Neurofilament Light (NfL) and Cognitive Performance in a Sample of Mexican Americans with Normal Cognition, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.

This study characterized the relationship between plasma NfL and cognition in a community-based sample of older Mexican Americans. 544 participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests and were diagnosed using clinical criteria. NfL was assayed using Simoa. NfL levels across groups and tests were analyzed. Difference in NfL was found between normal and impaired groups and was related to global cognition, processing speed, executive functions and a list of learning tasks with a significant negative effect for all diagnostic groups. NfL had a negative impact on processing speed, attention, executive functions and delayed and recognition memory for both normal and MCI groups. The research supports plasma NfL as a marker of cognitive impairment related to neurodegenerative processes in Mexican Americans and may be a marker of early changes in cognition in those with normal cognition and at risk for developing MCI.

Plasma neurofilament light chain (NFL) is differentially associated with neuropsychological test performance among non‐Hispanic whites and hispanic, Mexican Americans: A HABLE study

AbstractBackgroundNeurofilament light chain (NfL) has been examined as a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) due to its link with neurodegeneration. Among a community sample of Mexican Americans, NfL was found to be inversely related to processing speed, attention, executive functioning, and memory among those with normal cognition (NC) as well as those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study aimed to validate prior work and examine if the relationship between NfL and cognition differed by ethnicity when split by diagnostic status.MethodData were analyzed on n= 503 non‐Hispanic white (n=363 NC; n= 140 impaired cognition [MCI +dementia]) and n=357 Mexican American (n=187 NC; n=169 impaired cognition [MCI +dementia]) participants enrolled in a study of health disparities. Plasma NfL were assayed using Simoa. Neuropsychological test battery included Trail Making Test Part A and B, FAS, Animal Naming, Spanish and English Verbal Learning Test (Immediate and Delayed Recall), and Digit Symbol Substitution. Linear regression models analyzed cognitive test performance as the dependent variable while NfL was included as the independent variable. Covariates included age, gender, and education. Regression models were run separately for each cognitive test. Analyses were split by both ethnicity and diagnosis.ResultAmong non‐Hispanic whites with normal cognition, NfL was related to poorer neuropsychological test performance across measures of attention, processing speed, verbal fluency (FAS), and immediate memory. Among those with impaired cognition, NfL was associated with poorer performance across neuropsychological measures of attention, processing speed, executive functioning, and verbal fluency (animal naming). Among Hispanic, Mexican Americans with normal cognition, NfL was only found to be associated with poorer neuropsychological test performance on a measure of verbal fluency (animal naming). NfL was not found to be associated with any cognitive domain examined for Hispanic, Mexican Americans with impaired cognition.ConclusionThese findings highlight that biomarkers associated with AD, such as NfL, likely differ by ethnicity. This corresponds with our prior work that has shown lower rates of APOEe4 and amyloid among Hispanic, Mexican Americans. This further supports the need to examine more closely underlying biological mechanisms of neurodegenerative conditions among minority populations such as Hispanic, Mexican Americans.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Cognitive Dysfunction, and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objectives: The present study sought to evaluate the contribution of cardiovascular risk factors to cognitive functioning in a sample of Mexican Americans diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity were diagnosed based on self-report and/or standardized procedures. Cognitive function was measured with MMSE, Logical Memory I and II, Trail A & B, FAS, animal naming, and digit span tests. Independent samples t tests and two-way ANOVAs were conducted for analyses, adjusting for relevant covariates. We studied 100 Mexican Americans (65 female) with MCI, ages 50–86, from a longitudinal study of cognitive aging conducted at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. Results: A difference between subjects with and without obesity and memory scores was shown by t tests. Two-way ANOVAs detected an association between the coexistence of hypertension and diabetes with language measures, diabetes and dyslipidemia with executive function, and diabetes and obesity with memory and language measures. Conclusions: This study provides additional evidence about the link between cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive dysfunction in MCI subjects, and also demonstrated that comorbid risk factors increased the degree of cognitive deficit in many areas, which may indicate a higher risk of developing dementia.

Exposure to negative stereotypes influences representations of monetary incentives in the nucleus accumbens.

Contemporary society is saturated with negative representations of racial and ethnic minorities. Social science research finds that exposure to such negative stereotypes creates stress above and beyond pre-existing effects of income inequality and structural racism. Neuroscience studies in animals and humans show that life stress modulates brain responses to rewards. However, it is not known whether contending with negative representations of one’s social group spills overs to influence reward processing. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the effects of stigmatizing negative stereotypes on neural responding to the anticipation and consumption of monetary gains and losses in a Mexican American sample. Machine learning analyses indicated that incentive-related patterns of brain activity within the nucleus accumbens differed between Mexican Americans subjected to negative stereotypes and those who were not. This effect occurred for anticipating both gains and losses. Our work suggests that rhetoric stigmatizing Latinos and other minorities could alter how members of such groups process incentives in their environment. These findings contribute to our understanding of the linkage between stigmatizing experiences and motivated behavior, with implications for well-being and health.