Nsor Neke A, Bourassa Kyle J, Barnes Lisa L, Brown Casey K
Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham VA Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2024 Dec 11;80(1). doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbae172.
Older African Americans are among the fastest-growing populations, yet are underrepresented in studies examining risk factors related to decline. The present study examines whether biological factors (apolipoprotein [APOE] alleles) interact with behavioral factors including cognitive activities (e.g., reading, playing games) and social activities (e.g., participating in social groups) to predict cognitive decline in African Americans.
In total, 734 African American adults from the Minority Aging Research Study, aged 65 and older (with no known dementia at the time of enrollment), underwent annual cognitive testing for up to 10 years. At baseline, APOE status was determined and participants reported their frequency of participation in social and cognitive activities. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of APOE, cognitive activities, and social activities on cognitive decline, and their interaction effects over a 10-year period.
The number of APOE alleles had an effect on cognitive decline, such that a greater number of APOE4 alleles was associated with greater cognitive decline, whereas a greater number of APOE2 alleles was associated with less cognitive decline. Cognitive and social activities did not interact with APOE count to predict cognitive decline; however, APOE4 and social activities had additive, independent effects on cognitive decline.
Results replicate prior findings linking APOE4 to cognitive decline and highlight the importance of APOE2 and social activities in delaying cognitive decline in African Americans.
老年非裔美国人是增长最快的人群之一，但在研究与认知衰退相关的风险因素时，他们的代表性不足。本研究旨在探讨生物学因素（载脂蛋白[APOE]等位基因）是否与行为因素相互作用，这些行为因素包括认知活动（如阅读、玩游戏）和社交活动（如参加社会团体），以预测非裔美国人的认知衰退。
共有734名来自少数族裔衰老研究的65岁及以上非裔美国成年人（入组时无已知痴呆症）接受了长达10年的年度认知测试。在基线时，确定APOE状态，参与者报告他们参与社交和认知活动的频率。采用结构方程模型来检验APOE、认知活动和社交活动对认知衰退的影响，以及它们在10年期间的交互作用。
APOE等位基因的数量对认知衰退有影响，即APOE4等位基因数量越多，认知衰退越严重，而APOE2等位基因数量越多，认知衰退越轻。认知和社交活动与APOE数量之间没有相互作用来预测认知衰退；然而，APOE4和社交活动对认知衰退有累加的、独立的影响。
结果重复了之前将APOE4与认知衰退联系起来的研究发现，并强调了APOE2和社交活动在延缓非裔美国人认知衰退方面的重要性。
