INTRODUCTION: Few studies have examined the associations of psychosocial factors with cognitive change in Hispanics/Latinos. METHODS: Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (HCHS/SOL INCA) and Sociocultural studies were used (n = 2,155; ages ≥45 years). Psychosocial exposures included intrapersonal (ethnic identity, optimism, purpose in life), interpersonal (family cohesion, familism, social networks, social support), and social factors (ethnic discrimination, loneliness, subjective social status). Survey-linear regression models examined associations between psychosocial exposures and 7-year cognitive change (global cognition [GC], verbal learning, memory, word fluency [WF], and digit symbol substitution [DSS]). RESULTS: Familism predicted decline in GC, verbal learning, and memory; family cohesion predicted DSS decline; and loneliness predicted memory decline. Ethnic identity was protective against decline in GC and memory, optimism and social support were protective against decline in memory, and purpose in life was protective against WF decline. DISCUSSION: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes. Culturally relevant factors should be explored in Hispanic/Latino cognitive aging research. HIGHLIGHTS: Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes in Latinos. Role of culturally relevant factors on cognition should be further explored. Familism predicted decline in global cognition, verbal learning, and memory. Ethnic identity predicted increase in global cognition and memory.

Introduction

Reproductive health history may contribute to cognitive aging and risk for Alzheimer's disease, but this is understudied among Hispanic/Latina women.

Methods

Participants included 2126 Hispanic/Latina postmenopausal women (44 to 75 years) from the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging. Survey linear regressions separately modeled the associations between reproductive health measures (age at menarche, history of oral contraceptive use, number of pregnancies, number of live births, age at menopause, female hormone use at Visit 1, and reproductive span) with cognitive outcomes at Visit 2 (performance, 7-year change, and mild cognitive impairment [MCI] prevalence).

Results

Younger age at menarche, oral contraceptive use, lower pregnancies, lower live births, and older age at menopause were associated with better cognitive performance. Older age at menarche was protective against cognitive change. Hormone use was linked to lower MCI prevalence.

Discussion

Several aspects of reproductive health appear to impact cognitive aging among Hispanic/Latina women.

BACKGROUND: Higher allostatic load (AL), a multi-system measure of physiological dysregulation considered a proxy for chronic stress exposure, is associated with poorer global cognition (GC) in older non-Hispanic white adults. However, evidence of these associations in middle-aged and older US-based Hispanic/Latino adults is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations of AL with level of cognition, performance in cognition 7 years later, and change in cognition over 7 years among middle-aged and older US-based Hispanic/Latino adults. METHODS: We used data (n = 5,799, 45-74 years at baseline) from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and SOL-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA). The AL score comprised 16 biomarkers representing cardiometabolic, glucose, cardiopulmonary, parasympathetic, and inflammatory systems (higher scores = greater dysregulation). Cognitive outcomes included GC and individual tests of verbal learning and memory, world fluency (WF), Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS), and Trail Making (Parts A & B). Survey-linear regressions assessed associations of AL with performance in cognition at baseline, 7 years later, and via 7-year cognitive change scores adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Higher AL was associated with lower baseline performance in GC and WF; and lower 7-year follow-up performance in these same measures plus DSS and Trail Making Parts A & B. Higher AL was associated with more pronounced 7-year change (reduction) in GC and on WF and DSS tests. CONCLUSIONS: Findings extend previous evidence in predominantly older non-Hispanic white cohorts to show that AL is related to level of and change in GC (as well as WF and DSS) among middle-aged and older US-based Hispanic/Latino adults.

Background

Visual impairment could worsen sleep/wake disorders and cognitive decline.

Objective

To examine interrelations among self-reported visual impairment, sleep, and cognitive decline in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Miami-site.

Method

HCHS/SOL Miami-site participants ages 45-74 years (n = 665) at Visit-1, who returned for cognitive test 7-years later (SOL-INCA). Participants completed the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ), validated sleep questionnaires and test for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) at Visit-1. We obtained verbal episodic learning and memory, verbal fluency, processing speed, and executive functioning at Visit-1 and at SOL-INCA. Processing speed/executive functioning were added to SOL-INCA. We examined global cognition and change using a regression-based reliable change index, adjusting for the time lapse between Visit-1 and SOL-INCA. We used regression models to test whether 1) persons with OSA, self-reported sleep duration, insomnia, and sleepiness have an increased risk for visual impairment, 2a) visual impairment is associated with worse cognitive function and/or decline, and 2b) sleep disorders attenuate these associations.

Result

Sleepiness (β= 0.04; p < 0.01) and insomnia (β= 0.04; p < 0.001) were cross-sectionally associated with visual impairment, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral factors, acculturation, and health conditions. Visual impairment was associated with lower global cognitive function at Visit-1 (β= -0.16; p < 0.001) and on average 7-years later (β= -0.18; p < 0.001). Visual impairment was also associated with a change in verbal fluency (β= -0.17; p < 0.01). OSA, self-reported sleep duration, insomnia, and sleepiness did not attenuate any of the associations.

Conclusion

Self-reported visual impairment was independently associated with worse cognitive function and decline.

Introduction

The potential utility of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) as an early risk marker of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is under consideration. We examined associations between SCD and cognitive change among middle-aged and older Hispanic/Latino adults living in the United States.

Methods

The short-form Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog-12) was assessed to generate global, executive function, and memory-related SCD scores. We used survey generalized regressions to model the change in learning, memory, verbal fluency, executive function, and global cognitive performance over 7 years as a function of SCD (at Visit 2).

Results

The mean age was 56.37 ± 8.10 years at Visit 1 (n = 6225). Higher ECog-12 was associated with greater decline in global cognitive performance (ECog-12 global: B = -0.17, standard error [SE] = 0.02; ECog-12 executive: B = -0.15, SE = 0.02; ECog-12 memory: B = -0.14, SE = 0.02, p's < 0.001).

Discussion

These results support the link between subjective reports of cognitive decline and objectively measured 7-year cognitive decline in community-dwelling, middle-aged, and older Hispanic/Latino adults.

Highlights

We found that nearly two-thirds of diverse middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos reported cognitive concerns in a large and representative population study. Self-reported subjective experiences of cognitive decline reflect objective cognitive decline in US Hispanics/Latinos. The relationship is stronger among men compared to women. The relationship between subjective and objective changes to memory are stronger in those with cognitive concerns, and remain even in cognitively healthy individuals.