Background 

• AD disproportionately impacts female

sex and Black/African Americans. Black

females are thus at greater risk for

developing AD.

• However, Black females are are

consistently underrepresented in aging

research.

• Objective: Describe neuropsychological

test performance and volumetric MRI

outcomes in large cohort of

Black/African American females from

the NACC data sets.

Methods

Sample: 6,120 Black/African American females from NACC

Assessment:

• Participants completed at least one UDS visit (2.0/3.0) with

neuropsychological testing.

• Subset (n=560) completed MRI and MRI-derived volumetrics

examined included hippocampal volume and regional cortical

thickness.

• Global CDR score was used to determine dementia severity.

Statistical Analyses:

• ANCOVA models examined differences in neuropsychological test

scores, volume of hippocampus, and regional cortical thickness by

CDR (0, 0.5, 1.0+)

• Adjusting for age, education, and APOE ε4 status.

Results:

Table 2:

• Performance on all neuropsychological tests worsened as CDR scores increased, with the

greatest group effect for TMT Part B and Part A, followed by memory measures, MOCA, MMSE,

and then language measures.

Figure 1:

• ANCOVA models showed significant associations between all MRI-derived volumetrics

except for the posterior cingulate.

• Strongest associations observed for entorhinal cortex and hippocampus.

• Participants with a CDR of 0.5 showed significant hippocampal volume loss.

• Significant cortical thinning wasn’t observed until mild dementia.

Conclusions:

•Among Black/African American females from the NACC data set, 53.9% and

14.8% had CDR scores consistent with MCI and dementia, respectively.

•Non-memory cognitive domains had the strongest associations with

dementia severity, despite medial temporal lobe involvement.

•Future: We plan to replicate analyses investigating autopsy data from brain

donors. Furthermore, UDS4.0 collects additional social determinants of health

and menstrual/reproductive health data that will be relevant to incorporate into

these analyses.

•It’s imperative that efforts to address the historical underrepresentation of

populations most impacted, are implemented in future studies.