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Importance Black individuals are more likely than white individuals to develop dementia. Whether higher blood pressure (BP) levels in black individuals explain differences between black and white individuals in dementia risk is uncertain. Objective To determine whether cumulative BP levels explain racial differences in cognitive decline. Design, Setting, and Participants Individual participant data from 5 cohorts (January 1971 to December 2017) were pooled from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, Framingham Offspring Study, and Northern Manhattan Study. Outcomes were standardized as t scores (mean [SD], 50 [10]); a 1-point difference represented a 0.1-SD difference in cognition. The median (interquartile range) follow-up was 12.4 (5.9-21.0) years. Analysis began September 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was change in global cognition, and secondary outcomes were change in memory and executive function. Exposures Race (black vs white). Results Among 34 349 participants, 19 378 individuals who were free of stroke and dementia and had longitudinal BP, cognitive, and covariate data were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) age at first cognitive assessment was 59.8 (10.4) years and ranged from 5 to 95 years. Of 19 378 individuals, 10 724 (55.3%) were female and 15 526 (80.1%) were white. Compared with white individuals, black individuals had significantly faster declines in global cognition (−0.03 points per year faster [95% CI, −0.05 to −0.01]; P = .004) and memory (−0.08 points per year faster [95% CI, −0.11 to −0.06]; P < .001) but significantly slower declines in executive function (0.09 points per year slower [95% CI, 0.08-0.10]; P < .001). Time-dependent cumulative mean systolic BP level was associated with significantly faster declines in global cognition (−0.018 points per year faster per each 10–mm Hg increase [95% CI, −0.023 to −0.014]; P < .001), memory (−0.028 points per year faster per each 10–mm Hg increase [95% CI, −0.035 to −0.021]; P < .001), and executive function (−0.01 points per year faster per each 10–mm Hg increase [95% CI, −0.014 to −0.007]; P < .001). After adjusting for cumulative mean systolic BP, differences between black and white individuals in cognitive slopes were attenuated for global cognition (−0.01 points per year [95% CI, −0.03 to 0.01]; P = .56) and memory (−0.06 points per year [95% CI, −0.08 to −0.03]; P < .001) but not executive function (0.10 points per year [95% CI, 0.09-0.11]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance These results suggest that black individuals’ higher cumulative BP levels may contribute to racial differences in later-life cognitive decline.

Introduction: Alcohol use is common in the United States. Most studies describe a J-shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive function: frequent heavy consumption alters brain functions and decreases cognitive performance; regular light and moderate consumption may have protective impact. We are unaware of any reports utilizing longitudinally collected data to derive a cumulative exposure of alcohol use and assess its association with cognitive function. Hypothesis: Cumulative 30-year exposure to alcohol has a J-shaped association with mid-life cognitive function. Methods: We included 3,068 participants aged 18-30 years at the baseline examination (1985-86) and having up to 8 follow-up exams at 2- to 5-year intervals including at 30 years (2015-16). Cumulative “drink-years” exposure to alcohol was estimated at each exam by multiplying the usual number of drinks/day reported by the number of years since last exam, and then summing across exams. We used multivariable adjusted linear regression models to assess the independent associations of number of drink-years with 6 measures of cognitive function studied at Year 30: Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Stroop Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Category Fluency Test, and Letter Fluency Test. We used inverse probability of censoring weighting to account for potential informative censoring. Linear regression models estimated standardized mean test scores for the cumulative alcohol use categories (drink-years: >0 and <15, 15-29.9, 30+). Too few participants were available for assessment of higher categories of use. Results: Compared with never drinking, the 3 categories of cumulative exposure were unassociated with any of the cognitive function measures. Conclusions: Cumulative 30-year alcohol use is not associated with cognitive function in middle-aged adults in the CARDIA study.

Abstract Recent study has shown that incident dementia risk is higher among older persons who decline in both cognition and gait. This study assesses whether this relationship exists in multiple other aging populations. Data are from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (n=662, 51%women,22%blacks), Health, Aging and Body Composition Study (n=746, 51%women,44%blacks), and Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (n=2771, 48%women,0.3%blacks). Participants were at least 60, initially free of cognitive impairment, dementia, and dismobility (gait speed≤0.6m/s), with repeated measures of verbal memory and gait speed before dementia diagnosis (average follow-up 5.8-12.1 years). Within each cohort, participants were divided into four groups: memory decliners alone, gait decliners alone, dual decliners, or neither (healthy agers). Gait speed decline was defined as a loss of ≥0.05m/sec/year; memory decline was defined as cohort specific bottom slope tertile. Incident dementia risk was examined by Cox regression with healthy agers as reference, adjusted for sex, race, baseline age, gait speed and memory. Across studies, incident dementia ranged from 3% to 17%. Compared to healthy agers, memory decliners alone had 3.4 to 4.3 times higher risk for developing dementia (p&lt;0.01). Gait decliners alone had 2.1-5.6 times higher risk for dementia (p&lt;0.05). Dual decliners had 7.6-10.8 times the risk (p&lt;0.001). Dual decline signifies a more rapid progression to dementia. These consistent findings suggest that dual decliners might be a potentially valuable target group for both preventive interventions and mechanistic studies. Whether dual decline identifies a particular subtype or multiple subtypes of dementia remains to be investigated.

Abstract More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) today, and nearly two‐thirds of Americans with AD are women. This sex difference may be due to the higher longevity women generally experience; however, increasing evidence suggests that longevity alone is not a sufficient explanation and there may be other factors at play. The Alzheimer's Association convened an expert think tank to focus on the state of the science and level of evidence around gender and biological sex differences for AD, including the knowledge gaps and areas of science that need to be more fully addressed. This article summarizes the think tank discussion, moving forward a research agenda and funding program to better understand the biological underpinnings of sex‐ and gender‐related disparities of risk for AD.

Background and Purpose— The majority of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of stroke have focused on European-ancestry populations; however, none has been conducted in African Americans, despite the disproportionately high burden of stroke in this population. The Consortium of Minority Population Genome-Wide Association Studies of Stroke (COMPASS) was established to identify stroke susceptibility loci in minority populations. Methods— Using METAL, we conducted meta-analyses of GWAS in 14 746 African Americans (1365 ischemic and 1592 total stroke cases) from COMPASS, and tested genetic variants with P <10 −6 for validation in METASTROKE, a consortium of ischemic stroke genetic studies in European-ancestry populations. We also evaluated stroke loci previously identified in European-ancestry populations. Results— The 15q21.3 locus linked with lipid levels and hypertension was associated with total stroke (rs4471613; P =3.9×10 −8 ) in African Americans. Nominal associations ( P <10 −6 ) for total or ischemic stroke were observed for 18 variants in or near genes implicated in cell cycle/mRNA presplicing ( PTPRG , CDC5L ), platelet function ( HPS4 ), blood–brain barrier permeability ( CLDN17 ), immune response ( ELTD1, WDFY4 , and IL1F10-IL1RN ), and histone modification ( HDAC9 ). Two of these loci achieved nominal significance in METASTROKE: 5q35.2 ( P =0.03), and 1p31.1 ( P =0.018). Four of 7 previously reported ischemic stroke loci ( PITX2, HDAC9, CDKN2A/CDKN2B , and ZFHX3 ) were nominally associated ( P <0.05) with stroke in COMPASS. Conclusions— We identified a novel genetic variant associated with total stroke in African Americans and found that ischemic stroke loci identified in European-ancestry populations may also be relevant for African Americans. Our findings support investigation of diverse populations to identify and characterize genetic risk factors, and the importance of shared genetic risk across populations.

AbstractWith increasing numbers of people with Alzheimer's and other dementias across the globe, many countries have developed national plans to deal with the resulting challenges. In the United States, the National Alzheimer's Project Act, signed into law in 2011, required the creation of such a plan with annual updates thereafter. Pursuant to this, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease in 2012, including an ambitious research goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025. To guide investments, activities, and the measurement of progress toward achieving this 2025 goal, in its first annual plan update (2013) HHS also incorporated into the plan a set of short, medium and long‐term milestones. HHS further committed to updating these milestones on an ongoing basis to account for progress and setbacks, and emerging opportunities and obstacles. To assist HHS as it updates these milestones, the Alzheimer's Association convened a National Plan Milestone Workgroup consisting of scientific experts representing all areas of Alzheimer's and dementia research. The workgroup evaluated each milestone and made recommendations to ensure that they collectively constitute an adequate work plan for reaching the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's by 2025. This report presents these Workgroup recommendations.

AbstractBoth traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common problems resulting from military service, and both have been associated with increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia resulting from Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other causes. This study aims to use imaging techniques and biomarker analysis to determine whether traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or PTSD resulting from combat or other traumas increase the risk for AD and decrease cognitive reserve in Veteran subjects, after accounting for age. Using military and Department of Veterans Affairs records, 65 Vietnam War veterans with a history of moderate or severe TBI with or without PTSD, 65 with ongoing PTSD without TBI, and 65 control subjects are being enrolled in this study at 19 sites. The study aims to select subject groups that are comparable in age, gender, ethnicity, and education. Subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia are being excluded. However, a new study just beginning, and similar in size, will study subjects with TBI, subjects with PTSD, and control subjects with MCI. Baseline measurements of cognition, function, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers; magnetic resonance images (structural, diffusion tensor, and resting state blood‐level oxygen dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging); and amyloid positron emission tomographic (PET) images with florbetapir are being obtained. One‐year follow‐up measurements will be collected for most of the baseline procedures, with the exception of the lumbar puncture, the PET imaging, and apolipoprotein E genotyping. To date, 19 subjects with TBI only, 46 with PTSD only, and 15 with TBI and PTSD have been recruited and referred to 13 clinics to undergo the study protocol. It is expected that cohorts will be fully recruited by October 2014. This study is a first step toward the design and statistical powering of an AD prevention trial using at‐risk veterans as subjects, and provides the basis for a larger, more comprehensive study of dementia risk factors in veterans.

AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias. A meeting hosted by the Alzheimer's Association and the Veterans' Health Research Institute (NCIRE) in May 2012 brought together experts from the U.S. military and academic medical centers around the world to discuss current evidence and hypotheses regarding the pathophysiological mechanisms linking TBI, PTSD, and AD. Studies underway in civilian and military populations were highlighted, along with new research initiatives such as a study to extend the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) to a population of veterans exposed to TBI and PTSD. Greater collaboration and data sharing among diverse research groups is needed to advance an understanding and appropriate interventions in this continuum of military injuries and neurodegenerative disease in the aging veteran.