Background: Variability in dementia rates across racial and ethnic groups has been estimated at 60% . Studies suggest disparities in Caribbean Hispanic and Black populations, but community-based data are limited. Objective: Estimate the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in the racially and ethnically diverse community-based Northern Manhattan Study cohort and examine sociodemographic, vascular risk factor, and brain imaging correlates. Methods: Cases of MCI and dementia were adjudicated by a team of neuropsychologists and neurologists and prevalence was estimated across race/ethnic groups. Ordinal proportional odds models were used to estimate race/ethnic differences in the prevalence of MCI or dementia adjusting for sociodemographic variables (model 1), model 1 plus potentially modifiable vascular risk factors (model 2), and model 1 plus structural imaging markers of brain integrity (model 3). Results: There were 989 participants with cognitive outcome determinations (mean age 69±9 years; 68% Hispanic, 16% Black, 14% White; 62% women; mean (±SD) follow-up five (±0.6) years). Hispanic and Black participants had greater likelihood of MCI (20%) and dementia (5%) than White participants accounting for age and education differences. Hispanic participants had greater odds of MCI or dementia than both White and Black participants adjusting for sociodemographic variables, vascular risk factors, and brain imaging factors. White matter hyperintensity burden was significantly associated with greater odds of MCI or dementia (OR = 1.3, 1.1 to 1.6), but there was no significant interaction by race/ethnicity. Conclusion: In this diverse community-based cohort, cross-sectional data revealed significant race/ethnic disparities in the prevalence of MCI and dementia. Longer follow-up and incidence data are needed to further clarify these relationships.

A novel glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mutation, Y257C, is reported in a patient with adult-onset Alexander disease. This is the oldest reported case with confirmation of a GFAP mutation. Onset was late in the sixth decade. Genetic analysis of the GFAP gene is recommended in cases of progressive ataxia and palatal tremor.

OBJECTIVEEstimate the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and probable dementia in the racially and ethnically diverse community-based Northern Manhattan Study cohort and examine sociodemographic, vascular risk factor, and brain imaging correlates.METHODSCases of MCI and probable dementia were adjudicated by a team of neuropsychologists and neurologists and prevalence was estimated across race/ethnic groups. Ordinal proportional odds models were used to estimate race/ethnic differences in prevalence rates for MCI or probable dementia adjusting for sociodemographic variables (model 1), model 1 plus potentially modifiable vascular risk factors (model 2), and model 1 plus structural imaging markers of brain integrity (model 3).RESULTSThere were 989 participants with cognitive outcome determinations (mean age 69 ± 9 years; 68% Hispanic, 16% Black, 14% White; 62% women; mean (±SD) follow-up five (±0.6) years). Prevalence rates for MCI (20%) and probable dementia (5%) were significantly different by race/ethnicity even after accounting for age and education difference across race-ethnic groups; Hispanic and Black participants had greater prevalence rates than Whites. Adjusting for sociodemographic and brain imaging factors explained the most variance in the race/ethnicity associations. White matter hyperintensity burden explained much of the disparity between Black and White, but not between Hispanic and White, participants.CONCLUSIONSIn this diverse community-based cohort, white matter hyperintensity burden partially explained disparities in MCI and dementia prevalence in Black but not Hispanic participants compared to Whites. Longer follow-up and incidence data are needed to further clarify these relationships.

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