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. 2022 Dec 8:8:23337214221142958.
doi: 10.1177/23337214221142958. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cognitive Performance in Cognitively Normal Non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican Americans From the HABS-HD Cohort

Raul Vintimilla  1 , Thomas Nevin  1 , James Hall  1 , Leigh Johnson  1 , Sid O'Bryant  1
Affiliations

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cognitive Performance in Cognitively Normal Non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican Americans From the HABS-HD Cohort

Raul Vintimilla et al. Gerontol Geriatr Med. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the impact of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) on cognition in non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) versus Mexicans Americans (MA). Methods: A cross sectional analysis was conducted on 663 NHW and 632 MA. Prevalence of specific CVRF were compared between both demographics. Cognition was tested with various neuropsychologic tests. Results: MA had a higher percentage of hypertension, abdominal circumference, diabetes, and current smoking while NHW had a higher prevalence of other CVD. However, specific CVRF impacted NHW neuropsychologic testing on cognition, executive function, and processing, while only memory was affected in MA. Discussion: MA have less access to healthcare services with a higher prevalence of specific CVRF, however previous research has cited a lower mortality compared to NHW, this is known as the Hispanic paradox effect. The Mexican American ethnicity may be a protective factor in cognition creating increased neuropsychologic resilience from CVRF.

Keywords: Mexican American; blood pressure; cardiovascular diseases and risk; cognition; cognitive performance; diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Sid O’Bryant has multiple patents in neurodegenerative diseases and is the founding scientist for Cx Precision Medicine, Inc. Leigh Johnson owns an interest in Cx Precision Medicine, Inc. Raul Vintimilla, James Hall, and Thomas Nevin report no conflict of interest.

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