Racial discrimination during middle age predicts higher serum phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain levels a decade later: A study of aging black Americans

Ronald L Simons; Mei Ling Ong; Man-Kit Lei; Steven R H Beach; Yue Zhang; Robert Philibert; Michelle M Mielke

doi:10.1002/alz.13751

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Racial discrimination during middle age predicts higher serum phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain levels a decade later: A study of aging black Americans

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Racial discrimination during middle age predicts higher serum phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain levels a decade later: A study of aging black Americans

Ronald L Simons, Mei Ling Ong, Man-Kit Lei, Steven R H Beach, Yue Zhang, Robert Philibert and Michelle M Mielke

Alzheimer's & dementia, Vol.20(5), pp.3485-3494

05/2024

DOI: 10.1002/alz.13751

PMCID: PMC11095429

PMID: 38597292

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Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that exposure to the stress of racism may increase the risk of dementia for Black Americans. The present study used 17 years of data from a sample of 255 Black Americans to investigate the extent to which exposure to racial discrimination predicts subsequent changes in serum Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) biomarkers: serum phosphorylated tau181(p-tau181), neurofilament light (NfL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). We hypothesized that racial discrimination assessed during middle age would predict increases in these serum biomarkers as the participants aged into their 60s. Our findings indicate that exposure to various forms of racial discrimination during a person's 40s and early 50s predicts an 11-year increase in both serum p-tau181 and NfL. Racial discrimination was not associated with subsequent levels of GFAP. These findings suggest that racial discrimination in midlife may contribute to increased AD pathology and neurodegeneration later in life. A 17-year longitudinal study of Black Americans. Assessments of change in serum p-tau181, neurofilament light, and glial fibrillary acidic protein. Exposure to racial discrimination during middle age predicted increases in p-tau181 and neurofilament light. Education was positively related to both p-tau181 and exposure to racial discrimination.

Dementia

serum phosphorylated tau181

Black Americans

neurodegeneration

neurofilament light

Alzheimer's disease

racial discrimination

Details

Title: Subtitle: Racial discrimination during middle age predicts higher serum phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain levels a decade later: A study of aging black Americans
Creators: Ronald L Simons - University of Georgia
Mei Ling Ong - University of Georgia
Man-Kit Lei - University of Georgia
Steven R H Beach - University of Georgia
Yue Zhang - University of Georgia
Robert Philibert - University of Iowa
Michelle M Mielke - Wake Forest University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Alzheimer's & dementia, Vol.20(5), pp.3485-3494
DOI: 10.1002/alz.13751
PMID: 38597292
PMCID: PMC11095429
NLM abbreviation: Alzheimers Dement
eISSN: 1552-5279
Grant note: R01 AG055393 / NIA NIH HHS R01 HL118045 / NHLBI NIH HHS RF1 AG077386 / NIA NIH HHS
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 04/10/2024
Date published: 05/2024
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984584903902771

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