Jacqueline Suarez
Pronouns: She/Her
Research Mentor(s): Jonathan Reader
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center / Medicine
Program:
Authors: Jacqueline Suarez, Jonathan Reader
Session: Session 1: 9:00 am – 9:50 am
Poster: 74
Abstract
As the population of individuals above the age of 65 is increasing, so is the sense of urgency to address the growing issue of dementia-related disorders. Additionally, as the Hispanic population in the U.S. is growing, it is important to explore whether or not this heritage poses a risk factor. Currently, vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease with case proportions of 20% and 60% respectively (1). Many potential risk factors of VaD, such as anxiety, have been discovered, yet the association between anxiety and VaD remains unclear. While a recent meta-analysis identified three individual studies with no significant association between the two variables, other studies have shown that anxiety is associated with an 88% increased risk for VaD, and that risk is 1.41 times higher among individuals with anxiety (2, 3). The aims of this study are to explore anxiety as a risk factor for VaD in the U.S Hispanic population using a forward stepwise logistic regression. The sample (n = 10558) was selected from participants of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) and refined using R version 4.3.3. Results of the fifth and final step showed anxiety, Hispanic heritage, hypertension, depression, and demographics as significant risk factors of VaD. Anxiety and Hispanic heritage were both significant predictors of VaD (both ps < 0.5). The risk assessment of Hispanic heritage compounded with prevalent anxiety which, while having a positive correlation, did not reach conventional significance to provide evidence in support of the hypothesis (p = 0.81). Therefore, more studies must be conducted in order to provide additional clarification as to whether or not anxiety compounded with Hispanic heritage leads to increased risk in addition to being risk factors on their own. Potential explanations for why anxiety can increase risk of developing VaD could be that anxiety and hypertension, the most common cause of VaD, have appeared highly correlated in past studies (4). Given the results for anxiety as a significant risk factor, this allows for treatment for anxiety to be capitalized on not only to improve quality of life, but also help in preventing potential onset of VaD. As for the significance of Hispanic heritage being a risk factor, while genetically there are no clinical manipulations that can be made, closing gaps such as access to education and healthcare, which are other risk factors, could significantly decrease the proportion of Hispanic individuals who develop VaD.
