The intersection between depression, preclinical AD and symptomatic AD across
ethnoracial groups
 
   Lead Investigator:    Ganesh Babulal
   Institution      :    Washington University School of Medicine
   E-Mail           :    babulalg@wustl.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1536



   Proposal Description:
   By leveraging the NACC's longitudinal and national sample of well characterized participants, we want to identify how depression, medication, and cognitive functioning impact conversion from cognitive normality to symptomatic AD and whether this differs among racial and ethnic groups. We also want to examine if more abnormal AD biomarkers (CSF, structural imaging) are associated with adults who have depression with or without cognitive impairment. Depression is both a risk factor for and consequence of AD. Since Blacks and Hispanics are at a higher risk for ADRDs, it is important to examine the relationship between depression and AD across groups.                              1. We will examine whether depression rates (diagnosis and symptoms) differs between non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics and if depression is associated with AD biomarkers and symptomatic AD at baseline. Analyses will control for age, sex, education, APOE4. A secondary model will be conducted with antidepressants.                                                              2. We will examine time to conversion via survival analyses from cognitively normal (CDR 0) to symptomatic AD (CDR>0.5) and determine if depression and antidepressant use are significant in predicting conversion across these ethnoracial groups. Similar models will be conducted for cognitive functionin via a PACC score.