Genetic variability and cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden as predictors of
cognition in African American elders
 
   Lead Investigator:    Jeannine Skinner
   Institution      :    Vanderbilt University Medical Center
   E-Mail           :    jeannine.s.skinner@vanderbilt.edu
   Proposal ID      :    346


   Publications:


1  Liu D, Skinner J, Gifford K, Jefferson AL
   Biracial differences in the relation between vascular health and neuropathological markers of cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease
   Abstract  Alzheimers Dement,10:P843,2014,

   PUBLISHED





   Proposal Description:
   Project Goal: Apolipoprotein (ApoE4) is the most widely recognized genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer???s disease (AD). ApoE4 works synergistically with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors to exacerbate cognitive decline and increase risk for dementia. The association between genetic risk factors and late-onset AD is poorly understood in ethnoracial minorities, in particular African Americans (AAs) elders. Prior work suggests that genetic contributors other than APOE4 may be associated with increased risk for AD in AAs. Given the limited available knowledge on the role of genetics on AD risk in AAs, and the high prevalence of CVD in this population, additional research is needed to investigate the association between genetic variation and CVD risk factors and how they relate to cognitive change in AA elders, free of dementia.                                                                                                 Primary Aim: To determine if the presence of non-ApoE4 candidate genes,          implicated in recent genome-wide association studies, interact with CVD risk      factors to influence cognitive trajectories in AA elders.                                                                                                           Secondary Aim: To determine if there are specific risk factors (of the mFSRP      vascular composite score) whose effects were most modified by the presence of a specific candidate gene.