Assessing Early Onset Vascular Dementia in African American and Hispanic
Populations
 
   Lead Investigator:    Valencia Montgomery
   Institution      :    Roosevelt University
   E-Mail           :    vmontgomery@mail.roosevelt.edu
   Proposal ID      :    518



   Proposal Description:
   The purpose of this presentation is to integrate the literature on cognitive reserve theory, health and educational disparities, and known risk factors for vascular dementia (VaD) in support of neuropsychological screenings of middle-aged adults at risk for the development of early onset VaD (EOVaD).  Disparities in education and health services in African American (and Hispanic) populations has long been discussed in the literature. Furthermore, AA and Hispanics are preferentially affected by cardiovascular disease.  Greater levels of cognitive reserve have been linked to higher educational achievement. Thus, populations with suboptimal education and/or low educational attainment and  cardiovascular risk factors, are likely to have a lower degree of cognitive reserve and a higher chance of developing EOVaD.