Progression and Conversion in African American and Caucasian Patients
with Mild Cognitive Impairment
 
   Lead Investigator:    Kirsten Triebel
   Institution      :    University of Alabama at Birmingham
   E-Mail           :    ktriebel@uab.edu
   Proposal ID      :    73



   Proposal Description:
   Aim 1: To Investigate Potential Differences in Trajectories of Cognitive and Functional Change Over Time between African American and Caucasian Patients with MCI.    Hypothesis 1: Using neuropsychological and functional measures, there will be differences in cognitive and functional change over time between African American and Caucasian patients with MCI.    Aim 2: To Investigate Potential Differences in Conversion from MCI to Dementia between African Americans and Caucasians with MCI.     Hypothesis 2: African American patients with MCI will have slower rates of conversion to AD compared to Caucasian patients with MCI.    Aim 3: To Examine Factors Potentially Explaining Differential Progression and Conversion between and within African American and Caucasian MCI Groups.        Hypothesis 3: Co-morbid medical disease, education, socioeconomic status, and medical treatment factors will be associated with between and within group differences in MCI progression and conversion to AD.   Hypothesis 4: Models predicting conversion from MCI to AD will be different for African Americans and Caucasians with MCI, in that executive function will predict subsequent conversion among African American MCI patients whereas measures of memory and executive function will predict conversion among Caucasian MCI patients.