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Depression is differentially related to cognitive and biomarker outcomes among Mexican Americans

Sid E O'Bryant1, Melissa Petersen1,2, James Hall1

  • 1Institute for Translational Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|September 9, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Depressive symptoms impact cognitive and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers differently in Mexican Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites. These symptoms are more strongly linked to AD outcomes in Mexican American non-carriers of the APOEε4 gene variant.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Gerontology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) research significantly underrepresents Mexican Americans, a key demographic within the US Hispanic community.
  • Existing data suggest distinct AD risk factors and biomarkers in Mexican Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites.
  • Understanding ethnic-specific variations in AD is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of depressive symptoms on cognitive function and AD-related biomarkers in Mexican Americans.
  • To compare these associations between Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites.
  • To identify potential ethnic-specific patterns in AD pathology.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 1,633 participants (852 Mexican Americans, 781 non-Hispanic whites) in the Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities (HABS-HD).
  • Assessment of depressive symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Scale.
  • Measurement of cognitive function via neuropsychological testing, plasma biomarkers (Aβ40, Aβ42, tau, NfL), and neuroimaging (MRI, PET amyloid).

Main Results:

  • Depressive symptoms showed significant associations with cognitive test results in both Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites.
  • In Mexican Americans, depression was significantly linked to cognitive outcomes and plasma biomarkers only among individuals who were not carriers of the APOEε4 gene variant.
  • These findings highlight a differential impact of depression on AD-related markers within this ethnic group.

Conclusions:

  • Depressive symptoms are more prevalent and more strongly associated with cognitive and AD biomarker outcomes in Mexican Americans.
  • The association between depression and AD outcomes is specifically observed in Mexican American non-carriers of the APOEε4 gene.
  • These results support the development of precision medicine approaches tailored to the unique needs of the Mexican American population for cognitive health.
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseMexican Americanbiomarkerscognitiondepression

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