Associations Between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Neurofilament Light Levels Among US Mexican American Adults.

NfL levels differed between Mexican American and non-Latino White adults based on diabetes diagnosis, with more pronounced differences in the MA group.

• Data were drawn from 1317 participants in the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS-HD)
• The study included both phenotypic, neuroimaging, and plasma NfL data
• The difference in NfL levels associated with diabetes diagnosis was described as more pronounced in the MA group compared to NLW participants

NfL levels differed between Mexican American and non-Latino White adults based on cardiovascular disease (CVD) diagnosis, with more pronounced differences in the MA group.

• Cardiovascular health factors examined included hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• The difference in NfL levels associated with CVD diagnosis was more pronounced in the MA group relative to NLW participants
• These findings suggest NfL's potential as a prognostic biomarker for CVD and neurodegeneration, especially in MA adults

The association between white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and NfL levels was steeper in Mexican American adults compared to non-Latino White adults.

• WMH volume served as a vascular injury marker in the analyses
• Neuroimaging data were used to quantify white matter hyperintensities
• The steeper association in MA adults suggests a stronger relationship between vascular brain injury and neuronal damage biomarkers in this population

The study analyzed a sample of 1317 participants from the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS-HD), including both Mexican American and non-Latino White adults.

• The dataset included phenotypic, neuroimaging, and plasma NfL data
• Participants were drawn from a study specifically designed to examine health disparities
• The two ethnic groups compared were US Mexican American (MA) and non-Latino White (NLW) adults