Cerebral arteriolosclerosis, lacunar infarcts, and cognition in older Black adults.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Older Black adults are at risk of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), which contributes to dementia risk. Two subtypes of CSVD, arteriolosclerosis and ischemic lacunar infarcts, have been independently linked to lower cognition and higher dementia risk, but their combined effects on cognition in older Black adults are unclear. METHODS: Mixed models were used to examine the associations of in vivo measures of arteriolosclerosis (ARTS) and ischemic lacunar infarcts to cognitive level and change in 370 older Black adults without dementia.  RESULTS: Modeled together, higher ARTS load accounted for lower levels of global cognition, episodic memory, semantic memory, and perceptual speed, whereas higher infarct load accounted for lower levels of working memory. There were no associations with rate of cognitive change. DISCUSSION: Both arteriolosclerosis and ischemic infarcts impact the cognitive health of older Black adults, but arteriolosclerosis affects cognition more broadly and offers promise as an in vivo biomarker of dementia risk. HIGHLIGHTS Older Black adults are at risk of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and dementia. Examined magnetic resonance imaging-derived measure of arteriolosclerosis (ARTS), infarcts, and cognition. ARTS load was widely associated with lower cognition after adjusting for infarct load. Infarct load was specifically associated with lower complex attention. More within-Black in vivo studies of CSVD subtypes and cognition are needed.