Socioeconomic Status Moderates the Effect of Inflammation on Whiter Matter Hyperintensity Burden and Neurodegeneration in Hispanic Older Adults: A Healthy Aging Brain Study‐Health Disparities

Hispanic/Latino (H/L) older adults are at increased risk for AD, demonstrate an earlier age of dementia onset, and are more likely to experience delays in AD diagnosis and treatment relative to Non‐Hispanic Whites. These racial/ethnic disparities are the consequence of structural inequities and socioeconomic disadvantages (e.g., income, education) that disproportionately affect H/Ls and promote pathologic inflammatory cascades. Although low socioeconomic status (SES) and inflammation have independently been linked to poor cognitive outcomes, their effects on neural markers of brain health in older adults have yet to be fully examined. Therefore, the present study examined the independent and interactive effects of inflammation and SES on brain markers of neurodegeneration in Hispanic older adults.