Associations between Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Neurofilament Light Levels Among U.S. Mexican American Adults

Abstract

Background The pathophysiological mechanisms that may differentially impact brain health and cognitive aging outcomes among Latino compared with non-Latino White (NLW) adults in the U.S remain incompletely understood. Recent evidence suggests that neurofilament light (NfL) levels, a biomarker of neuronal injury predictive of dementia risk, is associated with cardiovascular risk factors in both Latino and NLW populations. The current study examines whether associations between plasma NfL levels and markers for cardiovascular health differ among U.S. Mexican American (MA) and NLW adults enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS-HD). Methods Data from 1317 participants (648 MA and 669 NLW) were analyzed, including phenotypic, neuroimaging, and plasma NfL data. Cardiovascular health factors included total volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), and diagnoses of hypertension, diabetes, and CVD. Results We found that NfL burden levels among MA and NLW participants differed as a function of diabetes and CVD diagnosis, with steeper differences observed in the MA group. Additionally, the association between WMH volume and NfL varied between the two groups, with a steeper association observed in the MA group. Conclusions These findings highlight the potential utility of NfL as a prognostic biomarker for CVD and neurodegeneration, particularly among MA adults. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these associations and to develop targeted neurodegenerative prevention strategies that address disparities in brain aging.