title: Cognitive aging in older Black and White persons.
abstract: During a mean of 5.2 years of annual follow-up, older Black (n = 647) and White (n = 647) persons of equivalent age and education completed a battery of 17 cognitive tests from which composite measures of 5 abilities were derived. Baseline level of each ability was lower in the Black subgroup. Decline in episodic and working memory was not related to race. Decline in semantic memory, perceptual speed, and visuospatial ability was slower in Black persons than White persons, and in semantic memory and perceptual speed this effect was stronger in older than younger participants. Racial differences persisted after adjustment for retest effects. The results suggest subtle cognitive aging differences between Black persons and White persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Ana W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Capuano
authors.affiliation: Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sytsma
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002641:Chicago; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*