title: Factors related to racial differences in late-life level of cognitive function.
abstract: The study aim was to identify factors associated with racial differences in level of cognitive function in old age.
  
  
  
  Older Black (n = 5,950) and White (n = 3,469) residents of a geographically defined urban community were randomly split into exploratory and confirmatory subgroups. A global measure of cognition was derived from 4 brief performance tests, and potential correlates of cognition (candidates) were selected from demographic, health-related, and experiential measures. In the exploratory subgroup, using a stepwise search algorithm, we examined the cognitive difference by race and then allowed candidate measures and Race × Candidate Measure interactions to enter the model.
  
  
  
  The cognitive score in the exploratory subgroup (M = 0.257, SD = 0.714) was a mean of 0.403 unit lower in Black persons than White persons (SE = 0.021, p < .001), and race accounted for 7% of cognitive variability. After the candidate selection process, 16 measures were retained, including 12 candidate measures and the 2-way interactions of race with education, age, reading/cognitive activity, and neuroticism. In this model, which accounted for 45% of the variability in global cognition, race was no longer associated with global cognition (coefficient = 0.012, SE = 0.110, p = .912). Findings were replicated in the confirmatory subgroup.
  
  
  
  These cross-sectional analyses suggest that consideration of demographic, health-related, and experiential factors greatly attenuates racial differences in late-life level of cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Rush Institute for Healthy Aging.
authors.forename: Kumar B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.affiliation: Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center.
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Rush Institute for Healthy Aging.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weuve
authors.affiliation: Rush Institute for Healthy Aging.
authors.forename: Denis A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000208:ethnology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D002641:Chicago / Q000208:ethnology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000075384:Neuroticism; D011932:Reading; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*