INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 08 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 01:45 pm - 03:00 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 08: Cognition \| Cognitive Reserve Variables Final Abstract #72 Race and Neighborhood Disadvantage Moderate the Relationship between Psychological Resilience and Cognitive Impairment in Black and White Adults with Multiple Sclerosis Darius Vann, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Jeremy Grant, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Rachel Darling, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Brigid Waldron-Perrine, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Keith Whitfield, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, United States Evanthia Bernitsas, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Lisa Rapport, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States Category: Multiple Sclerosis/ALS/Demyelinating Disorders Keyword 1: multiple sclerosis Keyword 2: minority issues Keyword 3: information processing speed Objective: People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods show poorer cognitive function and greater disability than individuals living in more affluent neighborhoods. In addition, in the U.S., Black PwMS generally show a more aggressive disease course than White PwMS, including faster cognitive decline and disability progression. Little research has examined modifiable psychosocial characteristics that may mitigate the effects of MS in these populations. One such characteristic is psychological resilience, defined as the capability to thrive despite experiencing adverse life circumstances. Resilience is positively associated with cognitive function among PwMS. This study examined the extent to which resilience influenced the relationships among neighborhood disadvantage, cognition, and disability status in Black and White PwMS. Participants and Methods: The sample consisted of 82 adults (50% Black, 50% White) with MS (74% women, 77.2% relapsing-remitting). Participants averaged 50 years old with 15 years of education. A board-certified neurologist provided ratings of disability status using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Psychological resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRS). Neighborhood disadvantage was examined using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Global cognitive functioning was assessed using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Results: Black and White participants did not differ significantly in age, years of education, disability status, or psychological resilience. Black participants lived in more disadvantaged neighborhoods (p = .023) and showed poorer cognitive performance (p < .001) than their White counterparts. Among Black participants, resilience was positively associated with cognitive performance (Spearman’s rho =.44, p = .004). In contrast, resilience was not significantly related to cognitive performance among White participants. A moderation analysis (Hayes, 2021) examining the relationship of resilience to cognitive performance with race and neighborhood disadvantage as moderators was significant (R² = .32, p < .001). The interactions CDRS x Race (p < .001), CDRS x ADI (p = .026), and the combined interaction (p < .001) were significant. Among Black participants, resilience was increasingly positively associated with cognitive performance across individuals with low (p = .072), medium (p < .001), and high (p < .001) neighborhood disadvantage. Conversely, among White participants, resilience was inversely associated with cognitive performance among those with low neighborhood disadvantage (p = .049). Conclusions: Among Black PwMS, psychological resilience may be a protective psychosocial characteristic against cognitive impairment in MS. Moreover, this relationship appeared increasingly strong as neighborhood disadvantage increased. Possibly owing to less neighborhood disadvantage overall, this same relationship was not observed among White PwMS. In contrast, an inverse relationship between resilience and cognitive impairment was observed among White PwMS experiencing the lowest neighborhood disadvantage. More research is needed to explore the extent to which interventions to strengthen resilience can provide a buffer against the adverse effects of MS, particularly among individuals who are most vulnerable to cognitive decline.

Poster

02/16/2024
01:45 pm - 03:00 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 08: Cognition | Cognitive Reserve Variables

Final Abstract #72

Race and Neighborhood Disadvantage Moderate the Relationship between Psychological Resilience and Cognitive Impairment in Black and White Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

Darius Vann, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
Jeremy Grant, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
Rachel Darling, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
Brigid Waldron-Perrine, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
Keith Whitfield, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, United States
Evanthia Bernitsas, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
Lisa Rapport, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States

Category: Multiple Sclerosis/ALS/Demyelinating Disorders

Keyword 1: multiple sclerosis
Keyword 2: minority issues
Keyword 3: information processing speed

Objective:

People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods show poorer cognitive function and greater disability than individuals living in more affluent neighborhoods. In addition, in the U.S., Black PwMS generally show a more aggressive disease course than White PwMS, including faster cognitive decline and disability progression. Little research has examined modifiable psychosocial characteristics that may mitigate the effects of MS in these populations. One such characteristic is psychological resilience, defined as the capability to thrive despite experiencing adverse life circumstances. Resilience is positively associated with cognitive function among PwMS. This study examined the extent to which resilience influenced the relationships among neighborhood disadvantage, cognition, and disability status in Black and White PwMS.

Participants and Methods:

The sample consisted of 82 adults (50% Black, 50% White) with MS (74% women, 77.2% relapsing-remitting). Participants averaged 50 years old with 15 years of education. A board-certified neurologist provided ratings of disability status using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Psychological resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRS). Neighborhood disadvantage was examined using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Global cognitive functioning was assessed using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).

Results:

Black and White participants did not differ significantly in age, years of education, disability status, or psychological resilience. Black participants lived in more disadvantaged neighborhoods (p = .023) and showed poorer cognitive performance (p < .001) than their White counterparts. Among Black participants, resilience was positively associated with cognitive performance (Spearman’s rho =.44, p = .004). In contrast, resilience was not significantly related to cognitive performance among White participants. A moderation analysis (Hayes, 2021) examining the relationship of resilience to cognitive performance with race and neighborhood disadvantage as moderators was significant (R² = .32, p < .001). The interactions CDRS x Race (p < .001), CDRS x ADI (p = .026), and the combined interaction (p < .001) were significant. Among Black participants, resilience was increasingly positively associated with cognitive performance across individuals with low (p = .072), medium (p < .001), and high (p < .001) neighborhood disadvantage. Conversely, among White participants, resilience was inversely associated with cognitive performance among those with low neighborhood disadvantage (p = .049).

Conclusions:

Among Black PwMS, psychological resilience may be a protective psychosocial characteristic against cognitive impairment in MS. Moreover, this relationship appeared increasingly strong as neighborhood disadvantage increased. Possibly owing to less neighborhood disadvantage overall, this same relationship was not observed among White PwMS. In contrast, an inverse relationship between resilience and cognitive impairment was observed among White PwMS experiencing the lowest neighborhood disadvantage. More research is needed to explore the extent to which interventions to strengthen resilience can provide a buffer against the adverse effects of MS, particularly among individuals who are most vulnerable to cognitive decline.