Salivary Cortisol and Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer Disease in Older Adults

Are diurnal salivary cortisol indices associated with cognitive performance, decline, and Alzheimer disease (AD), and do these associations differ by race?In a cohort study of 3895 Black and White older adults, indices reflecting altered diurnal cortisol patterning and cumulative exposure were associated with cognitive decline. Black participants exhibited lower cumulative cortisol levels, lower intraday variability, and flatter diurnal slopes, reflecting a blunted diurnal rhythm, yet associations between cortisol and cognitive outcomes were similar across racial groups.These findings suggest that salivary cortisol may capture early, modifiable stress physiology associated with cognitive aging and racial differences in diurnal cortisol patterning.

Corresponding Author: Ted K. S. Ng, PhD, Rush University Medical Center, 1700 W Van Buren St, Ste 245, Chicago, IL 60612 (kheng_s_ng@rush.edu).

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