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Racial discrimination is a psychosocial stressor disproportionately experienced by African Americans (AAs) that may accelerate neurodegenerative processes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study analyzed 15\u2009years of longitudinal data from AA women to examine the relationship between racial discrimination reported at midlife and age-related changes in serum NfL (sNfL) levels. Because it is typically a chronic stressor, we hypothesized that racial discrimination at midlife would forecast accelerated age-related increases in sNfL levels across 15\u2009years.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Multilevel growth models were used to estimate linear and nonlinear trajectories of sNfL as a function of age. Results showed a significant acceleration in sNfL levels after age 40, resulting in a nonlinear growth function. Moreover, racial discrimination moderated the relationship between age and sNfL, with higher levels of discrimination reported in midlife associated with a more pronounced acceleration in sNfL, particularly in late midlife (after age 55).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>These findings suggest that racial discrimination may contribute to the acceleration of age-related changes in sNfL, a biomarker of neurodegeneration. They further indicate that magnitude of increases in sNfL with age may be sensitive to external stressors and so highlight the potential for targeted interventions to mitigate stress-related risks for accelerated sNfL among AA women.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/geronb\/gbag041","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T13:04:54Z","timestamp":1773234294000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Racial discrimination accelerates age-related increases in serum neurofilament light chain among African American women: examination of change from midlife to older adulthood"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"81","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7757-6548","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Man-Kit","family":"Lei","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology, University of Georgia , Athens, Georgia,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2267-8704","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rachael D","family":"Weaver","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology, University of Georgia , Athens, Georgia,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8053-7761","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Steven R H","family":"Beach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Georgia , Athens, Georgia,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7177-1185","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelle M","family":"Mielke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest University School of Medicine , North Carolina, Winston-Salem,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3171","DOI":"10.1002\/alz.13027","article-title":"The structural and social determinants of Alzheimer\u2019s disease related dementias","volume":"19","author":"Adkins-Jackson","year":"2023","journal-title":"Alzheimer\u2019s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer\u2019s Association"},{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B2","author":"Alzheimer\u2019s Disease International","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B3","author":"Alzheimer\u2019s Association","year":"2025"},{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1080\/1354750X.2023.2172211","article-title":"Serum neurofilament light chain in functionally relevant coronary artery disease and adverse cardiovascular outcomes","volume":"28","author":"Amrein","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biomarkers: Biochemical Indicators of Exposure, Response, and Susceptibility to Chemicals"},{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsych.2011.11.022","article-title":"Cumulative adversity and smaller gray matter volume in medial prefrontal, anterior cingulate, and insula regions","volume":"72","author":"Ansell","year":"2012","journal-title":"Biological Psychiatry"},{"key":"2026061615285686300_gbag041-B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1038\/s41582-021-00589-3","article-title":"Alzheimer disease in African American individuals: Increased incidence or not enough data?","volume":"18","author":"Barnes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nature Reviews. 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