Alcohol use and <i>APOE</i> ε4 interaction with cognitive domains among American adults from diverse racial/ethnic groups: A HABS‐HD study

Abstract Introduction We investigated the interaction between alcohol use behavior and apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) ε4 on cognitive domains among non‐Hispanic Black (NHB), Hispanic, and non‐Hispanic White (NHW) individuals. Methods Using the Health and Aging Brain Study–Health Disparities data, we analyzed 2143 adults aged 50+ using linear regression analysis with interaction between alcohol use and APOE ε4 on cognitive domains, stratified into NHB ( n = 549), Hispanic ( n = 679), and NHW ( n = 915) groups. Results Cognitive performance was negatively associated with alcohol use among APOE ε4 carriers, and this association was stronger in individuals with two ε4 alleles, indicating a dose‐dependent effect. Such interaction was observed for executive function and episodic memory among NHB participants, and episodic memory and language among NHW participants. No significant interactions were observed among Hispanic participants. Discussion APOE ε4 significantly moderated the association between alcohol use and cognitive performance of various racial/ethnic groups with a dose–response relationship.