Supplementary Material for: Clinical Expression of Multiple Sclerosis in Hispanic Whites of Primarily Caribbean Ancestry

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> The clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) are not well defined in Hispanic populations. We hypothesized that disease presentation in Hispanic white (HW) patients will be different from non-Hispanic white (NHW) patients given their ancestral background and reported lower disease prevalence. This study was undertaken to compare HW of primarily Caribbean ancestry to NHW on clinical characteristics of MS. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We assessed 312 HW and 312 NHW patients with definite MS for clinical disease characteristics obtained through consented review of medical records. In order to assess the relationship between age-related phenotypes and ethnicity, linear regression was used. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between ethnicity and descriptors of disease presentation and severity as well as presence of neurological symptoms. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We observed a significantly younger age at diagnosis (p = 1.38E-02) and age at exam (p = 2.36E-05) in HW. However, age at first symptom did not differ significantly between the two groups. Furthermore, within HW, the mean age at first symptom and age at diagnosis was significantly younger in those born in the United States (p < 1.00E-03 for both). Interestingly, we noted an increase in ambulatory disability in HW patients, primarily among those with relapsing disease (p = 4.18E-03). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> We found several differences in age-related phenotypes and disease severity between HW of primarily Caribbean origin and NHW patients. To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date that examined the clinical characteristics of MS in Hispanic patients of largely Caribbean origin

Supplementary Material for: Genetic Variation in Genes Underlying Diverse Dementias May Explain a Small Proportion of Cases in the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project

<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> The Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP) aims to identify novel genes influencing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Variants within genes known to cause dementias other than AD have previously been associated with AD risk. We describe evidence of co-segregation and associations between variants in dementia genes and clinically diagnosed AD within the ADSP. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We summarize the properties of known pathogenic variants within dementia genes, describe the co-segregation of variants annotated as “pathogenic” in ClinVar and new candidates observed in ADSP families, and test for associations between rare variants in dementia genes in the ADSP case-control study. The participants were clinically evaluated for AD, and they represent European, Caribbean Hispanic, and isolate Dutch populations. <b><i>Results/Conclusions:</i></b> Pathogenic variants in dementia genes were predominantly rare and conserved coding changes. Pathogenic variants within <i>ARSA</i>, <i>CSF1R</i>, and <i>GRN</i> were observed, and candidate variants in <i>GRN</i> and <i>CHMP2B</i> were nominated in ADSP families. An independent case-control study provided evidence of an association between variants in <i>TREM2</i>, <i>APOE</i>, <i>ARSA</i>, <i>CSF1R</i>, <i>PSEN1</i>, and <i>MAPT</i> and risk of AD. Variants in genes which cause dementing disorders may influence the clinical diagnosis of AD in a small proportion of cases within the ADSP