Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease and African Americans

Today medical researchers are investigating why it is that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is higher in blacks that whites. A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society reports the following statistics on Alzheimer's Disease:

Incidence per 100 people at 80 years old:

White	3.5
Black, males	5.3
Black, females	5.9

What you can do

Get properly diagnosed

There are a number of reversible conditions that may appear to be dementia and/or the beginning stages of Alzheimer's including:

Medications
Depression
Vitamin B-12 deficiency
Thyroid disease
Problems with metabolism
Organ System Disorders
Poisoning
Alcohol Abuse

Don't assume that memory loss and confusion are a natural part of aging. They're not.

Change your lifestyle

Changes that can reduce incidence of Alzheimer's diseases, as well as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Making small lifestyle changes can delay onset of Alzheimer's disease, by reducing the risk of other conditions that contribute to the development of Alzheimer's including diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Recommendations include:

Don't smoke. If you're already smoking, stop.
Engage in mind-challenging activities such as arithmetic and cross-word puzzles.
Avoid a high-fat diet.
Eat fish.
Avoid head injuries – often happened in falls.
Limit salt intake.
Exercise regularly.
Eat food high in anti-oxidants: fresh fruits and vegetables.

Join a study

One way to help researchers determine why memory loss is greater among African Americans is to join a medical study. At this time, it is not clear why a greater number of African Americans suffer from Alzheimer's Disease.

Each study is different and involves different levels of participation. Some studies are on the internet, where others require a patient to be examined. Hands on involvement can range from taking a memory test to brain scans and other genetic testing. What each study has in common is that it adds to what is known about Alzheimer's disease so that it can be prevented and eventually cured.

It is well-known that a serious obstacle in recruiting African Americans to participate in medical studies is distrust of the medical establishment. It is fueled by past abuses like the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, in which the government studied the effects of untreated syphilis on black men. Today medical studies are tightly regulated. Protocols must be closely followed that protect study participants' privacy and safety.

For more information concerning Alzheimer's disease or dementia, contact the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Department of Neurology at 216.368.1912.

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Last Reviewed: Feb 20, 2008

Robert P Friedland, MD
Professor, Chief of Neurogeriatrics
University Memory and Cognition Center
University Hospitals
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University