Alzheimer's Disease Risk Factors: Studying the prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease based on race and sex

     Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which impacts the brain. It is a form of dementia that results in atrophy of neurons and accounts for the majority of reported dementia cases in the United States. It is estimated that about 5.8 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's Disease (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022). The main symptom of Alzheimer's Disease is a loss of memory. Early stages may be marked by the forgetting of recent conversations or events. In the later stages of Alzheimer's Disease, a person may forget important people or life events, decline in his or her ability to make judgments and decisions, or experience a change in behavior such as depression or aggression. With the predominance and severity of Alzheimer's Disease, it is imperative for researchers to focus on finding a cure.

    One factor that current research into Alzheimer's Disease has noted is the difference in disease prevalence among various races. According to Dr. Lisa Barnes, the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease is almost doubled in African American populations compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States (Barnes, 2021). Dr. Barnes emphasized the need to expand the scope of Alzheimer's Disease research to African American populations, as they are underrepresented in these studies despite showing a higher prevalence of the disease. Studies have looked into the genetic component of the disease as a possible explanation for this disparity. While the loci located within the pathways associated with Alzheimer's Disease aetiology might have a role in the differences in disease prevalence across different racial and ethnic groups, other social factors may also have a role. Dr. Barnes noted that educational and healthcare disparities as well as an increased risk for vascular disease may lead to the previously noted differences in Alzheimer's Disease. Overall, more research is needed to confirm these possibilities and better understand how Alzheimer's Disease impacts different racial populations.

    Another potential factor in Alzheimer's Disease development and progression is sex. Approximately two thirds of all Alzheimer's Disease cases are reported in women (Subramaniapillai et al., 2020). Like Dr. Barnes' work, this article notes social factors that may contribute to the differences in Alzheimer's Disease cases in women compared to men. Some of these social factors include education, occupation, physical activity, and socioeconomic status. With the information from these studies on race and sex in mind, questions are raised about how impactful genetic and biological functions are in the development of Alzheimer's Disease compared to social factors. Perhaps these social factors create stressors that trigger a response on a genetic level. More research is needed in order to investigate these ideas and develop a cure for Alzheimer's Disease.

References

Barnes, L.L. (2021, December 6). Alzheimer disease in African American individuals: increased incidence or not enough data?. Nat Rev Neurol 18, 56–62 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41582-021-00589-3

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, February 19). Alzheimer's disease. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350447?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=abstract&utm_content=Alzheimers-disease&utm_campaign=Knowledge-panel

Subramaniapillai, S., et al. (2020, November 15). Sex and gender differences in cognitive and brain reserve: Implications for Alzheimer’s disease in women, Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 60 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100879.