SAN DIEGO: Alzheimer’s disease may affect the brain differently in African-Americans than white Americans of European descent, scientists say.
Researchers say their findings suggest a need for different types of Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment in African-Americans.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and sees proteins build up in the brain to form structures called plaques and tangles.
They found that only about half of the European-Americans had pure Alzheimer’s disease pathology, while the rest also had infarcts or Lewy bodies in their brains.
In contrast, fewer than 25 per cent of the African Americans had pure Alzheimer’s disease pathology, while in three-quarters it was mixed with another type of pathology.