African Americans and Alzheimer's Disease
Principal Investigator: Sherry A. Ferguson, Ph.D.
FDA Center: National Center for Toxicological Research, FDA (2014)
Why It’s Important
African Americans have a higher prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and more severe consequences of the disease. If researchers can identify the biomarkers that Alzheimer’s inflames that are specific to African Americans, health providers could diagnose Alzheimer’s earlier and more accurately. They could also develop more therapies that are more effective for this population.
About the Project
Neuro-inflammation is thought to play a significant role in Alzheimer’s Disease. Therefore, researchers measured the levels of inflammation in a specific brain region in African Americans and European Americans to determine if inflammation varies by race and ethnicity. They found that increased levels of a certain brain chemical could contribute to more severe disease in African Americans.
