Alzheimer's Symptoms Show up to Five Years Early
Latino individuals can show symptoms of Alzheimer's up to five years earlier than Whites. Researchers across the East and West of the United States examined the profiles of Latino patients by speaking to caregivers about the time of symptom onset and by examining patients using the Mini Mental State Examination. Participants in the study were being treated at medical centers specializing in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers are unable to explain the variation but they did note several factors believed to contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's. Amongst these were:
Hispanics are disproportionately represented in the older age groups who are most at risk of Alzheimer's. In one study of Mexican Americans it was found that 43% of those with dementia had type 2 diabetes, stroke or both. Latino individuals belong to one of the largest and fastest growing minority groups in the mainland United States.
In 2004, the Alzheimer's Association called for, "the Centers for Disease Control to embark on an aggressive evidence-based Alzheimer health promotion and risk reduction education and outreach effort, in collaboration with state health departments and the Alzheimer’s Association and with particular emphasis on Hispanics/Latinos."
This latest research points to a potential epidemic of Alzheimer's Disease as populations live longer. lead researcher Christopher M Clark, stated, "the factors responsible for this remain to be identified, but the observation has a potential impact on both the burden of dementia care carried by this population group and the dementia-related diagnostic and educational efforts directed toward the Latino population".
11/28/2005
Sources
Clark CM, DeCarli C, Mungas D, et al. Earlier onset of Alzheimer disease symptoms in Latino individuals compared with Anglo individuals. Arch Neurol. 2005;62:774-778.
Haan, M et al. Prevalence of Dementia in Older Latinos: The Influence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Stroke and Genetic Factors. JAGS 2003. 51:169-177. Wu, CC at al. Brain Structure and Cognition in a Community Sample of Elderly Latinos. Neurology. August 2002. 59(3):383-391.
