Alzheimer disease in African American individuals: increased incidence or not enough data?

Research on racial differences in Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia has increased in recent years. Older African American individuals bear a disproportionate burden of AD and cognitive impairment compared with non-Latino white individuals. Tremendous progress has been made over the past two decades in our understanding of the neurobiological substrates of AD. However, owing to well-documented challenges of study participant recruitment and a persistent lack of biological data in the African American population, knowledge of the drivers of these racial disparities has lagged behind. Therapeutic targets and effective interventions for AD are increasingly sought, but without a better understanding of the disease in African American individuals, any identified treatments and/or cures will evade this rapidly growing at-risk population. In this Perspective, I introduce three key obstacles to progress in understanding racial differences in AD: uncertainty about diagnostic criteria, disparate cross-sectional and longitudinal findings; and a dearth of neuropathological data. I also highlight evidence-informed strategies to move the field forward. In this Perspective, Barnes introduces three key obstacles to progress in our understanding of racial differences in Alzheimer disease and highlights evidence-informed strategies that can move the field forward.

Automated summary

Research on racial differences in Alzheimer disease has shown that older African American individuals bear a disproportionate burden of AD compared to non-Latino white individuals. Despite progress in understanding the neurobiological substrates of AD, challenges such as study participant recruitment and lack of biological data in the African American population have hindered a deeper understanding of the disease's drivers. Enhancing knowledge of AD in African American individuals is crucial for the development of effective interventions and treatments.