MEDSEEK Public Site Collection
  • ProMedica Patient Portal
  • For Health Professionals
  • Ways to Give
  • Careers
  • Health & Wellness
    • Men's Health
    • Women's Health
    • Children's Health
    • Fitness
    • Mental Health
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Worksite Wellness
    • Classes and Events
  • Patient Resources
    • Find a Doctor
    • Before and After Your Visit
    • When Do I Need the ER?
    • Billing and Insurance
    • Digital Tools
    • Pharmacy Services
    • Patient Advocacy
    • Clinical Trials
    • Support Programs and Services
    • Medical Records
    • Contact List
  • Medical Services
    • Autism
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Diabetes
    • Endoscopy
    • Heart & Vascular
    • Home Health Care
    • Hospice
    • Laboratories and Pathology
    • Maternity
    • Neurology
    • Orthopaedics
    • Pediatric Care
    • Radiology
    • Rehabilitation Therapy
    • Respiratory / Pulmonary Care
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Surgical Services
    • Tobacco Cessation
    • Urology
    • Weight Loss Surgery
    • Women's Services
    • View All Medical Services »
  • Our Locations
    • ProMedica Bay Park Hospital
    • ProMedica Bixby Hospital
    • ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital
    • ProMedica Flower Hospital
    • ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital
    • ProMedica Herrick Hospital
    • ProMedica Memorial Hospital
    • ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital
    • Lima Memorial Health System
    • ProMedica St. Luke's Hospital
    • ProMedica Toledo Hospital
    • ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital
    • ProMedica Wildwood Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital
  • Service to the Community
    • Foundations
    • Come to the Table
    • Hunger as a Health Issue
    • Ebeid Institute
    • Medicaid Expansion
    • Live Well Greater Toledo
    • Flower Market Garden Grocer
    • Government Relations
    • Innovations
  • About Us
    • Accountable Care Organization
    • Diversity
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Dissemination of Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Social Media Policies
    • Industry Relationships
    • Executive Bios
    • Board of Directors
    • Accreditations and Awards
    • Health Care Compliance
    • News Room
    • Media Resources
    • Featured Experts
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us Form
Home
Health Library Explorer
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A-Z Listings Contact Us
Home
Related Reading
Translate
  • Spanish
    • Enfermedades y afecciones
    • Cirugías y procedimientos
    • Medicamentos
    • Videoteca
  • Conditions & Treatments
    • Adult Health Library
      • Allergy and Asthma
      • Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases
      • Bone Disorders
      • Breast Health
      • Cardiovascular Diseases
      • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes
      • Digestive Disorders
      • Endocrinology
      • Environmental Medicine
      • Eye Care
      • Gynecological Health
      • Hematology and Blood Disorders
      • Home Health, Hospice, and Elder Care
      • Infectious Diseases
      • Kidney and Urinary System Disorders
      • Liver, Biliary, and Pancreatic Disorders
      • Men's Health
      • Mental Health Disorders
      • Nervous System Disorders
      • Non-Traumatic Emergencies
      • Oral Health
      • Orthopaedic Surgery
      • Otolaryngology
      • Pathology
      • Pediatrics
      • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
      • Plastic Surgery
      • Pregnancy and Childbirth
      • Prostate Health
      • Radiology
      • Respiratory Disorders
      • Skin Cancer
      • Spine, Shoulder, and Pelvis Disorders
      • Surgical Care
      • Travel Medicine
      • Women's Health
    • Pediatric Health Library
      • Adolescent Medicine
      • Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
      • Blood Disorders
      • Burns
      • Cardiology
      • Care of the Terminally Ill
      • Child and Adolescent Mental Health
      • Child Having Surgery
      • Craniofacial Anomalies
      • Common Childhood Injuries and Poisonings
      • Dental and Oral Health
      • Dermatology
      • Diabetes Endocrinology
      • Digestive and Liver Disorders
      • Ear, Nose, and Throat
      • Eye Care
      • Genitourinary and Kidney Disorders
      • Growth and Development
      • High-Risk Newborn
      • High-Risk Pregnancy
      • Infectious Diseases
      • Medical Genetics
      • Neurological Disorders
      • Normal Newborn
      • Oncology
      • Orthopaedics
      • Pregnancy
      • Respiratory Disorders
      • Safety and Injury Prevention
      • Transplantation
    • Tests and Procedures
      • Cardiovascular
      • Gastroenterology
      • Gynecology
      • Lab Tests
      • Neurological
      • Orthopaedic
      • Pulmonary
      • Urology
    • Prevention Guidelines
      • Children Ages 0-2
      • Children Ages 2-18
      • Men Ages 18-39
      • Men Ages 40-49
      • Men Ages 50-64
      • Men Ages 65+
      • Women Ages 18-39
      • Women Ages 40-49
      • Women Ages 50-64
      • Women Ages 65+
  • Health Centers
    • Asthma
      • Understanding Asthma
      • Pulmonary Tests & Procedures
      • Controlling Asthma Triggers
      • Managing Your Asthma
      • Asthma and Other Conditions
      • For Your Family
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Cancer
      • About Cancer
      • Cancer and Genetics
      • Cancer Test and Procedures
      • Cancer Diagnosis
      • Cancer and Nutrition
      • Cancer Treatment
      • Cancer Treatment Side Effects
      • Living With Cancer
      • Specific Cancers
      • Children and Cancer
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
      • What is COPD?
      • Pulmonary Tests & Procedures
      • Managing Your COPD
      • Preventing COPD
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Diabetes
      • Understanding Diabetes
      • Types of Diabetes
      • Complications of Diabetes
      • Managing Diabetes
      • Diabetes and Your Family
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Newsletters
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Heart Disease
      • Understanding Heart Disease
      • Cardiac Tests & Procedures
      • Heart Conditions and Diseases
      • Women and Heart Disease
      • Diabetes and Heart Disease
      • Congenital Heart Disease
      • Cardiac Rehabilitation
      • Managing Heart Disease
      • Preventing Heart Disease
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Newsletters
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Neuroscience
      • About the Brain and Nervous System
      • Neurological Tests and Procedures
      • Neurological Conditions and Diseases
      • Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders
      • Headaches
      • Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
      • Understanding Rehabilitation
      • Healthy Brain
      • Children & Neurological Conditions
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Obesity and Bariatric Surgery
      • Understanding Obesity
      • Obesity and Health Problems
      • Treating Obesity
      • Bariatric Surgery
      • Lifestyle Changes
      • Childhood and Obesity
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Orthopedics
      • Basic Anatomy
      • Orthopedic Tests and Procedures
      • Orthopedic Conditions and Disorders
      • Arthritis and Rheumatic Disorders
      • Osteoporosis
      • Fractures
      • Sports Injuries
      • Preventing Injuries at Work
      • Orthopedic Conditions and Children
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Pregnancy & Newborns
      • Preparing for Pregnancy
      • Your Changing Body
      • Your First Trimester
      • Your Second Trimester
      • Your Third Trimester
      • Pregnancy Tests and Procedures
      • Healthy Pregnancy Lifestyles
      • Pregnancy Complications
      • Labor, Birth, and Postpartum
      • Your Newborn Baby
      • When Baby Needs Special Care
      • Feeding Your Baby
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
  • Drugs, Herbs & Supplements
    • Drug Interaction Checker
    • Drug Search
    • Drug Search by Physical Description
    • Herbs, Vitamins & Supplements
      • Amino Acids
      • Herbs
      • Minerals
      • Vitamins
      • Other
      • All
  • Nutrition & General Wellness
    • Healthy Recipes
      • By Dietary Considerations
      • By Food Category
    • Nutrition Facts
    • Wellness Library
      • At Work
      • Behavior
      • Dental
      • Diseases & Conditions
      • Fitness
      • Injuries & Emergencies
      • Nutrition
      • Parenting
      • Prevention
      • Safety
      • Today's Medicine
      • Weight Control
      • Your Body
  • Your Family
    • Children's Health
      • The Healthy Child
      • Children and Healthcare
      • Emotions and Behavior
      • Age-Specific Concerns
      • Parenting
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Newsletters
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Men's Health
      • In Good Health
      • Health Issues
      • Sexual Health & Reproduction
      • Sports Injuries
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Newsletters
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Older Adults
      • Living Better, Living Longer
      • Eating Well, Staying Fit
      • Prevention, Self-Care, and Safety
      • Using Medications
      • Health Concerns: Head to Toe
      • Long-Term Planning
      • For the Caregiver
      • Home Health and Hospice Care
      • Medicare Part D
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Women's Health
      • A Woman's Journey
      • In Good Health
      • Women's Health Issues
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Newsletters
      • More Resources - Online Resources
  • News Center
    • Focus on Health
    • Health News
    • Newsletters
      • Cancer Awareness
      • Chronic Condition News
      • For Your Child
      • Heart Care
      • Men's Health
      • Women's Health
  • Healthy Living
    • Back and Neck Care
      • Back and Neck Basics
      • Causes of Back and Neck Pain
      • Keeping Your Back Healthy
      • Dealing With Back Pain
      • Preventing and Treating Neck Pain
      • Back Pain and Pregnancy
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Blood Pressure
      • Blood Pressure Basics
      • Eating Healthier
      • Getting Exercise
      • Losing Weight
      • Managing Stress
      • Quitting Smoking, Limiting Alcohol
      • Taking Medication
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Multimedia
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Cholesterol
      • Understanding Cholesterol
      • Eating Healthy
      • Managing Weight
      • Getting Exercise
      • Breaking Bad Habits
      • Taking Medication
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Healthy Recipes
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Nutrition Facts
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Fitness
      • Why Fitness Matters
      • Get Started
      • Get Moving
      • Stay Motivated
      • Make Time for Fitness
      • Improve Your Health
      • Children & Teens
      • Women
      • Older Adults
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Mental Health
      • During Life's Journey
      • Common Conditions
      • Support and Stability
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Nutrition
      • Nutrition Basics
      • Healthy Practices
      • Nutrition and Health Conditions
      • Children and Teens
      • Pregnant Women
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Healthy Recipes
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Nutrition Facts
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Smoking Cessation
      • Facing Up to Smoking
      • Planning Your Quit Strategy
      • Taking the Big Step
      • Staying Smoke-Free
      • Teens and Smoking
      • Smoking During Pregnancy
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Stress Management
      • Understanding Stress
      • Keys to Managing Stress
      • Stress on the Job
      • Stress and Family
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Interactive Tools
      • More Resources - Online Resources
    • Weight Management
      • Call to Action
      • About Weight Loss
      • Nutrition
      • Exercise
      • Behavior
      • Related Health Issues
      • Children and Teens
      • More Resources - Health News
      • More Resources - Healthy Recipes
      • More Resources - Nutrition Facts
      • More Resources - Online Resources
  • Tools & Multimedia
    • Video Library
    • Calculators
    • Quizzes
    • Risk Assessments

Dementia May Strike Differently, Depending on Race

TUESDAY, March 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Dementia appears to strike people of different races in different ways, brain autopsies have revealed.

Hispanic and black people are more likely to suffer from dementia that's caused in part by micro-strokes or hardening of the arteries that serve the brain, researchers report.

On the other hand, whites are more likely to have dementia caused by "pure" Alzheimer's disease, in which abnormalities like protein plaques and tangles damage the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other, said study co-author Brittany Dugger. She's an assistant professor with the University of California, Davis, Alzheimer's Disease Center.

"We found that Hispanics and African-Americans are more likely to have mixed pathologies, a combination of Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease," Dugger noted.

Minority groups in the United States are overall more likely to develop dementia, said Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association.

Best estimates hold that blacks are about twice as likely as whites to suffer from dementia, and Hispanics are one and a half times more likely, Fargo said.

This study provides fresh hope for preventing dementia in those groups, potentially narrowing the existing racial gap.

"It's quite exciting, because we already have a toolbox" to prevent blood vessel disease, Fargo said. "We know how to reduce your risk for stroke and heart attack. That may now map onto dementia risk much more strongly in these groups, who need it because they are at higher risk," he added.

"We may actually be closer to real impactful interventions in these groups than we are in groups where the Alzheimer's disease pathology is more common," Fargo concluded.

For this study, Dugger and her colleagues autopsied the brains of 435 people diagnosed with dementia, including 35 black people, 28 Hispanic people and 360 white people. The investigators carefully searched for different forms of damage in the brains that could contribute to dementia.

Dugger pointed out that "the only way to confirm a diagnosis of dementia is to have an autopsy. It's awful that the only way we know for sure what the patient has is after they die and we look at their brain."

The researchers found that about 54 percent of Hispanics had a "mixed" diagnosis of dementia -- featuring signs of both blood vessel disease and Alzheimer's disease in the brain -- compared with 37 percent of whites and blacks.

Signs of micro-stroke damage and hardening of the large and small blood vessels were found in 21 percent of Hispanic people and 11 percent of black people with dementia, compared with just 4 percent of white people.

Pure Alzheimer's without any sign of blood vessel disease was found in only 14 percent of Hispanics, but 43 percent of whites and blacks, the findings showed.

"It looked very clear to us that vascular disease plays a much stronger role in the Latino population and is a contributing factor in the black population, and that it may account for an overall higher incidence of dementia in these groups," senior researcher Charles DeCarli, director of the UC-Davis Alzheimer's Disease Center, said in a statement.

The study was published March 12 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Dugger and DeCarli cautioned that these findings need to be validated through further research, given that this was a small study involving people already suffering from memory loss.

Genetic factors could play a role in the differences found between the three races, but social and economic factors also are likely to contribute, Dugger and Fargo said.

People living in poorer neighborhoods might suffer from a lack of access to high-quality food, health care and fitness centers, and they might also experience more stress, Fargo said. All of these can contribute to poor blood vessel health.

"Although there are some genetic differences, the bulk of the evidence is suggestive that what we're seeing is life experience-based," Fargo said.

However, this also means that preventing dementia might actually be easier in Hispanics and blacks than in whites.

Doctors have been working for decades to find drugs to reduce amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

But blood vessel health already can be improved through time-tested methods, such as controlling blood pressure (hypertension) and lowering cholesterol.

"About 50 percent of people aren't treated for hypertension," Dugger noted. "We can treat this and other symptoms of vascular disease, and this might help prevent dementia."

More information

The Alzheimer's Association has more about different types of dementia.

SOURCES: Brittany Dugger, Ph.D., assistant professor, University of California, Davis, Alzheimer's Disease Center, Sacramento, Calif.; Keith Fargo, Ph.D., director, scientific programs and outreach, Alzheimer's Association; March 12, 2019, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Copyright ©2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Patient Corner
Find a Doctor
Pay My Bill
Request an Appointment
Follow Us

Related Items

Diseases and Conditions

Absence Seizures
Alzheimer Disease
View All 20

Pediatric Diseases and Conditions

Anatomy of a Child's Brain
Anomalous Coronary Artery in Children
View All 5

Tests and Procedures

Antimyocardial Antibody
Apolipoprotein A
View All 16

Articles

12 Weeks to a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
A Woman's Guide to Beating Heart Disease
View All 8

News

1 in 5 Heart Pacemaker Patients Prescribed Opioids After Surgery
15 Minutes Matters With Strokes
View All 758

Drug Reference

Alteplase, TPA injection
Aspirin, ASA; Dipyridamole capsules
View All 36

Herbs, Vitamins & Supplements

Alfalfa
Antioxidants
View All 11

Interactive Tools

Alzheimer's Disease Quiz
Heart Disease Prevention Quiz
View All 7

Videos

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Copyright © The StayWell Company, LLC. except where otherwise noted.
About Us
 
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Vine
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Google+
  • CaringBridge

ProMedica is a locally owned, nonprofit healthcare organization serving northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Driven by our Mission to improve your health and well-being, we offer a full range of diagnostic, medical and surgical specialties in areas such as emergency medicine and trauma, heart and vascular, oncology, orthopaedics, neurology, and women's and children's services.

  • Join our e-mail list to get free health information delivered to your inbox.
  • © 2015 ProMedica
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
Quick Links
  • ProMedica Home
  • Pay My Bill
  • Financial Assistance
  • Careers
  • Classes and Events
  • News Room
  • Ways to Give
  • FAQs
  • Corporate Overview
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Support Programs
  • Executive Leadership
  • Board of Directors
  • Industry Relationships
Affiliations
  • Paramount Insurance
  • ProMedica Innovations
  • Pharmacy Counter
  • ProMedica HealthConnect
  • © ProMedica
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Health & Wellness
    • Men's Health
    • Women's Health
    • Children's Health
    • Fitness
    • Mental Health
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Worksite Wellness
    • Classes and Events
  • Patient Resources
    • Find a Doctor
    • Before and After Your Visit
    • When Do I Need the ER?
    • Billing and Insurance
    • Digital Tools
    • Pharmacy Services
    • Patient Advocacy
    • Clinical Trials
    • Support Programs and Services
    • Medical Records
    • Contact List
  • Medical Services
    • Autism
    • Behavioral Health
    • Cancer
    • Diabetes
    • Endoscopy
    • Heart & Vascular
    • Home Health Care
    • Hospice
    • Laboratories and Pathology
    • Maternity
    • Neurology
    • Orthopaedics
    • Pediatric Care
    • Radiology
    • Rehabilitation Therapy
    • Respiratory / Pulmonary Care
    • Sleep Medicine
    • Surgical Services
    • Tobacco Cessation
    • Urology
    • Weight Loss Surgery
    • Women's Services
    • View All Medical Services »
  • Our Locations
    • ProMedica Bay Park Hospital
    • ProMedica Bixby Hospital
    • ProMedica Defiance Regional Hospital
    • ProMedica Flower Hospital
    • ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital
    • ProMedica Herrick Hospital
    • ProMedica Memorial Hospital
    • ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital
    • Lima Memorial Health System
    • ProMedica St. Luke's Hospital
    • ProMedica Toledo Hospital
    • ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital
    • ProMedica Wildwood Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital
  • Service to the Community
    • Foundations
    • Come to the Table
    • Hunger as a Health Issue
    • Ebeid Institute
    • Medicaid Expansion
    • Live Well Greater Toledo
    • Flower Market Garden Grocer
    • Government Relations
    • Innovations
  • About Us
    • Diversity
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
    • Dissemination of Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Social Media Policies
    • Industry Relationships
    • Executive Bios
    • Board of Directors
    • Accreditations and Awards
    • Health Care Compliance
    • News Room
    • Media Resources
    • Featured Experts
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us Form
  • ProMedica Patient Portal
  • For Health Professionals
  • Ways to Give
  • Careers
  • Join our e-mail list to get free health information delivered to your inbox.
  • ProMedica Home
  • Pay My Bill
  • Financial Assistance
  • Careers
  • Classes and Events
  • News Room
  • Ways to Give
  • FAQs
  • Corporate Overview
  • Awards and Recognitions
  • Support Programs
  • Executive Leadership
  • Board of Directors
  • Industry Relationships
  • Paramount Insurance
  • ProMedica Innovations
  • Pharmacy Counter
  • ProMedica HealthConnect