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Why Dementia Can Be Different for Latinos

Certain signs and symptoms disproportionately impact Hispanics new research suggests

REB Images/Getty Images Latinos may experience slightly different signs and symptoms of dementia, with more depression and anxiety and a faster rate of functional decline than Blacks or non-Hispanic whites, according to new research presented at this year's Latinos and Alzheimer's Symposium, sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association. Some findings are probably influenced by Hispanic social and cultural practices, investigators say. Others — particularly a marked increase in when compared to Blacks and non-Hispanic whites — could be related to the disease process itself. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. But whatever their foundation, these differences deserve much more investigation, dementia researcher Andrew Zaman told AARP — especially considering that the number of Latinos living with Alzheimer's is projected to skyrocket in the next several decades, possibly growing 832 percent by the year 2060, a from the University of Southern California and UsAgainstAlzheimer's shows.

Hispanics with dementia report more anxiety depression

To better understand mood and anxiety problems in different populations dealing with dementia, Zaman, an adjunct instructor at the University of West Florida in Miami, and clinical psychologist Michael Cuccaro compared rates of anxiety and depression in about 5,000 people enrolled in a large genetics study. They divided the group into Hispanics, Blacks and non-Hispanic whites, and then again by cognitive status: cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Then they looked at the rates of anxiety and depression in each group. Overall, Hispanics reported more anxiety (25.6 percent) than either Blacks (16.3 percent) or non-Hispanic whites (11.3 percent). Hispanics with MCI or AD also reported more anxiety and depression than their peers with those disorders. The study can't determine if the psychological findings are part of dementia progression or a reaction to the diagnosis, Zaman notes. But both anxiety and depression are well-known risk factors for dementia, and previous research has suggested they can be very early manifestations of abnormal protein accumulations in the brain, namely amyloid and tau. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Ochoa Lopez looked at cognitive and functional data on 500 HRS subjects with dementia, including both cognitive and daily functional scores, then compared the results among Hispanics, Blacks and non-Hispanic whites. After taking into account variables like age, sex and education, she found that Blacks and non-Hispanic whites had similar levels of physical impairment, while the Hispanic subjects had significantly worse function in measures like grasping objects, getting up and down, walking and dressing. The explanation for these findings is probably complex — a reflection of both culture and the health disparities that continue to affect minority communities in the U.S., she said. “Hispanic communities, in general, are at higher risk for cardiovascular conditions and diabetes, which both increase the risk of dementia and impair quality of life. They may also lack access to services that can help them keep functioning physically for a longer time as they deal with this disease,” she added. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. , for example, which examines how dementia symptoms, thinking and brain imaging differ between non-Hispanic whites and Latinos, is actively recruiting more Latinos who are 65 to 80 years old and have no cognitive concerns. And the , whose goal is to understand how memory changes as the Latino brain ages, is enrolling participants 55 and older who have normal memory and live in the greater Boston region. There's also the — a nationwide project looking for better ways to diagnose Alzheimer's disease using brain imaging — which is seeking to enroll at least 2,000 Black Americans and 2,000 Latinos. "It's very important for the Latino community to understand, we can't do this without you,” said Clara Vila-Castelar, a researcher and neuropsychologist at the Multicultural Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “We need your participation in order to diversify our research, to help ensure that the dementia treatments of the future are truly helpful to every patient who needs them." The Alzheimer's Association's can connect individuals interested in clinical trial participation to relevant Alzheimer's and dementia trials in their area. The also has information on studies and community outreach for Latinos led by NIA-funded Alzheimer's Disease Centers. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS