With a growing global population affected by dementia, particularly in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs), there is an urgent need to expand research into Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), particularly in indigenous and diasporic African populations. The existing literature has largely overlooked the intersection of biological sex, ethnicity, culture, and other risk factors in the development of ADRD.
The overall objective of this project is to comprehensively assess sex-specific risk factors associated with ethnicity, lifestyle, and endocrinology on brain health in people of African ancestry. This research aims to account for socio-cultural and biological contexts in interpreting observed sex differences and to compare harmonized data with diasporic African groups and midlife groups within established western cohorts.
This research project represents a significant step toward understanding the complex interplay of sex, ethnicity, culture, and psychobiological determinants in the development of ADRD in African ancestral populations. By leveraging advanced diagnostic techniques and adapting cognitive assessments to the local context, this study is poised to inform sex-specific, culturally relevant prevention strategies for ADRD, ultimately contributing to the global effort to address this growing public health challenge.
