USC study reveals nuanced Alzheimer's genetic risk in Hispanic populations

Researchers at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC analyzed brain imaging and clinical data from more than 17,000 participants across five major aging and Alzheimer's disease studies. Their findings, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, showed that, while greater amyloid buildup was associated with cognitive impairment or carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white participants, Hispanic participants generally had lower amyloid levels than non-Hispanic white participants with the same characteristics.

Amyloid is a protein that can accumulate in the brain and form plaques, a hallmark biological sign of Alzheimer's disease. APOE ε4 is the strongest common genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's and has long been associated with a higher amyloid burden. The new findings suggest that this relationship may not be equally strong across populations.

APOE ε4 is a major Alzheimer's disease genetic risk factor, but our results suggest its relationship to amyloid buildup may be more nuanced in Hispanic populations. This work is important because it may influence how we interpret risk, understand cognitive decline, and ultimately design or apply treatments across diverse communities."

The study was made possible in part by the Global Alzheimer's Association Interactive Network (GAAIN), a data-sharing platform developed at the Stevens INI with funding from the Alzheimer's Association. GAAIN helps researchers discover, explore, and connect with large datasets from Alzheimer's disease, related dementias, and aging studies around the world.