Equity for African Americans in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is like two deaths, said Stephanie Griffin, whose father died of the brain disease in 2015. “It’s horrific,” she said. “First, you watch them lose the ability to talk, to think, to do any of the things they used to do. And then, to see them pass because of it? It’s just … […]

Study yields clues to why Alzheimer’s disease damages certain parts of the brain

Memory loss is often the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease, followed by confusion and difficulty thinking. These symptoms reflect the typical pattern of worsening damage to brain tissues. Toxic clusters of proteins first concentrate in the temporal lobes of the brain — the memory area — before spreading to parts of the brain important for […]

Cruchaga awarded Zenith Fellowship Award

Carlos Cruchaga, PhD, has received a 2022 Zenith Fellow Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. The annual award is given to scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of Alzheimer’s disease research and are likely to make additional, substantial contributions in the future. Funding attached to the fellowships also helps support high- risk, high-reward projects in […]

Clinical and translational research receives $61 million grant support

Investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis conduct many clinical trials and translational research studies each year to develop and evaluate new ways of treating and diagnosing myriad types of diseases. Such research holds promise for improving the health of people living in St. Louis, across the state of Missouri and around […]

Alzheimer’s blood tests more likely to misdiagnose Black patients, study finds

Several blood tests used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease are less accurate for African Americans than white patients, according to research from Washington University. The gold standard for Alzheimer’s diagnosis typically involves brain imaging and spinal fluid testing, but in recent years, biotech companies have developed an array of cheaper, less invasive blood tests to detect […]