Study reveals racial and ethnic differences in Alzheimer’s pathology

May 29, 2026

Key Highlights

Over 5,000 diverse Medicare beneficiaries participated in the study, all diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
Black and Hispanic patients showed 28% and 22% lower odds of amyloid positivity, respectively, compared to other groups.
Findings suggest racial and ethnic disparities in Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, which could impact treatment options.
Researchers call for further studies to better understand these differences.

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A large collaborative study led by Vanderbilt Health discovered significant differences in Alzheimer’s pathology in patients across different racial and ethnic groups. The findings are reported in a press release.

More than 5,000 diverse Medicare beneficiaries participated in the study. All had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. The researchers analyzed positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging results and found that Black and Hispanic patients show less visible Alzheimer’s pathology. Particularly, compared to other groups, “odds of amyloid positivity were 28% lower among Black people and 22% lower among Hispanic people.” The authors note that normal PET results can impact treatment access.

The authors are calling for additional studies.