To describe the construction of a disease model incorporating both genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), using data generated from the Indianapolis–Ibadan dementia project (I-IDP).
Method:
The I-IDP is a longitudinal comparative study of the prevalence and incidence of dementia in 2 communities: elderly African Americans living in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Yoruba living in Ibadan, Nigeria.
Results:
African Americans are more than twice as likely as Yoruba to develop AD. Possible explanations for this finding include genetic factors: the possession of the apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele does not increase risk for AD among Yoruba but confers a slight increase in AD risk for African Americans. As well, environmental factors may play a role: African Americans have a higher risk of vascular risk factors than do Yoruba.
Conclusions:
International comparative studies, particularly those involving populations from developing and developed countries, offer a unique opportunity for applying new information regarding population genetics to traditional AD risk factor research.
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