Comparison of the clinical presentation of ethnically-diverse individuals with

 
   Lead Investigator:    Andrea Mejia Kursaz
   Institution      :    University of Florida
   E-Mail           :    andreamejia@ufl.edu
   Proposal ID      :    1171



   Proposal Description:
   (Previously under Andrea Mejia)      Research with ethnically diverse individuals in the U.S. has predominately focused on cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer?s disease (AD). As a result,  there is limited understanding of ethnic and racial differences among other neurodegenerative diseases, including Lewy Bodies disease (LBD).  The proposed study aims to compare the clinical presentation and demographic characteristics of Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, and white non-Hispanic individuals with cognitive impairment suspected secondary to LBD. Specifically, we seek to investigate if clinical symptoms and demographic characteristics differ between ethnically and racially diverse individuals at initial visit. Based on literature from AD and Parkinson?s disease, we hypothesize that minority populations will have a greater burden of disease at their initial visit. We also aim to investigate if the progression of clinical symptoms, including cognition and motor functions, differ across races and ethnicities. This descriptive study has the potential to inform future research in identifying ethnic differences in the diagnosis, progression, and potential social and biological risk factors of LBD.