Alzheimer’s disease is more prevalent in the Northwest Arctic than anywhere else in Alaska. That's according to peer-reviewed research funded by the National Institute of Health and the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer's Association is the largest private dementia research organization in the world.
“I would love to tell you that we know exactly what's causing it,” said Elizabeth Bolling, the association’s public policy manager for Alaska. “But unfortunately, research is still trying to figure that out. And we're just in the beginning of doing research pertaining to Alaskans and rural Alaskans and Indigenous peoples.”
The study, published in July, was the first nationwide look at the disease's rates by region. It found that over 10% of Northwest Arctic residents over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. It's the most common form of dementia. It's also a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time.
It affects African Americans and Indigenous populations more than other groups. Nationally, 1 in 3 Alaska Native or Native American elders can expect to develop the disease. But while the cause of Alzheimer's is unknown, Bolling said there are some factors that could contribute to the disease.
“Diabetes seems to have a high correlation, so do high adverse childhood experiences,” Bolling said. “Tobacco use has a connection, too. We like to say that anything that's good for your heart is good for your brain.”
And Alzheimer's doesn't only affect those who have the condition. Statewide there are about 25,000 unpaid family caregivers, and about 20% of them miss work to take care of loved ones with dementia, Bolling said.
“I hear all the time, from people from Cordova to Nome to Kotzebue to Prince of Wales, that they cannot find someone to take care of mom when they need to go to work during the day,” Bolling said. “They also experienced depression at really high rates. It's exhausting work to take care of someone who can no longer take care of themselves in almost any way near the end.”
Bolling said that although some of the statistics are grim, it is an exciting time for Alzheimer’s research. This summer the FDA approved a new class of treatments for the disease. This is the first time in history that there is a drug to slow down Alzheimer's progression, Bolling said.
