"After he'd cleared out the liquor cabinet, Harper, a prolific academic who has authored several books, announced he was tired of writing. Next the once daily runner quit going to the gym. Kostalik noticed he also was growing more forgetful. The behaviors were unusual enough that, at an annual physical, the couple's physician recommended they consult a neurologist. A battery of medical tests and brain scans revealed that Harper's surprising actions and memory loss were the result of dementia."
"As a Black American, Harper faces a risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias that is twice that of white Americans his age. The reasons for this disparity are still unclear, but researchers know Black Americans are particularly vulnerable to a number of confirmed risk factors, such as living in areas with higher rates of air pollution and encountering difficulties accessing healthy foods and high-quality education."
Clifford Harper experienced behavior changes—stopping alcohol, quitting writing, and abandoning daily exercise—followed by growing forgetfulness. Medical evaluations and brain scans diagnosed him with dementia. Black Americans face roughly double the risk of Alzheimer's and other dementias compared with white Americans of similar age. Contributing factors include greater exposure to air pollution, limited access to healthy foods and high-quality education, and the health impacts of racism and discrimination that increase cardiovascular and cognitive risk. Harper enrolled in the African American Dementia and Aging Project (AADAPt) at OHSU to support research focused on Black community history and experiences.
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