Challenges to the recognition and assessment of Alzheimer's disease in American Indians of the southwestern United States.

Little is known about Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurodegenerative diseases in American Indian (AI) populations. To provide appropriate health care to elder AIs, whose population is expected to increase dramatically during the next 50 years, it is imperative to attain a better understanding of the interaction of culture and disease in this underserved population. Raising awareness in the AI population regarding the nature of dementia as it compares to normal aging and the development of culturally appropriate instruments to detect and stage AD are essential for future health care efforts.