Black Americans face a sobering reality when it comes to brain health. They develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease at approximately twice the rate of white Americans, yet the reasons remain largely unknown. Part of the problem lies in representation—Black individuals participate in Alzheimer’s and dementia research studies far less frequently than whites, creating a troubling gap where the communities most affected are least represented in the science meant to help them.
Robert W. Turner II, a former NFL defensive back turned Duke University medical sociologist, is working to change this disparity. His National Institutes of Health-funded study examines how repetitive head impacts from football combine with early-life social and economic hardships to affect aging in Black men. The timing is significant, as Black men constitute around 70% of NFL players and about 40% of college football players, yet remain underrepresented in brain health research.
Turner’s study enrolls 200 Black men over age 50—half former tackle football players and half who never played contact sports. Participants undergo MRIs, blood and urine testing, and cognitive assessments to understand whether repeat head hits increase Alzheimer’s risk alongside chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
“It can create a dangerous cycle where diagnoses come way too late, or even worse, they’re misdiagnosed with something else entirely,” Turner explained. His work addresses a critical gap: without adequate research participation from affected communities, diagnosis and treatment remain inadequate for those who need it most.
See: “Duke study tackles football’s impact on Black men’s brain health” (February 2, 2026)