While it might appear like just another sleepy border town, Rio Grande City in southern Texas has a dark secret.
The community of just over 15,000 residents has one of the highest dementia rates in America.
One in four people here over the age of 65 have it compared to around one in 10 nationally.
And that is probably only the ‘tip of the iceberg’, according to Dr Gladys Maestre, director of a dedicated dementia and Alzheimer’s research program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
She told the Daily Mail the number of sufferers is likely ‘much, much higher’, as many people don’t have health insurance and cases therefore go unreported.
Residents in the city and the surrounding Starr County area say that almost everyone has someone in their family impacted by the condition, which causes loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities.
Dr Maestre: ‘Access to health is difficult in the area, so I believe we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. I have also seen so many people aged around 50 already sick.
‘The only way to give accurate estimations is by doing an epidemiological study, door by door in this case.
While it might appear a sleepy border town with an interesting history, Rio Grande City in southern Texas has a dark secret. The low laying community of just over 15,000 residents has one of the highest dementia rates in America, at around 25 percent
Asked what is behind the staggering number of dementia patients in Starr County, Dr Maestre says poverty is one big factor.
The region has a poverty rate of around 30 percent, which is more than double the national average of just under 12 percent.
Experts believe lower wages and disadvantaged neighborhoods can put people at a greater risk of dementia due to various factors including poorer air quality, a greater reliance on cars or bus transportation over walking, fewer social interactions and more stress.
But Dr Maestre says she believes that pollutants in the area are another big contributor.
She identifies a handful of toxins that have been found in the water supply and in the town’s old houses, many of which date back to the early and mid 19th century.
These include arsenic which has been linked to reduced memory and intellectual abilities in children and adolescents, and cadmium, which is a carcinogen released into the environment through industrial and agricultural activities, known for contributing to the development of dementia.
Another factor Dr Maestre highlights is the extreme heat in south Texas.
A growing body of research has indicated a link between extreme heat and an increased risk of dementia-related deaths and hospitalizations, particularly among older adults.
One study of over three million Medicare patients in New England found that temperature increases of 1.5C (34.7F) led to a 12 per cent rise in hospital admissions for dementia sufferers.
The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation explains that heat can trigger dementia because ‘prolonged exposure to the hot summer sun can place too much stress on the body, which negatively impacts cognitive function.’
Dr James Falcon has been working with his physician father Antonio to lead more research into the problems plaguing Starr County
Earlier this month it emerged that the remains of an 84-year-old Maria Soprano had been found in the city of Roma in Starr County after her family reported her missing. Authorities confirmed that she suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s
In Starr County, temperatures range from an average minimum of 44F in January to an average maximum of 99F in July, while the average annual temperature is 74F.
There is another factor creating a ‘perfect storm’ for dementia, says the doctor.
The region is also heavily Hispanic and this demographic group is 1.5 times more likely to be affected by dementia.
While the exact reasons for this disparity are still being investigated, research suggests several factors may contribute, including cardiovascular disease, socioeconomic status, and potential genetic predispositions.
Along with Dr Maestre, another leading dementia specialist in the region is Dr James Falcon, who has been working with his physician father Antonio to lead more research into the problems plaguing Starr County.
The former soldier, who served in Afghanistan before returning to Rio Grande City, previously told Today: ‘There isn’t a single one of us that works here [in the clinic] that doesn’t know somebody personally that has been affected by this.
‘For a while growing up we were the poorest county in the country, that’s the reality of where we live.
‘Working here in the clinic, there isn’t a day that goes by where we don’t see somebody with some kind of memory loss.
‘A lot of people are early in the course of their disease [but] you see pretty advanced patients.’
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that 459,000 Texans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, around 12 percent of the state’s population over the age of 65
In Starr County, temperatures range from an average minimum of 44F in January to an average maximum of 99F in July, while the average annual temperature is 74F
Mayra Garza, who has been helping as a volunteer at the Falcon’s El Faro Health and Therapeutics clinic in Rio Grande City on Alzheimer’s research, explains that it is an issue close to her heart.
She told this website: ‘My family has been highly impacted by this Alzheimer’s disease, both my parents have / had it.
‘It is important to understand why this is impacting me and my family.’
Earlier this month it emerged that the remains of an 84-year-old woman suffering from dementia had been found in the city of Roma in Starr County after her family reported her missing.
Authorities confirmed that Maria Soprano suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s, which may have contributed to her becoming disoriented and lost.
Dr Maestre told this website that urgent action needs to be taken to prevent such devastating events from happening.
She concludes: ‘I think this is a perfect storm, where environmental issues and adverse early life experiences come together to make the brain more vulnerable.
‘When I say life experiences I mean not only pollutants, I mean extreme heat, and a car-centric environment.
‘To make progress, we need more research on what is going on, and more infrastructure for care and prevention.’
Last week the Texas House passed a Senate bill that would create a $3 billion Texas research fund for dementia.
The Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, if it goes ahead, would issue grants for research and encourage collaboration among universities, medical institutions and other experts.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that 459,000 Texans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, around 12 percent of the state’s population over the age of 65.
Common symptoms include forgetfulness, irritability, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word and being confused about time and place.