Lipid composition of cerebral vessels in American Negroes, Caucasians and Nigerian Africans: a comparative study.

The lipid content of cerebral vessels from American Negroes, Caucasians and Nigerian Africans living in urban areas was chemically quantitated. There are significant differences between the total and free cholesterol content of the vessels among the three population groups. The american Negroes have the greatest amount of cerebral vascular cholesterol compared with American Caucasians and Nigerians. This confirms previous morphological observations that the severity and extent of cerebral atherosclerosis are greater in American Negros than in American Caucasians and aftricans. However, there is no significant difference in the phospholipid content of the cerebral vessels except among the female Negro groups. Chemical quantitation of lipids in vessels may be utilized for assessment of degree of atherosclerosis and may prove to be an acceptable and reliable alternative methodology for epidemiological studies.