Circadian rhythms, sleep, and dementia in Latin American adults
Circadian Disturbance and Dementia in Latin America
This project will look at how sleep and daily body-clock patterns relate to Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia in Latino adults to find things that might help prevent or slow memory loss.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129693 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses data from ReDLat, a multi-country Latin American database of over 3,000 adults aged 40–80 with Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, or no dementia. Researchers will analyze sleep and daily activity patterns together with clinical and genetic information, including APOE ε4 status. They will compare circadian profiles across diagnoses and across Latin American sites to identify disturbances tied to earlier onset or faster decline. The team aims to translate findings into lifestyle or timing-based approaches that patients and clinicians could use to reduce risk or slow progression.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults of Latin American heritage roughly aged 40–80 with Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, or healthy controls who can provide sleep, activity, clinical, or genetic data are the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: People outside the 40–80 age range, those without Latin American ties, or individuals with other neurological conditions not studied here may not receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to sleep- and rhythm-based strategies to help delay dementia or improve daily functioning for Latino patients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies in the US and Europe have linked circadian disruption to cognitive decline, but applying those findings to Latin American populations is a newer and less tested effort.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Kun — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hu, Kun
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.