Clustering patterns of ADRD risk in U.S. Veterans
Official title: Clustering Epidemiology of ADRD Disparities in U.S. Veterans
Funded at Marshall University · NIH-11441844 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A VA-focused study looks at how multiple health and lifestyle factors come together to raise the risk of Alzheimer’s and related dementias among veterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Marshall University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Huntington, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $295,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03AG104519-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441844 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans whose health records include multiple co-occurring conditions such as chronic pain, depression, and cardiometabolic disorders, plus contextual factors like rural living.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans without multiple interacting health risks may have limited direct benefit from this syndromic approach.
What this research studies
This project aims to find groups of interrelated health issues and contextual factors that together predict dementia risk in national VA health data. Researchers will use advanced clustering methods to identify syndromic patterns, such as combinations of pain, mood symptoms, and metabolic problems, that precede cognitive decline. The goal is to enable earlier detection and more targeted prevention strategies for veterans at risk. Findings could shift how clinicians think about dementia risk from single conditions to whole-person profiles.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help clinicians identify veterans at higher dementia risk earlier and tailor prevention strategies to their unique patient profiles.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests that multimorbidity patterns can better predict dementia risk than single conditions, but this syndromic clustering in veterans is a relatively novel application.
Where this research is happening
-
Marshall University
Huntington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khalid, Sumaira — Marshall University
- Study coordinator: Khalid, Sumaira
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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.