Genetics and memory in Mexican teachers
Official title: Mexican Teachers Cohort Study: Genetics and Cognitive Function
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11384674 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how genes relate to memory and thinking in older Mexican teachers by adding their genetic data to a large Alzheimer's research effort.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $78,972 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AG084547-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384674 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Mexican or Mexican-descent women from the Mexican Teachers Cohort, especially older adults who can provide health information and a DNA sample.
✕Less likely to help
People without Mexican/Hispanic ancestry or those looking for immediate treatment changes are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this genetics-focused study right away.
What this research studies
You would be part of a long-running group of Mexican teachers whose health and memory have been tracked over years. Researchers will collect DNA data using genome-wide arrays for about 20,000 people and whole-genome sequencing for about 5,000 people from this group and link those data with other Alzheimer's datasets. The team will combine genetic results with the cohort's cognitive records to find gene differences tied to memory and dementia risk. The work focuses on Mexican and Hispanic backgrounds that are underrepresented in Alzheimer genetics research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal genetic risk factors that improve diagnosis, risk prediction, and eventually guide treatments tailored for Mexican and Hispanic communities.
How similar studies have gone: Large Alzheimer genomics projects have already identified risk genes in other populations, and this project applies those successful genomic approaches to an understudied Mexican cohort.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grodstein, Francine — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Grodstein, Francine
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How specific anti-NMDAR1 antibodies in the blood may affect memory and brain protection
This research is exploring whether natural or abnormal anti-NMDAR1 antibodies in the blood influence memory, behavior, and brain protection in humans.
-
Mexican Teachers Cohort Study: Genetics and Cognitive Function
A large study using genetic data from Mexican teachers to discover genetic factors linked to memory and thinking in older adults.
-
Genetics and Cognitive Function in Mexican Teachers Cohort for Alzheimer’s Dementia
This grant funds a large study to find genetic factors linked to memory and thinking in Mexican teachers, with the goal of improving understanding of Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
-
How childhood nutrition affects health, thinking, and life outcomes by middle age
This project compares people who got extra nutrition as children with those who did not to understand differences in health, thinking, and life outcomes in middle age.
-
How the brain receptor mGlu1 affects thinking after teen cocaine exposure
This project looks at whether boosting mGlu1 receptor activity can restore brain inhibition and improve memory and flexible thinking after cocaine use during the teen years.
-
Canagliflozin to protect the aging brain and improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease
Aging is linked to Alzheimer’s and this project tests whether the diabetes drug canagliflozin can help brain function and reduce inflammation in older adults with or at risk for Alzheimer’s/dementia.
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.