Health and Aging Brain — focusing on Alzheimer's in diverse communities
Official title: The Health & Aging Brain Study - Health Disparities (HABS-HD)
Funded at University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr · NIH-11173807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares brain scans, blood tests, and other measures in older African American and Hispanic adults to better understand Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Worth, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $31,789,574 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG078109-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173807 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older—particularly African American or Hispanic (including Mexican American) adults—with or without Alzheimer's disease or related memory concerns are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking an immediate treatment or cure for dementia are unlikely to receive direct therapeutic benefit from this observational and biomarker-focused research.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect brain imaging, blood and other fluid samples, genetic tests, and information about your health, social background, and environmental exposures. They will apply the AT(N) biomarker framework (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration) to participants from African American and Hispanic communities. The work is community-based and follows people over time to link biomarkers with memory and thinking changes. Study visits are designed to be local and culturally sensitive to improve participation and trust.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work may lead to more accurate diagnosis and better-targeted treatments for Alzheimer's disease in African American and Hispanic older adults.
How similar studies have gone: The AT(N) biomarker framework has guided research and some drug trials in mostly white cohorts, but applying these biomarkers to African American and Hispanic populations is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
Fort Worth, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'bryant, Sid E — University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: O'bryant, Sid E
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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.