How heat and neighborhood stress affect stroke recovery in people with Alzheimer's
Official title: Impact of Environmental Stressors on Ischemic Stroke Outcomes in Alzheimers Disease and Related Dementias
Funded at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research · NIH-11170706 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will look at whether living in hot, high-stress neighborhoods makes strokes more likely or harder to recover from for people with Alzheimer's or related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhasset, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $511,304 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS139190-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170706 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who live in communities with high heat vulnerability, especially those who have had or are at risk for an acute ischemic stroke, are the main group this work focuses on.
✕Less likely to help
People without AD/ADRD, those with non-ischemic (hemorrhagic) strokes, or individuals living in low-heat-risk areas may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
This project looks at people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who have had an acute ischemic stroke and links their hospital records to neighborhood heat vulnerability scores. The team will use the Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI) from New York State/City to capture environmental heat and socioeconomic stress and compare that to stroke severity measures (NIHSS, ASPECTS) and discharge outcomes (modified Rankin Scale, mortality, new swallowing problems). They will analyze whether people living in higher-HVI neighborhoods have higher stroke rates, worse neurological severity, or poorer recovery at discharge. The work is observational and based on existing clinical and neighborhood data rather than testing a new drug or device.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help target heat-relief, prevention, and stroke-care resources to neighborhoods where people with AD/ADRD are at highest risk, potentially improving recovery and survival.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows high temperature raises stroke risk and worsens outcomes, but combining neighborhood heat vulnerability and socioeconomic stress specifically in people with AD/ADRD is a new approach.
Where this research is happening
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Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
Manhasset, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanelli, Pina Christine — Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Sanelli, Pina Christine
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Heat and neighborhood stressors worsen stroke outcomes in people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias
In people with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, this project studies how hot weather and neighborhood-level socioeconomic stress affect stroke outcomes.
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How environmental heat affects stroke outcomes in Alzheimer's disease patients
This study is looking at how hot weather and tough living conditions affect people with Alzheimer's and related dementias who have had a stroke, to see if those factors make their strokes worse and recovery harder, with the goal of helping to find better ways to care for them.
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Improving blood flow after stroke by breaking down NETs
Aims to see if breaking down neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) after an ischemic stroke can improve blood flow and reduce brain injury in patients.
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EP2 blockers to protect the brain after a stroke
Aims to test brain-permeable EP2 antagonists to reduce damage after ischemic stroke and improve recovery.
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Genetic testing to find causes of early-onset ischemic stroke
This project uses whole-exome sequencing to look for gene changes that may cause ischemic stroke in adults who had a stroke at a young age.
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Targeted nanomedicine to protect the brain after stroke
A targeted drug-delivery approach aims to boost blood-brain barrier repair and reduce brain damage after an acute ischemic stroke in patients at risk.
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.