How school, neighborhood, and regional factors affect stroke and vascular-related cognitive decline
Examining school, neighborhood, and regional characteristics associated with VCID and stroke in the REGARDS study
This project looks at whether where people went to school, where they live, and the regions they live in change adults' chances of having a stroke or developing vascular-related thinking and memory problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10694606 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be included through the REGARDS study, a long-term U.S. study of adults aged 45 and older, linking each participant's school history, residential history, and regional measures to later stroke and vascular cognitive outcomes. The team combines medical records, cognitive tests, behavioral and social information, and school- and county-level educational quality data across participants' life courses. Investigators will use existing REGARDS and two ancillary datasets to look for patterns that connect place-based factors with vascular brain injury and stroke. The goal is to identify place-based risks that could guide prevention or policy changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are U.S. adults aged 45 and older with available residential and school-history information who are or could be part of the REGARDS cohort.
Not a fit: People under 45, those without usable school or residential history data, or those needing immediate clinical treatment for acute conditions are unlikely to directly benefit from this observational work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could highlight school, neighborhood, or regional targets for prevention efforts that lower stroke and vascular-related cognitive decline risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked neighborhood socioeconomic factors and education to stroke and dementia risk, but combining detailed school-level, county, and life-course residential data in this way is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Colabianchi, Natalie — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Colabianchi, Natalie
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.