Improving dementia diagnosis and support in East Africa
Bridging Research Infrastructure for Dementia Gaps in East Africa (BRIDGE-AFRICA)
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · NIH-11505710
This project will set up local teams and culturally appropriate tests to find and follow people at risk for Alzheimer's and related dementias in East African communities.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11505710 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the project brings the same memory and clinical tests to communities in Kenya and Ethiopia so results can be compared and combined. Local outreach teams will work with neighbors and clinics to explain the work and invite community-dwelling older adults to join a two-country group that can be followed over time. The program trains African researchers through the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health so assessments are culturally appropriate and done locally, and it finalizes a harmonized multidomain cognitive test battery. Early-phase work aims to show the approach is feasible so larger intervention studies and better diagnostic services can follow.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are community-dwelling older adults in the study regions of Kenya and Ethiopia who are worried about memory or at higher risk for Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Not a fit: People living outside the study regions, those with unrelated acute medical problems, or people seeking immediate clinical treatment rather than research participation may not benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnosis and more local research and care options for people with dementia in East Africa.
How similar studies have performed: Related programs that harmonized cognitive tests and trained local researchers have improved diagnosis and research capacity in other regions, but this is one of the first to scale these methods across East Africa.
Where this research is happening
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VALCOUR, VICTOR — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- Study coordinator: VALCOUR, VICTOR
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia