Investigating how race and ethnicity affect Alzheimer's disease risk across generations
Official title: Add Health Parent Study: A Biosocial Resource for the Study of Multigenerational Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11079634 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how family history and background can affect the risk of Alzheimer's and related memory issues in different racial and ethnic groups, and it’s for people who want to help us understand these differences better by sharing their experiences and providing some health information.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $7,584,228 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG084071-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11079634 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation include non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic parents aged 58-90 who have previously participated in the Add Health study.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not belong to the specified racial or ethnic groups or who are outside the age range may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the intergenerational factors that influence the risk of Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) among different racial and ethnic groups. By collecting social, behavioral, and biological data from parents of a national cohort, the study aims to identify disparities in cognitive aging and AD/ADRD risk. Participants will undergo cognitive assessments and provide DNA samples, allowing researchers to analyze how these factors vary across diverse populations. The study seeks to fill significant knowledge gaps regarding the impact of race and ethnicity on Alzheimer's risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and targeted interventions for Alzheimer's disease risk among diverse populations.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in studying health disparities related to Alzheimer's disease, making this approach both relevant and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harris, Kathleen Mullan — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Harris, Kathleen Mullan
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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.