Investigating how sleep apnea affects cognition and Alzheimer's disease in World Trade Center responders
Official title: Role of Sleep Apnea in Cognition and Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in WTC Responders
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-10842220 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how sleep apnea might affect thinking and memory in people who were exposed to World Trade Center dust, to see if improving sleep could help lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $591,284 |
| NIH project number | 5U01OH011852-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10842220 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are World Trade Center responders who are experiencing sleep apnea and may be at risk for cognitive decline.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have sleep apnea or are not World Trade Center responders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the connection between sleep apnea and cognitive decline in individuals exposed to World Trade Center dust. It focuses on how disturbances in sleep may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease by examining biomarkers like amyloid beta and tau. The study aims to determine if sleep apnea is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's and if sleep disturbances can serve as early indicators of the disease. Participants will undergo assessments to evaluate their sleep patterns and cognitive function over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and management of cognitive decline in individuals with sleep apnea, potentially delaying or preventing the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated a link between sleep disturbances and cognitive decline, suggesting that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ayappa, Indu a — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Ayappa, Indu a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Sleep Apnea, Memory, and Alzheimer's Disease in World Trade Center Responders
This project looks at how sleep apnea might be connected to memory changes and early signs of Alzheimer's disease in people who responded to the World Trade Center events.
-
Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s biomarkers: how they change together over time
This project studies how brain inflammation relates to Alzheimer’s biomarkers and memory changes over the course of the disease, to help predict progression.
-
Linking in utero exposures to midlife brain health and Alzheimer's risk
Researchers are studying how environmental exposures before birth may affect thinking skills in midlife and support early signs of Alzheimer's risk.
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Combining aging surveys to understand memory, Alzheimer's, and dementia care
This project brings together long-term survey data from many countries and adds things like air pollution and care-policy information to see how they relate to memory, mild cognitive problems, and Alzheimer's risk in older adults.
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Understanding how environment affects Alzheimer’s disease in older adults
A long-term study in adults 21 and older will look at how air pollution, chemical exposures, and social factors relate to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
-
Understanding how sleep apnea may raise Alzheimer’s risk in older Black adults
This project looks at why sleep apnea might help explain why older Black people have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
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.