Mexican Teachers Cohort — genes and memory in older adults
Official title: Mexican Teachers Cohort Study: Genetics and Cognitive Function
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11384675 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses DNA and thinking-test information from mostly older Mexican women to find genes linked to memory and dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $423,087 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AG084547-02S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384675 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older Mexican or Mexican-American adults (primarily women, often teachers) aged 65 or older who can provide DNA and information about their cognitive health.
✕Less likely to help
People who are much younger, male, of non-Mexican ancestry, or unwilling/unable to provide DNA or cognitive data are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will add nearly 20,000 genotyping profiles and 5,000 whole genomes from the Mexican Teachers Cohort into a larger Alzheimer's sequencing effort to search for genetic drivers of cognitive function. The work combines DNA data with long-term follow-up and cognitive measures from thousands of mostly female teachers across 12 Mexican states. Scientists will compare these results with other Alzheimer's cohorts to find variants that may be more common or important in Mexican and Mexican-American populations. The project focuses on genetic sequencing and analysis rather than testing drugs or new clinical treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal genetic risk factors that improve diagnosis, risk prediction, and future targeted prevention or treatments for Alzheimer's in Mexican-origin populations.
How similar studies have gone: Large sequencing efforts like the ADSP have successfully identified Alzheimer's-related genes before, but adding a large Mexican cohort is relatively novel and may reveal population-specific findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grodstein, Francine — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Grodstein, Francine
Related research
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Mexican Teachers Cohort Study: Genetics and Cognitive Function
A large study using genetic data from Mexican teachers to discover genetic factors linked to memory and thinking in older adults.
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Genetics and Cognitive Function in Mexican Teachers Cohort for Alzheimer’s Dementia
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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.