Rural microvascular factors driving brain aging and dementia
Official title: RURAL Microvascular Contributions to Neurocognitive Decline
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Science Center · NIH-11617745 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will study how blood vessel problems in rural communities contribute to brain aging and dementia, using mobile clinics to reach people who live far from major medical centers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,147,145 |
| NIH project number | 1R56AG104228-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617745 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older living in rural areas (Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta) who are part of or eligible for the RURAL cohort and are willing to participate in assessments and biomarker collection.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without rural access barriers or ADRD risk factors may see limited direct benefit if they are not enriched for vascular contributors to cognitive decline.
What this research studies
Researchers will follow the RURAL cohort to examine how vascular health and small vessel disease relate to brain changes and cognitive decline in rural adults. They will collect imaging, blood biomarkers, and cognitive data using a mobile examination unit brought directly to remote areas. The goal is to identify actionable risk factors and biomarkers that explain why rural populations experience higher dementia risk. Findings could inform targeted prevention and care strategies for rural communities. The study builds on existing infrastructure to expand understanding of ADRD in underserved populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Improved understanding of how vascular health affects dementia risk in rural populations, guiding prevention and earlier intervention strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work using the RURAL infrastructure has shown feasibility of mobile assessments and deep phenotyping in rural populations; this study extends those methods to vascular contributions to dementia.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Science Center
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Habes, Mohamad — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Habes, Mohamad
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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.