Sex differences in how moving up economically affects early Alzheimer's risk markers in young adults
Testing sex as a moderator of health impacts of upward mobility on indicators for AD risk in young adulthood
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · NIH-11181575
This project looks at whether young adults who rose out of poverty—especially women—show changes in weight, inflammation, gut bacteria, memory, or brain structure that could raise Alzheimer's risk later on.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11181575 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would join a group of people followed since high school in the RISE-Up program and researchers will compare those who gained educational and economic opportunity with those who did not. Study visits will collect basic health measures (like body weight), blood or saliva for inflammation and genetics (including ApoE-ε4), stool samples to study the gut microbiome, cognitive tests, and possibly brain imaging. The team will look for patterns that differ by sex and that link early-life upward mobility and stress to biological signs tied to Alzheimer's risk. Results aim to show early pathways that could be targeted before dementia starts.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are young adults (about age 23) from the RISE-Up cohort or people who grew up in low-income settings and experienced upward mobility who can attend UCLA-area research visits.
Not a fit: People already diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or much older adults seeking treatment for symptomatic dementia are unlikely to get direct benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify early, sex-specific biological signs of Alzheimer's risk and point to ways to prevent or reduce that risk in young adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links early poverty, stress, inflammation, and later cognitive decline, but combining upward mobility, sex differences, gut microbiome, and early Alzheimer's markers in young adults is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CALLAGHAN, BRIDGET L — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- Study coordinator: CALLAGHAN, BRIDGET L
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