Sleep Apnea, Memory, 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-11070195 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $590,612 |
| NIH project number | 5U01OH011852-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11070195 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this type of research would be World Trade Center responders with or without sleep apnea and varying degrees of cognitive function.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cognitive decline is not related to sleep disturbances or Alzheimer's disease biomarkers may not directly benefit from this specific line of inquiry.
What this research studies
We are exploring the link between sleep apnea and changes in memory and thinking, as well as specific markers in the body that suggest a risk for Alzheimer's disease. Our team is focusing on World Trade Center responders because many of them experience sleep apnea and have shown early signs of memory issues. We want to understand if sleep problems like sleep apnea contribute to brain changes related to Alzheimer's, or if sleep disturbances are an early sign of the disease itself. By looking at these connections, we hope to find ways to help protect brain health in this unique group.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify sleep apnea as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, potentially leading to new strategies for prevention or early intervention in at-risk individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous data from this team and others suggest a connection between increased sleep apnea severity and higher amyloid beta burden, indicating a promising area for further investigation.
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
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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.