Stress and aging effects on blood Alzheimer’s markers in African American adults
Stress, Weathering, and Blood-Based Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease
This project looks at whether long-term stress, life hardships, and aging change blood markers linked to Alzheimer’s disease in African American adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Georgia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11297439 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as a participant, researchers will use a 25-year family and community study to measure blood levels of amyloid, phosphorylated tau, and signs of neurodegeneration and track how those markers change over time. They will link those blood markers to people's experiences of economic hardship, chronic stress, lifestyle factors, genetic risk (like APOE ε4), other chronic illnesses, and biological aging rates. The sample focuses on African American adults, including many who faced long-term economic and educational challenges, to better reflect groups often left out of Alzheimer’s research. Blood samples and existing health and survey data will be analyzed to find patterns between social experiences and Alzheimer’s-related biology.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are African American adults, especially those with long-term economic or social stress, who can provide blood samples and health information.
Not a fit: People who are not African American, who are much younger with no dementia risk factors, or who cannot provide blood samples likely would not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve early detection and risk prediction of Alzheimer’s in African American adults and help tailor prevention or monitoring strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Blood-based AT(N) markers have shown promise in general populations, but few studies have explored how life stressors shape these markers in African American communities, so this approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Athens, United States
- University of Georgia — Athens, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beach, Steven R — University of Georgia
- Study coordinator: Beach, Steven R
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.