Understanding how everyday stress in urban and rural settings may affect dementia risk
Official title: Assessing Urban-Rural Environmental Stress Disparities in ADRD through Ecological Momentary Assessment
Funded at Trustees of Indiana University · NIH-11381228 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows people with mild cognitive impairment to see how daily stress and environment influence dementia-related changes, using a mobile app and smartwatch over two weeks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $754,726 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS139192-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381228 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults age 65 and older with mild cognitive impairment who live in urban or rural Indiana and can use a smartphone app and smartwatch.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without mild cognitive impairment or those unable to use a smartphone app or wearable device may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
If you have mild cognitive impairment, you might be invited to join a study that tracks your stress levels, environment, and activity to learn how urban or rural living impacts dementia risk. Researchers will identify high-risk individuals from medical records, confirm eligibility with a cognitive assessment, and then have participants use a smartphone app to report stress and upload photos while wearing a smartwatch. The app also passively records location, activity, heart rate, and sleep to build a picture of daily life and stress. Qualitative analysis of texts and images will help researchers understand the lived experiences behind health disparities in ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could inform personalized strategies to reduce stress-related dementia risk and guide community interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using EMA and digital markers has shown that daily stress and environment relate to cognitive outcomes, supporting this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Trustees of Indiana University
Bloomington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jordan, Evan — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Jordan, Evan
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.