Understanding how race, ethnicity, and environmental factors affect dementia and stroke

Race/ethnicity and Environmental Stressors: POtential drivers of Dementia and stroke inequities RESPOnD

NIH-funded research Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11134672

This project looks at how environmental factors like air pollution and neighborhood conditions might contribute to higher rates of dementia and stroke in older Black and Latino adults.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBoston University Medical Campus NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11134672 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We know that older Black and Latino adults face a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (ADRD). While individual health factors are often considered, this project explores how everyday environmental stressors, like air pollution, noise, and access to green spaces, might play a significant role. We want to understand how these combined environmental factors affect the risk of stroke and other factors leading to ADRD. By using data from diverse groups of people over many years, we hope to uncover how these differences contribute to health disparities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This project uses existing data from older Black and Latino adults who have been part of long-term health studies.

Not a fit: Patients not belonging to the specific racial/ethnic groups or age ranges studied, or those not part of the existing cohorts, would not directly benefit from this specific data analysis.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify new ways to prevent dementia and stroke by addressing environmental factors in communities.

How similar studies have performed: While individual environmental factors have been linked to health risks, this project is novel in examining the combined impact of multiple environmental stressors and their differential effects by race/ethnicity on ADRD disparities.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.