Understanding how social factors, sleep, and biology relate to Alzheimer’s risk in older Chinese Americans
Official title: Examining Unique Markers and Risk Factors for AD/ADRD in Foreign- and Native-born Older Chinese Americans: A Study of Social Determinants of Health, Sleep Patterns, Neuroimaging, and Plasma Biomarkers
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11417958 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study will look at how social factors, sleep, brain imaging, and blood biomarkers relate to Alzheimer’s risk in foreign- and native-born older Chinese Americans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| 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 | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $5,515,046 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG095513-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417958 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older Chinese American adults, both foreign-born and native-born, with or without cognitive concerns, who are willing to provide sleep data, blood samples, and undergo neuroimaging.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without interest in sleep studies, brain imaging, or blood biomarker analysis may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows older Chinese Americans to see how everyday social conditions—like language, access to care, and education—along with sleep patterns, relate to brain changes and biomarkers linked to Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Researchers will collect questionnaires, conduct sleep assessments, perform neuroimaging, and analyze blood samples to explore links between social determinants, sleep, and disease markers. The goal is to understand how these factors differ by country of birth and to identify potential pathways for early intervention and better care. Participation could lead to personalized risk insights and inform strategies to reduce disparities in AD/ADRD outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could clarify risk factors and help tailor prevention and care strategies for Chinese American older adults at risk for AD/ADRD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows social and sleep factors can influence dementia risk, but this study focuses on a specific ethnic group and may reveal unique patterns.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Clara — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Li, Clara
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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.