# The Neuropathologic Landscape of Alzheimer's Disease in Hispanic Decedents

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2021 · $935,557

## Abstract

Abstract: Hispanics are the fastest growing population in the US and epidemiological data suggests they are
at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and have a higher occurrence of cerebrovascular disease
(CVD) when compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). AD is defined neuropathologically by the deposition of
neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid plaques. In addition to these hallmarks, many AD patients have mixed
neuropathologies, including Lewy bodies (LBs) and pathological indices of CVD. Studies, involving mainly
NHWs, have shown associations of these neuropathologies with clinical, genetic, and demographic variables
providing insights into disease mechanisms and prevention strategies. However, there is a relative dearth of
neuropathology studies on Hispanics. It is imperative to have neuropathology studies with individuals having
diverse characteristics as this maximizes variability allowing for better identification of disease risk factors for
more precision in development of preventative measures. This study will examine the neuropathologic
landscape (the presence, location, and density of NFTs, plaques, CVD and LBs) of Hispanics compared to NHWs
and determine if this landscape is altered by clinical, genetic, and demographic variables. To achieve efficiencies
in time and further measurement precision we will enhance and adapt innovative machine learning algorithms to
narrow in on pathology location and provide more quantitative analyses. Based on previous findings our central
hypothesis is that Hispanics will have different neuropathologic landscapes when compared to NHWs and these
differences are influenced by underlying risk factors, especially cardiovascular risk factors. Our specific aims
are to: 1) profile the presence, location, and semi-quantitative densities of NFTs, plaques, LBs, and pathological
indices of CVD in the setting of AD in Hispanics compared to NHWs, 2) profile and determine if pathologic
measures from Aim 1 are altered by clinical, genetic, and demographic variables (APOE status, Hispanic origin,
age at death, clinical history of cerebrovascular events (i.e. stroke), hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, sex,
and/or education) and 3) strengthen and adapt a deep learning pipeline for quantifying AD pathologies. We will
capitalize on existing well-characterized resources within three Alzheimer’s disease centers at University of
California- Davis, the University of California- San Diego, and Columbia that contain a diverse autopsy confirmed
AD Hispanic and NHW cohort. Also, we will use machine learning resources at the University of California San
Francisco. This proposal will be the first largescale initiative to delineate the neuropathology in over 100
Hispanics of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican origins compare to over 200 NHWs and determine
the impact of comorbid risk factors. Profiling neuropathologic landscapes and understanding underlying factors
has potential to shed light on mechani...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10162463
- **Project number:** 5R01AG062517-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Brittany Nicole Dugger
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $935,557
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10162463

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10162463, The Neuropathologic Landscape of Alzheimer's Disease in Hispanic Decedents (5R01AG062517-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10162463. Licensed CC0.

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