# Health Disparities in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment among Mexican Americans

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR · 2021 · $1,982,328

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The long-term goal of this research is to address two important health disparities faced by Mexican Americans
suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI): (1) younger age of onset and (2)
decreased access to early detection and treatment. AD is the most common form of neurodegenerative
dementia and the 5th leading cause of death for those over 65 (8th leading cause of death for U.S. Hispanics).
AD has an annual health care cost that is greater than that of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. While
death rates from CVD and cancer have declined in recent decades, death rates have steadily increased for
AD. The Mexican American elderly population is among the fastest growing segments of the population;
however, little research on MCI and AD has been conducted among this underserved group. Here we will
leverage our ongoing Health & Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) study to identify different pathways
for MCI and AD among Mexican Americans, define subtle neuroanatomical and blood-based biomarker
changes that are related to future risk of MCI and AD as well as provide evidence to support the utility of our
AD blood-based detection tool that can be implemented in primary care settings.
The current research team consists of leading experts in Mexican American cognitive aging, the epidemiology
of MCI and AD as well as biomarkers of MCI and AD (neuroimaging and blood-based). The project will
leverage a substantial existing infrastructure and HABLE cohort to address the two health disparities outlined
above through the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1 - Examine the impact of higher rates of metabolic
burden and depressive symptomatology on MCI and AD among community-dwelling Mexican Americans;
Specific Aim 2 - Examine neuroimaging and blood-based biomarkers associated with MCI and AD among
Mexican Americans; and Specific Aim 3: Validate our blood-based AD screening tool as the first-step in a
multi-stage diagnostic process among Mexican Americans.
The current project will address significant health disparities faced by Mexican American elders suffering from
and at risk for MCI and AD. The identification of novel pathways related to disproportionate burden of diabetes
and depression can lead to novel ethnic-specific interventions. The identification of a blood-based screening
tool for AD will provide primary care providers a way of meeting the needs of a rapidly growing elderly Mexican
American population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10165436
- **Project number:** 5R01AG054073-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Sid E O'Bryant
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,982,328
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10165436

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10165436, Health Disparities in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment among Mexican Americans (5R01AG054073-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10165436. Licensed CC0.

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