# Resilience Mechanisms Underlying Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer’s Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $1,068,782

## Abstract

The overall aim of this longitudinal study is to identify new, modifiable mechanisms of racial/ethnic disparities in
Alzheimer's disease (AD) among a multi-ethnic cohort of approximately 2,000 older adults. The incidence of
AD is higher for African Americans and Hispanics, compared to non-Hispanic Whites, even after controlling for
the “usual suspects” in disparities research: traditional socioeconomic indicators and vascular health.
Persistent and unexplained disparities suggest two possibilities that have not been well-examined: (1) known
AD risk factors exhibit differential impact across race/ethnicity and/or (2) yet unmeasured factors increase AD
risk for minorities. Our research team has identified multiple factors that have stronger cognitive impact among
older African Americans or Hispanics, including depressive symptoms and MRI markers of brain pathology.
These variables, along with poor vascular health and lower education/income, may be less impactful among
Whites because membership in a majority group is associated with social-environmental resources that
promote resilience. In the current proposal, resilience is conceptualized as better-than-expected outcomes
given level of AD risk factors or brain pathology. This study will examine how resources that differ across
race/ethnicity in our cohort (e.g., perceived social status, quality of education, and the perception that life
outcomes are controllable) promote resilience at multiple points in the AD pathogenic pathway using repeat
MRI and cognitive assessments across three time points. Because racial/ethnic minorities face unique
stressors (e.g., acculturative stress, racial discrimination), we will also test whether these experiences
influence the progression of MRI markers of brain pathology, cognitive decline, and incident AD. Our
overarching hypothesis is that AD disparities persist because racial/ethnic minorities have depleted resources
to adapt to known AD risk factors and brain pathology and/or unique, yet unmeasured AD risk factors. Specific
aims are to (1) identify risk factors relevant to minority populations and examine whether they predict
advancing brain pathology, cognitive decline, and incident AD among African Americans or Hispanics, (2)
determine which resources explain racial/ethnic differences in the impact of known AD risk factors on
advancing brain pathology (i.e., brain resilience), and (3) determine which resources explain racial/ethnic
differences in the impact of advancing brain pathology on cognitive decline and incident AD (i.e., cognitive
resilience).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10189466
- **Project number:** 5R01AG054520-05
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** ADAM M BRICKMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,068,782
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10189466

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10189466, Resilience Mechanisms Underlying Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer’s Disease (5R01AG054520-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10189466. Licensed CC0.

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