# The Effect of Lower Blood Pressure over the Life Course on Late-life Cognition in Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites (BP-COG)

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $718,917

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
There is a fundamental gap in understanding how racial/ethnic differences in blood pressure (BP) control influence ra-
cial/ethnic disparities in cognitive impairment and dementia (CID). Poor understanding of the biological factors driving
socio-demographic disparities in CID is a critical barrier to the design of interventions aimed to eliminate these dispari-
ties. The long-term goal of this research is to develop, test, and disseminate interventions that prevent CID and can be ap-
plied to diverse populations. The objectives of this study are to quantify the effects of racial/ethnic differences in BP con-
trol on racial/ethnic differences in CID, to quantify the potential impact of optimal BP treatment intensity to reduce ra-
cial/ethnic disparities in CID, and to design a feasible BP intervention trial to reduce the risk of CID or cognitive decline.
CID is an excellent model of a serious, chronic illness with racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence and costs. High BP is an
ideal biological risk factor because it is modifiable with a wide range of effective therapies for management. Our central
hypothesis is that racial/ethnic differences in the control of high BP across the life course contribute to racial/ethnic dis-
parities in late-life CID. The rationale for the proposed research is that understanding how racial/ethnic differences in BP
control from young adulthood to late-life contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in CID has the potential to translate into
targeted interventions aimed to improve the quality and outcomes of high BP, resulting in new and innovative approaches
to the prevention of CID and other serious, chronic illnesses disproportionately affecting Blacks and Hispanics.
Guided by strong preliminary data, this hypothesis will be tested by pursuing 3 specific aims: 1) Determine the influence
of lower BP levels from young adulthood to late-life on CID risk in Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites; and 2) Estimate the
potential impact of optimal BP treatment intensity to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in CID; and 3) Determine the sample
size and duration of a trial that is adequately powered to find an effect size of BP lowering on CID that is clinically im-
portant. Under Aim 1, a health services research approach with pooled cohort studies—shown to be feasible in the appli-
cants' hands—will be used to measure the effects of BP levels and use of antihypertensive medication from young adult-
hood to late-life on CID risk. Under Aims 2 and 3, a simulation modeling approach, which also has been proven as feasi-
ble in the applicants' hands, will be used to quantify the individual and societal effects of eliminating racial/ethnic differ-
ences in BP control from young adulthood to late-life on racial/ethnic disparities in late-life CID, and to determine the
sample size and duration of a BP intervention trial to reduce the risk of CID or cognitive decline in diverse groups.
This research proposal is innovativ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10198048
- **Project number:** 5R01NS102715-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Deborah Allison Levine
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $718,917
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10198048

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10198048, The Effect of Lower Blood Pressure over the Life Course on Late-life Cognition in Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites (BP-COG) (5R01NS102715-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10198048. Licensed CC0.

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