# Lifecourse Stressors and Social Disparities in Cognitive Aging: The Roles of Social Networks and Sleep Disturbance

> **NIH NIH K00** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2024 · $88,537

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) disproportionately affect individuals from socially
disadvantaged groups, but the role of lifespan psychosocial stressors in these disparities is uncertain. Social
networks are hypothesized to be key sources of resilience against psychosocial stressors, but it is unknown if
they moderate the adverse effects of stressors on ADRD risk or whether the buffering provided by social
networks is consistent across diverse racial/ethnic groups. Sleep disturbance is a potential biobehavioral
mechanism via which stressors may increase ADRD risk, but the mediating role of sleep has not been formally
evaluated. Understanding the effects of psychosocial stressors and modifiable sources of resilience and
biobehavioral mechanisms on ADRD risk will guide potential interventions to reduce ADRD disparities.
 This proposal encompasses a training and research plan to develop the candidate’s expertise in ADRD
research, preparing her to launch a career focused on reducing social inequalities in ADRD. The research
proposal applies causal inference methods to elucidate the complex relationships between early social
disadvantages, psychosocial and biobehavioral factors, and cognitive outcomes in older adulthood. The
specific aims are to 1) quantify the association between cumulative stressors and cognitive function and
determine how stressors explain social disparities in cognitive function (F99 dissertation research); and 2)
determine the roles of social networks and sleep disturbances in the adverse effects of early-life stressors on
ADRD risk across four racial/ethnic groups (K00 postdoctoral research). This research will use two large
NIA-funded longitudinal cohorts:1) the Midlife Development in the United States Study (MIDUS) (F99); and 2)
the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experience Study (KHANDLE), a life-course study linking risk factor
data collected in mid-life (40-50 years ago) with contemporary assessments of risk factors, cognitive decline,
and dementia in a sample of older non-Latino Whites, Blacks, Asians, and Latinos in California (K00).
 This fellowship application aligns with the 2012 National Alzheimer’s Project Act priority to address social
disparities in ADRD. The proposed project will generate new knowledge and provide crucial training for the
candidate’s advancement to become an independent epidemiologist focused on ADRD disparities by
developing expertise in 1) measurements and mechanisms of psychosocial stress (F99); 2) causal inference
methods, including mediation modeling (F99/K00); 3) the epidemiology of ADRD and quantitative ADRD
research methods, including longitudinal analyses and psychometrics (K00); 4) the physiology and psychology
of sleep disturbances (K00); and 5) professional skills for an academic research career (K00). The advanced
training, mentorship, and protected time provided by this award will provide the candidate with the skills and
experience ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10895443
- **Project number:** 5K00AG068431-06
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Ruijia Chen
- **Activity code:** K00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $88,537
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10895443

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10895443, Lifecourse Stressors and Social Disparities in Cognitive Aging: The Roles of Social Networks and Sleep Disturbance (5K00AG068431-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10895443. Licensed CC0.

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