Environmental Exposures and ADRD in the Health and Retirement Study Cohort

NIH RePORTER · AG · R01 · $1,703,843 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are a growing public health burden and understanding modifiable ADRD causes is a national priority. Many classes of environmental chemicals, such as pesticides and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) contain known neurotoxicants and are thus likely to contribute to ADRD risk, but we lack prospective data with appropriate temporality (exposures measured years before cognitive outcomes) in large and representative populations. Leveraging stored biospecimens from one of the largest, longitudinal, population-based United States cohorts, the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we will generate a publicly available, prospective, environmental chemical resource, with exposure measures many years before the onset of ADRD or preclinical impairment. HRS participants are ages 50 and older and they have extensive existing biannual cognitive measures and ADRD fluid biomarker measures. Specifically, in Aim 1, we will perform new state-of-the-art non-targeted analysis in serum to measure chemical levels, including PFAS and pesticides, and test for association with cognitive function and decline, ADRD biomarker levels, and ADRD incidence. People are simultaneously exposed to pesticides, PFAS, and other chemicals in the neighborhoods where they live, work, play, and socialize. Social exposures, at the individual- and neighborhood-level contribute to stress and ADRD risk. Chemical and social exposure levels differ across US neighborhoods, with variation by geography and socioeconomic status. Therefore, in Aim 2, we will integrate mixtures of chemical and social exposures into the “exposome”, representing the totality of a person’s environment, when examining complex environmental contributors to ADRD. Additional evidence linking exposures and ADRD can be provided by intermediate molecular markers. These molecular intermediates may serve: 1) as biomarkers of exposure useful when direct exposure measures are not possible, 2) as me

Key facts

NIH application ID
11230107
Project number
1R01AG096517-01
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
Principal Investigator
Kelly Bakulski; Helen Carmon Spink Meier
Activity code
R01
Funding institute
AG
Fiscal year
2026
Award amount
$1,703,843
Award type
1
Project period
2026-04-01T00:00:00 → 2031-01-31T00:00:00