Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer's Resource Center for Minority Aging Research: Partnerships for Progress

摘要--总体 阿尔茨海默病(AD)和AD相关痴呆(ADRD)对拉美裔美国人的影响不成比例， 他们的AD/ADRD发生率是老年白人的1.5倍，平均发病时间提前7年。预测 美国拉美裔人口的增长，德克萨斯州更快的速度预示着健康水平的提高和 西班牙裔AD/ADRD的经济负担。关注西班牙裔AD/ADRD的研究人员短缺 美国人，特别是来自代表性不足的种族/民族群体的美国人，限制了这一领域的进展，是一个关键 导致西班牙裔美国人在AD/ADRD研究中代表性严重不足的因素。 为了克服这些障碍，响应NIA的AD/ADRD RCMAR计划(RFA-AG-23-025)，以及 利用我们的RCMAR在前5年开发的强大的指导和研究基础设施 在资金周期中，我们的目标是继续里奥格兰德河谷AD/ADRD RCMAR：促进进步的伙伴关系 德克萨斯大学格兰德河谷分校(UTRGV)是美国最大的拉美裔服务机构之一。我们 将结合循证指导和支持机制，发展和促进一流的地区性 和国家干部研究人员来自代表性不足的群体，分析复杂的机制和 导致不同西班牙裔AD/ADRD漏洞的交互因素。该中心将支持 利用美国国立卫生研究院行为干预阶段模型发展社会和行为干预 发展，考虑社会环境变化的路径和发展时间点 其中，行为对AD/ADRD的预防和进展具有最大的有利影响 西班牙裔人口。该中心还将利用其独特的资源来开发基础设施和数据 将吸引和支持来自多个学科的研究人员进行旨在 减少AD/ADRD对西班牙裔的影响。UTRGV的社会人口概况反映了其当地 社区，它的独特定位是推进健康和医疗保健差距的研究并做出贡献 创新解决方案，改善少数民族健康。为了实现中心的目标，目标是：1)确定、 参与、指导并提供高质量的培训和个性化的职业发展支持 优秀的教师，特别是来自代表性不足的群体；2)支持创新、高影响力 多学科试点项目；3)继续为文化敏感措施提供专门知识和资源 &分析拉美裔老年人的认知风险因素，包括行为、神经心理、神经成像、 心血管和遗传特征；以及4)创造必要的专业知识和资源，以发展社会/行为 不同生态层面的干预措施，通过老年拉美裔美国人和他们的社区的持续参与 德克萨斯州南部的关怀合作伙伴。我们将通过延续三个核心(领导力和行政、 分析、社区联络/招募)和研究教育部分。该中心还将 利用和建立UTRGV神经科学研究所和南德克萨斯州的合作者的经验 糖尿病与肥胖研究所和NIA-南得克萨斯州AD研究中心。

Summary – Overall Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) disproportionately impact Hispanic Americans, who exhibit AD/ADRD rates 1.5 times higher and average onset 7 years earlier than do older Whites. Predicted growth of the US Hispanic population, faster in Texas portends exacerbation of the elevated health and economic burdens of AD/ADRD in Hispanics. A shortage of researchers focused on AD/ADRD in Hispanic Americans, particularly from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, restricts progress in this area, and is a key factor contributing to the severe underrepresentation of Hispanic Americans in research studies in AD/ADRD. To overcome these barriers, responding to NIA's AD/ADRD RCMAR Program (RFA-AG-23-025), and leveraging the robust mentorship and research infrastructure our RCMAR developed during the first 5-yr funding cycle, we aim to continue the Rio Grande Valley AD/ADRD RCMAR: Partnership for Progress at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), one of the nation's largest Hispanic-serving institutions. We will combine evidence-based mentoring and support mechanisms to develop and promote a first-rate regional and national cadre of researchers from underrepresented groups, to analyze the complex mechanisms and interacting factors that contribute to disparate Hispanic AD/ADRD vulnerability. The Center will support development of social and behavioral interventions using the NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development, considering pathways and developmental time points at which changes in social circumstances and behavior can exert the largest favorable impacts on the prevention and progression of AD/ADRD among Hispanic populations. The Center will also exploit its unique resources to develop infrastructure and data collections that will attract and support researchers from multiple disciplines to conduct research aimed at reducing impacts of AD/ADRD on Hispanics. UTRGV's socio-demographic profile reflects that of its local community, positioning it uniquely to advance studies of disparities in health & health care and contribute innovative solutions to improve minorities' health. To achieve the Center's goals, the aims are: 1) Identify, engage, mentor, and provide high-quality training and individualized career development support to outstanding faculty, especially from underrepresented groups; 2) Support innovative, high-impact multidisciplinary pilot projects; 3) Continue providing expertise and resources for culturally-sensitive measures & analysis of cognitive risk factors in older Hispanics, including behavioral, neuropsychological, neuroimaging, cardiovascular, and genetic traits; and 4) Create needed expertise & resources to develop social/behavioral interventions at different ecological levels, via sustained community engagement of older Hispanics and their care partners in South TX. We will achieve these aims by continuation of 3 Cores (Leadership & Admin., Analysis, Community Liaison/Recruitment) and the Research Education Component. The Center will also leverage & build upon experience of collaborators at the UTRGV Institute of Neuroscience and the South TX Diabetes & Obesity Institute, and NIA-South Texas AD Research Center.