An Analysis of Psychosocial Risk and Protective Factors: Accelerated Cognitive Aging and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Among Retired NFL & Former NCAA Football Players

项目概要/摘要： Robert W. Turner II是杜克大学生物行为健康差异研究中心的研究科学家 大学他接受过医学社会学、人种学方法和健康差异研究方面的培训。他 以前和现在的工作使他接触到了与以下方面有关的理论观点和经验方法： 男性健康差距和老龄化研究。目前的建议是一个为期五年的指导研究 科学家发展奖（K 01）从国家老龄化研究所的培训和支持，解决 他对阿尔茨海默病（AD）痴呆相关的生物行为因素的认识存在差距， 创伤性脑损伤mTBI和加速认知老化。与他的指导团队（蒂姆博士）合作， 斯特劳曼、基思惠特菲尔德和托尼安东努奇），他制定了一个全面的培训和研究计划 这将填补这些知识空白，并为他的独立研究生涯做好准备。总体 他的K 01的目标是获得关于心理社会的多种措施之间的相互关系的专业知识， 与AD痴呆相关的神经认知因素加速认知老化，并作为桥梁， 他建立了一个独立的调查员职业生涯，在进行生物行为健康差异的研究， 成年男性人口。为了实现这一目标，他提出了四项职业发展活动， 联合收割机的研究目标，结合教学与建立学者在调查研究技术;正式 课程作业;参与杜克和密歇根大学正在进行的研讨会;一对一指导 与导师一起阅读;最后，从头到尾进行“概念验证研究”。数据将 收集使用混合方法设计，包括调查，焦点小组，和深入访谈。的 三个研究目标将使他能够通过拟议的培训整合和应用知识 通过建立一个更强大的心理保护和风险因素，可能会影响长期的社会活动， 男性中mTBI的长期后果比以前可能的。本项目采用的方法将解决： a）男性在预测心理社会因素对认知老化加速的影响方面的脆弱性，以及B）如何 对男性气质的理解是在群体之间和群体内部发展的，与疼痛、伤害和大脑健康有关。 这个项目将继续建立在他通过研究数据所获得的见解， 退役NFL球员通过完成这些目标，他将测试重要的假设，并提出实质性的证据 基于对描述痴呆相关认知加速老化过程的贡献， mTBI。这项建议与公共卫生有关，因为它将探索创新的方法， 脑震荡男性的功能，认知和心理社会脆弱性，并可能最终降低 慢性创伤性脑病（CTE）和脑震荡引起的阿尔茨海默病。它还将 告知R系列拨款提案，以研究AD痴呆相关的加速认知老化和脑成像 特纳博士计划在项目第四年提交的报告

Project Summary/Abstract: Robert W. Turner II is a Research Scientist in the Center on Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research at Duke University. He has training in medical sociology, ethnographic methods, and health disparities research. His previous and current work has exposed him to theoretical perspectives and empirical approaches pertinent to health disparity and aging research among men. The current proposal is for a five year Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) from the National Institute on Aging for training and support that address gaps in his knowledge of biobehavioral factors underlying Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) dementia related mild traumatic brain injury mTBI and accelerated cognitive aging. In collaboration with his mentoring team (Drs. Tim Strauman, Keith Whitfield, and Toni Antonucci) he has developed a comprehensive training and research plan that will both fill in these knowledge gaps and prepare him for an independent research career. The overarching goal of his K01 is to gain expertise on the interrelationships between multiple measures of psychosocial and neurocognitive factors associated with AD dementia related accelerated cognitive aging, and serve as bridge for him to establish an independent investigator career in conducting biobehavioral health disparities research in adult male populations. To accomplish this goal, he proposes four career development activities and three research aims that combine instruction with established scholars in survey research techniques; formal coursework; participation in ongoing seminars at Duke and the University of Michigan; one-to-one directed readings with mentors; and finally, conducting of a “proof of concept study” from start to finish. Data will be collected using a mixed-method design that consists of a survey, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. The three research aims will enable him to integrate and apply knowledge gain through the proposed training activities by creating a more robust portrait of psychosocial protective and risk factors that may impact the long- term consequences of mTBI among men than previously possible. The approach used in this project will address; a) male vulnerabilities in predicting the impact of psychosocial factors on accelerated cognitive aging and b) how understandings of masculinity develop across and within groups in relationship to pain, injury, and brain health. This project will continue to build on insights he has gained through his examination of data from the Study of Retired NFL Players. By completing these aims, he will test important hypotheses and make substantial evidence based contributions to describing the process of dementia related cognitive accelerated aging resulting from mTBI. This proposal is relevant to public health because it will explore innovative approaches to address functional, cognitive, and psychosocial vulnerabilities in concussed men, and may ultimately reduce the risk of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), and Alzheimer’s disease resulting from concussions. It will also inform an R-series grant proposal to study AD dementia related accelerated cognitive aging and brain imaging that Dr. Turner plans to submit in year 4 of the project.