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

总结-总体 阿尔茨海默病（AD）和AD相关痴呆（ADRD）不成比例地影响西班牙裔美国人， 他们的AD/ADRD发病率比老年白人高1.5倍，平均发病早7年。预测 美国西班牙裔人口的增长，在得克萨斯州更快，预示着健康状况的恶化， 西班牙裔AD/ADRD的经济负担。缺乏专注于西班牙裔AD/ADRD的研究人员 美国人，特别是来自代表性不足的种族/族裔群体的美国人，限制了这一领域的进展， 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在第一个5年中开发的强大的指导和研究基础设施 我们的目标是继续格兰德河流域AD/ADRD RCMAR：在 德克萨斯大学格兰德河谷分校（UTRGV）是美国最大的西班牙裔服务机构之一。我们 将联合收割机结合循证指导和支持机制，以发展和促进一流的区域 和来自代表性不足群体的国家研究人员骨干，分析复杂的机制， 相互作用的因素导致不同的西班牙裔AD/ADRD脆弱性。中心将支持 使用NIH行为干预阶段模型制定社会和行为干预措施 发展，考虑社会环境变化的途径和发展时间点 行为对AD/ADRD的预防和进展的影响最大， 西班牙裔人口。该中心还将利用其独特的资源开发基础设施和数据 收集将吸引和支持来自多个学科的研究人员进行研究， 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，使其独特地推进健康和医疗保健差距的研究，并作出贡献 改善少数群体健康的创新解决方案。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 （3）继续为文化敏感措施提供专门知识和资源 分析老年西班牙裔的认知风险因素，包括行为、神经心理、神经影像学， 心血管和遗传特征;以及4）创建所需的专业知识和资源，以发展社会/行为 在不同的生态层面的干预措施，通过老年西班牙裔和他们的持续社区参与， 在南德克萨斯州的护理伙伴。我们将通过延续3个核心（领导和管理， 分析，社区联络/招聘）和研究教育组成部分。该中心还将 利用和建立在UTRGV神经科学研究所和南德克萨斯州合作者的经验 糖尿病与肥胖研究所和NIA-South Texas 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.