2024 Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity (AARF-D)
Metabolomics, socioeconomic conditions, and cognitive decline
What are the biological mechanisms linking social determinants of health and cognitive decline in older adults?
César Higgins Tejera, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD - United States
Background
Metabolism is the process of breaking down foods into energy in the body. During this process, the body produces different compounds called metabolites that are transported throughout the body to cells so that cells can carry out vital functions. For example, metabolism allows brain cells to grow and supports healthy brain function. However, it’s unclear how changes in metabolism are linked to cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s risk in older adults.
Studies have shown that social determinants of health including income, education, and access to healthcare can contribute to cognitive decline and influence one’s lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias. For their project, Dr. Cesar Higgins and colleagues aim to study the relationship between metabolism, social determinants of health, and cognitive decline in older adults.
Research Plan
For their studies, the researchers will leverage large-scale datasets from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), which includes social determinants of health, cognitive assessment, and metabolic data collected from 9,500 older adults. First, the team will examine the metabolic profile, or the measure of all metabolites, in plasma samples from each participant to identify specific metabolic pathways that are associated with cognitive decline. Next, they will examine metabolic pathways that are associated with various social determinants of health including income, education level, socioeconomic status, as well as quality of life. Lastly, the researchers will identify which metabolic pathways correlate with both social determinants of health and cognitive decline across all of the study participants.
Impact
This study will provide a deeper understanding of how metabolism and social determinants of health are linked to cognitive decline. Dr. Higgins’s findings may ultimately give rise to interventions that can target modifiable risk factors for individuals who are more vulnerable to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.