The Triangulation of Innovative Methods to End Alzheimer’s Disease project will use large, diverse data sets to investigate whether interventions targeting alcohol use, depression, vision or hearing impairment, or social isolation can protect people from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This project is a collaboration between Dr. Maria Glymour of Boston University School of Public Health, Dr. Jacqueline Torres from the University of California, San Francisco and Dr. Paola Gilsanz of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and colleagues from three other research departments. institutions.
Up to 45 percent of cases of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) could be prevented by modifiable risk factors, but current research is limited to observational studies making it difficult to determine definitive causes.
Dr. Maria Glymour, chair and professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), Dr. Jacqueline Torres, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, and Dr. Paola Gilsanz, Research Scientist II at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, have received a $28.8 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to lead an ambitious initiative that will strengthen this research and develop more reliable evidence to guide prevention and treatment strategies for these degenerative neurological diseases.
The five-year award supports the Triangulation of Innovative Methods to End Alzheimer’s Disease (TIME-AD) project, which will integrate large, diverse data sets and apply advanced causal inference methods to compare findings and quantify or correct biases in the results. Dr. Glymour is leading the project along with researchers from the University of California, San Francisco and the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. The research team also includes researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, Harvard University and Kaiser Permanente Northwest. This unique collaboration will enable more definitive evidence than previously achievable.
“Preventing diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of memory loss and dementia is a top priority for older adults, yet we still lack solid evidence about what works,” said Dr. Glymour, whose research focuses on the risk of dementia and age-related cognitive decline. , as well as the social inequality perpetuated by unhealthy aging. “Daily decisions or routine medical care can help older people maintain healthy brains. The TIME-AD project aims to provide the best possible evidence on the extent to which these options can make a difference in delaying or preventing dementia. “
More than 10 million people worldwide are diagnosed with some form of dementia every year, with Alzheimer’s disease contributing to the majority of new cases. Some estimates suggest that more than 1 in 4 people think they can do nothing to prevent dementia, but a wealth of data suggests the opposite. Because there is still no cure for ADRD, it is a public health priority to better understand how to reduce everyone’s risk of developing ADRD.
For the TIME-AD project, the research team will examine four major modifiable risk factors for ADRD: lifetime alcohol use, depression, vision and hearing impairment, and social isolation, with the aim of providing more comprehensive and compelling data that can explain whether and to what extent these risk factors contribute to the ADRD risk.
“These risk factors were each chosen because we already know how to change them,” says Dr. Glymour. “If our study shows that these interventions make a difference, individuals, families, health care systems and policymakers can take immediate action on that evidence to reduce the epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.”
The team will prioritize health equity in their work, examining potential differences in risk based on gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. ADRD inequality is a major problem in the United States. For example, black and Latino people are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than white people, but less likely to be diagnosed with it. Many studies use data sets that are too small to identify the factors that lead to disparities based on gender, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. By combining multiple data sets, TIME-AD will have statistical power to better address ADRD risk in diverse populations.
We have an extraordinary team of health researchers working together on this project because we recognize both the urgency of the questions and the potential for progress.”
Dr. Maria Glymour, chair and professor of epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health
Several BUSPH researchers are co-investigators on this project, including Dr. Rhoda Au, professor of epidemiology; Dr. Ruijia Chen, postdoctoral associate in the Department of Epidemiology; Dr. Yvette Cozier, associate professor of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice and professor of epidemiology; Dr. Phillip Hwang, assistant professor of epidemiology; Dr. Marcia Pescador Jimenez, assistant professor of epidemiology; Dr. Koichiro Shiba, assistant professor of epidemiology; and dr. Justin White, associate professor of health law, policy and management.