Men's Brain Health and Aging, Resilience & Alzheimer's Disease Career Development Program

About This Grant

Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD) are public health problems in the United States with stark sex differences in prevalence and incidence. The burden of AD/ADRD calls for a research workforce that has the scientific acumen to address the complex, multifactorial nature of these conditions. Although there is heighten awareness that men experience distinct risks and outcomes in brain aging, research and training focused specifically on men’s brain health remain virtually nonexistent, leaving critical gaps in our scientific understanding and in the preparation of the next generation of investigators. The overarching goal of the Men’s Brain Health and Aging, Resilience & Alzheimer’s Disease Career Development Program is to improve the brain health of men across the adult life course by expanding a national multidisciplinary research education project to understand the synergistic impact of biological, psychosocial, behavioral and geographic factors that lead to decline in brain health. We will recruit four cohorts of 8 early-career investigators for a total of 32 to participate in an 18-month program including structured mentorship, advanced training in longitudinal data science, community engaged approaches, and a novel emphasis on public dissemination of findings with a focus on men’s brain health. Led by faculty from Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and Boston University, the program will leverage the extensive longitudinal data and infrastructure of the Framingham Heart Study, as well as a suite of longitudinal datasets with which program faculty have deep engagement, including the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center, DIAGNOSE CTE, the Health and Retirement Study, and the Athlete Brain Health and Aging Study. The program incudes18 faculty who are nationally recognized leaders in the fields of brain aging, longitudinal methods, and social and behavioral factors. They offer extensive opportunities for education, networking, professional development, and fostering cross-institutional collaborations. Specific aims include: (1) Deploy a comprehensive education program focused on researching men’s brain health using complex, longitudinal data and community-engaged approaches; (2) Build capacity in the scientific workforce by advancing the science of life course research focused on brain health, cognitive aging, and AD/ADRDs among men; and (3) Provide an external evaluation of the outcomes and processes of the Men’s Brain Health and Aging, Resilience & Alzheimer’s Disease Career Development Program. At the end of this training program, scholars will be equipped to address critical gaps in men’s brain health research and advance to the next stage of their careers.