Understanding Risk and Protective Factors in Cognitive Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease: Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon
We celebrated June Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month by highlighting a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a core member of the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center and BHI. Dr. Sanz Simon’s lab, the EngAGING Lab, launched the Brazilian Aging in New York–New Jersey (BRAINY-NJ) Study, one of the first United States–based studies to investigate aging and brain health in Brazilian immigrants.
The BRAINY-NJ Study is actively recruiting participants. Brazilian adults ages 55 and older who speak Portuguese and live in the New York–New Jersey metropolitan area may be eligible.
Participation involves questionnaires, cognitive tests, physical exams and a blood test, all conducted by trained professionals in Portuguese. Eligible individuals can receive up to $125 for their time and involvement. Participants also will receive feedback on their blood test and be invited to attend educational and community wellness events.
As the director of the EngAGING Lab, Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon’s research focuses on how sociocultural and lifestyle factors, such as education, physical activity, stress and social engagement, affect risk and resilience to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, particularly among diverse populations.
“The Brazilian population in the U.S. is rapidly growing and aging yet has been largely excluded from aging and dementia research,” said Sanz Simon.
Brazilian immigrants face a combination of genetic, environmental and structural challenges that may increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
“Previous research suggests that Brazilian immigrants in the U.S. have limited access to consistent health care and reduced participation in research,” said Sanz Simon. “Mental health is often reported as a high priority among this community, yet few epidemiological studies have been conducted to assess their cognitive and mental health needs.”
Supported by the Alzheimer’s Association, a non-profit health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research, the BRAINY-NJ Study is addressing the gap by identifying both risk and resilience factors, including cardiovascular health, social support, cultural identity and digital access, that may influence how aging unfolds in Brazilian adults in the U.S.
Additionally, the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) at the Brain Health Institute recently provided a pilot grant to the BRAINY-NJ Study, enabling the inclusion of neuroimaging to effectively assess participants’ brain health and functioning.
The study uses a community-engaged research model to build trust and ensure cultural relevance. Participants are seen not just as study subjects, but as partners in a shared effort to improve brain health within their communities.
“This study is just the beginning,” Sanz Simon said. “Our long-term goal is to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve brain and mental health and advance the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in different communities and cultures.”
Jack Tsao, professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a researcher at the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center and Brain Health Institute, plans to develop a dementia clinic and will contribute to the study.
