R01AG077742

Antecedents of Adult Physical Health and Cognitive Risks for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) in Adolescent Family Experiences: A Prospective, Longitudinal Adoption Study - Abstract

Age-related decline in physical and cognitive health are pressing public health concerns. Developmental science shows that variation in adult physical and cognitive health is reliably associated with individuals' early experiences in their families of origin. Risky families, characterized by greater conflict and lower-quality parenting, tend to disrupt psychosocial and biological functioning, resulting in increased risk for diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).

Children who receive less warmth, support, and responsiveness from their parents typically have higher inflammation levels, blood pressure, and allostatic load, indicators that predict future cardiovascular problems. These pathways are also implicated in altered midlife cognitive functioning and confer risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD).

This project takes advantage of an unparalleled opportunity to further this important line of work on the significance of family experiences in adolescence for health outcomes in adulthood by conducting a follow-up into midlife of the Sibling Interaction and Behavior Study (SIBS). SIBS is a longitudinal study of 409 adoptive and 208 non-adoptive families. The offspring in these families have already completed intake (in mid-adolescence) and three follow-up assessments.

In the first assessment of SIBS, already coded direct observations of parent-child interactions, as well as parent-reports and child-reports of the quality of the parent-child relationship, were acquired. The availability of these relationship data at a key developmental phase in an adoption cohort provides a strong platform for the addition of follow-up data on the target participants/younger generation (YG; M age = 38 years) and their parents/older generation (OG; M age = 71 years).

Our overarching objective is to investigate the degree to which family experiences in adolescence predict key indicators of health in adulthood among adoptive and non-adoptive adults and their aging parents. Specific aims of this project include:

AIM 1: Determine the longitudinal effect of adolescent family experiences on later physical health and cognitive functioning in adult children (YG) and their aging parents (OG).

AIM 2: Model the environmental impact of adolescent family experiences on later physical health and cognitive functioning.

AIM 3: (a) Test whether the effects of family experiences extend to subtle indicators of physical health; (b; exploratory) and are moderated by APOE status.

Regents Of The University Of Minnesota

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

Minneapolis, Minnesota 554550366 United States

Single Zip Code

NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-20-185)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 298% from $774,974 to $3,084,396.