The Neighborhoods Study: Examining the social exposome in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Abstract

Introduction: The Neighborhoods Study (TNS) is a novel investigation of adverse social exposome and brain health leveraging 22 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs). TNS aims to understand if the adverse social exposures increase Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk. Methods: TNS uses innovative methods to determine lifetime addresses of living (n = ≈ 3116) and brain bank cohorts (n = ≈ 8637). Addresses are linked to time-concordant adverse social exposome using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) and summarized over time. Brain health measures are provided by the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. Results: We highlight a general overview and methodology of TNS. Data collection is ongoing; however, preliminary findings indicate that the adverse social exposome is related to ADRD biomarkers, neuropathology, and cognitive function. Discussion: TNS is the largest study of adverse social exposome and ADRD, using the ADRC network to build robust scientific consortia. Its findings will inform ADRD interventions, precision medicine, and policy. Highlights: The Neighborhoods Study (TNS) investigates adverse social exposome and brain health. TNS is a collaboration among 22 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. TNS will give insight on environmental and exposomal factors which may be modifiable. Participant lifetime addresses are linked to temporal adverse social exposome metrics. This study's findings will inform precision approaches to mitigate dementia risk.