This population is among the fastest-growing in the U.S., but little is known about dementia in it

New York, NY (October 07, 2025) – Older Chinese American adults are one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States, but to date they have been largely excluded from research aimed at understanding the risk factors that may be precursors to Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias. A newly awarded $25 million five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will provide researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai the opportunity to address this critical gap. 

Led by Principal Investigators Clara Li, PhD, Jessica Spat-Lemus, PhD, Ankit Parekh, PhD, and Bin Zhang, PhD, the project will recruit 250 participants, split equally among foreign- and native-born older Chinese Americans. Using at-home sleep testing, cognitive assessments, positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging, and blood-based biomarkers, the study will investigate the constellation of biological, social, and environmental factors that contribute to dementia risk. The researchers will also employ advanced systems biology and artificial intelligence approaches to develop highly predictive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. 

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a progressive brain disorder driven by a mix of genetic, environmental, and biological factors. Today, an estimated 7 million older Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease, and one in three die with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.  While some work has been done to study Asian populations, the incidence of Alzheimer’s among Chinese Americans specifically has been difficult to quantify because they have not been represented in clinical research; similarly, data about risk factors are lacking.  

“As neuropsychologists, we know that Alzheimer’s disease risk and presentation are shaped by cultural and social context,” said Dr. Li, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Our study will examine how generation status—whether participants were born in the United States or abroad—interacts with key social determinants such as acculturation, language proficiency, health care access, education, stress, and social networks. We anticipate uncovering unique pathways of risk that can inform tailored prevention and intervention strategies.” 

“Neuropsychological testing and brain imaging provide complementary perspectives on how brain changes are reflected in cognitive and behavioral outcomes,” said Dr. Spat-Lemus, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “There is still little data on Chinese Americans in dementia research, particularly regarding how cultural, linguistic, and social factors may influence AD/ADRD risk. By integrating neuroimaging and neuropsychological data within a framework that considers generation status, education, and other key factors, our study will fill a critical gap in knowledge. This approach is essential for uncovering unique risk pathways and advancing precision medicine in dementia care.” 

Sleep will be another central focus. “We still have a great deal to learn about how sleep disruption contributes to dementia,” said Dr. Parekh, an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine). “Chinese Americans report worse sleep quality than other groups, yet little is known about how this affects Alzheimer’s risk. By leveraging state-of-the-art home sleep devices and computational methods, we will study slow-wave sleep and other markers to uncover mechanisms that may lead to novel preventive interventions.” 

At the molecular level, plasma biomarkers will provide key insights. “We need to better understand the interplay between biomarkers, cognition, sleep, and social factors,” said Dr. Zhang, Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transformative Disease Modeling. “By applying cutting-edge systems biology and artificial intelligence approaches to integrate large-scale molecular, clinical, neuroimaging, and social data that will be generated through this project, we aim to develop highly accurate models for predicting dementia progression in Chinese Americans, thereby laying the foundation for precision medicine.” 

This landmark NIH award represents an unprecedented investment in understanding dementia risk in Chinese Americans, with the potential to shape culturally relevant strategies for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment—and to advance health equity nationwide. 

To read the original press release: https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2025/nih-awards-mount-sinai-researchers-25-million-to-study-alzheimers-disease-and-risk-among-chinese-americans

Photo credit: Mount Sinai