Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Aging awarded a $123,876 Project Grant to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Office of Research Administration on March 15, 2026, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) with a completion date of February 29, 2028. This research initiative investigates the occupational determinants of cognitive and brain health among middle-aged and older Latino populations in the United States. The project addresses a critical gap in understanding how occupational factors—specifically occupational complexity and physical and mental occupational stressors—impact brain aging and dementia risk in U.S. Latino populations, who face disproportionately higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD).

The deliverables under this award include longitudinal research analyses estimating the effects of physical and mental occupational stressors on cognitive function from early adulthood through midlife, neuroimaging biomarker assessments examining the individual effects of occupational stressors and complexity on AD/ADRD indicators, and evaluation of hypothetical occupational interventions. The research specifically targets underrepresented populations, including U.S. immigrant Latinas in rural and semi-rural areas, and will examine effect heterogeneity across Latin American heritage groups and U.S. nativity status. The project is conducted at UCLA's Los Angeles campus location and contributes to the National Institute on Aging's mission to support research addressing age-related diseases and health disparities in aging populations.