Evaluating alzheimer's disease and related dementia outcomes associated with intimate partner violence-related mild traumatic brain injuries in women

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded Massachusetts General Hospital $1,864,414 on September 1, 2026, to evaluate cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative outcomes associated with repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries from intimate partner violence in women age 50 and older.

The research will collect structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data to assess volumetric and connectivity abnormalities, magnetic resonance spectroscopy data, and blood samples to test for altered levels of neurometabolites and proteins relevant to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The study addresses a gap in the literature by examining late-life effects of intimate partner violence-related mild traumatic brain injuries, including dementia risk, in a population of women with prior exposure to intimate partner violence.

The recipient is The General Hospital Corporation, doing business as Massachusetts General Hospital's Research Management Division, a nonprofit academic medical center and Harvard Medical School teaching hospital. Work is performed in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The award operates under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) and carries a period of performance through August 31, 2029.

Abstract

The effects of late-life repetitive neurotrauma on women's health are almost entirely unknown especially in terms of risk for alzheimer's disease (ad) and ad related dementias (ADRD). This study will examine cognitive, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative correlates of repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries (RMTBIS) in women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is violence perpetrated by a current or former spouse, partner, significant other, boyfriend, or girlfriend, and IT is the most common form of violence against women. Globally, nearly 1 in 3 women over the age of 15 have experienced IPV, and a growing literature shows that women subjected to IPV experience RMTBIS at alarmingly high rates. In one sample of 99 well-characterized and carefully assessed women, approximately half indicated a history of repetitive IPV-related tbis, and these injuries were acutely related to measures of cognitive and psychological health. More recent studies have shown links between RMTBIS and regional brain volume as well as with measures of structural and functional connectivity. IT has been hypothesized that rmtbs may also be associated with late-life negative outcomes such as an increased risk for dementia or neurodegenerative diseases. However, we are aware of no studies that have assessed the late-life effects of IPV-related mtbis, including ad/ADRD-related outcomes. Therefore, in a sample of women at least 50 years of age, who have previously experienced IPV, we will collect structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data to assess volumetric and connectivity abnormalities, as well as magnetic resonance spectroscopy data and blood samples to test for altered levels of relevant neurometabolites and proteins. We will also collect cognitive, psychological, and neurobehavioral symptom measures to relate to these neurobiological measures. A better understanding of RMTBIS and their association with ad/ADRD-related outcomes including neurobiological abnormalities, cognition, and neuropsychiatric health in women subjected to IPV will enable more efficacious care and treatment, and ultimately improve health outcomes for this highly underserved and often misunderstood population.