The National Institute on Aging has awarded a $14.6 million grant for a new Washington State University-led project called Natives Engaged in Alzheimer’s Research (NEAR).
NEAR is a project battling disparities associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander peoples. This project will bring together several tribes, five Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community organizations, six academic and research institutions, and 28 urban and rural Native-serving clinics. It will also engage a nationwide network of eight satellite centers directed by researchers who are members of these communities.
The Center will unite scholars across social, clinical, and behavioral sciences. In the three NEAR research projects, topics rarely studied in American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander peoples will be conducted. For example, a study using culturally informed practices, including Hula, to promote vascular health and prevent cognitive decline will be offered in Hawai`i.
