Digital Commons Network^™

Promoting Diverse Perspectives: Addressing Health Disparities Related To Alzheimer's And All Dementias, Gladys Maestre, Carl Hill, Percy Griffin, Stephen Hall, William Hu, Jason Flatt, Ganesh Babulal

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Dementia research lacks appropriate representation of diverse groups who often face substantial adversity and greater risk of dementia. Current research participants are primarily well-resourced, non-Hispanic White, cisgender adults who live close to academic medical centers where much of the research is based. Consequently, the field faces a knowledge gap about Alzheimer's-related risk factors in those other groups. The Alzheimer's Association hosted a virtual conference on June 14–16, 2021, supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (R13 AG072859-01), focused on health disparities. The conference was held entirely online and consisted of 2 days of core programming and a day …

Exploring Neuroplasticity Changes In Neurotoxin-Induced Parkinson’S Disease: A Preliminary Analysis Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Tomas Gomez Jr., Daniel Salinas, Kelsey Potter-Baker, Nawaz Hack, Ramu Vadukapuram

Research Symposium

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that affects movement, cognition, gait, and significantly impacts one's quality of life. Studies have suggested that neurotoxin pre-exposure is related to PD pathology and progressive motor/non-motor deficits, though it remains unclear how neurotoxin exposure affects neuroplasticity. The present study aimed to examine neurotoxin–induced PD-associated neuroplasticity changes in relationship to mental acuity and PD motor functionalities.

Methods: 7 voluntary participants experiencing early-stage PD symptoms with self-reported neurotoxin pre-exposure were enrolled in the longitudinal, repeated-measures clinical study; 2 sex-matched, age-matched, and occupation-matched healthy subjects were recruited for controlled comparative analysis (n=9). UTRGV’s Institute …

Revitalizing Alzheimer's Community Engagement In The Rgv Post-Pandemic: Insights From The First Two Alzheimer's Forums, Karla D. Lopez Lorenzo, Maxine Vieyra, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Background: The Rio Grande Valley (RGV), with a population predominantly composed of Hispanic/Latinos (93%), faces a higher risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) compared to other groups. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the lack of education and awareness surrounding AD and related dementias in our community. To address these challenges, we partnered with the Alzheimer's Association to organize the first two Community Forums after the pandemic. Our goal is to raise awareness, provide resources, and support those affected by AD and related conditions in the RGV.

Methods: Through a proactive partnership, our objective was to meet the growing demand for education, …