MAREAS Jax
MAREAS Jax is a research program funded by the NIH. It studies potential reasons why Hispanic & Latino (HL) and Black & African American (BA) people have a higher chance of getting dementia compared to non-Hispanic White (nHW) people in Jacksonville. Dementia is a condition that affects memory and thinking skills and is often caused by Alzheimer’s and other similar diseases.
Did you Know?
Hispanic & Latino people are 1.5 times more likely and Black & African American people are 2 times more likely to get dementia than White Non-Hispanic people. Despite the higher risk, Hispanic & Latinos and Black & African Americans are not well studied in dementia research, making it difficult to improve their brain health and risk of dementia.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Up to 45% of dementia risk can be reduced by:
- Education, keep your mind active and learning
- Avoiding head injuries and polluted environments
- Exercising regularly or being physically active
- Managing blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
- Treating depression
- Maintaining good vision and hearing
- Socializing with friends and family
There are also life circumstances and exposures that are risk factors. Factors like socioeconomic status, access to education and healthcare, and dealing with stress can affect brain health and increase dementia risk. These are called social risk factors.
What are the goals for MAREAS Jax?
- Raise awareness. Educate the Jacksonville community about dementia and how to reduce risk.
- Improve research participation. Find out why Hispanic & Latinos and Black & African American people in Jacksonville might not participate in research and how to improve this.
- Understanding individual dementia risk factors. Use of blood samples and brain scans to find markers of diseases that affect the brain. Also, to try to find out which personal factors (genetics, medical problems and social factors) are related with brain disease markers.
- Lower the risk of dementia. Give participants a personalized report on their brain health and ways to reduce their dementia risk.
What are the benefits of participating in MAREAS Jax?
After each visit, the participant receives a Brain Health Report with the results from their visit showing strengths and areas to improve healthy habits and improve brain health. This report can be reviewed with their primary care physician.