This project aims to uncover the clinical and genetic factors that influence brain commissural tracts—key white matter structures connecting the two hemispheres—in relation to cognitive decline and dementia, particularly in underrepresented Latin American populations. By analyzing brain imaging and genetic data from 4,000 Latin American participants and comparing findings with the UK Biobank, the study seeks to identify ethnic-specific genetic variants linked to commissure integrity and their potential role in Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment. Advanced AI tools and multi-omics approaches will help reveal how these genetic factors interact with grey matter structures to impact brain health.
PI: Carolina Ochoa-Rosales
Co-PI: Hieab Adams
Co-researcher: Agustín Ibáñez
Support: BrightFocus Foundation
