Williamsburg volunteers help with U of I brain study

WILLIAMSBURG — The University of Iowa College of Nursing is conducting a study of brain health with the help of volunteers from Williamsburg.

Juliana Talarico, an expert in dementia and modifiable risk factors at the University of Iowa College of Nursing, is heading a research team studying how lifestyle, stress and environment affect brain health, particularly in rural communities.

New cases of dementia are increasing in rural area, more than in urban areas, Talarico said. Why? she asked. Geographic isolation? No access to clinics? Not being informed?

The College of Nursing is collaborating with environmental health researchers to complete the study.

The Williamsburg study will look at modifiable risk factors for dementia, Talarico said, principally psychological stresses and environmental stresses.

The research team started screening people in Williamsburg Oct. 30 and 31 at the Williamsburg Library. Researchers will be in Williamsburg this month and possibly in December, Talarico said.

Participants will answer questions about sources of stresses. Researchers will take blood samples to look at biological markers to see why that stress affects the memory, Talarico said. They’ll not only look at biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease but other biomarkers as well.

Partnering with environmental health researchers, Talarico’s team will look at PFAS and PCB.

PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of human-made chemicals that resist heat, water and grease. They’ve been widely used in nonstick cookware, stain-repellent fabrics, food packaging and firefighting foam, and can accumulate in people, animals and the environment.

Data in the Iowa Natural Resources shows that Western Iowa has moderate or above average PFAS levels in water, said Talarico. Though Williamsburg isn’t yet seeing it, PFAS have been found in the water in Louisa County, which is also part of this pilot research program.

This could be one of the unique causes of brain ailments in rural areas, Talarico said.

The team is also looking at things that could be protective, such community support and spiritual support, so health workers can encourage more of the “good things” that can help with brain health, said Talarico.

Researchers have put out fliers throughout Williamsburg to explain the study. People can earn up to $90 in compensation for taking part.

Participants must first pass a screening. They must be between 45 and 75 years of age and live in a small town or rural community. The team is looking for people who do not currently have dementia or Alzheimer’s. They want to study people before symptoms appear.

Participants will undergo a cognitive screening, and if they pass, they’ll be eligible to take part in the study, said Talarico.

Participants will collect saliva samples in the privacy of their homes over the course of two days.

During a second visit with researchers, participants will deliver their saliva samples and provide blood samples which will look for biological markers. They’ll take a digital assessment.

The research team will be looking for amyloid, an abnormal, insoluble protein that forms rigid fibrous deposits in organs and tissues and is a marker for Alzheimer’s, as well as for pTau, a phosphorylated tau protein which plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability and structure of microtubules, which are essential components of neurons.

The team will study a panel of 96 additional proteins related to neuroinflammation and to neurodegeneration, said Talarico. The team will also look at proteins which may help create new connections in the brain.

The blood samples will evaluate PFAS and PCB to see if there is a connection between those chemicals and cognitive degeneration, said Talarico.

The College of Nursing will have the help of investigators from environmental research. Most of their studies deal with animals or cells, said Talarico, but they’ll be using their expertise to study people in this project.

The research is limited to 60 people. Participants will be given the results of their labs which they can share with their doctors.

“We have, right now, 19 people that can be enrolled,” Talarico said. “If we don’t reach our numbers by November, we will extend into December.”

Usually studies are done on the university campus, said Talarico, but researchers realized they only reach a certain group of people on campus. “By doing this, we are representing real Iowa,” said Talarico.

“Instead of waiting for people to come to us, we need to go to them.”

A study with such complex logistics requires a large team, said Talarico. In addition to Talarico, research team members, are Dr. Yamnia Cortes, expert in cardiovascular disease and community health, College of Nursing; Dr. Hans-Joachim Lehmler, expert in environmental pollutants, College of Public Health, Environmental Health Research Center; Dr. Chelsea Howland, expert in diabetes and rural health, College of Nursing; Dr. Olivia Croskey, clinical and community health expert, College of Nursing;

Also research assistants from the college of nursing, Cynthia Doyle, Karla Halverson, Maria Rangel, Yuxin Fu, Alaa Harb, Maxwell Hansen and Rebekah Benton.