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Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
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Migration Effects on Cognition: Protocol for the Aging in Kerala Americans Research Study
Kelly Cotton1, Dristi Adhikari1, Anne Felicia Ambrose1
1Department of Neurology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.
JMIR Research Protocols
|February 13, 2026
Summary
The Aging in Kerala Americans Research (AKKARE) study investigates how migration impacts cognitive health in first-generation Kerala Americans. This research aims to identify risk and resilience factors for cognitive impairment in this growing population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Public Health
- Epidemiology of Aging
- Neuroscience and Migration Studies
Background:
- Asian Americans, the fastest-growing demographic in the US, are often aggregated in studies, masking health disparities.
- First-generation immigrants, particularly from minority ethnic groups, face elevated risks of cognitive impairment.
- Existing research lacks data on the epidemiology of aging diseases among Indian American immigrants.
Purpose of the Study:
- The Aging in Kerala Americans Research (AKKARE) study examines migration's positive and negative health effects on cognition and dementia in first-generation Kerala Americans.
- It assesses the influence of immigrant and cultural factors, and social relationships on cognitive aging.
- The study adopts epidemiological, biological, and vascular perspectives to understand cognitive aging.
Main Methods:
- Enrollment of 400 older, first-generation Kerala American individuals from the tristate area.
- Subset of participants to undergo blood tests (n=360) and neuroimaging (n=160).
- Assessment of immigration and cultural effects on cognitive function, mood, quality of life, and biological/vascular aging, with 5-year follow-ups.
Main Results:
- The AKKARE study received NIH funding in 2024 (grant #1R01AG084567-01).
- Institutional Review Board approval was obtained in 2025.
- Participant enrollment commenced in September 2025.
Conclusions:
- The AKKARE study will provide crucial data on the epidemiology of aging diseases in Indian American immigrants.
- It aims to uncover risk and resilience factors for cognitive impairment in this population.
- Findings will offer insights applicable to the broader older adult population.
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