Dec 12, 2025
- A mentor-mentee research partnership between Dr. Amit Kumar and Dr. Eric Stulberg led to a study published in Neurology examining dementia risk.
- The study found strong links between socioeconomic and demographic factors and modifiable dementia risk factors, especially among low-income and underrepresented groups.
- Findings highlight the need for expanded preventive care, improved access to screening, and greater public health investment in vulnerable communities.
A research partnership that began years ago between mentor and mentee has now reached a major milestone: publication in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study, led by Dr. Amit Kumar, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, and his former mentee, Dr. Eric Stulberg, grew out of their collaboration during Stulberg’s neurology residency and fellowship in the Department of Neurology’s NIH-funded Stroke Center.
What began as a supportive training relationship evolved into a productive research collaboration, culminating in a study that examines why certain populations face disproportionate risks for dementia—and what can be done to change that trajectory.
Understanding the Roots of Dementia Risk
Dementia is influenced not only by biology and aging but also by social and environmental conditions that shape a person’s health long before cognitive symptoms appear. Motivated by this gap in understanding, Kumar and Stulberg analyzed data from more than 5,000 study participants to determine how socioeconomic and demographic factors intersect with known, modifiable dementia risk factors.
Their findings revealed clear patterns:
- Individuals with lower income had significantly higher rates of risk factors such as hearing loss, high blood pressure, depression, and physical inactivity.
- Among those living below the poverty line, vision loss and social isolation may account for approximately one in five dementia cases.
- Even after adjusting for income, several risk factors—including diabetes, physical inactivity, obesity, and vision loss—remained more common among historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
These insights expand the conversation around dementia prevention—highlighting that social determinants of health are not peripheral issues, but central drivers of long-term cognitive well-being.
The broader implications of the study reinforce the importance of sustained public health investment. “Findings from this study highlight the need to invest in research and to expand preventive and geriatric care for low-income and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups,” Kumar explains. "Furthermore, dementia risk screening remains low in rural communities, especially among low-income populations, which further exacerbates challenges related to late detection and delayed intervention.”
The study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that early identification and treatment of modifiable risk factors—such as hearing loss or high blood pressure—can meaningfully reduce dementia rates. But without adequate and timely access to preventive care, these benefits cannot reach the people who need them most.
Stulberg, now at Thomas Jefferson University appreciates the mentorship he received. “I received excellent research training and mentorship at the University of Utah under Dr. Kumar, who helped me develop my research skills,” he says. "I still enjoy working with and learning from him to this day, even though I am at a different institution now.”
For Kumar, mentorship is not simply a professional duty but a reciprocal learning experience. “Mentoring is a journey, and I have found that I learn from my mentees just as much as they learn from me,” he says. "Each mentee brings a unique perspective and fresh ideas that challenge me to think differently and grow as a researcher and teacher.”
Their ongoing collaboration is an example of how academic mentorship can create long-term partnerships that advance scientific understanding and improve patient care.
