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In the past several decades, researchers have learned a great deal about the important role folic acid plays in preventing birth defects. Marquis Scholar Meghan Sweeney ’05 (Yardley, Pa.) is hoping to show that the vitamin supplement, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring nutrient folate, can also play a role in preventing or reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Sweeney, a neuroscience major and captain of the women’s soccer team, began research on the subject last year with Jamila Bookwala, assistant professor of psychology, examining studies suggesting that people with chronically low levels of folate have a higher chance of suffering from the disease. She is continuing her work this year for a yearlong honors thesis.
Students involved in Bookwala’s aging research have given presentations at annual meetings of the American Psychological Association and the Gerontological Society of America. A recipient of recent grants from the Lindback Foundation and the Institute for Health, Health Care, and Aging Research, Bookwala was among 15 scholars selected from a national pool of applicants to attend a prestigious Summer Research Training Institute funded by the National Institute on Aging last year. Earlier this year, her research presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association received coverage from ABC News Radio affiliates and other radio stations, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Chicago Sun-Times, and many other newspapers in the United States and abroad.
“Much research aims to find cures to stop the brain degeneration of Alzheimer’s disease, but my research is focused on possible preventative techniques that could be as simple as daily vitamin supplements,” says Sweeney, who became interested in the research because both maternal grandparents and three of her mother’s five sisters have suffered from the memory-robbing disease.
“My immediate family has always been interested in a holistic approach to health and nutrition, which is how I became aware of folate and its possible role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” she says. “Finding so much research confirming this possible link has been very exciting and is something that I hope to continue exploring throughout my education for academic and personal reasons.”
Sweeney bases her research on information from The Cardiovascular Health Study, a large database that contains dietary information about and tests of cognition on thousands of participants.
“By looking at the amount of folate individuals consume in their daily diets and how they perform on tests of cognitive function, I hope to see a correlation between low folate levels and a high level of cognitive impairment, which is a precursor to the development of Alzheimer’s,” she says.
Sweeney is comparing data from the initial study to data from testing done a year later to see if participants experienced any decline in cognitive performance.
“Other variables that I am examining are race and gender,” she adds. “Past research indicates significantly lower blood folate levels among African Americans as compared to Caucasian Americans. Research also shows a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in African Americans than Caucasians. Similar data exists for gender, with women showing higher levels of folate and less incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. I will examine these variables from the participants in the cardiovascular health study to see if past research can be confirmed.”
Sweeney, who hopes to attend medical school or study psychology or neuroscience in graduate school, says Lafayette’s small size and focus on undergraduates has offered her a number of good opportunities.
“It’s the perfect environment for undergraduates to work one-on-one with qualified professors on research,” she says. “Whether it be through EXCEL where the student is helping a professor, or an honors thesis where the student develops his or her own project, the professors I’ve been involved with at this school have been very supportive and open to working with students.”
Sweeney adds that the neuroscience major is “the perfect fit for me, or anyone who wants a background in biology and the physiological processes of the body, but is also fascinated with behavior and the psychological theories that underlie it. I feel neuroscience has been a great way to get a broad base of knowledge about the body, how it works, and how that translates to behavior of everyday life in society.”
Sweeney is a peer mentor in a program sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Magic Soccer Club. She also is a chemistry and psychology tutor, a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Psi Chi (psychology) honors societies, and a volunteer at Lehigh Valley Childcare’s College Hill location and at the Third Street Alliance for Women and Children’s program for adults with dementia. Sweeney is a graduate of Pennsbury High School.
Chosen from among Lafayette’s most promising applicants, Marquis Scholars like Sweeney receive special financial aid and distinctive educational experiences and benefits, including a three-week, Lafayette-funded study-abroad course during January’s interim session between semesters. Marquis Scholars also participate in cultural activities in major cities and on campus, and mentoring programs with Lafayette faculty.
Honors thesis projects are among several major opportunities at Lafayette that make the College a national leader in undergraduate research. Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Forty-two students were accepted to present their work at the last annual conference in April.
Marquis Scholar Meghan Sweeney ’05 examined the correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and folic acid levels in the body under the guidance of Jamila Bookwala, assistant professor of psychology.