Georgetown University · Social ScienceHimalayan Memory Lab
Carlos F. Mendes De Leon · Washington, District of Columbia
Research Focus
Dr. Carlos F. Mendes De Leon's lab focuses on understanding the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) in Nepal, a low-income country facing an aging population. The lab is building research capacity through training in data collection and analysis, and it aims to initiate a longitudinal study to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of ADRD, particularly in relation to international labor migration and the effects of armed conflict. This work not only seeks to uncover critical data for Nepal but also hopes to inform prevention strategies relevant to similar challenges faced in other low-resource countries.
dementiaAlzheimer's diseaselongitudinal studiespopulation healthNepalaging populationlabor migrationarmed conflictchronic health conditions
Research Aims
5AIM 01Initiate a longitudinal cohort study focused on ADRD in an aging Nepali population.
AIM 02Assess the impact of international labor migration on dementia risk.
AIM 03Investigate the long-term effects of armed conflict on neurodegenerative conditions.
AIM 04Train local researchers in advanced data collection and analysis techniques.
AIM 05Share findings with stakeholders to inform policies for dementia prevention in Nepal.
Skills the Lab Values
survey data collectionstatistical analysiscognitive assessment designlongitudinal cohort study methodsdata interpretationworkshop facilitationresearch capacity buildinginterview techniquesparticipant recruitmentcommunity outreach
Output against the department
Publications318top 17% of dept.13th of 77
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations23ktop 9% of dept.7th of 77
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.