A database to study language changes in dementia
Official title: DementiaBank: An open access language database to understand the progression of dementia
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-10738863 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to gather and share videos of conversations to help doctors better understand and spot early signs of dementia, so they can improve care for people with Alzheimer's and other memory issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $2,114,910 |
| NIH project number | 1RF1AG083823-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10738863 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults, particularly those showing early signs of cognitive decline or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not experiencing cognitive issues or are under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to expand the DementiaBank database, which collects multimedia interactions to analyze cognitive-communication impairments in aging and Alzheimer's disease. By utilizing advanced data collection and analysis techniques, the project seeks to improve early diagnosis and treatment of dementia. Patients' language use will be tracked over time to identify those at risk for dementia and to develop effective cognitive-linguistic outcome measures. The project will also enhance the sharing of resources to better support researchers and clinicians in their work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved early diagnosis and treatment options for individuals with dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in using multimedia databases for studying language and cognitive impairments, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Macwhinney, Brian — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Macwhinney, Brian
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.