Aging, thinking, and biology in midlife and older LGBTQ+ adults
Longitudinal Study of Cognitive and Biological Aging in Midlife and Older Sexual and Gender Minority Adults
Researchers are following midlife and older LGBTQ+ adults to track memory, thinking, and biological signs linked to Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167104 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a group of midlife and older LGBTQ+ adults who are followed over many years to learn how social experiences and biology affect aging and thinking. The project collects regular memory and cognitive tests, health information, social network and policy exposure data, and biological samples for aging markers. The team is expanding lab measures and objective cognitive testing built on a large existing cohort from the US South and plans public release of deidentified data. Results are intended to point to ways to improve dementia prevention and affirming care for LGBTQ+ older adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Midlife and older sexual and gender minority adults (about age 50 and up) who can complete cognitive testing, health questionnaires, and provide biological samples are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Younger people under 50, those who are not sexual or gender minorities, or anyone unwilling to provide samples or participate in follow-up are not the focus and unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify why LGBTQ+ adults face higher dementia risk and guide better prevention, screening, and culturally affirming care.
How similar studies have performed: This builds on the QSNAPS cohort and pilot biomarker work, but adding expanded biomarkers and longitudinal objective cognitive testing in older LGBTQ+ adults is relatively novel with limited prior evidence.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mckay, Tara — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Mckay, Tara
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 below.