Air pollution and metals linked to brain aging and dementia in older adults
Official title: Airborne metals, neurodegeneration, and dementia in the Adult Changes in Thought study
Funded at Tufts University Medford · NIH-11369525 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at whether air pollution and metals in the brain are connected to dementia and changes in thinking in people aged 21 and up who are part of a long-running aging and dementia study.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Medford NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $594,371 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES035501-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11369525 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults who are part of the ACT cohort or who contribute brain tissue samples (autopsy consent) may directly inform this research.
✕Less likely to help
Individual participants may not directly experience a new treatment or intervention from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will use data from the Adult Changes in Thought study, a long-term group of older adults followed for brain health. They will examine brain tissue from donors to see if pollutants like PM2.5 and metals reach the brain via the olfactory route and how this relates to dementia pathology and cognitive function. The study plans to measure pollutant levels in specific brain regions and analyze whether these exposures are linked to new dementia cases or worsening cognition over time. This work builds on decades of data, including dementia diagnoses, cognitive tests, and neuropathology from autopsies when available.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding environmental contributors to dementia could lead to prevention strategies or interventions to reduce risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior similar work has shown associations between air pollutants and brain health, with ongoing research building on established cohorts.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Medford
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Suh, Helen — Tufts University Medford
- Study coordinator: Suh, Helen
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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.