Cash payments to slow biological aging and lower Alzheimer's risk
Testing effects of cash transfers on biological aging and risk for Alzheimer's Disease
This project looks at whether giving regular cash payments to adults in low-resource communities can slow biological aging and reduce future Alzheimer's risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11504260 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be part of a group where some people receive unconditional cash transfers and others do not. Researchers will collect small dried bloodspot samples from about 4,000 participants to measure biological aging using epigenetic clocks and markers of immune aging. They will link those biological measures to early Alzheimer's risk factors and cognitive function over time. The work uses samples from a randomized cash-transfer trial in sub-Saharan African communities to see if improving economic conditions changes aging-related biology.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older living in the communities enrolled in the unconditional cash transfer trial in sub-Saharan Africa are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who are not living in the trial communities, younger than 21, or who already have advanced dementia are unlikely to benefit directly from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could show that simple cash support slows biological aging and lowers future Alzheimer's risk, informing policies that improve long-term brain health.
How similar studies have performed: Cash transfer programs have reduced mortality and improved some health outcomes in prior studies, but using epigenetic clocks to show effects on biological aging and Alzheimer’s risk is a relatively new and untested approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aiello, Allison E — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Aiello, Allison E
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.