Daily diary on stress, cortisol, and thinking across adulthood
Project 2 -- MIDUS Daily Diary Project
This project follows adults' daily stress, moods, and saliva cortisol to learn how short-term ups and downs relate to longer-term health and thinking as people age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174405 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would complete an 8-day telephone diary about daily stress and well-being, provide saliva samples across several days to measure cortisol, and use a tablet for an extra 14-day set of daily assessments. These measures are collected on up to four occasions spanning as much as 30 years so the team can track how daily patterns change over time. Researchers will combine diary and hormone data with cognitive tests, gene expression, biomarkers, and neuroscience measures already in the MIDUS program. The goal is to link day-to-day experiences and biological rhythms to aging and risk for memory problems or dementia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults (21+) able to complete telephone and tablet diaries and to provide multiple saliva samples, including people in midlife and later adulthood.
Not a fit: People who cannot complete phone or tablet surveys, who cannot provide saliva samples, or whose health prevents daily participation are unlikely to benefit directly from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal daily stress patterns and biological signals that point to higher risk for thinking decline or dementia, helping guide earlier support or prevention.
How similar studies have performed: Previous MIDUS waves and other daily-diary research have linked daily stress and cortisol to health and cognition, so this builds on established methods while extending follow-up and adding tablet-based measures.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryff, Carol D. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Ryff, Carol D.
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.