English Longitudinal Study of Ageing renewal to study aging, health, and dementia
Official title: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing - Renewal 2024
Funded at University College London · NIH-11399284 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-running study in older adults is being renewed to collect more data on aging, health, and brain changes, including dementia, so researchers can better understand what affects healthy aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University College London NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (London, United Kingdom) |
| Project start | September 30, 2000 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $747,209 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG017644-27 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399284 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults aged 50 and older in the UK who are willing to provide long-term health, cognitive, economic, and social information.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not in the target age range or unwilling to participate in long-term follow-up may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This renewal will cover two more data-collection waves (2025/26 and 2027/28) and a third Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol administration to track changes over time. It creates a nationally representative platform to study how economic, physical, mental, and social factors relate to aging and cognitive health, including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The study compares UK data with the US Health and Retirement Study to identify what contributes to healthy aging and how dementia risk may be influenced by genetics, biology, and life circumstances. Researchers will examine the impact of events such as long-COVID, caregiving, and climate-related stress on health and wellbeing in later life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could inform policies and interventions that promote healthy aging and reduce dementia risk in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: The study builds on a well-established framework with established methods, and its longevity suggests proven data quality and usefulness.
Where this research is happening
-
University College London
London, United Kingdom Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Steptoe, Andrew — University College London
- Study coordinator: Steptoe, Andrew
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.