Genes linked to early thinking and memory decline before dementia
Official title: Large-Scale Genomic Analysis of Aging-Related Cognitive Change Prior to Dementia Onset
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11128831 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at people's genes to find changes tied to earlier declines in memory and thinking before Alzheimer's develops.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $622,383 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG073593-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128831 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults who can provide genetic samples and have (or can provide access to) repeated cognitive test results over time, especially older adults or those with a family history of Alzheimer's.
✕Less likely to help
People without genetic data or long-term cognitive testing, or whose memory problems are caused by non-Alzheimer conditions, may not see direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will analyze genetic data together with long-term memory and thinking test results from many adults to find patterns tied to faster cognitive decline years before dementia appears. They will use repeated cognitive measurements over time rather than single checkups and apply large-scale genome-wide analyses to search for risk variants beyond the well-known APOE gene. The team will use statistical methods to account for differences in people's peak thinking ability so declines aren't missed in those who started at a higher level. The work draws on large datasets from multiple cohorts to identify biological pathways that could be targeted for earlier prevention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help identify people at higher risk earlier and point to new biological targets to prevent or slow Alzheimer's and related dementias.
How similar studies have gone: Prior genetic studies have reliably linked APOE and several other loci to Alzheimer's risk, but large-scale GWAS focused on long-term cognitive decline before diagnosis is a newer approach with limited prior results.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tucker-Drob, Elliot Max — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Tucker-Drob, Elliot Max
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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.