Global picture of dementia risk and memory loss across the world
Official title: A global epidemiology of cognitive impairment and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and related disorders: the COSMIC Collaboration
Funded at University of New South Wales · NIH-11603263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large international effort gathers data from many studies to understand how dementia and memory problems develop around the world, using shared information to reveal patterns and risk factors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New South Wales NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Sydney, Australia) |
| Project start | September 15, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $26,608 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG057531-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11603263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals at risk for dementia or with mild cognitive impairment enrolled in the COSMIC cohorts and similar population studies.
✕Less likely to help
General population participants not directly involved in dementia pathways may see indirect benefits through improved understanding and prevention.
What this research studies
This project brings together dozens of long-running studies from many countries to look at how cognitive aging and dementia occur in diverse populations. Researchers harmonize data from these studies and use pooled analyses to identify modifiable risk factors and early signs of dementia. The goal is to inform better prevention, earlier diagnosis, and smarter care strategies for people at risk. The collaboration has grown to include many LMICs, expanding the global perspective on dementia. Over the next several years, the team will analyze data from hundreds of thousands of participants to map risk factors and resilience factors for cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide public health actions and clinical practices to prevent or delay dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large-scale collaborations have shown that harmonized international data can uncover robust dementia risk patterns, though this represents a highly ambitious pooling effort with ongoing expansion.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sachdev, Perminder S — University of New South Wales
- Study coordinator: Sachdev, Perminder S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
PNA5 for VCID and Alzheimer's Dementias: A first-in-human safety study
A first-in-human trial tests a new drug, PNA5, to see if it is safe and tolerable for adults with vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's-related dementias.
-
Global picture of dementia and Alzheimer’s risk across populations
A large international effort gathers health data from many cohorts to understand what increases or lowers the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease around the world.
-
Global patterns of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia
Bringing together memory-study data from around the world to find lifestyle and environmental factors people can change to lower the risk of Alzheimer's and related dementias.
-
A brain-boosting peptide to help people at risk of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
A new drug-like peptide (PNA5) is being studied to reduce brain inflammation and improve blood flow in people at risk for vascular dementia and Alzheimer's-related dementia.
-
Scale-up of a peptide therapy to help brain blood flow and inflammation in people at risk for Alzheimer’s-related dementias
A small US-based project will scale up manufacturing of a new peptide medicine (PNA5) intended to help people at risk for Alzheimer’s-related dementia and vascular dementia by improving brain blood flow and reducing inflammation.
-
Vision and memory in people with end‑stage kidney disease (VIS‑HD)
This project will see whether treating and understanding vision problems can help protect thinking and lower dementia risk for adults with end‑stage kidney disease.
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.