Grit and memory resilience in older adults with early Alzheimer's changes
Grit against cognitive decline in aging and preclinical Alzheimer Disease
Learn whether stronger persistence ('grit') and its brain signals help older adults with early Alzheimer's changes keep their memory sharp.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195092 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would answer questions and do tasks that measure how much you stick with difficult challenges to rate your level of persistence or 'grit.' Researchers will take brain scans to look at activity and connections in motivation-related areas such as the anterior mid-cingulate cortex and will check for Alzheimer's markers like beta-amyloid. The study will compare people who are cognitively normal but have early amyloid changes and have high versus low grit to see who keeps their memory over time. The aim is to understand how mindset and specific brain circuits might help protect thinking as people age.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults who are cognitively normal but show early Alzheimer's brain changes (amyloid-positive) and can attend clinic visits for testing and imaging.
Not a fit: People with symptomatic Alzheimer's dementia, severe cognitive impairment, or unrelated major neurological illnesses are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to protect memory by strengthening persistence or targeting specific brain circuits.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier studies have linked grit to preserved memory and identified the mid-cingulate as important for persistence, but applying these findings to prevent Alzheimer's symptoms is still novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Touroutoglou, Alexandra — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Touroutoglou, Alexandra
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.