How Alzheimer's genes and past trauma relate to early memory problems in veterans
Official title: Early Cognitive Impairment as a function of Alzheimer's Disease and Trauma
Funded at VA Boston Health Care System · NIH-11264797 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether Alzheimer's-related genes plus combat, PTSD, or head injury are linked to early thinking and memory problems in older U.S. veterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX005749-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264797 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are U.S. veterans enrolled in the VA system—especially those aged 45 and older with a history of combat, PTSD, or head injury who have VA medical records and genetic data.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not veterans, or who do not have VA medical records or genetic samples in the Million Veteran Program, would not be able to participate or directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers are using health records and genetic data from the Million Veteran Program to identify cases of mild cognitive impairment and dementia among veterans. They will compare veterans with and without combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, and head injuries and analyze how those exposures interact with Alzheimer's-related genes such as APOE. The team will run genome-wide genetic analyses and gene-by-environment tests to find combinations of genes and experiences that raise dementia risk. Findings will focus on veterans across midlife and older ages to pinpoint who may show earlier signs of cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify veterans at higher risk for early cognitive decline so they can get earlier monitoring, support, or prevention trials.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and variants like APOE to dementia risk, but large-scale genome-wide gene-by-environment analyses in veterans are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Boston Health Care System
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Logue, Mark W — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Logue, Mark W
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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.