How neighborhood and daily movements relate to memory and thinking
Neighborhood characteristics, GPS-based activity space, and cognitive health
This project looks at whether where people live and the places they visit (tracked by GPS) relate to memory and thinking in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311908 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, researchers would use GPS from your phone or a small device to map where you spend time and combine that with neighborhood features like parks, traffic, and resources. They will link these location patterns to repeated memory and thinking tests collected through the Einstein Aging Study to see how cognitive abilities change over time. The team uses spatial mapping, ambulatory cognitive measures, and statistical models to identify person- and neighborhood-level profiles tied to cognitive aging. Findings aim to highlight neighborhood or daily activity patterns that might protect thinking or increase risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults concerned about memory or at risk for Alzheimer’s who live in or near the study area and can carry a smartphone or GPS device for tracking are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia who cannot complete cognitive tests or carry a tracking device are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to neighborhood improvements or activity-based strategies that help protect memory and thinking in older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier research has linked neighborhood conditions to cognition, but using detailed GPS-based personal activity patterns to predict cognitive change is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hyun, Jinshil — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Hyun, Jinshil
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.