How social life, heart health, and daily stress shape memory and thinking in older adults around the world
Socioeconomic, Cardiovascular, and Psychosocial Sources of Cross-National Variation in Cognitive Health Among Older Adults
This project looks at how social conditions, cardiovascular health, and stress relate to memory and thinking in older adults across many countries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229463 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're an older adult, this project compares memory and thinking test results from people like you across different countries, linking those scores to information about education, income, heart health, and life stress. The team harmonizes cognitive tests so scores are fair across languages and testing styles, then uses statistical methods to track changes over time with new longitudinal data. They will examine whether living in different social, economic, or political environments changes how common dementia risk factors affect thinking skills. The goal is to explain why dementia rates differ between countries and highlight social or health factors that protect memory.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults who take part in national Health and Retirement Study partner surveys or HCAP cognitive testing, or who are willing to complete brief cognitive tests and health and social questionnaires.
Not a fit: People who are younger than typical retirement-age samples, not enrolled in partner surveys, or seeking immediate treatment improvements should not expect direct personal benefit from this observational work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could point to social and health changes that lower dementia risk and guide policies to protect thinking and memory for older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous HCAP and Health and Retirement Study efforts have successfully built harmonized cognitive datasets and produced insights about dementia risk, and this project expands those efforts with new longitudinal and cross-national comparisons.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kobayashi, Lindsay C — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Kobayashi, Lindsay C
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.