Modifiable risk factors and midlife thinking and memory in diverse groups
Official title: Modifiable risk factors and midlife cognition in diverse populations: a pooled cohort study
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11539200 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how manageable lifestyle factors affect thinking skills in midlife adults from diverse backgrounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00AG083211-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11539200 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 40–65 from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds who are part of the contributing cohorts and have usable data.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals outside the midlife window or not represented in the participating cohorts may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how everyday factors like sleep, diet, and exercise during ages 40–65 influence memory and thinking, especially in racial/ethnic minority groups. It uses data from three long-running, large studies to see how these risk factors relate to cognitive aging and potential brain pathways. The goal is to identify ways to prevent or delay cognitive decline by addressing modifiable risks in midlife. Researchers will analyze existing cohort data to uncover links between lifestyle factors, biology, and cognition across diverse populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could inform personalized, community-based strategies to reduce midlife cognitive decline and later dementia risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior midlife cognitive research has shown modifiable factors influence cognitive aging, though this project emphasizes diverse populations and integrated pathways.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Xiaqing — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Xiaqing
Related research
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Investigating risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Kenyan adults.
This study is looking at what might increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's and related dementias in Kenyan adults aged 35 to 43, by exploring how their health, education, and social attitudes have changed since childhood.
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Investigating early risk factors for dementia in young adults
This study is looking at how thinking skills and risk factors for Alzheimer's and related conditions change from teenage years into your 40s, to help find early signs that might predict dementia later in life.
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.