Sleep, activity, and sitting: links to memory and thinking
Official title: Sleep, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Cognitive Function
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11092281 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how sleep, exercise, and time spent sitting relate to thinking and memory in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | September 29, 1982 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $629,612 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG003949-41 |
| Project ID | NIH-11092281 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults, especially those worried about memory or at higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, who can wear monitoring devices, complete brief cognitive testing, and provide blood samples are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced dementia who cannot complete testing, those unable to wear monitors, or much younger healthy adults are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
From a participant's point of view, researchers will use small wearable sensors on the wrist to track sleep and on the thigh to measure physical activity and sitting, and you will complete short cognitive tests over time. They will also collect blood samples, health histories, and questionnaires about mood and daily life to capture other factors that affect brain health. The study follows people over months and years to see which behavior patterns are linked to changes in memory and risk of mild cognitive impairment. The goal is to combine real-world activity data with blood-based biomarkers and health information to identify behaviors that might delay memory problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to practical sleep and activity changes that help delay or lower the chance of memory loss and dementia.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked poor sleep and low physical activity to cognitive decline, but combining long-term objective monitoring with blood biomarkers in this way is relatively new and builds on the established Einstein Aging Study.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Derby, Carol a. — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Derby, Carol a.
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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.