Tracking aging, memory, and dementia in South African adults
Health, Aging and Dementia in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study (HAALSI)
This project follows adults in South Africa over time to learn how aging, HIV, and other health issues affect memory and risk of dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11382367 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will visit regularly to collect health surveys, memory and thinking tests, and blood and other biomarkers, and will record health events and deaths over many years. The study follows adults aged 40 and older in the Agincourt area and adds a refresher group of 40–49 year olds to see how changes develop across midlife into older age. A subsample receives more detailed cognitive testing using an internationally harmonized protocol, and the team links cognitive results with biomarkers and mortality data. The project builds on prior successful HAALSI waves and aims to identify patterns that could inform prevention and care locally.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 40 and older living in the Agincourt study area of South Africa, including people with and without HIV.
Not a fit: People who live outside the study area, are younger than the enrollment age, or cannot participate in interviews or sample collection may not receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect dementia earlier and guide prevention and care strategies for older adults in South Africa and similar low- and middle-income settings.
How similar studies have performed: Previous HAALSI waves and other harmonized cognitive studies have successfully tracked dementia risk factors, so this renewal expands a proven approach with added biomarkers and longer follow-up.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berkman, Lisa F — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Berkman, Lisa F
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.