Treating depression and chronic pain to lower dementia risk
Official title: Project 2: Depression and chronic pain: Modifiable targets for prevention of AD/ADRD
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11189729 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether treating depression and chronic pain can lower the chance of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $611,198 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG082653-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189729 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults—particularly older adults—with a history of depression and/or chronic pain and with available medical records or participation in long-term health studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without depression or chronic pain or those without accessible health records or cohort data are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you or someone like you is included, the team will compare people with and without depression and chronic pain using large medical records, surveys, and genetic data to see how these conditions and their treatments relate to memory decline and dementia. They will examine both medication and non-drug treatments, the severity and duration of depression, and how other illnesses such as cerebrovascular disease affect risk. The researchers will combine electronic health records, national long-term studies with repeated cognitive tests, and genetic information to reduce bias and produce more reliable estimates. Results may point to treatment approaches or patient groups where preventing or better treating depression and pain could lower dementia risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify ways to reduce dementia risk by treating depression and chronic pain earlier or more effectively.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked depression and chronic pain to higher dementia risk, but long-term effects of treating these conditions on dementia prevention remain largely uncertain, so this combined-data approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gilsanz, Paola — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Gilsanz, Paola
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Depression and chronic pain: targets to prevent Alzheimer's disease and related disorders
A large, multi-year project will study how depression and chronic pain influence the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders in adults 21 and older, using real-world health data and surveys.
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This study is exploring a new way to help veterans who are dealing with both chronic pain and depression by using a combination of brain stimulation and therapy to improve their pain and mood.
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This study is creating a friendly app to help middle-aged and older adults who are dealing with depression or anxiety along with chronic pain, offering them tools and support to feel better and manage their pain more effectively.
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Investigating how depression and chronic pain affect Alzheimer's disease risk
This study is looking at how untreated depression and chronic pain might affect memory and thinking skills, especially in older adults and those from underserved communities, to help find better ways to prevent Alzheimer's and related conditions.
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.