Understanding Balance Problems in Aging and Lewy Body Dementia
Official title: The Proactive and Reactive Neuromechanics of Instability in Aging and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10928127 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to understand why older adults, especially those with Lewy Body Dementia, have trouble with balance and are at high risk for falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $41,112 |
| NIH project number | 5F31AG084241-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10928127 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include young adults, older adults, and older adults specifically diagnosed with clinically probable Dementia with Lewy Bodies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience balance issues or are not in the specified age groups may not directly benefit from participating in this particular study.
What this research studies
We are looking at how the brain and body work together to control balance, both when preparing for a challenge and when reacting to unexpected instability. For older adults, we believe that reacting quickly to balance challenges becomes harder with age. For people with Lewy Body Dementia, we think that both preparing for and reacting to balance challenges are affected, increasing their risk of falling. We will enroll young adults, older adults, and older adults with Lewy Body Dementia to study these differences using advanced motion capture, muscle activity measurements, and ultrasound imaging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could lead to new ways to prevent falls and improve safety for older adults and those living with Lewy Body Dementia.
How similar studies have gone: While the general understanding of balance and falls is established, this specific approach to understanding proactive and reactive balance in DLB using advanced imaging and motion capture is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Eichenlaub, Emily Kathryn — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Eichenlaub, Emily Kathryn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding balance issues in older adults with dementia
This study is looking at how aging and Dementia with Lewy Bodies affect balance and the chances of falling in older adults, so we can better understand how to help keep them steady on their feet.
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Understanding how heparan sulfate affects alpha-synuclein in Lewy body dementia
A small study in people who have dementia with Lewy bodies looks at how a brain sugar (heparan sulfate) helps a harmful protein (alpha-synuclein) spread, with the hope of slowing disease progression.
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Long-term Effects of a Natural Disaster on Cognitive Aging and Dementia in Older Adults
This project follows older adults affected by a major natural disaster to understand how long-term stress may influence aging, memory, and risk for dementia.
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Health, Aging and Dementia in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study
A long-term study in South Africa follows adults 40 and older to understand how aging affects dementia and Alzheimer’s, using surveys, cognitive tests, and biomarkers.
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Health, Aging and Dementia in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study
A long-term study in South Africa follows adults as they age to understand how dementia and Alzheimer’s affect people in LMIC settings.
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Health, Aging and Dementia in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study
A long-term study in South Africa follows adults as they age to better understand dementia and related factors.
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.