Understanding cognitive changes in aging adults with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Intraindividual cognitive variability in aging adults with Down syndrome: associations with Alzheimer's disease plasma biomarkers, neuropathology and clinical dementia
Funded at Washington State University · NIH-10900616 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how differences in thinking skills among adults with Down syndrome might be connected to early signs of Alzheimer's disease, and it's for adults with Down syndrome who want to help us understand more about dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pullman, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $128,589 |
| NIH project number | 5K99AG082864-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10900616 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults with Down syndrome who are 21 years or older.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Down syndrome or those under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how cognitive variability in adults with Down syndrome may relate to Alzheimer's disease biomarkers and dementia. By analyzing data from the Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome, the study aims to identify patterns in cognitive performance that could indicate early signs of dementia. Participants will undergo neuropsychological testing to measure their cognitive variability, which will be compared to biological markers of Alzheimer's disease. This approach seeks to improve early detection methods for dementia in this high-risk population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better early detection and intervention strategies for Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using cognitive variability as a biomarker for dementia in other populations, suggesting potential for success in this novel application.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington State University
Pullman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fonseca, Luciana — Washington State University
- Study coordinator: Fonseca, Luciana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding cognitive variability in adults with Down syndrome and its link to Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers
A study of adults with Down syndrome to see if everyday ups and downs in thinking tests can predict Alzheimer’s-related changes and dementia using blood and brain biomarkers.
-
Thinking variability and Alzheimer's markers in adults with Down syndrome
This project looks at whether ups-and-downs in thinking tests can signal early Alzheimer's in adults with Down syndrome.
-
Beaver Dam Offspring Study: How midlife senses and aging markers relate to early Alzheimer’s and dementia
This study follows adults who previously participated in a long-term cohort to see if midlife changes in hearing, vision, smell, and aging biomarkers can predict later risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
-
Combining aging surveys to understand memory, Alzheimer's, and dementia care
This project brings together long-term survey data from many countries and adds things like air pollution and care-policy information to see how they relate to memory, mild cognitive problems, and Alzheimer's risk in older adults.
-
Midlife memory and dementia risk in Kenyan adults
This work looks at midlife thinking and memory and how childhood health and life experiences might affect future dementia risk for Kenyan adults.
-
Understanding how sensory changes and aging in midlife relate to Alzheimer's and dementia
This project explores how changes in hearing, vision, and smell, along with signs of aging in middle age, might predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias 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.