Understanding how environment affects Alzheimer’s disease in older adults
Official title: Experiences, Exposures, and Alzheimer’s Disease: Longitudinal Study of Olfaction, Cognition, and Metabolism in Older US Adults (NSHAP EXPOSOME)
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11347580 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study in adults 21 and older will look at how air pollution, chemical exposures, and social factors relate to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,460,509 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG100240-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11347580 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults in the US who participate in NSHAP and are willing to provide blood samples and address histories.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not represented in NSHAP or those who do not undergo biomarker collection may have limited direct relevance.
What this research studies
This study will follow a nationally representative group of older US adults as they move through aging, collecting detailed residential histories, air-quality data, and biomarkers from blood samples. Researchers will link environmental exposure histories to cognitive health outcomes and identify biological pathways that connect exposures to dementia. The project uses the NSHAP cohort data, enhanced with environmental measurements and additional biological samples, to explore how the exposome may influence the development of AD/ADRD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could inform strategies to reduce environmental risks and slow cognitive decline in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous exposome- and environment-related dementia research has shown links between exposures and cognitive outcomes, but this study expands on those approaches with a national cohort.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pinto, Jayant M — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Pinto, Jayant M
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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.