Understanding how some centenarians resist Alzheimer's disease
Resilience and Resistance Phenotypes
This study is looking at what helps people who are 100 years old and still sharp in their thinking stay healthy and avoid Alzheimer's, by exploring their habits, surroundings, and biology, and it involves nearly 500 centenarians and their families to find out what makes them resilient.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10907579 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the unique cognitive abilities of centenarians who remain cognitively intact, aiming to uncover the behavioral, environmental, and biological factors that contribute to their resilience against Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The study will involve nearly 500 centenarians, their offspring, and spouse controls, utilizing various methods including neuroimaging and biomarker analysis to assess cognitive function and its relationship to Alzheimer's pathology. By identifying these mechanisms, the research seeks to provide insights that could inform prevention and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation include cognitively intact centenarians, their offspring, and spouses of centenarians without cognitive impairment.
Not a fit: Patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease or significant cognitive impairment may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease in at-risk populations.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in studying cognitive resilience in aging populations, suggesting that understanding these mechanisms could lead to significant advancements in Alzheimer's disease prevention.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bookheimer, Susan Y — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Bookheimer, Susan Y
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.