Understanding midlife brain health in different communities
Official title: Modifiable risk factors and midlife cognition in diverse populations: a pooled cohort study
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11122270 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how lifestyle choices and health conditions in middle age might affect brain health later in life, especially for diverse groups of people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $122,756 |
| NIH project number | 5K99AG083211-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11122270 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research uses existing health data from adults aged 40-65 from diverse backgrounds who have participated in previous longitudinal studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not represented in the existing pooled datasets or those outside the midlife age range may not directly benefit from the immediate findings of this specific data analysis.
What this research studies
Many people are concerned about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and finding ways to prevent them is a top priority. This project focuses on the critical midlife period (ages 40-65), when changes in brain function can begin. We want to understand how different risk factors, like diet or exercise, might contribute to these changes, particularly in diverse racial and ethnic communities who are often more affected. By combining information from several large health studies, we hope to uncover the specific ways these factors influence brain health and identify early signs of decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify individuals at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease earlier and inform strategies to prevent cognitive decline through lifestyle changes.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds upon existing large-scale health studies, using a novel approach to combine and analyze their data to address specific gaps in understanding midlife cognitive health disparities.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Xiaqing — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Xiaqing
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Modifiable risk factors and midlife thinking and memory in diverse groups
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Investigating risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Kenyan adults.
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Investigating early risk factors for dementia in young adults
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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.