Why some people keep excellent memory after age 80
Study to Uncover Pathways to Exceptional Cognitive Resilience in Aging (SUPERAging)
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · NIH-11381505
This multicenter effort brings together people aged 80+ with unusually strong memory and similar-aged peers to learn what biological, lifestyle, and social factors protect thinking and memory.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11381505 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would join a consortium of five sites in the United States and Canada that plans to enroll 500 older adults, including people with exceptionally good memory for their age and age-matched controls. Participants will complete memory and other cognitive tests, have brain imaging, provide blood and other biospecimens, and share health, lifestyle, and social history. Some participants may also agree to neuropathologic study after death to link brain findings with clinical history. The project combines clinical, imaging, and lab cores to compare the SuperAgers to typical older adults and find factors tied to preserved cognition.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 80 or older who either have unusually strong memory for their age or are cognitively average peers willing to undergo testing, scans, and provide biospecimens.
Not a fit: People with active, moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's dementia are unlikely to gain direct clinical benefit from participation in this observational research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to biological markers or modifiable habits that help preserve memory and guide new ways to keep thinking sharp as people age.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier smaller SuperAging studies found promising brain and biological differences in SuperAgers, but this larger multicenter effort aims to confirm and expand those findings.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ROGALSKI, EMILY J — UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- Study coordinator: ROGALSKI, EMILY J
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's disease biological marker