Why some people keep sharp memories after 80
Study to Uncover Pathways to Exceptional Cognitive Resilience in Aging (SUPERAging)
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · NIH-11195685
This project seeks biological, lifestyle, and brain features that help people aged 80 and older keep memory as strong as people decades younger.
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-11195685 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will compare 500 adults aged 80+ who have exceptional memory (called SuperAgers) with similar-aged adults who have average memory. Across five sites in the United States and Canada, participants will receive memory testing, brain imaging, and provide blood and other biospecimens, along with questionnaires about health, lifestyle, and social factors. The work is organized into administrative/biostatistics, clinical/imaging, and biospecimen/neuropathology cores to standardize procedures and analyze genetics, brain anatomy, and tissue when available. The goal is to identify biological and environmental clues that explain why some people resist age-related cognitive decline.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults aged 80 or older who either have unusually strong memory for their age or have average cognition and who can travel to a participating site and consent to scans, tests, and biological sample donation.
Not a fit: People younger than 80, those seeking immediate dementia treatment, or individuals unable to undergo scans or provide consent are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to biological targets and lifestyle changes that help prevent or delay Alzheimer's disease and age-related memory loss.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier smaller SuperAging studies have reported promising brain and biological differences, and this larger multicenter consortium aims to confirm and extend 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