Why some people reach 100 with strong memory and less dementia
Official title: Extreme Longevity, Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Funded at Translational Genomics Research Inst · NIH-11195707 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at genes and blood-based markers in centenarians and their children to learn why some people live past 100 with good thinking and lower Alzheimer's risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Translational Genomics Research Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2004 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,537,067 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG023122-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195707 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are centenarians, their adult offspring, or older adults willing to provide blood samples and health information for follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot provide biological samples, are far removed from the age range of interest, or who have conditions unrelated to aging and dementia may not directly benefit from participation.
What this research studies
Researchers will study DNA, proteins, and small molecules from people who live to very old ages and from their children to find combinations that protect the brain. The team will add new genetic and multi-omics data to an existing centenarian cohort and compare molecular signatures linked to longevity and cognitive health. Findings aim to reveal biomarkers of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s-related protection that could point to targets for future treatments. The work builds on prior consortium results that already found longevity-linked genes and metabolic/protein patterns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to blood tests that identify people at lower or higher Alzheimer's risk and to new targets for treatments that help preserve thinking with age.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work from the Longevity Consortium has already identified genes and proteomic/metabolomic signatures linked to extreme longevity and protection from dementia, so this builds on promising results.
Where this research is happening
-
Translational Genomics Research Inst
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sebastiani, Paola — Translational Genomics Research Inst
- Study coordinator: Sebastiani, Paola
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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.