Why some people stay mentally sharp into their 90s
Cognitively Healthy Nonagenarians in the Cross Cohort Collaboration (CCC)
This project looks for health, lifestyle, and genetic patterns that help people stay mentally sharp past age 85 by combining long-term data from many older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11058781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers combine and harmonize long-term data from multiple health studies that followed people from midlife into their 80s and beyond. They will compare medical records, cognitive tests, brain imaging, blood biomarkers such as Aβ42, genetic markers like APOE, and lifestyle and vascular health factors. The goal is to learn what increases dementia risk in the oldest-old and what helps some people remain cognitively healthy into their 90s. The work uses existing participant information and samples rather than testing new treatments. If you or a loved one were followed in a long-term study, your existing data might contribute to these findings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults aged 85 or older—especially those who remain cognitively healthy—or people already enrolled in long-term cohort studies who can share past medical, cognitive, and lifestyle records.
Not a fit: People seeking an experimental treatment or immediate clinical therapy are unlikely to receive direct benefit because this is an observational, data-based effort.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal risk and resilience factors that help prevent or delay dementia in people aged 85 and older, guiding future prevention and care strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Pooling cohort data has previously helped identify dementia-related genes and biomarkers, but applying this harmonized approach specifically to the oldest-old and resilience is a newer direction with limited prior results.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seshadri, Sudha — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Seshadri, Sudha
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.