November 13, 2026
Research on aging gets a major boost with new funding
A grant from the National Institute on Aging will help scientists better understand brain health and uncover ways to prevent dementia.
More than 7 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. These conditions also affect countless families.
This is why research on ways to prevent dementia is so important.
Kaiser Permanente recently received new funding for a landmark study on brain aging. The funding will help move this research forward.
Groundbreaking research spanning decades
For more than 30 years, our Adult Changes in Thought Study has looked for ways to delay or prevent dementia.
More than 7,000 Kaiser Permanente members age 65 and older in Washington state have joined the study. Participants have study visits every 2 years.
With these members’ ongoing support, we’ve made many important discoveries. For example, we’ve learned that:
- Regular exercise can help lower the risk of dementia
- High blood sugar levels, hearing and vision loss, air pollution, and certain medications may raise dementia risk
More than 1,000 participants have also donated their brains to the study. Their donations help scientists learn how the brain changes with age and with dementia.
“The Adult Changes in Thought Study has become one of the world’s richest sources of information about brain health and aging,” said Linda McEvoy, PhD, a co-lead investigator for the study. “With this new funding, we can ask deeper questions about why some people stay healthy as they get older. We can also learn how to better protect and preserve brain health.”
Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute lead the study with researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, San Diego.
Funding future discoveries
New funding for the study comes from the National Institute on Aging. The $55.8-million award extends the study’s funding through June 2031.
These plans include studying:
- How heart and blood vessel conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, play a role in dementia
- How treating those conditions affects brain health
- Differences in brain health and dementia risk between men and women
“The Adult Changes in Thought Study gives us a rare opportunity to look at how brain health changes over time,” McEvoy said. “The more we understand those changes, the closer we get to finding ways to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.”
For many Kaiser Permanente members who take part in the study, it’s about more than research. It’s about hope, a shared purpose, and a way to help others.
“Mom was a true believer in medical advancement,” wrote the son of a participant who also donated her brain. “It meant a lot to her to be part of the study and the optimism underlying the research.”
