The center will be led by Maria Glymour, chair and professor of epidemiology at Boston University’s School of Public Health; Andrew Stokes, associate professor of global health at the School of Public Health; and Deborah Carr, Distinguished Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts & Sciences. Their research program will focus on the demographic, social, economic, and environmental forces that shape cognitive health across the life course. The researchers aim to move beyond studies that identify individual risk factors and instead examine how those factors interact with communities, institutions, public policies, and changing social conditions.

The need for this approach is becoming increasingly urgent. Federal estimates indicate that the number of people living with dementia in the United States could rise sharply by 2060, as population aging increases the number of individuals at risk. Although Alzheimer’s disease develops through complex biological processes, evidence increasingly suggests that health behaviors and social exposures may influence when symptoms begin and how rapidly disability progresses. Factors such as cardiovascular health, education, income, housing, social isolation, access to medical care, and exposure to chronic stress may affect cognitive aging over several decades rather than at a single point in adulthood.

“This center will connect researchers across BU who have shared interests in ADRD and aging to understand how we can slow the onset and progression of ADRD over time,” Glymour says. She will lead BU-SHARP’s Administrative and Research Support Core. Her work examines how social conditions across the life course influence cognitive functioning, including the possibility that experiences occurring early in life may alter vulnerability to dementia many years later. Because Alzheimer’s pathology can begin decades before a clinical diagnosis, studying only the period immediately before diagnosis can obscure the causes of disease and exaggerate the apparent importance of late-life factors.

BU-SHARP will concentrate on three connected areas of research. The first will examine the onset, progression, and consequences of dementia among people with disabilities, underserved rural communities, and other populations that experience disproportionate burdens. The second will investigate social stressors and related dynamics that may contribute to cognitive decline throughout the lifespan. The third will ask how those influences can be changed through health interventions, social programs, environmental improvements, or public policy. Researchers will use longitudinal studies, administrative records, survey data, and other underused datasets to analyze patterns over time while addressing technical challenges such as missing data, selection bias, measurement error, and differences in diagnostic access.

Those methodological problems are central to dementia research. People who receive an Alzheimer’s diagnosis may differ from undiagnosed individuals not only in their underlying cognitive health but also in their access to physicians, insurance coverage, transportation, family support, and specialty care. As a result, researchers must distinguish between biological differences in disease and social differences in detection. Longitudinal and causal-inference methods can help investigators estimate whether a particular exposure is associated with dementia, whether it actually contributes to disease, and whether changing it could reduce risk. BU-SHARP plans to provide technical assistance and methodological resources to researchers who may not otherwise have access to advanced expertise in these areas.

The center will also create a pipeline for early-career investigators. Planned activities include pilot grants for innovative small-scale studies, mentorship, office hours for data and analytic support, and a national meeting series where researchers can workshop projects and receive detailed feedback. A research translation program will train students to communicate findings about dementia to wider audiences through partnerships with Boston University’s Public Health Post and the College of Arts & Sciences’ Social Science Summer Writing Internship Program. The goal is to ensure that scientifically rigorous findings can reach clinicians, community organizations, journalists, and policymakers in a form that supports informed action.

Stokes, who will lead BU-SHARP’s Communication and Dissemination Core, says dementia research must be designed with its eventual users in mind. “ADRD researchers often lack the training and support they need to strategically disseminate their work and reach the policymakers and practitioners who could act on them,” he says. The center will therefore treat communication and translation as part of the research process rather than as a final step. This may include identifying which populations are represented in a study, explaining the limits of observational evidence, and presenting statistical results in ways that clarify both the potential benefits and uncertainties of prevention strategies.

Carr will lead the Pilot Core, which will support interdisciplinary projects linking behavioral science, public health, economics, sociology, law, and biomedical research. She argues that the wide-ranging effects of dementia require more than a single disciplinary perspective. Dementia can alter employment, household finances, caregiving responsibilities, housing stability, family relationships, and end-of-life decisions. Understanding those consequences may reveal intervention points that are invisible in studies focused exclusively on brain pathology. “Creating a pipeline of methodologically sophisticated researchers with deep knowledge of ADRD—spanning multiple disciplines—will be key in advancing knowledge,” Carr says.

Several additional Boston University faculty members will serve as coinvestigators, including Jennifer Weuve, Tal Gross, and Christopher Robertson. Weuve will contribute expertise in epidemiological methods through Methods in Longitudinal Research on Dementia, an initiative devoted to improving approaches for identifying the causes of dementia and cognitive decline. She is also involved in BU Scholars for Quantitative Interdisciplinary Aging Research, a five-year, $2.1 million NIA-funded training program for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. Together, BU-SHARP and the training program will give emerging scientists opportunities to use advanced data sources, apply quantitative methods, and study the social and biological factors that influence healthy aging. The center is inviting researchers at Boston University and elsewhere, including scholars new to dementia research, to participate as its website and mailing list become available.

Subject of Research: Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, healthy cognitive aging, dementia prevention, health inequities, population science, and interdisciplinary research training.

Article Title: Boston University Launches $2.8 Million Research Hub to Tackle Alzheimer’s Inequities

News Publication Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Web References: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/risk-future-burden-dementia-united-states; https://www.nia.nih.gov/; https://reporter.nih.gov/search/WOsWX5ngF0WPyVjUwOBBPw/project-details/11258134; https://www.bu.edu/sph/profile/maria-glymour/; https://www.bu.edu/sph/profile/andrew-stokes/; https://www.bu.edu/sociology/profile/deborah-carr/; https://sites.bu.edu/melodem/; https://publichealthpost.org/

References: National Institute on Aging; Boston University School of Public Health; Boston University College of Arts & Sciences; Methods in Longitudinal Research on Dementia; BU Scholars for Quantitative Interdisciplinary Aging Research.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, ADRD, cognitive aging, public health, epidemiology, demography, health disparities, population health, prevention, longitudinal research, social determinants of health, aging populations, research collaboration.

The PACT study is a groundbreaking research initiative that explores whether structured computerized brain exercises can serve as an effective intervention to forestall cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Initiated in 2020, this ambitious multi-site clinical trial spans 10 locations across the southeastern United States and includes partnerships with multiple prestigious universities such as Duke, Clemson, and the University of Florida. Enlisting 7,600 senior adults representing all essential demographic groups, this extensive cohort offers a robust dataset to evaluate the potential of cognitive training as a preventive strategy against neurodegenerative disease progression.

Dr. Jennifer O’Brien emphasizes that the urgency of developing interventions to slow dementia stems from demographic shifts and epidemiological trends. With the Baby Boomer generation entering advanced age, the incidence of cognitive disorders is poised to surge dramatically. The trial seeks to address this burgeoning crisis with a scientific rigor and scale unparalleled in prior research. Cognitive training protocols under investigation encompass an array of computerized exercises designed to challenge memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function, harnessing neuroplasticity — the brain’s inherent capacity to reorganize neural pathways in response to stimulation.

More than 55 million individuals globally live with dementia-related conditions, with Alzheimer’s disease constituting over seven million cases within the United States, according to data from the Alzheimer’s Association. These figures underscore an urgent need for scalable, non-pharmacological interventions that can be widely disseminated. Dr. Jennifer Harris, a member of the PACT research team affiliated with USF’s Health Informatics Institute, points to participant diversity and engagement as critical strengths that enhance the generalizability and impact of the study’s outcomes.

Eligibility criteria for the PACT study require participants to be 65 years or older and cognitively intact at baseline, with no clinical signs of impairment. The trial’s methodology is meticulous: initial in-person sessions introduce participants to cognitive training regimens through hands-on demonstrations by trained researchers and staff members. Following this orientation, participants complete approximately 45 hours of tailored computer-based cognitive exercises at home over a three-year period. The study design integrates a rigorous follow-up protocol, with participants returning for a final in-person assessment to gauge intervention efficacy comprehensively.

Managing retention and adherence across a vast, geographically dispersed participant pool over multiple years has posed significant logistical challenges. Dr. O’Brien notes that unforeseen life events, including natural disasters such as hurricanes, as well as general participant attrition risks, have necessitated innovative strategies in participant engagement and motivation. Through adaptive communication, personalized feedback, and community-building efforts, the research team has achieved remarkable retention, setting a precedent for longitudinal clinical studies targeting older adults.

Although the PACT study’s definitive results remain forthcoming, anticipated by late 2028, the implications are profound. The research posits that even a modest delay in dementia onset by a single year could translate into 9.2 million fewer cases over three decades in the United States alone, reflecting a substantial reduction in healthcare burden, caregiver stress, and economic costs. This potential impact underscores the critical importance of validating and optimizing cognitive training interventions.

From a neuroscientific perspective, cognitive training targets key pathways vulnerable to neurodegeneration, aiming to enhance synaptic function and support compensatory mechanisms that preserve cognitive capacities. This approach contrasts with current pharmacological treatments, which primarily focus on symptom management rather than disease modification or prevention. The PACT trial’s large-scale, controlled design offers a rare opportunity to empirically ascertain the long-term benefits and limitations of cognitive resilience strategies.

The funding awarded by the NIH’s National Institute on Aging reflects a strong governmental commitment to visionary research addressing dementia, which affects millions of families worldwide. Beyond advancing scientific knowledge, the PACT study contributes to institutional goals at USF, a top-tier research university renowned for innovation and translating research into real-world impact. With USF’s rising trajectory in biomedical sciences and a growing portfolio of federally funded projects, this study exemplifies the university’s role in shaping future directions in aging and neurodegeneration research.

Public interest and participant willingness to engage in this extensive trial speak volumes about societal concerns regarding cognitive health and dementia. Dr. O’Brien emphasizes that participant enthusiasm not only facilitates research logistics but also reflects growing awareness and proactive attitudes towards brain health among aging populations. This cultural shift is vital for fostering environments conducive to successful clinical trial participation and eventual dissemination of effective preventive interventions.

As the PACT study progresses, continuous monitoring of cognitive, functional, and biomarker outcomes will provide a multifaceted assessment of intervention effects. Collaborative efforts across participating sites leverage expertise in psychology, neuroscience, geriatrics, and health informatics to ensure a comprehensive evaluation framework. Dissemination of findings will inform clinical guidelines, public health policy, and future directions in dementia prevention research.

In summary, the PACT clinical trial represents a landmark endeavor in exploring cognitive training as a viable, scalable approach to mitigate dementia risk and improve quality of life for aging populations. Supported by unprecedented federal investment and led by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, this study embodies hope not only for scientific breakthroughs but also for transformative societal impact on one of the most pressing medical challenges of our time.

Subject of Research: Cognitive training interventions to delay onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Article Title: USF’s PACT Study Secures Over $50 Million Federal Funding to Transform Dementia Prevention

News Publication Date: March 25, 2026

Web References:

• https://pactstudy.org/
• https://www.nih.gov/
• https://www.alz.org/
• https://www.usf.edu

Image Credits: USF/Clifford McBride

Keywords: Dementia, Alzheimer disease, Cognitive training, Neurodegenerative diseases, Clinical trial, Cognitive impairment, Aging, Brain health, Neuroplasticity, Preventive interventions, Cognitive psychology, NIH funding