Age-related cognitive decline is a central public health challenge due to a rapidly aging population. However, age-related decline is not inevitable. While some older adults tragically develop dementia and disability at the cusp of retirement, others maintain exceptional cognitive functioning into their 90s. These researchers study these individual differences in cognitive and brain aging. The research is driven by a central question: How can we help more people maintain cognitive functioning as they age?
The study leverages cohort studies (e.g. The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study Health and Development Study) and large datasets (e.g. UK Biobank and ADNI) to generate population-level insights into individual differences in cognitive and brain aging. In tandem, it utilizes deep phenotyping of smaller, informative subpopulations to improve the ability to measure aging (e.g. Cluster Scanning) and test targeted hypotheses. The research seeks translational opportunities by identifying critical windows in the lifespan for prevention and treatment.