Previous work by Mosley and ARIC colleagues has pointed to the importance of vascular risk factors in predicting decline in cognitive functions such as memory and processing speed. Using brain imaging, Mosley and colleagues have also shown brain changes, such as atrophy and silent strokes, are surprisingly common, even in middle-age adults and that these brain abnormalities begin to affect cognitive functions as early as middle age.

"A key question is whether brain changes we find in mid life predict dementia later in life and, if so, whether they are caused by potentially modifiable conditions, such as hypertension," Mosley said.

The ARIC Neurocognitive Study will also bring together state-of-the-art brain imaging and new genetic technology, powerful tools in the search for the causes of dementia.

"Rapidly advancing technology helps us address fundamental questions about how and why the brain ages," Mosley said. "We've put together a world-class team of leading experts representing a range of disciplines, including brain imaging, genetics, epidemiology, and neurology, to illuminate factors that increase risk as well as those that may protect against dementia."

In light of the aging U.S. population and a strong association between age and dementia risk, Mosley said it's paramount to improve clinical care and decode the factors that contribute to and protect against dementia.

"They represent some of the greatest challenges facing our medical system over the next 50 years," he said.

The ARIC Neurocognitive Study is the foundational study of UMMC's Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia (MIND) Center, which Mosley directs.

A separate capital campaign at UMMC is under way to raise $8.9 million for the MIND Center. As the center develops, Mosley plans to recruit additional investigators to expand research in brain aging and dementia.

Source: University of Mississippi Medical Center