University of Delaware awarded million grant to advance Alzheimer’s prevention research.

The University of Delaware recently announced a significant .1 million donation from the Delaware Community Foundation, aimed at advancing research focused on the early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. This donation marks the largest contribution to the university’s Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR) directed specifically toward Alzheimer’s research.

The funds are derived from the Paul H. Boerger Fund, established following the passing of commercial real estate mogul Paul Boerger in 2017. Boerger bequeathed approximately million of his estate to the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), with a dedicated goal to foster research aimed at preventing and ultimately curing Alzheimer’s, a debilitating disease that currently affects nearly 490,000 individuals in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

In 2023, a separate million grant from Boerger’s fund was granted to the University of Pennsylvania to support the development of innovative treatments targeting the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The recent announcement from the University of Delaware represents a significant expansion of research efforts in this crucial field.

The new funding allocated to the University of Delaware will support the expansion of a longitudinal study aimed at Alzheimer’s prevention. Initially, the researchers, who began their work last year, intended to monitor around 100 participants. However, with the new grant, they plan to increase the cohort to track the brain health of approximately 500 individuals. The research team is currently seeking adults aged 45 and older who reside within a two-hour drive from the university and exhibit either normal cognitive function or early signs of cognitive decline.

Participation in this study entails annual cognitive assessments, which can be administered in person or via virtual platforms such as Zoom, focusing on various cognitive functions including memory and reasoning. Additionally, every other year, participants will undergo blood tests to identify potential biomarkers for Alzheimer’s, alongside MRI scans to observe brain changes over time.

Researchers emphasize the importance of capturing data during the early stages of cognitive decline to better understand the initial changes associated with Alzheimer’s. This fundamental insight may pave the way for the development of intervention strategies focused on preventing the progression of dementia. Potential interventions could include connecting participants to clinical trials designed to slow disease progression or encouraging lifestyle alterations that promote cognitive health.

The funding will also facilitate the acquisition of a .2 million MRI machine, which will provide enhanced imaging capabilities to observe the brain with much higher resolution. Furthermore, part of the donation will be directed towards the development of a blood test to identify biomarkers that could forecast the advancement of Alzheimer’s. While there are existing blood tests capable of detecting certain biomarkers, they currently do not offer predictive insights regarding who might develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

Media News Source will continue to monitor developments in this critical area of research, as the University of Delaware takes significant steps in combating this pervasive and debilitating disease.