Promoting Brain Health as We Age : Translational Health Research Center : Texas State University

Investigators:

Dr. Carmen Westerberg, Dr. Rebecca Deason, Dr. Ranjini Mohan, Dr. Seoyoun Kim

Research Pillar(s):

An icon of a road with a leaf cluster as the middle pavement marking.

A briefcase icon with a Red Cross symbol, meant to represent the STEM and Healthcare Workforce priority.

A head icon with a heart in place of a brain, meant to represent the Personal Health and Wellbeing pillar.

An icon of an medical monitor showing heart beat activity, meant to represent the Digital Healthcare Transformation pillar.

An ambulance moving at high speed with the siren on, meant to represent the Emergency Preparedness pillar.

Problem

The number of adults age 65 and older in the United States is expected to grow by nearly 50% by 2040. As this population increases, it becomes even more important to understand what helps people age well and what leads to conditions like dementia. Research in this area can help identify ways to support healthy aging and potentially prevent cognitive decline.

Solution

This project examines how sleep and social engagement affect memory and language in older adults who may be at risk for dementia with the goal of understanding how these factors contribute to cognitive decline. This research will help identify lifestyle changes or medical approaches that may protect brain health and prevent dementia.

“Until the 1990s, people just didn’t believe that there was anything special happening during sleep,” Westerberg says. “The conventional wisdom was that we’re resting. But our brain is actually more active when we’re asleep than when we’re awake.”

Dr. Carmen Westerberg

THRC Faculty Fellow