Health and Aging

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Research

  • 2011-2012 Alzheimer's Disease Progress Report: Intensifying the Research Effort
    A summary of Alzheimer's disease research, infrastructure, and funding supported by the NIH.
  • Aging Hearts and Arteries: A Scientific Quest
    Age is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke incidence rises steeply after age 65, accounting for more than 40 percent of all deaths among people age 65 to 74 and almost 60 percent at age 85 and above. People age 65 and older are much more likely than younger people to suffer a heart attack, to have a stroke, or to develop coronary heart disease and high blood pressure leading to heart failure. Cardiovascular disease is also a major cause of disability, limiting the activity and eroding the quality of life of millions of older people each year.
  • Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet
    Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Biology of Aging
    What is aging? Can we live long and well—are they the same? Is aging in our genes? How does our metabolism relate to aging? Can your immune system still defend you as you age? Learn the answer to these questions and more. Biology of Aging: Research Today for a Healthier Tomorrow describes some of NIA’s exciting findings about the basic biology of aging and points to directions for future investigation.
  • Clinical Trials and Older People
    Mr. Jackson is 73 years old and just found out that he has Alzheimer's disease. He is worried about how it will affect his daily life. Will he forget to take his medicine? Will he forget his favorite memories, like the births of his children or taking part in the March on Washington with Martin Luther King, Jr.? When Mr. Jackson talked to his doctor about his concerns, the doctor told him about a clinical trial that is testing a possible new Alzheimer's treatment. But Mr. Jackson is not sure about this clinical trial business.
  • Finding Your Way—Resources for Early Career Researchers
    The National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) mission is to improve the health and well-being of older people through basic, clinical, and social and behavioral research. Part of this mission is to train and develop scientists who one day may become leaders in the field of aging research.
  • Participating in Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials and Studies Fact Sheet
    When Margaret was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease at age 68, she wanted to do everything possible to combat the disease. She talked with her doctor about experimental treatments and clinical trials she had heard about in the news and worked with the doctor to find a trial that was right for her. Margaret appreciated being able to talk to experts about Alzheimer’s and felt she was doing something that might also help her children and grandchildren avoid the disease.
  • Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know?
    Although Alzheimer's disease currently has no cure, recent research results point toward a day when it might be possible to delay, slow down, or even prevent this devastating brain disorder. This 24-page booklet describes the latest NIA-funded research about prevention of Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline, from physical exercise and diet to social engagement and cognitive training. Also included are tips for staying healthy as you grow older.
  • Understanding Risk: What Do Those Headlines Really Mean?
    “Risk” is the chance that something bad will happen—like catching the flu or being hit by a car when crossing the street. Risk does not mean that something bad will definitely happen.
  • Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective
    Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective (PDF, 1.44MB) provides a succinct description of population trends that are transforming the world in fundamental ways. This report, using data from the United Nations, U.S. Census Bureau, and Statistical Office of the European Communities, as well as regional surveys, identifies nine emerging trends in global aging. These trends present a snapshot of challenges and opportunities that will stimulate a cross-national scientific and policy dialogue.

Publications

Alzheimer's Disease

NIA Go4Life

Spanish

NIHSeniorHealth