PURPOSE OF THE AGING MIND LAB
How can we maintain a healthy mind for life?
This is one of the most urgent scientific issues confronting us in the 21st century. The cost of cognitive frailty to the aged, their families, and our medical system is staggering. A scientific understanding of how to slow the aging of the mind by five years would reduce the rate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. To address this issue, the Park Aging Mind Lab focuses on three goals.
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GOAL1
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How does the aging mind work?
Put simply, to understand neuropathology and the fundamental causes of Alzheimer’s disease, scientists must understand how a healthy mind works and is maintained. The study of the healthy aging mind is the bedrock upon which cures for neurologic diseases that occur with age will be built. The Dallas Lifespan Brain Study is focused on this goal and has yielded a wealth of information, with much more to come.
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GOAL2
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Can a vital, engaged life slow the rate at which the mind ages?
We think the answer to this question is “yes” based on our research. The Synapse Project is a breakthrough study of how engagement in mentally-challenging leisure activities improved cognitive function in older adults. The findings are very promising, but more work is needed to confirm and extend the original results.
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GOAL3
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Training the best new scientists
The Park Aging Mind Lab is committed to training top young scientists who are spread across the world and developing their own research. One of our mottos is “The sun never sets on Park Lab.”
If you would like to make a financial gift to the Park Aging Mind Lab, please visit the UT Dallas support website
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