Research News
Alzheimer's disease neuropathology plasma biomarkers and cognition in midlife: a community-based cohort study
June 29, 2026
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and dementia maximizes the window to access disease-modifying therapies, enables participation in clinical trials, and rules out treatable conditions. It also allows individuals and their families to plan ahead while they can still actively make their own medical and legal decisions.
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Looking for the earliest possible warning signs of Alzheimer’s has been the focus of recent NIH-funded research co-published by NCIRE Board Member, Dr. Kristine Yaffe, who is the senior author of the study titled “Alzheimer's disease neuropathology plasma biomarkers and cognition in midlife: a community-based cohort study”.
Frequent in dementia, deadliest without it: delirium and mortality in hospitalised older adults
June 25, 2026
Delirium is common in hospitalized older adults and is associated with mortality. Whether this prognostic association varies by baseline cognition is uncertain.
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Drs. Sei Lee and Alexander K. Smith and their research colleagues evaluated the association between delirium and 90-day mortality and whether baseline cognitive status modified this relationship, in their study titled “Frequent in dementia, deadliest without it: delirium and mortality in hospitalised older adults”.
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The study was published in the British Geriatrics Society international clinical geriatrics journal Age and Aging.
The Veterans Affairs’ Whole Health Approach for Chronic Pain Management: The wHOPE Randomized Clinical Trial
June 17, 2026
Chronic pain is a leading disability among military Veterans, affecting up to 50 percent of those who served. Veterans are also up to 40 percent more likely to suffer from severe, persistent pain than the general civilian population.
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To address this prevalence, in 2016 Congress mandated the Whole Health approach for patients with chronic pain receiving care in VA hospitals.
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To test its benefits, NCIRE Board Members, Drs. Karen Seal and Thomas Neylan, as well as Drs. Shira Maguen, Carolyn Gibson, and Natalie Purcell conducted a randomized clinical trial involving six VA health systems in the US enrolled participants between September 18, 2020, and January 19, 2024. The final follow-up occurred on January 27, 2025.
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​The trial results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Seal was the lead author of the publication.
Theresa Allison Presents “Whole Person Approaches to Brain Health”
June 10, 2026
Dr. Theresa Allison is presenting "Whole Person Approaches to Brain Health" on Thursday, June 11th at the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living as part of the Golden Hour Series, Illuminating Ideas That Shape How We Age.
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Utilizing her unique background as a family physician, geriatrician and ethnomusicologist, Dr. Allison will share how music, spirituality, creativity, art, and social connection can play a powerful role in supporting people living with dementia and those who care for them.
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To learn more about Dr. Allison’s research visit https://www.ncire.org/ncire-investigators
Dr. Alexander K. Smith named Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
June 4, 2026
NCIRE congratulates Dr. Alexander K. Smith for his new appointment as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS).
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In this role, Dr. Smith will help guide the journal’s mission to publish high-impact research, inform clinical practice, and shape policy in geriatrics. JAGS is widely recognized as a premier forum for disseminating evidence that supports high-quality, person-centered care for aging populations.
Alexander K. Smith published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
May 29, 2026
Loneliness and social isolation are common factors at the end-of-life and can be detrimental to quality of life for older patients.
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Dr. Alexander K. Smith and his colleagues investigated the association between symptoms and end-of-life loneliness and social isolation that could help inform targeted interventions.
Their study titled, "End-of-Life Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Symptom Burden: A Nationally-Representative Study", was co- published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Sunscreen Costs in Association With Sun Protective Behaviors
May 7, 2026
Fairer weather is inviting fun in the sun, yet with brighter days comes the ever-present risk of skin damage from UVA/UVB rays.
As folks reach for their full-spectrum sunscreen, some may think the more expensive the product the better. But according to a study of consumer behavior, cheaper is the way to go.
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Dr. Maria Wei co-published the study titled “Sunscreen Costs in Association With Sun Protective Behaviors” that shows when consumers pay more, they use less and may get burned.​