New Legislation Could Transform Texas Into a Hub for Dementia Innovation
February 28, 2025
Dr. Adam J. Woods, dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) at The University of Texas at Dallas, visited the Texas Capitol for a discussion on a proposed $3 billion state fund for dementia research in Texas.
A cognitive neuroscientist by trade, Dr. Woods has devoted his career to understanding Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. On Thursday, he joined various scientists and medical professionals in Austin, Texas, to talk about a push from the state’s leadership to create the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) and the important impact it would have on Texans.
At UT Dallas, BBS houses more than 105 scholars and researchers who specialize in neuroscience, psychology, and speech, language, and hearing. These faculty members have affiliations to various centers and labs that study the brain and various neurological conditions. Whether at the benchtop or at the bedside, BBS faculty aim to play an important role in the fight against dementia. Like Dr. Woods, many of them have devoted their research to age-related decline in thinking and memory and neurodegenerative diseases that ravage our later years of life.
“We’re in a unique position that puts UT Dallas at the forefront of this issue,” Dr. Woods said. “Our BBS scientists touch every aspect of dementia, from studies with cutting-edge technology to directly intervene or provide early detection of dementia to supporting our clinicians focused on preventive care. The research and clinical care conducted within these walls has already been searching to solve unanswered questions and find solutions for people suffering from dementia.”
Taking Ownership of Brain Health
At UT Dallas, a key research hub in this field is the Center for BrainHealth, which for more than 25 years has been redefining how people understand and address the brain’s health through leading-edge cognitive neuroscience research and science-backed programs.
The BrainHealth Index (BHI) is a personalized measure that tracks brain health across key factors like cognition, social engagement, mental health, and lifestyle – using a combination of more than 20 established assessments, including the proprietary Test of Strategic Learning (TOSL). By capturing how these factors interact, the BHI provides a clear, holistic picture of evolving brain performance over time.
In a groundbreaking new research collaboration, the Center for BrainHealth is combining the power of the BHI with large-scale genetic, memory, and reaction time data. This partnership and other research studies are uniquely positioned to work toward the:
- Detection of the earliest signs of cognitive decline—even before clinical symptoms appear.
- Revelation of how genetic factors impact strategic thinking, learning, and cognitive resilience.
- Understanding the potential impact of proactive cognitive and lifestyle strategies in extending brain health and potentially staving off the onset of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Jane Wigginton, MD, MSCS, the Medical Science Research Director at Center for BrainHealth, said, “Our research integrates advanced cognitive metrics, genetic data, and targeted recommendations that may aid in the early detection and slowing or halting of cognitive decline.”
Searching for Early Signs
UT Dallas faculty at the Center for Vital Longevity (CVL) engage in research studies aimed at understanding how cognition and the brain develop and change throughout our lives. The center also focuses on research aimed to identify who is most at risk of cognitive impairment and evaluate treatments that might prevent or halt cognitive decline.
The Kennedy Neuroimaging of Aging and Cognition Lab is among the nine labs that comprise CVL, each led by an individual scientist and faculty member at the University. At this lab, Dr. Kristen Kennedy uses neuroimaging techniques to investigate how the health of a brain’s structure supports the brain’s function and how these impact cognitive performance as we age.
Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Karen Rodrigue, two CVL researchers and UTD psychology professors, recently secured $3.7 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue the follow-up of their longitudinal study which aims to advance understanding of individual differences in brain aging. Their Dallas Area Longitudinal Lifespan Aging Study investigates age and biomarker-related differences in brain structure, function, and neurometabolites by following study participants across 14 years.
Biomarkers of healthy aging or dementia refer to qualities that correlate with health or disease and theoretically track either progression of a pathological state or maintenance of a healthy state. for AD include measurement of specific protein elevations in cerebrospinal fluid or blood, genes that convey increased risk, and multiple features that can be measured using neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and PET.
“The search for biomarkers of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is focused on identification of the earliest biological correlates that predict disease even before symptoms occur,” said Dr. Kristen M. Kennedy, professor at the BBS Department of Psychology and head of the Cognitive Neuroscience Doctoral Program. “This is important because when treatments eventually become available for dementia, it will be most beneficial to administer them as early in adulthood as possible, before the AD neuropathology sets into the brain.”
Neuroscience Meets Engineering
Also at UT Dallas, the University houses the Texas Biomedical Device Center (TxBDC).
This center houses neuroscientists and engineers who develop interventions meant to restore the quality of life lost due to neurological injuries and disease.
The center’s researchers are at the forefront of investigations into neuroplasticity and its role in the development of a wide range of therapies for disorders such as tinnitus and chronic pain, stroke, traumatic brain injury, autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In 2009, UT Dallas researchers determined that stimulation of the vagus nerve – a nerve in the neck responsible for relaying information about the state of the body to the brain – could affect neuroplasticity in the brain.
Neural Targeted Plasticity Therapy (TPT) uses stimulation of the vagus nerve delivered during specific rehabilitation and learning exercises to promote “rewiring” of neural circuits, dramatically improving recovery. This approach to treating neurological disease can transform health care and restore quality of life to patients who have traditionally had no options.
Hearing and Cognition
Hearing loss affects a person’s physical, emotional and intellectual health. According to the 2020 Lancet Commission report on dementia, untreated hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounting for 8% of the attributable risk for dementia.
Recent evidence suggests that treating hearing loss may improve cognitive outcomes in older adults and possibly reverse the neuroplastic changes associated with it. Because hearing loss has a prevalence of more than 30% in people over the age of 50, regular audiological evaluations and effective hearing treatments are essential components of health care for older adults.
The UT Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders is one of the nation’s few centers dedicated to treatment, training and research in communication disorders. Among its many services, the Callier Center provides audiology evaluations for children and adults, where licensed audiologists evaluate hearing loss and develop personalized treatment plans on two campuses, one in the Dallas medical district on Inwood Road and another one on the main campus of UT Dallas in Richardson.
Part of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, UT Dallas’ Doctor of Audiology Program ranks No. 3 in the nation, while its Master of Science in Communication Disorders (speech-language pathology) ranks No. 21, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Through dedicated funding, the Callier Center provides treatment to hundreds of families, many of whom could not otherwise afford care. Recently, the Dallas-based nonprofit The Crystal Charity Ball pledged $1.2 million over three years to provide approximately 400 economically disadvantaged children with personalized hearing aids, 3D-printed earmolds, hearing aid fittings and comprehensive audiological care at little or no cost.
From Brilliant Ideas to Breakthrough Discoveries
The Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) at UT Dallas is dedicated to acting as a powerful catalyst for transformative medical discoveries. Established last year under the leadership of Colleen Le Prell, PhD, Professor and Department Head of Speech, Language, and Hearing, and Jane Wigginton, MD, MSCS, Medical Director and Co-Director, the CTRC is on a mission to bridge the gap between the wealth of innovative scientific research and clinical application at UT Dallas.
At its core, the CTRC is designed to harness the brilliant and well-thought-out ideas emerging from across BBS and accelerate their journey from laboratory research and early clinical trials to clinical practice. By providing expert guidance and resources, the CTRC empowers researchers to translate their findings into cutting-edge medical advancements that have the potential to redefine medical understanding and practice in a multitude of areas, including cognitive impairment and dementias.
The center offers specialized consultation services for projects ready to transition from preclinical to clinical trials. This includes strategic guidance on clinical trial design and execution, expert support for grant proposal development, budget planning, and navigation through regulatory and ethical requirements. They aim to reduce the barriers to translational and clinical research, enabling the most impactful scientific ideas to reach patients and healthcare providers.
The CTRC is here to support UT Dallas researchers as they pioneer innovative health solutions that change the future of medicine.
Funding to Address a National Need
Legislation under discussion would create a fund and expedite dementia research in Texas to encourage early-stage, innovative biomedical and neurology-related science at eligible institutions. Modeled after Texas’ successful $6 billion Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, known as CPRIT, this initiative will bring approximately $300 million in state grants to Texas researchers every year for a decade. CPRIT has awarded more than $3.7 billion in grants to Texas Cancer Researchers since its inception in 2007.
In the United States, Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia, making up approximately 80% of cases, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
An estimated 6.9 million Americans aged 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s in 2024, with women making up the majority—about 4.2 million compared to 2.7 million men. Studies indicate that women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Texas, approximately 460,000 residents 65 years and older had Alzheimer’s in 2020. The state ranks fourth nationwide in total cases and second in Alzheimer ’s-related deaths, according to a September report by the Texas Health and Human Services.
In 2021, Alzheimer’s disease was the fifth-leading cause of death among people aged 65 and older. By 2050, the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is projected to rise to nearly 13 million, according to a report by the Alzheimer’s Association.
This disorder affects nearly everyone, either directly or indirectly, and many may eventually take on the role of caretaker for a loved one with dementia—a responsibility that can be both costly and emotionally demanding.
By prioritizing this issue, the state has the opportunity to expand its capacity to address dementia and related disorders, advancing our understanding and equipping Texans with better resources to manage its impact. Increased investment in research, prevention strategies, and advanced treatments not only supports the health of Texas residents but also strengthens the state’s role in driving medical and scientific breakthroughs in dementia care.
