NIH dementia research advances and achievements: Read the FY26 professional judgment budget and annual progress report

The federal government’s growing investment in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research continues to empower discoveries of innovative diagnostics and risk reduction and treatment strategies. NIH-funded investigators developed commercially available blood tests to detect amyloid and tau, which are hallmarks of the disease, and the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved biomarker diagnostic tool. These evidence-based resources help clinicians and scientists diagnose Alzheimer’s and evaluate interventions. NIH funding also helped scientists identify new genetic, behavioral, environmental, lifestyle, and protective factors for dementia, and led to enhanced data sharing, interdisciplinary collaborations, and resources to support a diverse scientific workforce.

Additionally, in the past two years, FDA approved two new drugs for the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. While NIH did not provide direct support for the development of these drugs, decades of federal funding were integral to laying the foundation for these and other promising therapeutic approaches. NIH funding also enabled crucial advances in the identification of lifestyle interventions, such as intensive blood pressure control, that may reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia. We continue to be profoundly grateful to all the researchers, study participants, care partners, and others who have made these achievements possible.

NIH Professional Judgment Budget

The

(PDF, 15M) was unveiled Aug. 5 at the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services meeting. It features examples of how additional federal research dollars could be spent to further advance the field and to help reach the research goals of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease .

Each fiscal year, NIH leadership and staff review the Alzheimer’s and related dementias research implementation milestones — specific steps and success criteria for achieving the National Plan’s research goals — to determine additional resources necessary to pursue relevant scientific opportunities. For FY26, NIH estimates a need for $113 million in additional new research support, with overall necessary resources totaling $3.98 billion.

NIH’s FY26 professional judgment budget showcases examples of opportunities to continue momentum toward the National Plan research goals through additional investments in seven key areas:

  • Epidemiology/Population Studies
  • Disease Mechanisms
  • Diagnosis, Assessment, and Disease Monitoring
  • Translational Research and Clinical Interventions
  • Dementia Care and Impact of Disease
  • Research Resources
  • Crosscutting Area: Community-Engaged Research

Continuing scientific progress

NIH has also released its annual

(PDF, 10M), which summarizes the achievements of the past year made possible through NIH-funded and -conducted research. Read the report to learn more about how scientists are:

  • Advancing understanding of the risk and protective factors, genetics, and mechanisms of dementia
  • Expanding large and complex datasets in accessible platforms to speed up translational research on therapeutic candidates
  • Diversifying and de-risking the therapeutic pipeline for disease-modifying drugs
  • Accelerating drug repurposing and combination therapy development
  • Developing tools to detect, diagnose, and monitor dementia
  • Advancing clinical research on lifestyle interventions
  • Increasing understanding of how social and environmental factors affect dementia risk and disparities
  • Expanding research on dementia care and care partner interventions
  • Enhancing diversity and inclusion in clinical trials

Learn more about potential future research, and advancements to date!

As NIA and the broader NIH continue to strengthen our Alzheimer’s and related dementias research portfolio, discover more about our vision and achievements to date by reading our latest professional judgment budget and progress report .

Budget, Paylines, and Funding Policy Strategic Directions 2024-08-07T00:00:00Z