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Kobe University Bright Aging Project

This project aims to establish a comprehensive system to address dementia—a critical global challenge—spanning preclinical screening, early detection, preventive intervention, and caregiving support. Dementia research requires multifaceted approaches, including biomarker discovery, AI-based assessment, and interdisciplinary interventions, and there is growing expectation for achieving “Bright Aging” through cross-disciplinary co-creation.

At Kobe University, we have advanced both basic and clinical research in fields such as neuropathology, social gerontology, and cognitive psychology. Through the Graduate School of Health Sciences and the Center for the Promotion of Dementia Prevention, we have also promoted the practical implementation of research outcomes in collaboration with local governments.

In particular, we have accumulated extensive longitudinal data from over 1,000 older adults who have undergone multimodal interventions; this dataset includes assessments of cognitive function, physical and psychological health, social activity levels, blood biomarkers, and sleep parameters.

Building on these achievements, the present project integrates molecular nutritional research from the Graduate School of Agricultural Science and eye-tracking technologies from the Graduate School of Maritime Sciences. Our goal is to identify the underlying risk factors for dementia that emerge from midlife—the period when pathological processes typically begin. Ultimately, we aim to construct an integrated system encompassing prevention, early diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and comprehensive caregiving support.