Top organizations announce awards for emerging leaders in brain health and dementia

To address the growing worldwide public health crisis due to dementia, the prevalence of which is expected to triple worldwide to 152 million by 2050, three leading organizations announced this year's Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders.

The Alzheimer's Association, Global Brain Health Institute, and the UK-based Alzheimer's Society have united to address global challenges with access to care, stigma, brain health risk factors, and other key issues through a competitive funding program for emerging leaders in brain health and dementia.

Investments include research in the areas of advocacy, systems change, applied research and more. The awards will drive projects, activities, and research to address disparities in dementia diagnosis, treatment, and care for vulnerable populations and their families.

The 2019 awards - 27 in total - include a study of air pollution and dementia in Brazil, an investigation of social media use as an early indication of cognitive decline in Egypt, and an arts project in the U.S. that involves people living with dementia and their care partners in the creation and active participation in a dance performance.

This year's Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders span 14 countries across five continents, including Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Romania, South Africa, UK and USA.

The total funding of approximately $675,000 (£533,000, €612,000) includes about $25,000 (£19,700, €22,700) for each individual award to enable the recipients' to pilot test a project and then, if successful, seek further resources to scale up their work.