Understanding Cognition Through Harmonized Data

Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA U24AG065182), the HCAP Network is an ongoing international research collaboration to measure and understand dementia risk within ongoing longitudinal studies of aging around the world. The HCAP Network aims to harmonize methods and content to facilitate cross-national comparisons.

About the HCAP Network

HCAP Network is a group of researchers working together to support harmonization of international studies using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP). HCAP was designed by the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) team in consultation with several of its international sister studies to provide a flexible but comparable instrument for measuring cognitive function among older adults around the world.

The ultimate goal of the HCAP Network is to develop international data resources for the study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). These data resources will expand research opportunities to exploit cross-country variation in key life-course factors that likely affect cognitive function and the risk for AD/ADRD, such as educational attainment, wealth, retirement policies, diet, and the prevalence and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.

At the same time, cross-country variations also raise unique challenges for maintaining the harmonization of tests and measures necessary for good comparative research. The HCAP Network addresses these challenges through a range of pilot projects.