Dementia researchers say Texas’ investment will drive breakthroughs in combating the disease

By Stephen Simpson, The Texas Tribune
December 22, 2025

 

“I am me, but I am not me anymore” is already a common phrase heard by those who work in dementia and Alzheimer’s research and care, and with the state’s population aging at a rapid clip, the number of patients saying it is growing.

Texas voters approved the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT) last year, which would invest $3 billion in dementia research and up to $300 million annually thereafter. Experts say the initiative — which aims to make Texas a national leader in dementia research and prevention, driving scientific breakthroughs, attracting top researchers, and creating jobs across Texas — could be a game-changer in the fight against this mysterious disease.

“We now know the genetic compounds for dementia account for 50% of diagnoses. The research we are going to do is going to account for the rest of it,” said Karen Fingerman, the director of the Texas Aging and Longevity Center at The University of Texas at Austin.

Fingerman joined Melissa Sanchez, the state policy director of the Alzheimer’s Association and Gladys Maestre, director of the Memory and Aging Center for UT Rio Grande Valley, for a Texas Tribune event on Wednesday about how these funds will impact the lives of Texans. They said the funds, although not yet distributed, have already given those who work in dementia fields a boost of energy and a feeling of togetherness.

“We are driven by the idea that we are going to conquer this disease, and since the legislator did this, the conversation and energy to seriously attack this has been phenomenal,” said Fingerman. “The time is now.”

Texas is growing older faster than the rest of the nation. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that 459,000 Texans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, about 12% of the state’s population over the age of 65.

Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, accounts for about 80% of cases, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. While a 2023 study shows that the eastern and southeastern United States have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s, Texas is one of three states that have the highest estimated number of older residents who are at risk of Alzheimer’s.

The new institute will research all brain diseases and be governed by a board of physicians and scientists with expertise in brain research. Grants could be awarded for projects addressing the causes, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients, as well as for developing new medicines and facilities to treat them.

Sanchez said this allows organizations and advocacy groups that are not tied to an academic institution to access these funds and contribute to the effort to fight dementia in their own communities.

“DPRIT isn’t the beginning of anything but the boosting of momentum,” she said. “It’s bringing everybody together, and DPRIT is going to be a great conveyor for all the great work being done in Texas.”

Maestre said that for institutions like the Memory and Aging Center at UT Rio Grande Valley, attacking dementia has been an area where they have seen progress over the years, but this additional funding can take their research to the next level.

“When we first started in 2018, we had an understanding of genetics and biomarkers. Now we know more about the individual person. Over the years, we have learned that lifestyle and history can also contribute to this, but how do we implement this? That is the question we now search for the answer to,” she said

A lawsuit has delayed the implementation of the DPRIT. Plaintiffs say the voting machines used in 251 of the state’s 254 counties to tabulate the results in the Nov. 4 election were not properly tested for accuracy, invalidating any ballots tabulated on them, and they want a new election.

Legal experts and lawmakers say faulty voting machines aren’t the chief concern of the plaintiffs, who are typically conservative citizens who oppose any attempts at increasing government spending. Their main goal is to block an expensive piece of legislation, such as DPRIT.

Sanchez said the state’s investment in dementia research is long overdue, as other states have been contributing to this effort for several years now.

“We have heard the argument that this should be left to the private industry, but due to the complexity of the disease, more than private dollars are needed at this point,” she said. “The public dollars are really to invest in those areas that are not as profitable for companies. For example, better care models, prevention, and early detection. This allows for that private and public partnership that Texas is always proud of.”

 

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.