Global Collaborative Research on Establishing a Korean Cognitive Aging Cohort

The goal of this observational study is to learn how daily emotional stress affects cognitive function and inflammation in community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and older in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does daily psychological stress measured in real-time affect short-term and long-term cognitive function in older adults? Do pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as CRP, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α) mediate the relationship between emotional stress and cognitive decline? How do social support and social isolation influence cognitive function and inflammatory biomarkers over time?

Participants will:

Complete baseline surveys assessing depression, cognitive function, and personal characteristics Use a smartphone app to answer brief surveys about their emotions, cognitive performance, and social interactions 1-6 times daily for two weeks Wear a Galaxy Watch to track sleep quality, heart rate, and physical activity Provide blood samples for inflammatory biomarker analysis Return for follow-up assessments at 6 months and 1 year

This study is part of an international collaboration to establish a Korean cohort comparable to the U.S. Einstein Aging Study, with the aim of developing culturally tailored dementia prevention strategies.