News archive

Eating a healthy plant-based diet may lower the risk of dementia in older people with cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, or stroke. This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in JACC: Advances.

On 29 September 2025, Isabelle von Saenger, postdoctoral researcher at the Aging Research Center (ARC) at Karolinska Institutet, had the opportunity to share key insights from her thesis examining the evolution of care provision for older people in Sweden over the past three decades. The event, coordinated by Omsorgsforum, brought together an influential group of stakeholders committed to shaping the future of elderly care.

People who sleep poorly are more likely than others to have brains that appear older than they actually are. This is according to a comprehensive brain imaging study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal eBioMedicine. Increased inflammation in the body may partly explain the association.

On 4 November 2024, Karolinska Institutet (KI) hosted the symposium “Beyond Amyloid and Tau: The Importance of Co-Pathologies in Alzheimer's Disease” at the Nobel Forum, Stockholm. Jointly organized by the Center for Alzheimer Research (CAR) and the Aging Research Center (ARC), both part of the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), the event was supported by the Journal of Internal Medicine (JIM) and the Strategic Research Area in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at KI.

Thirty Nordic ageing and health researchers will gather in Stockholm on 11–12 September 2025 for the SIA joint senior and junior workshop. Hosted by the Aging Research Center (ARC) at Karolinska Institutet, this event brings together established and early-career experts to foster discussion and collaboration on social inequalities in ageing.

Once again, the Aging Research Center (ARC) at Karolinska Institutet (KI) will host the course titled "Societal and Life-course Perspectives on Inequalities in Aging" this fall semester. The course is arranged in partnership with the Swedish National Graduate School on Ageing and Health (SWEAH, Lund University) and brings together students from various universities throughout Sweden.

On September 2, 2025, seven physicians, five occupational therapists, and five physiotherapists were awarded diplomas by H.M. The Queen during a formal ceremony at Drottningholm Court Theatre. The ceremony marked the completion of the Master's courses in dementia care developed by Karolinska Institutet in close collaboration with Stiftelsen Silviahemmet. The participants may now use the titles Silvia Physician, Silvia Occupational Therapist, and Silvia Physiotherapist.

Researchers from across the Asia-Pacific region met in Jinan, China, on 7–8 June 2025 at the World-Wide FINGERS Network meeting, to share new ideas on how to help prevent dementia and memory loss. Over 50 researchers and students from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Sweden, and China took part in the event.

We are delighted to share some of the many important reflections from the NKG2024 congress held in Stockholm in June 2024, in the form of a newly published perspective paper entitled "Ageing in a Transforming World: Insights for Future Research and Policy from the 27th Nordic Congress of Gerontology".

The Aging Research Center (ARC) had the privilege of hosting a symposium that brought together leading scholars to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Professor Johan Fritzell to research on social policy, inequalities, and health over the course of his career.

Two new studies from Karolinska Institutet have investigated how mutations that occur in muscles and blood vessels over time can affect ageing. The studies, which are published in Nature Aging, show that such mutations can reduce muscle strength and accelerate blood vessel ageing. The results can be of significance to the treatment of age-related diseases.

A study recently published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology shows that cardiovascular health is affected not only by the total amount of physical activity, but also by how often you move during the day. Among the oldest participants, the study found that several short walks per day had a protective effect, regardless of pace. This correlation remained even when adjusted for total walking time.

Reaching the age of 100 does not necessarily mean a life fraught with illness. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that centenarians not only live longer, they also stay healthier than other older people, with fewer diseases that develop more slowly.

On 2 June 2025, a group of 19 doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers from ARC came together for a one-day retreat at the Skepparholmen conference venue in Nacka. The retreat theme was visual communication in research.

NordForsk has recently granted funding to five new research projects aimed at developing sustainable health and care systems for older people in the Nordic region.

The Lancet has announced a new commission aimed at reorienting frailty in clinical practice, public health, and policy. Davide Liborio Vetrano is one of two experts from Karolinska Institutet, who are involved in this important initiative.

The Swedish Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Assessment of Social Services (SBU) recently provided a commentary on a review conducted at the Aging Research Center (ARC) in collaboration with affiliated researchers. The review focused on interventions to support informal caregivers—family members or close friends who care for older adults without formal compensation.

After cycling 90 kilometres through sunshine, hail and beech forests, Pernilla Alencar Siljehag arrived in Tomelilla with tired legs and a heart full of impressions. Together with the initiator Oskar Jonsson, she has cycled a leg of the tandem tour that takes researchers around southern Sweden to give lectures on ageing and health. She shares her reflections on the conversations along the way, the audience at the library, and why research journeys are sometimes at their best when on two wheels.

The tandem tour is a popular science initiative where researchers cycle through southern Sweden, giving lectures on ageing and health at libraries and community centres. The aim is to reach a broader audience, foster dialogue, and spark interest in the role of research in society. The tour, organised in collaboration with the graduate school SWEAH, runs from 4–27 May 2025 and is made possible thanks to support from the Sten K Johnson Foundation.

Manne Godhe, PhD student at the Sports Medicine research group, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, will defend his thesis "Physical Activity and Fitness Measurements in Healthy Older Adults and Osteoarthrities Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty" on May 23, 2025. Main Supervisor is Eva Andersson.

The European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) has announced Professor Lars Bäckman, Karolinska Institutet, as the recipient of the Aristotle Prize 2025. This distinguished award recognises individuals who have made a substantial and original contributions to psychology, particularly in the field of cognitive ageing.

A new study published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery has found that deficits in the sense of smell, known as olfactory impairment, are significantly associated with increased mortality in older adults. The findings, based on data from over 2,500 participants in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, suggest that olfactory testing could serve as a valuable early indicator of broader health decline.

Hi there Clare Tazzeo! You will defend your thesis entitled "Investigating the interplay between frailty and healthcare utilization in older adults" on 26 May 2025. Could you tell us a little more?

Researchers from Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with National Family Care Competence Center (Nka), sent out a survey to 31,000 older adults to learn more about those that take care of a loved one, in or outside their homes. Turns out 2,157 people older than 65 years provide such care on a regular basis.

The report 'Antalet demenssjuka och kostnader för demenssjukdomar i Sverige 2023', commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs last autumn, was recently presented to Anna Tenje, Minister for Older People and Social Security. KI researchers Anders Wimo and Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga have been primarily responsible for the report, which shows a forecast with a great increase for the number of people with dementia by 2050 and for the heavy financial responsibility of municipalities.

Older individuals who struggle to chew hard food have a higher risk of becoming malnourished or experiencing significant weight loss over time. This is shown in a new Swedish population-based study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, who followed more than 1,500 individuals for over six years. The study is published in The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging.

Federico Triolo has received a postdoctoral grant from the Swedish Society for Medical Research (SSMF), a non-profit organisation that has supported medical research since 1919. The purpose of the grant is to help early-career researchers to build their independence and develop their own line of research. The grant amounts to 3,950,000 SEK over three years, including a two-year research stay abroad, followed by one year back in Sweden.

Caterina Gregorio has received funding in the context of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship within the area of intersecting biostatistics and ageing research for her project entitled "LETMEAGE- A complex system approach to metrics of aging for identifying personalised interventions”.

The Social inequalities in ageing network (SIA), led by Neda Agahi and Johan Fritzell, has received a three-year grant from Forte. This is a continuation of a Nordic network involving several leading Nordic researchers and their junior colleagues emanating from the earlier SIA programme. The SIA Network will receive a total of SEK 446,000 over three years.

Stockholm Trio (Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology & Stockholm University) and University College London (UCL) invite you to express interest in two days of workshops in London, the 8-9 April 2025.

Francesco Innocenti is a senior biostatistician who recently joined ARC and will be working within Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga’s research group.

Since 1987, researchers have followed thousands of older residents in Kungsholmen through the "Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen" (SNAC-K). The results show that today's 80-year-olds are healthier than previous generations, but health varies depending on where in the district they live.

The geroscience hypothesis focuses on extending the healthy lifespan by targeting aging mechanisms. Recent advances in biomarkers for biological aging give rise to tools for measuring aging and assessing treatments. Alzheimer’s disease, a major health issue, may benefit from common drugs and early interventions.

Amaia Calderon-Larrañaga and Weili Xu are recipients of the Elderly and Ageing 2024 Grant from Forte and will both receive funding for the period 2025-2027.

Two researchers at the Aging Research Center (ARC) are recipients of the Swedish Research Council’s Project Grant 2024 and will receive funding for the period 2025-2027.

As global populations age and the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders rises, understanding the complex relationships between body mass index (BMI), metabolic health, and aging becomes increasingly critical.

Javier Leal Martin is a postdoctoral researcher who joined ARC on 1 November 2024. He will be working in Davide Liborio Vetrano's research group.

Adrián Carballo Casla has recently been awarded a Forte Starting Grant 2024. His research project aims to tailor dietary recommendations to the unique needs of older adults, potentially leading to healthier and longer lives.

Hi there Abigail Dove! You have recently defended your thesis entitled "Cardiometabolic disease and dementia risk: identifying compensatory factors". Could you tell us a little more?

Those who wish to live to 100 cannot rely on chance. Instead, it is essential to keep biomarkers associated with ageing and disease in check. By the age of 60, it may already be too late.

You might be 50 years old, but your body could be as fresh as a 40-year-old’s ‒ or vice versa. Biological ageing has its own pace and rhythm. How we live our lives, what we experience, and the quality of medical treatment we receive all influence how quickly we wear out.

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are associated with accelerated brain ageing, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Diabetes Care. The good news is that this may be counteracted by a healthy lifestyle.

“Ageing in a transforming world” was the theme of the 27th Nordic Congress of Gerontology (ageing research), hosted by Karolinska Institutet on 12–14 June. Drawing over 800 delegates from 44 countries to Aula Medica, the now international conference was opened by Queen Silvia, who talked about the importance of the research to dignity in ageing.

Hi there Jonatan Gustavsson! You have recently defended your thesis entitled "Determinants of age-related brain iron accumulation and links to neurocognitive functions". Could you tell us a little more?

The brain's flexibility and ability to cope with loss of neurons or other lesions in the brain is called cognitive reserve. In a fifteen-year follow-up study, researchers at the division of Aging Research Center (ARC), Karolinska Institutet, suggest that lifelong cognitive reserve helps maintain late-life cognitive health by delaying cognitive transition in the preclinical stages of dementia. The results of their findings were recently published in Alzheimers & Dementia.

On behalf of the Swedish Gender Equality Agency, researchers Lena Dahlberg and Mariam Kirvalidze have done a scoping review of informal caregiving and loneliness. More specifically, the report examines loneliness in spousal carers aged 65 years and older, the factors that increase the risk of loneliness in this group, the consequences of loneliness, and how they themselves experience loneliness.

Davide Liborio Vetrano has received EU funding in the context of Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks for his project entitled "UnderstandiNg fraIlty tOwards a future of healthy ageing (UNION)". The European Commission funds research and innovation projects to boost top researchers' careers through mobility and innovative doctoral and postdoctoral training. The project will start in 2025 and Davide Liborio Vetrano is the Principal Investigator at Karolinska Institutet.

Hi María Latorre Leal, doctoral student at the Division of Neurogeriatrics. On April 26 you will defend your thesis "The role of oxysterols in neurodegeneration : implications for cognitive function, maternal effects, and sex-specific differences". What is the main focus of the thesis?

Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga has been awarded the SFOepi consolidator bridging grant for the project entitled "Multimorbidity and kidney function in old age: longitudinal trajectories and synergistic effects". The amount granted is SEK 3,600,000 for the period 2023-2025.

An article in The Conversation written by a KI researcher broke a record in the number of readers. Associate Professor Karin Modig's article on centenarian biomarkers received almost 2.4 million reads and was translated into several languages.