The American Heart Association and the Alzheimer's Association have jointly filed an amicus brief in support of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), a voter-approved initiative that funds research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The brief asks the Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Judicial District to affirm a trial court's dismissal of litigation that has delayed implementation of the program.
Proposition 14, which established DPRIT, passed in November 2025 with nearly 70% of the vote and allocates $3 billion over 10 years, making it the largest state investment in brain health research in U.S. history. The associations argue that continued delay is contrary to the public interest and that DPRIT builds on a proven Texas model for medical research.
Nearly 460,000 Texans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, affecting families, caregivers, and communities across the state. The associations emphasize that research is what moves prevention, risk reduction, and early detection from promising to proven—and what determines how the next generation ages.
"Texas voters sent a clear message when they approved Proposition 14: families facing Alzheimer's and other dementias cannot afford to wait," said Joanne Pike, DrPH, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "Every day of delay slows discovery, stalls the recruitment of top researchers to the state and pushes improved treatments and diagnosis further out of reach."
The American Heart Association supports DPRIT because evidence shows heart health and brain health are deeply interconnected. Risk factors such as high blood pressure, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity are linked to both cardiovascular disease and premature cognitive decline. The association has previously highlighted these connections, noting that several cardiovascular conditions and risk factors, including low blood pressure, are linked to Alzheimer's risk. For more information, see the American Heart Association news release.
"Breakthroughs don't happen by accident - they happen when communities make a long-term commitment to science, innovation and the people whose lives depend on them," said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. "The fight against Alzheimer's and dementia is one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time, and progress depends on our willingness to invest in science before families run out of options."
The associations remain committed to working with Texas Lieutenant Governor and other state officials to implement DPRIT and accelerate brain-health research. The outcome of this legal challenge will determine whether the voter-approved investment can proceed without further delay, with implications for millions of families in Texas and beyond.
