The American Heart Association and the Alzheimer's Association have filed an amicus brief in support of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), a voter-approved initiative to advance research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The brief, filed with the Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Judicial District, seeks to affirm a trial court's dismissal of litigation that has stalled implementation of Proposition 14, which Texas voters passed in November 2025 with nearly 70% support. The associations argue that Proposition 14 builds on a proven Texas model for medical research, that DPRIT will advance research critical to the health of Texans, and that continued delay is contrary to the public interest.
The urgency of the matter is underscored by the fact that nearly 460,000 Texans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, affecting families, caregivers, and communities across the state. DPRIT is also an investment in Texans who do not have cognitive impairment today. 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. 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," said Joanne Pike, DrPH, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "DPRIT is an investment in what comes next: better prevention, earlier detection and a generation that grows older with more control over its brain health. We will keep working to see it succeed, because what it discovers will reach families far beyond Texas."
The American Heart Association advocated for the passage of Proposition 14 and supports DPRIT because evidence shows heart health and brain health are deeply interconnected. Many of the same risk factors that increase the likelihood of heart disease and stroke, including high blood pressure, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and obesity, are also linked to premature cognitive decline and dementia. The association has highlighted this connection, noting that several cardiovascular conditions and risk factors are linked to Alzheimer's risk.
"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. That's exactly the opportunity Texas voters embraced through Proposition 14."
Proposition 14 provides $3 billion to DPRIT over 10 years, making it the largest state investment in brain health research in U.S. history. The Alzheimer's Association supported the legislation that established DPRIT and led the voter education campaign that carried Proposition 14. That work rests on decades of engagement with state lawmakers and a grassroots network of advocates and community partners across Texas, and the Association is committed to seeing the voters' mandate fulfilled. Both organizations remain committed to working with the Texas lieutenant governor, other state elected officials, and research and public health institutions across the state to implement DPRIT and initiate this investment to accelerate progress in brain-health research.
