Texas Kicks Off Early Voting: Brain Health Research Funding in the Spotlight

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A groundbreaking initiative in Texas could become a pivotal moment in the battle against dementia as early voting commenced this week in the state.

Proposition 14, if successful, aims to establish the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, committing $3 billion over the next decade towards researching Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurological disorders.

This proposed institute, potentially a model for state-supported scientific inquiry, is slated to begin operations on December 1, contingent upon the voters’ decision.

The incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, is on the rise across the United States. Currently, over 6 million Americans are afflicted with dementia, leading to more than 100,000 deaths annually, as reported by the National Institutes of Health. Projections suggest this figure could double by 2050.

Texas ranks third in the nation for dementia cases, but experts have said every state faces a rising trend as baby boomers age.

Dr. Josef Coresh at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine warned of the “pending population boom in dementia cases” as posing problems for health policymakers.

Coresh warned officials must “refocus their efforts on strategies to minimize dementia risk and the severity of dementia cases, as well as plans to provide more health care services for those with dementia.”

This amendment is one of 17 on the ballot, with some propositions looking to reshape tax policy, education funding, infrastructure investment and more.

Since Texas adopted its current constitution in 1876, it has been amended 530 times, according to local affiliate KXAN.

Texas early voting runs through Oct. 31. Election Day is set for Nov. 4.