Bogalusa Heart Study

The Bogalusa Heart Study is a long-running research initiative investigating cardiovascular health and its connections to brain health. Launched in Bogalusa, Louisiana, in 1973, the study began by examining how heart disease develops with age and expanded into a broad program of health research. Its work has followed participants from childhood into adulthood, collecting information on daily routines, diet, physical activity, and other factors relevant to long-term health.

Over the decades, the study has included research on blood pressure, nutrition, family and genetic factors, dental health, heart function, and cardiovascular risk during normal aging. More recent areas of investigation include cognitive and physical function, epigenetics, the microbiome, and MRI and PET imaging. The Bogalusa Heart Study shares its research impact and history with the public and invites former participants to reconnect and contribute to continuing discoveries. Based at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, the initiative also welcomes collaboration and support for its ongoing scientific work.