New research, partly conducted by NSW universities, will examine why indigenous Australians experience dementia at a much higher rate than the wider population.
A number of studies have revealed Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders are between three and five times more likely to develop dementia than the wider population.
Five university projects, funded with $14 million from the federal government, aim to tackle the disparity.
Two projects, at the University of Newcastle and the University of NSW will examine risk factors, prevention and management of the condition.
"This project will provide fresh insight into a range of social and biomedical factors that could impact lifelong brain health and dementia onset, as well as ways to reduce the burden of cognitive decline," UNSW project lead Kylie Radford said in a statement on Monday.
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More than 400,000 Australians currently experience dementia and that number is expected to pass one million in 2050 as the population ages.
Aged care and indigenous health minister Ken Wyatt said the projects tie in with the government's attempts to get ahead of the growing issue.
"This work is crucial because our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders are our living libraries and losing each individual means a precious book of knowledge is lost forever," he said in a statement.
Alzheimer's Australia, in a report released in 2014, noted, dementia intervention runs into numerous barriers within indigenous communities.
"Geographical constraints in the provision of services, a lack of education and awareness in communities and by health workers and the prevalence of other chronic diseases have all posed considerable barriers to the recognition of dementia as an emerging health issue," the report said.
