R35AG072307

Physical Activity and Dementia: Mechanisms of Action - Abstract

Exercise is one of the most promising methods for positively influencing neurocognitive function in late adulthood. Yet, despite this recognition, several major knowledge gaps preclude the ability to broadly prescribe exercise to prevent or treat cognitive impairment.

This R35 proposal includes a series of innovative and potentially groundbreaking studies that will contribute to major advancements in the field of exercise and brain health. The studies that we describe in this proposal would be led by several highly promising junior scientists with the support of an experienced and dedicated mentorship team.

The conceptual and scientific framework for the hypotheses described in this proposal orbit around three major challenges facing the field of exercise and cognitive aging: (1) we have a poor understanding of the mechanisms by which exercise influences cognitive function in late adulthood, (2) we have a poor understanding of the factors that moderate, or explain individual variation in, the response to exercise, and (3) we do not understand the factors that predict long-term adoption of exercise behavior and how to reduce barriers and enhance incentives for individuals who find it challenging to continue to exercise.

Despite the clear benefits of an active lifestyle, most people fail to meet public health recommendations for exercise. The more we know about the factors that predict and enhance long-term adoption of exercise, the more we will know about whether exercise influences the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and best practices for prescribing and maintaining exercise for the prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment.

We propose to conduct secondary analysis of banked data from two rigorous and well-controlled supervised exercise randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and to conduct a 3-year follow-up of >570 participants from both of these RCTs of exercise to assess cognitive, cardiorespiratory fitness, and physical activity levels. In particular, we propose to examine whether exercise-induced changes in cardiometabolic and sleep measures mediate exercise-derived benefits to cognitive and brain outcomes. We will also target moderators of exercise including APOE genotype and racial disparities to better characterize which individual difference variables influence the magnitude of effects of exercise on brain health.

Finally, we propose a discovery aim that would leverage our rich measurement of participants at the genetic, physiological, brain, cognitive, and socioemotional levels to perform predictive modeling to forecast long-term adoption of exercise (or barriers prohibiting long-term adoption).

In short, this research proposal describes a broad and ambitious line of work that will produce groundbreaking and innovative studies to address significant gaps in our understanding of exercise and brain health in late adulthood. The aims target several major AD/ADRD milestones identified by NIH and will position junior scientists in leadership roles to advance the field forward in significant and pioneering ways.

Adventist Health System/Sunbelt

TO ENCOURAGE BIOMEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING DIRECTED TOWARD GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AGING PROCESS AND THE DISEASES, SPECIAL PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE AS THEY AGE. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING HAS ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO PURSUE THESE GOALS. THE DIVISION OF AGING BIOLOGY EMPHASIZES UNDERSTANDING THE BASIC BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF AGING. THE DIVISION OF GERIATRICS AND CLINICAL GERONTOLOGY SUPPORTS RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE ABILITIES OF HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS TO RESPOND TO THE DISEASES AND OTHER CLINICAL PROBLEMS OF OLDER PEOPLE. THE DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH SUPPORTS RESEARCH THAT WILL LEAD TO GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH THE PROCESS OF GROWING OLD AND THE PLACE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN SOCIETY. THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE FOSTERS RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE RELATED SENSORY, PERCEPTUAL, AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM: TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SBIR PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM: TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

Orlando, Florida 328031248 United States

Single Zip Code

Leadership Award for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Research (R35 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (RFA-AG-21-007)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 313% from $882,583 to $3,646,246.