U19AG087932

Advancing mobile monitoring of intraindividual change in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Building an open and accessible infrastructure.

Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementias (AD/ADRD) are urgent public health challenges, imposing a $345 billion annual economic burden in the U.S. and causing profound personal suffering.

Early detection of cognitive changes during the preclinical stages, years or decades before diagnosis, is critical for advancing prevention and intervention strategies.

However, traditional cognitive assessments lack the precision and sensitivity required to detect subtle changes and adapt to evolving research needs.

This U19 proposal aims to establish the mobile monitoring of cognitive change (M2C2) platform, an open-source, scalable, mobile-first system designed to administer ultra-brief cognitive tasks, collect high-frequency data, and apply advanced analytics to detect subtle cognitive changes linked to AD/ADRD risk.

Aim 1 provides centralized coordination and shared resources through four specialized cores.

The administrative core ensures alignment across components, the technology and data management core develops software for data collection and sharing, the analytics core delivers statistical tools for validation and interpretation, and the community engagement and accessibility core prioritizes accessibility, community engagement, and advancing availability of cognitive health resources.

Together, these cores provide critical infrastructure to support the ambitious goals of the U19.

Aim 2 evaluates how different high-frequency assessment (HFA) protocols using M2C2 tasks capture cognitive changes across multiple timescales and their relationships with AD/ADRD risk factors.

Project 1 will assess the sensitivity of M2C2 tasks to biomarkers and contextual factors, such as social engagement, physical activity, and stress, generating actionable recommendations for task selection and protocol design to optimize measurement sensitivity while minimizing participant burden.

Aim 3 focuses on developing, refining, and disseminating the M2C2 platform to deliver robust tools for measuring cognitive change.

Project 2 will prioritize flexible, user-friendly solutions that can integrate into different research workflows while ensuring long-term sustainability through open-source development and a multi-provider dissemination network.

The M2C2 platform will deliver validated tools and protocols for precise cognitive assessment and a scalable infrastructure to support prevention trials and accelerate research progress.

These innovations will enhance our ability to identify and address AD/ADRD risks, ultimately reducing the burden of these diseases and improving quality of life for individuals and families.

The Pennsylvania State University

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]

State College, Pennsylvania 168036602 United States

Single Zip Code

Complex Integrated Multi-Component Projects in Aging Research (U19 Clinical Trial Optional) (PAR-22-213)