# Physical Activity and Preservation of Cognitive Function

> **NIH NIH R00** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $220,479

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT
This is a NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) application intended to promote the career of Dr.
Priya Palta, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to a path of
independent research. Dr. Palta is a trained epidemiologist with a multidisciplinary record of research in the
epidemiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD), aging, and CVD risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia.
Her goal is to build on these skills through focused training in neuroscience to become an independent
scientist at the interface of neuroscience and population sciences, for innovative work on modifiable targets
that influence pathways associated with age-related cognitive decline. The topical areas of the proposed
training and subsequent research are physical activity, age-related cognitive decline, neuroimaging, and
neurotrophic factors reported to link physical activity with increased neuroplasticity. K99 Career development
aim: Obtain transdisciplinary competencies in the biochemical and neural pathways that underlie cognitive
function, including neurotrophic biomarkers and neuroimaging modalities through a didactic and experiential
curriculum complemented by a novel prospective population-based study. These activities will be supervised
by lead mentor Dr. Gerardo Heiss, MD PhD, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology and co-mentors
Dr. Kelly Evenson, PhD, Research Professor of Epidemiology, and Dr. Thomas Mosley, PhD, Professor of
Medicine (Geriatrics) and Neurology. A team of collaborators with complementary expertise will supplement Dr.
Palta's training in specific areas. The team of mentors and collaborators is fully committed to assisting Dr.
Palta reach her research training and career development goals and to ensure her successful transition to
independent researcher. Post-mentored R00 phase: Dr. Palta will apply the K99 competencies to develop an
innovative R00 project nested in the cohort of the ongoing Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.
For this, physical activity over 23 years and neurotrophic markers (BDNF and IGF-1) measured on the ARIC
participants will be related to repeat cognitive assessments, gray matter hippocampal volumes, and
adjudicated mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Anticipated results: Through this
Pathway to Independence Award, Dr. Palta will acquire (1) in-depth multidisciplinary training in the
measurement, analysis and interpretation of (a) neurotrophic biomarkers and (b) neuroimaging outcomes for
their application in population-based studies and (2) apply these new competencies to an innovative research
question on the biochemical and neural links between physical activity and neurocognitive outcomes. This
proposal will contribute novel science in the (1) critical assessment of the role of midlife physical activity in
delaying cognitive impairment, (2) on the population distribution of BDNF and IGF-1 and its associ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10160748
- **Project number:** 5R00AG052830-05
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Priya Palta
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $220,479
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10160748

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10160748, Physical Activity and Preservation of Cognitive Function (5R00AG052830-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10160748. Licensed CC0.

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