# Visual-somatosensory integration as a novel marker of Alzheimer's disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2022 · $834,557

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Identification of novel, non-cognitive (i.e., sensory or motor), non-invasive markers of Alzheimer’s disease and
related dementias are a national priority identified by the National Alzheimer Plan. Growing evidence suggests
that Alzheimer’s pathology manifests in sensory association areas well before appearing in neural regions
involved in memory function. Previous investigations have failed to examine the interplay and time course of
sensory, cognitive, and motor dysfunction on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The ability to successfully
integrate multisensory information across multiple sensory modalities is a vital aspect of functioning and mobility
in the real world. Our research suggests that multisensory integration could be used as a novel marker for
preclinical Alzheimer’s disease given reported associations between magnitude of visual-somatosensory
integration and important cognitive (attention) and motor (balance, gait, and falls) outcomes. We have highlighted
the adverse effects of dementia and mild cognitive impairment on these relationships, but the underlying
functional and neuroanatomical networks remain to be uncovered. Identification of these functional networks is
critical to guide development of future multisensory-based interventions to prevent non-cognitive outcomes such
as falls in cognitively impaired individuals. Hence, we propose to recruit 208 community-dwelling older adults
with and without preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (defined as impaired cognitive function on neuropsychological
testing and presence of Aß in plasma) for a three-year longitudinal observational study. Our central hypothesis
is that preclinical Alzheimer’s disease is associated with neural disruptions in subcortical and cortical areas that
concurrently modulate multisensory, cognitive, and motor functions, resulting in mobility decline. Our strategic
experimental design, which leverages existing longitudinal cohorts, aims to assess the validity of multisensory
integration as a behavioral marker for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. It also provides an opportunity to examine
the integrative time course and interplay of individual sensory, motor, and cognitive processes (and their
interactions) in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. The proposed project addresses the NIH’s priority, as well as
NIA’s special interest notice [NOT-AG-20-053]. This work will increase understanding of the neurobiology of
Alzheimer’s disease and will guide future multisensory-based intervention studies that aim to alleviate disability
and maintain independence in older adults with and without preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10364906
- **Project number:** 1R01AG075679-01
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Jeannette R. Mahoney
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $834,557
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-02-15 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10364906

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10364906, Visual-somatosensory integration as a novel marker of Alzheimer's disease (1R01AG075679-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10364906. Licensed CC0.

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