# Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network Extension for Socially Vulnerable Older Adults

> **NIH NIH K07** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2022 · $154,739

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The U.S. healthcare system cares for increasing numbers of older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s
disease and related dementias, who require surgery with anesthesia. Regional social inequities, as measured
by spatial indices such as area deprivation and social vulnerability indices, independently contribute to
differences in perioperative and neurodegenerative outcomes. Data also support a significant association
between neighborhood-level area deprivation indices with Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology. Despite
emerging evidence linking social determinants of health with disparities in postoperative outcomes in older
adults, investigations in these areas increasingly require expertise with disparate subject matters, including
clinical perioperative practice, geriatrics, neuropsychology, social determinants of health, geospatial analyses,
and even artificial intelligence. The K07 applicant is a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded independent
investigator and fellowship-trained anesthesiologist with expertise in regional anesthesia and orthopedic surgery,
as well as research experience in machine learning, geospatial disparities, and perioperative pain and cognition.
The purpose of this proposal is to promote institutional and community awareness of how social vulnerabilities
impact perioperative outcomes in older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,
and particularly those outcomes related to postoperative pain and cognition. The overall strategy of this proposal
is to develop interdisciplinary research infrastructure along with transdisciplinary training programs to
crosspollinate research teams. This structure will be organized via the Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia
Network-Social Vulnerability (PeCANSV) construct in three aims: Aim 1: Convene a PeCANSV multidisciplinary
advisory team to establish three supplemental cores in 1) geospatial infrastructure; 2) social determinants of
health; 3) artificial intelligence. Aim 2: Accelerate research discovery through interdisciplinary research pathways
by formalizing nascent linkages between supplemental PeCANSV cores and UF resources and extant geospatial,
environmental, cognitive, and clinical perioperative databases at UF Health and throughout Florida. Aim 3:
Develop a transdisciplinary workforce of clinical and basic science researchers to lead interdisciplinary teams
addressing the social vulnerability of older adult surgical patients. Milestones include regular analysis of
strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results, interdisciplinary proposal submissions, and evidence of trainee
success in perioperative research in social disparities of older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s disease
and related dementias.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10475724
- **Project number:** 5K07AG073468-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Patrick J Tighe
- **Activity code:** K07 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $154,739
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10475724

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10475724, Perioperative Cognitive Anesthesia Network Extension for Socially Vulnerable Older Adults (5K07AG073468-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10475724. Licensed CC0.

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