# Loneliness in Aging with Schizophrenia

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $358,895

## Abstract

This will be an administrative supplement project prepared in response to NOT-AG-21-018 which seeks to
expand existing NIH awards that are not currently focused on Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementias
(ADRD) to collect data to guide and support a future competitive application from promising leads found
through the supplement. This administrative supplement request is directly relevant to Aim 2 as well as the
exploratory Aim of the parent grant (R01MH120201). These Aims are focused on determining the association
of persistent loneliness with biological markers of health, medical comorbidity, cognitive dysfunction, functional
capacity, and well-being, as well as examining the short-term stability and temporal relationships among
loneliness, social motivation, social activity, and mood/affect in real-time using EMA (Ecological Momentary
Assessment), and their association with “gold standard” lab-based measures. The parent grant is focused on
these questions in the context of aging with schizophrenia, but these issues also have direct relevance to
ADRD. Specifically, chronic loneliness is a known risk factor for cognitive decline and ADRD, but there is little
known about the mediators of this association. The latter may have key applied relevance in the development
of interventions to prevent or delay progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to ADRD. As in the
parent study, we will examine both biological markers (inflammatory, lipid, and metabolic) and psychosocial
factors (negative and positive health behaviors) and their association with loneliness. As part of that effort, we
will also use the EMA data to identify the temporal boundaries of acute “adaptive” vs. chronic “maladaptive”
loneliness. Identification of adaptive responses to acute loneliness among persons with MCI may reveal
modifiable targets that can be taught to others with presently maladaptive responses to loneliness. To evaluate
these issues, this supplement study will enroll 40 adults ages 51-90 years with MCI but no history of serious
mental illness. Participants will receive targeted relevant measures from the parent study, including loneliness,
social isolation, social motivation, depression, objective cognitive functioning, functional capacity, positive and
negative health behaviors, blood-based inflammatory markers, a lipid panel, as well as blood pressure and
body mass index. In a slight modification of the time pattern, EMA surveys of loneliness, social motivation,
social interaction, and affect will be measured once per day for 60 days to enable real-time assessment of
persistent loneliness, and the temporal relationships with social motivation, social interaction, and positive and
negative affect. The data from this supplement study will be used to inform/guide and support our plans for a
more definitive R01-level project to be submitted to the NIA. It will also enrich the data from the parent study in
enabling examination of the specificity of observed r...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10499937
- **Project number:** 3R01MH120201-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Barton W. Palmer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $358,895
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-08-20 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10499937

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10499937, Loneliness in Aging with Schizophrenia (3R01MH120201-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10499937. Licensed CC0.

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