# Cognitive Complaints in Aging Adults

> **NIH NIH K23** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · $144,914

## Abstract

As the population continues to age, the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is dramatically
increasing, resulting in an urgent need to identify those older adults at risk for unhealthy brain aging and
dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a well-accepted prodromal phase of AD. Because as many as
60% of individuals with MCI convert to AD within a three-year period, early identification of MCI is becoming
increasingly important. Unfortunately, estimates suggest that at least half of individuals with MCI go
undiagnosed in the community. Many barriers at the primary care level are associated with under-diagnosis of
MCI, including insufficient time to assess cognition and lack of efficient screening tools available for use in
primary care. To overcome these barriers, the current study will examine the nature of cognitive complaints
within the community in order to develop a valid and reliable cognitive complaint measure for community-based
older adults. Information from the proposed study will provide a cost-effective and time-efficient tool to aid in
assessment and referral decisions for primary care patients in need of a more comprehensive memory work-
up. Using a case-control cohort, we will validate a set of questions that reliably measure cognitive complaint
with respect to differential diagnosis and in relation to objective cognitive performance, neuroanatomical
changes, and biomarker levels. Mentored training activities will focus on latent variable modeling,
neuroimaging principles in aging research, clinical implementation of psychological tools within the community,
and professional development. The proposed study and training will leverage an interdisciplinary team
(including neuropsychology, geriatrics, neurology, neuroradiology, and biostatistics) as well as resources
associated with the Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer's Center, the Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging
Science, and the Vanderbilt University Department of Biostatistics to fulfill the aims outlined.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10600598
- **Project number:** 3K23AG045966-06S1
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine A. Gifford
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $144,914
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10600598

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10600598, Cognitive Complaints in Aging Adults (3K23AG045966-06S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10600598. Licensed CC0.

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