# Cognition, Vascular Function, and Physical Activity in Colorectal Cancer Survivors

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2024 · $45,142

## Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3rd most common cancer in the United States for both male and females.
Advancements in treatment options are successfully helping CRC survivors (CRCS; post treatment) live longer
with currently 1.4 million CRCS in the United States. Despite living longer CRCS are experiencing negative
psychological (i.e., cognitive impairments) and physiological (i.e., arterial stiffness) of the disease. CRCS
experience impairments in aspects of cognition including cognitive processing speed (CPS), learning and
memory, and executive function with CPS being the most impaired cognitive domain. CRCS further experience
increased levels of arterial stiffness particularly measures of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV).
Physical activity (PA) is recommended following a cancer diagnosis to improve quality of life, alleviate symptoms
of cancer and treatment, and decrease risk for recurrence and development of comorbidities including
hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia; however, levels of PA are reduced in CRCS. In the general
population and diseased populations moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) is associated with improvement in
various domains of cognition including CPS and better outcomes of arterial stiffness, particularly cfPWV
suggesting that MVPA may occupy a similar beneficial role for CRCS and alleviate side effects and improve
quality of life and longevity. The proposed cross-sectional, comparative research study is guided by the central
hypothesis that CRCS will exhibit (a) worse vascular and cognitive function and lower PA levels than matched
controls, and (b) stronger associations among those variables that will support (c) analyses of vascular function
as a mediator of the association between PA and cognition in CRCS. The following aims will be tested (1)
compare CPS, cfPWV, and MVPA between CRCS and matched controls; (2) examine the associations among
CPS, cfPWV, and MVPA; and (3) determine if cfPWV serves a mediator of the association between MVPA and
CPS. The following training goals will guide the completion of this study including: (i) didactic and experiential
training in the CRC progression, development, treatment options and survivorship; (ii) clinical training in the
administration, scoring, and interpretation of neuropsychological tests from the International Cancer Cognition
Task Force battery; (iii) educational and clinical training to further understand the clinical application of
cardiovascular function and risks; and (iv) research training in the initialization, calibration, data processing, and
interpretation of Actigraph accelerometers. The outcomes of this study will highlight the importance of cognition,
vascular function, and PA levels and associations in CRCS as well as lay a foundation for future research on PA
behavioral interventions in this population. The proposed research and training goals with my collaborating team
will help me achieve my short-term goal of completing the proposed study a...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10998220
- **Project number:** 1F31CA295016-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Sydney Rae DeJonge
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $45,142
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-19 → 2026-07-18

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10998220

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10998220, Cognition, Vascular Function, and Physical Activity in Colorectal Cancer Survivors (1F31CA295016-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10998220. Licensed CC0.

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