# Role of impaired cognitive states & risk factors in conversion to mixed dementias

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2020 · $606,060

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Population demographic trends suggest an expected dramatic increase in age-associated
dementias and a looming public health crisis. Current emphasis is on disease prevention, with a
focus on older adults who express early cognitive impairment. The SMART (Statistical Modeling
of Aging and Risk of Transitions) has successfully harmonized data from nine different
longitudinal studies on aging involving records on 5,032 subjects, with 1,657 having autopsy
information. We propose to identify authoritatively the roles of diabetes and hypertension on the
occurrence and duration of pre-dementia states, as well as mixed pathology. The project has
shown that self-reported diabetes is not a risk for Alzheimer pathology but is a risk for
cerebrovascular pathology, that subjective memory complaints are a risk for a future cognitive
impairment, and that transitioning to a subjective complaint or even to mild cognitive impairment
is no guarantee of future dementia. The SMART renewal proposes to obtain Medicare claims
data on its participants to determine the severity of diabetes, hypertension and other
comorbidities that have not been investigated, such as renal disease, with a focus on improving
the prediction of who is at risk for a transition to an impaired cognitive state and mixed dementia
pathology. This will be accomplished through the following specific aims:
Aim 1. Update and extensively revise the existing SMART project database with additional
participant data; obtain and integrate linked Medicare claims data; assess agreement between
self-reported medical history and claims data. Aim 2. Investigate the relationship of HTN, T2DM,
and multimorbidity in advanced old age with AD and non-AD neuropathologies. Aim 3. Investigate
the relationship of HTN, T2DM, and multimorbidity in advanced old age with cognitive states
including subjective memory complaints, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9900700
- **Project number:** 5R01AG038651-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Erin Abner
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $606,060
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-09-01 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9900700

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9900700, Role of impaired cognitive states & risk factors in conversion to mixed dementias (5R01AG038651-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9900700. Licensed CC0.

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