# Utility of Centrally Acting Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors to slow the progression of Dementia

> **NIH NIH K23** · ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $156,033

## Abstract

Abstract
My prior training, background, and experiences are very relevant to my specific plans as described in the grant.
My overall career development goal is to develop the skills necessary to pursue a career as an independent
clinical researcher, able to conduct investigations that will broaden our understanding of the relationship
between functional decline in aging and medication use.
My specific research training objectives during the 5-year award period are: 1. To enhance my knowledge
of neural correlates of gait and cognitive dysfunction. 2. Advance my knowledge of the brain Renin
Angiotensin System (RAS) and connected pathways as a biological pathway that may link cognitive and
motoric declines in aging. 3. Learn neuroimaging modalities and analytic techniques to identify and quantify
structural findings related to cognitive and functional decline in aging. 4. Improve my knowledge of
epidemiological methods and biostatistics for observational studies and longitudinal analysis. 5. Apply for an
ROI grant at the end of this K23 award to extend this line of research into additional cohorts that will allow for
more detailed investigations into the use of CACE-I and related agents in protecting against declines in gait
and cognition in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
My research aims will add to our knowledge of the clinical and neurobiological consequences of medication
use in aging by focusing on medications with less of a negative impact on functional decline than similar
medication counterparts. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) are widely used for a number of
conditions beyond hypertension. They can be categorized as centrally or peripherally acting based upon their
ability to cross the blood brain barrier. Available data suggests that centrally acting ACEI decrease the rate of
cognitive and functional decline among those with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders. My specific
aims focus on older individuals without Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and are to 1) To
quantify motoric consequences (gait velocity) of CACE-I versus PACE-I use in older adults using the nationally
representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) database. 2) To determine cognitive consequences of
CACE-I versus PACE-I use in older adults using the HRS. 3) To examine the relation of CACE-I and PACE-I
use with neurodegenerative and vascular pathologies linked to dementia using the Alzheimer’s disease
Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database.
Early identification of older adults at risk for the development of cognitive impairment and decline in physical
performance, coupled with a better understanding of how ACEI subtypes affect cortical regions associated with
dementia, is of paramount importance as a prelude to identification of targeted therapies to slow the
progression of cognitive impairment in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. There is a knowledge gap regarding
clinical consequences of different classe...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9972380
- **Project number:** 1K23AG062807-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Claudene George
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $156,033
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9972380

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9972380, Utility of Centrally Acting Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors to slow the progression of Dementia (1K23AG062807-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9972380. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*