Research

Current Research

NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox

PI: Gershon
Source of Support: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Start and End Date: 09/2019 – 09/2024

While there are several well-known assessment batteries for use by children under the age of 4, there is no standardized direct developmental assessments of infants and young children that is inexpensive, easy to administer within a relatively brief time frame, and able to capture multiple domains of neurodevelopment across this age range. We will develop, validate and norm the NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox (aka the “NIH Baby Toolbox”) for tablet administration as an efficient, comprehensive neurodevelopmental battery of measures. It will be specific for use by researchers and clinicians in the neuropsychological, cognitive and social assessment of infants and toddlers ages 1 – 42 months.

Validation of the ICAR for the NIH Mobile Toolbox

PI: Young
Source of Support: Texas Woman’s University Woodcock Institute Research Grant
Start and End Date: 01/2023 – 12/2024

The International Cognitive Ability Resource (ICAR) is the first well-validated nonproprietary cognitive assessment battery that freely distributes items to researchers and has been used in over 80 research studies since its publication. Four of the ICAR subtests have been developed for smartphone administration as part of the Mobile Toolbox project, including the Progressive Matrices, Three-Dimensional Rotation, Verbal Reasoning, and Letter-and-Number Series. This study aims to examine the validity of these ICAR item sets in their updated Mobile Toolbox format against “gold standard” assessments.

Development and Validation of a Telehealth Strategy for Routine Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care: The MyCog Mobile Assessment

PIs: Nowinski / Wolf
Source of Support: National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 08/2021 – 04/2026

Cognitive deficits and impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), are highly prevalent among older adults and have devastating consequences to families and entire communities. Responding to increasing calls for early detection of cognitive impairment, this project will offer primary care providers affordable, scalable means to conduct remote, smartphone-based assessment of cognitive function during telemedicine visits.

ARMCADA – Advancing Reliable Measurement in Cognitive Aging and Decision-making Ability

PIs: Gershon / Weintraub
Source of Support: National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 04/2023 – 03/2028

Older adults are prone to cognitive impairment due to neurodegenerative diseases and other medical conditions with increasing age. Early identification of cognitive impairment may be identified by decision-making capacity in a variety of domains, from finance, functional outcomes, medical decision-making, and more. Based on a national consortium of interdisciplinary experts, ARMCADA will develop and validate a set of decision-making measures across the full spectrum of cognitive and decision-making competencies and incorporate nationwide dissemination into existing studies. We will also facilitate the nationwide public dissemination of these measures to target the early identification of older adults with cognitive impairment and evaluate the efficacy of potential interventions aimed to mitigate cognitive decline.

The Mobile Toolbox for Monitoring Cognitive and Behavioral Function (MTB2) 

PIs: Gershon
Source of Support: National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 09/2023 – 05/2028

Given the health crisis presented by neurological conditions that develop as we age, it’s important to understand the mechanisms underlying both normal and pathological cognitive change in order to develop scalable, evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies. This project will support the expansion, use, and widespread dissemination of the Mobile Toolbox Research Platform, an adaptable, open-source research ecosystem to enable remote smartphone-based cognitive and behavioral assessment. The ability to easily collect and share a broad spectrum of data from large and diverse participant samples can substantially improve aging research methods, have a meaningful impact on clinical outcomes, and ultimately improve the lives of older adults and their families. 

Completed Research

The MobileToolbox for Monitoring Cognitive Function

PIs: Gershon / Kaat / Rentz / Kellen / Weiner
Source of Support: National Institutes of Health / National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 09/2018 – 05/2024

This project will develop a set of app-based validated cognitive assessment tools, the MobileToolbox, to help identify normal from abnormal cognitive change in adults aged 20 to 85. The MobileToolbox will be appropriate for remote smartphone administration. Having such a resource will further our understanding of risk factors for and precursors of pathological cognitive decline and facilitate the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies.

ECHO PRO Research Resource: A Developmentally-based Measurement Science Framework for Assessing Environmental Exposure and Child Health

PIs: Gershon / Cella
Source of Support: National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 09/2016 – 09/2023

Negative environmental exposures can have a profoundly adverse effect upon the health of children. The overall objective of the ECHO consortium is to capture this adverse impact of early environmental exposures on children’s health by bringing together several existing studies of the influence of the environment on prenatal, postnatal and early childhood health.

ARMADA: Advancing Reliable Measurement in Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive Aging

PIs: Gershon / Weintraub
Source of Support: National Institute on Aging
Start and End Date: 09/2017 – 04/2023

Cognitive decline and dementia due to Alzheimer’s Disease, both associated with advancing age over 65, are increasing in the US due to the reduction of other illnesses that, in the past, limited life expectancy. This project will provide a brief, comprehensive assessment tool (in English and Spanish versions), applicable to diverse populations, to screen for a decline in cognitive health and associated neurological functions. The burden of age-related cognitive decline and dementia on older adults and the health care system make their early identification a critical public health goal in order to pave the way for prevention trials.