Federal Grant Award Summary

Project Grant: Short-Term Practice Effects in Subjective Cognitive Decline

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) awarded Indiana University Indianapolis a Project Grant totaling $607,706 under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866) to conduct research on short-term practice effects (STPE) as potential biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The research initiative, spanning from March 1, 2026, through January 31, 2031, will investigate whether individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD)—self-reported cognitive changes without objective impairment—exhibit smaller practice effects compared to cognitively normal peers and whether these effects correlate with plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, particularly phosphorylated tau (PTAU-217). The project will track cognitive progression and amyloid advancement over a 24-month period to establish whether STPE can serve as a predictive tool for identifying individuals at risk of cognitive decline along the Alzheimer's disease continuum.

The research extends previous findings on STPE in symptomatic populations to the less symptomatic SCD stage, potentially enabling earlier intervention points for future disease-modifying clinical trials. By utilizing emerging plasma biomarkers and examining the relationship between practice effects and biomarker status, this project aims to better characterize the heterogeneous nature of SCD populations and improve prognostic accuracy in preclinical Alzheimer's disease detection. The deliverables include empirical data supporting the clinical utility of STPE measurement and biomarker integration for enhanced disease risk stratification.