Cognition after war: a new, harmonized brain-health check for older adults and their children
Official title: Cognition After Armed Conflict: Creation of a Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) and Examination of ADRD Risks Related to Older Adult ADRD Risks Related to Early Life War Exposure
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11603137 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new plan will create a harmonized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war exposure might influence later dementia risk in older adults and their midlife children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG093885-01A1S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11603137 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults with a history of early-life war exposure and their midlife children who are part of the ongoing VHAS cohort, and who can participate in cognitive assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not directly exposed to early-life war who do not undergo cognitive testing may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will design and implement a third round of data collection using the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol in a cohort of older adults and their midlife children who have detailed histories of early-life war exposure. It will build on the existing Vietnam Health and Aging Study data to explore links between early trauma and later cognitive decline, aiming to identify protective factors and vulnerabilities. By comparing results across generations, researchers hope to clarify how war-related experiences shape brain health over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to earlier identification of dementia risk and inform prevention strategies for veterans and their families.
How similar studies have gone: HCAP has previously produced comparable and actionable cognitive data across diverse populations, supporting the novelty and potential for broad impact here.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Korinek, Kim — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Korinek, Kim
Related research
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Cognition After War: A new {HCAP} for older adults and their children
A study will create a standardized cognitive test battery for older veterans and their midlife children to understand how early-life war exposure might influence dementia risk.
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Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Check for Older Adults and Their Children
A new program will create a standardized set of cognitive tests and study how early-life war experiences might raise dementia risk in older adults and potentially affect their midlife children.
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Cognition After War: A New, Harmonized Cognitive Test Series and ADRD Risk Study for Older Adults and Their Children
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.