Exercise, walking ability, and frailty linked to memory changes and Alzheimer's markers
Physical activity, physical function, and frailty in relation to cognitive impairment and AD/ADRD biomarkers in DPPOS
This project looks at whether physical activity, lower-body function, and frailty relate to thinking and memory problems and to blood and brain markers of Alzheimer's in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367324 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, researchers will follow people from the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study to track physical activity, leg strength and mobility, and frailty over time and see how those patterns line up with changes in thinking, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. They will collect activity data, physical function tests, frailty measures, blood samples for biomarkers, and brain imaging. The team will also study exercise-related muscle signals (myokines) and diabetes-related metabolic problems to see if they help explain links between activity, function, and brain health. The goal is to learn whether staying active and maintaining physical function can help protect thinking and brain pathology in this group.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes who are enrolled in or similar to participants in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study.
Not a fit: People without prediabetes or type 2 diabetes or those whose memory problems stem from non-Alzheimer's causes may not directly benefit from this project's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify whether increasing physical activity or improving lower-body function lowers risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's-related changes in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research links higher physical activity and better physical function to lower dementia risk, but connecting these factors to blood and imaging Alzheimer's markers and exercise-related myokines remains less established.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palta, Priya — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Palta, Priya
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 below.