Lifelong factors affecting brain health in type 1 diabetes (CLARiFY)
Identifying lifelong factors that impact brain health and outcomes in type 1 diabetes: The Cognition and Longitudinal Assessments of Risk Factors over 30 Years (CLARiFY) Diabetes Complications Study
This project follows people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in childhood into adulthood to find which lifelong health and lifestyle factors link to brain changes and thinking problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141108 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a group of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in childhood who have been followed for decades to track changes in the brain and thinking. The team uses repeated MRI brain scans, standardized cognitive tests, medical exams, and review of health records to connect blood sugar patterns, vascular complications, and life factors to cognitive and functional outcomes. This work builds on a unique long-running cohort with four prior waves of data and continues long-term follow-up to identify risk and resilience factors that shape everyday functioning. Participation may include clinic visits, imaging, cognitive testing, and sharing medical history.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in childhood and can take part in long-term follow-up visits including brain scans and cognitive testing.
Not a fit: People without type 1 diabetes, people with only type 2 diabetes, or those unable to complete MRI or cognitive testing are unlikely to directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify modifiable factors and monitoring strategies to help protect thinking and everyday function for people with type 1 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous short-term and youth-focused studies have found brain and cognitive differences in type 1 diabetes, but long-term prospective data like this remain limited.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feldman, Eva Lucille — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Feldman, Eva Lucille
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.