Quick 5-Cog check to spot memory and thinking problems in primary care
5-Cog Paradigm to Improve Detection of Cognitive Impairment in Primary Care: Pragmatic Clinical Trial
['FUNDING_U01'] · STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK · NIH-11189762
A brief, under-5-minute 5‑Cog check paired with a doctor decision guide is being used in primary care to help older adults—especially minority and underserved patients—get diagnosed and treated for memory and thinking problems sooner.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_U01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (STONY BROOK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11189762 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you go to a primary care doctor with memory or thinking concerns, they might give you a 5‑Cog check that takes less than five minutes and does not need a family member to report your symptoms. Clinics are randomly assigned to use the 5‑Cog plus a clinical decision tool or an active control, and the trial follows about 1,200 mostly minority older adults in Bronx primary care settings. The study uses a real-world, pragmatic design that also looks at how to implement the approach broadly in routine care. Early results showed much higher rates of new diagnoses and more dementia-related care actions in clinics using the 5‑Cog.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults who present to primary care with memory or thinking concerns, especially patients from minority or underserved communities, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People without cognitive concerns, those already diagnosed and receiving specialty dementia care, or those not served by participating primary care clinics are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more older adults—particularly in underserved communities—get earlier diagnoses and more appropriate follow-up care for cognitive impairment.
How similar studies have performed: An interim analysis from this trial reported an over eight-fold increase in new cognitive impairment diagnoses and a three-fold increase in dementia care actions compared with control, indicating promising prior results.
Where this research is happening
STONY BROOK, UNITED STATES
- STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK — STONY BROOK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: VERGHESE, JOE — STATE UNIVERSITY NEW YORK STONY BROOK
- Study coordinator: VERGHESE, JOE
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.
Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia