Using health records and AI to improve dementia screening in primary care
Official title: Leveraging Electronic Health Records and artificial IntelligeNce to improve Dementia Screening and early Detection in primary care (LEARN-DSD)
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11395258 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-friendly program uses existing medical records and smart computer tools to help doctors screen for memory problems earlier, especially for people aged 65 and up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $796,081 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG079175-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395258 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 65 and older who visit participating primary care clinics and are eligible for cognitive screening.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not need cognitive screening or who are not enrolled in participating clinics may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one visits a primary care practice, this project aims to make screening for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s-related dementia more routine and accurate by using information from electronic health records and AI. The approach includes a real-world trial in primary care where clinicians, patients, and families work together to refine how information about screening and diagnoses is shared and linked to heart health. The study relies on an embedded pragmatic trial design to test how often cognitive screening occurs and how diagnoses and preventive care are documented and followed up. By validating AI/ML methods on real patient data, the project hopes to make early detection more reliable in everyday clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster and more consistent screening for cognitive issues, enabling earlier management and better integration with cardiovascular care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown promise for AI-assisted screening, with ongoing work to translate these tools into routine practice.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Razavian, Narges — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Razavian, Narges
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Nurse practitioner care for older adults living with dementia
This project looks at whether different nurse practitioner primary care approaches help people 65 and older living with dementia—especially those in low-income, rural, or racial and ethnic minority groups—get more coordinated care and fewer emergency or hospital visits.
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Advancing Dementia Diagnosis in Primary Care
A project to help primary care doctors better identify the cause of cognitive problems like dementia earlier using a comprehensive toolkit.
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Strengthening primary care to improve dementia diagnosis
Aimed at helping primary care teams diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias earlier and more equitably, especially in diverse and underserved communities.
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Primary care checks and caregiver support to prevent neglect in people with dementia
This project will try a quick primary-care screening and a technology-based caregiver support program to help prevent neglect for people living with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
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Improving how primary care doctors diagnose dementia
This study is working to help doctors in primary care better diagnose Alzheimer's and related dementias by creating a helpful toolkit that makes it easier for them to spot the signs early, especially for patients showing changes in thinking or behavior.
-
Screening and intervention for elder neglect in dementia patients
This study is working on a new way to spot neglect in older adults with Alzheimer's and related conditions, and it will also create helpful tools for caregivers to prevent this neglect, all while comparing these new methods to regular care to see how well they work.
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.