The primary objectives of this Core are the broad support for use of the M2C2 mobile tests and associated APIs and research planning tools and for the dissemination of these materials to build a community of researchers for long-term sustainability and continued innovation. The Dissemination function of this core is to share data, software (including source code), testing procedures, and relevant documentation with the broader research community. The Extension function of this core is to establish procedures and a pipeline for additional test development and promote uptake of M2C2 tools by the research community for use in new and existing studies, clinical trials, and health care settings. To promote uptake of M2C2 tools, we will develop interoperability with popular mobile and survey data collection software. In this Core, we describe processes for actively encouraging uptake of the test infrastructure and support of researchers outside of our immediate team to contribute new measures for inclusion in the M2C2 infrastructure following processes established by the Project. This Core will ensure access to study data and metadata to support reproducible and replication research under FAIR data principles and encourage external researchers to contribute data to the open science M2C2 platform to accelerate test development, optimal design, and data analytics.
The specific aims of this Core are:
(Aim 1) To implement a comprehensive plan to promote dissemination, uptake, and ongoing development of the M2C2 resource by the research community;
(Aim 2) To support rapid development, validation and deployment of novel cognitive measures with the research community and sustain innovations in mobile assessment methodology;
and (Aim 3) To support widespread uptake of M2C2 assessment tools, we will provide public APIs to allow integration of cognitive testing with other mobile and survey data collection software (e.g., REDCap). The long-term impact of this overall project relies on the uptake of mobile assessments in a broad range of research designs and clinical contexts. This Core will provide resources and protocol for dissemination, support, and extension of an open, flexible, and sustainable research infrastructure. The significance of this Core is that it will support the broader research and clinical community in the measurement of cognitive change and accelerate discovery in biomedical research focused on understanding, and ultimately improving, cognitive and brain health across the adult lifespan. Innovations in various avenues to enhance the quality of researcher engagement and support for uptake and further developments of the M2C2 test infrastructure will provide a dynamic cycle of development and deployment of these tools. 1

Public Health Relevance

Identification of modifiable risk factors prior to the development of neurological conditions in old age represents a critical challenge for developing effective treatment and preventive measures, controlling health care costs, and ultimately improving the quality of life for seniors and their families. This requires methods to detect subtle cognitive changes years prior to the onset of discernable symptoms. The proposed research will significantly advance these efforts by developing innovative ambulatory methods that rely on mobile and sensor technology to measure the cognitive and behavioral function of people in their everyday life. These methods could provide more cost-effective, accurate, sensitive and `ecologically valid' measurements of early signs of cognitive impairment than are currently available through standard laboratory and clinical practices. By improving our ability to measure cognitive function in daily life, this work will set the stage for the next generation of early intervention and prevention studies to slow or prevent cognitive decline.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Resource-Related Research Multi-Component Projects and Centers Cooperative Agreements (U2C)
Project #
1U2CAG060408-01
Application #
9593256
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAG1)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2018-07-01
Budget End
2019-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
003403953
City
University Park
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
16802