In response to the request for a revised set of Specific Aims, we propose to address the first two aims outlined in our June 2008 submission for R01 AG 032271 (""""""""Social Engagement Histories and Cognition""""""""). These two aims can be completed in a 2-year period and would test significant hypotheses regarding the potentially.. important relationships between patterns of social engagement from childhood through later adulthood and ? sUbsequentadultcognition. Results of the proposed analyses will provide needed information on whether and how social relationships influence adult cognition - information that is crucial to our ability to develop effective interventions to reduce risks to cognition. Availability of such interventions will only become more critical as the fraction of the US population aged 65 and older (Le., those at high risk for poor cognition and its associated health care and other financial burdens) continues to grow rapidly in coming decades. 'I n consideration for the wider goals of the ARRA, we also note that the proposed work would fund two positions - one each at UCLA and Brandeis - for data analysts. In each case, these are positions that will be terminated unless this funding is received due to lack of adequate alternative grant support. Funding from this application would also cover portions of salaries for investigators who, although already on faculty at UCLA, """""""" 'are supported solely by research funds so that their positions must be terminated if insufficient funding is available to cover their time (Le., they are not supported by State of California funds). Results of the proposed work hold the potential to create further jobs to the extent that findings lead to further efforts to develop interventions - with both intervention development and subsequent implementation involving new job opportunities. The reviewers were satisfied with the way we had addressed the majority of prior comments. Below, we provide brief responses to the few remaining questions raised by reviewers. Overall, we were gratified that reviewers felt that we were """"""""very responsive to prior critiques"""""""", including provision of information """"""""persuasive that the cognitive assessment is a strong measure of cognition"""""""", and that ours was a """"""""very strong and innovative resubmission"""""""". We were also pleased that reviewers felt our application was """"""""highly innovative"""""""", """"""""addresses a significant issue with an innovative and sound approach"""""""", """"""""demonstrates how interdisciplinary studies can be integrated in novel and unique ways"""""""", and """"""""generates a high degree of enthusiasm"""""""",
Research has suggested that greater social engagement (i.e., the quantity and quality of our social relationships) is associated with significantly lower risks for cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. The proposed research will examine whether social engagement starts to benefit cognitive function at younger ages since evidence of effects earlier in adulthood would indicate that efforts directed at improving cognition by enhancing social engagement should start well before older age. This project will also investigate whether sex or socio-economic status influence the relationship between social engagement and cognition as enhanced understanding of relationships between social engagement and adult cognition for men and women and for those of lower and higher socio-economic status will be essential to the success of any future efforts to design interventions to reduce risks of cognitive decline for those made more vulnerable to it as a result of less advantaged social histories.
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