Utility of Centrally Acting Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors to slow the progression of Dementia

Abstract My prior training, background, and experiences are very relevant to my specific plans as described in the grant. My overall career development goal is to develop the skills necessary to pursue a career as an independent clinical researcher, able to conduct investigations that will broaden our understanding of the relationship between functional decline in aging and medication use. My specific research training objectives during the 5-year award period are: 1. To enhance my knowledge of neural correlates of gait and cognitive dysfunction. 2. Advance my knowledge of the brain Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) and connected pathways as a biological pathway that may link cognitive and motoric declines in aging. 3. Learn neuroimaging modalities and analytic techniques to identify and quantify structural findings related to cognitive and functional decline in aging. 4. Improve my knowledge of epidemiological methods and biostatistics for observational studies and longitudinal analysis. 5. Apply for an ROI grant at the end of this K23 award to extend this line of research into additional cohorts that will allow for more detailed investigations into the use of CACE-I and related agents in protecting against declines in gait and cognition in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. My research aims will add to our knowledge of the clinical and neurobiological consequences of medication use in aging by focusing on medications with less of a negative impact on functional decline than similar medication counterparts. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEI) are widely used for a number of conditions beyond hypertension. They can be categorized as centrally or peripherally acting based upon their ability to cross the blood brain barrier. Available data suggests that centrally acting ACEI decrease the rate of cognitive and functional decline among those with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders. My specific aims focus on older individuals without Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and are to 1) To quantify motoric consequences (gait velocity) of CACE-I versus PACE-I use in older adults using the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) database. 2) To determine cognitive consequences of CACE-I versus PACE-I use in older adults using the HRS. 3) To examine the relation of CACE-I and PACE-I use with neurodegenerative and vascular pathologies linked to dementia using the Alzheimer’s disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. Early identification of older adults at risk for the development of cognitive impairment and decline in physical performance, coupled with a better understanding of how ACEI subtypes affect cortical regions associated with dementia, is of paramount importance as a prelude to identification of targeted therapies to slow the progression of cognitive impairment in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. There is a knowledge gap regarding clinical consequences of different classes of ACEI that limits evidence based prescribing. This proposal will produce clinically relevant data that will form the basis of an R01 designed to extend this line of research into additional cohorts, to allow for more detailed investigations into the use of CACE-I and related agents in protecting against declines in gait and cognition in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.