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Lifestyle intervention to treat apathy in older adults

Award Number: R00AG065419
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/15/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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Lifestyle intervention to treat apathy in older adults - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Apathy, defined as the absence or lack of motivation and emotional detachment, is a clinical feature of depression. Depressive symptoms and insulin resistance are conditions that are interdependent. Apathy, being a common depressive symptom in the elderly (> 70 years of age) and among individuals with diabetes, is a particularly attractive therapeutic target in interventions designed to improve glucose metabolism. The presence of apathy predicts chronicity of depression and poor response of depressive symptoms to treatment. Current interventions lack the precision needed to address apathy and its underlying mechanisms. We hypothesize that increasing insulin sensitivity in apathetic insulin resistant individuals will reduce apathy. Our preliminary studies show that a low glycemic index (GI) diet and exercise (D+E) intervention for seven days and 12 weeks increases insulin sensitivity in older adults with obesity. The key feature of a low GI diet is its high dietary fiber (DF) content. However, to maintain the benefits of a low GI diet in an elderly population, the fiber must be delivered in DF-dense portions of soft foods. Further, the exercise dose must be sustainable in a real-world setting. We will compare the traditional low GI diet with a low GI diet containing a novel dietary intervention using whole soybean pods (soy). To achieve Aim 1, we will conduct a dose escalation trial in the elderly with obesity and determine the maximum tolerated dose of DF delivered in soft foods including 10g, 20g, and 30g of soy and containing 4g, 8g, and 12g of DF respectively. At each dose, eight subjects will incorporate the foods into their usual diet for one week. We will evaluate tolerability to each dose and measure fecal short chain fatty acids as a biomarker of compliance. The results from Aim 1 will guide the design and implementation of Aim 2 that will determine the effect of a low GI D+E program on insulin sensitivity in elderly subjects with obesity and insulin resistance. To complete this aim we will conduct a 12-week randomized controlled trial of a low GI D+E program (controlled feeding and supervised exercise) with and without soy in 40 insulin resistant subjects with obesity and depressive symptoms including apathy. Aim 3 will determine the effect of the D+E intervention on apathy and whether the effect was mediated by changes in insulin sensitivity. The impact of social, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors, and the acceptability of the intervention will also be evaluated. This research and training will: 1) provide the advanced transdisciplinary training needed to advance the delivery of D+E interventions in the elderly; 2) position the applicant to emerge as a leader in the development of efficacious D+E regimens for healthy aging; 3) facilitate the exploration of the effect of insulin resistance on apathy in age-related neurodegenerative disorders and; 4) precipitate exploration of the interaction between nutrition and behaviors that drive other depressive symptoms. The additional research will be funded through future grant programs (R01’s). Understanding the relationship between insulin resistance and apathy offers unique insights into the biology of aging, congruent with NIA strategic directions for research.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $249,000 )
2024	2024	LSU PENNINGTON	6400 PERKINS RD	BATON ROUGE	LA	70808	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Aging Research	000	5	5/31/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$249,000
														Subtotal = $249,000

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $287,915 )
2023	2023	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM	6400 PERKINS RD	BATON ROUGE	LA	70808	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Aging Research	000	4	5/25/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$249,000
2023	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM	6400 PERKINS RD	BATON ROUGE	LA	70808	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Aging Research	001	3	6/7/2023	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$38,915
														Subtotal = $287,915

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $249,000 )
2022	2022	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM	6400 PERKINS RD	BATON ROUGE	LA	70808	EAST BATON ROUGE	USA	Aging Research	000	3	8/8/2022	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$249,000
														Subtotal = $249,000

Grand Total All Awards = $785,915

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Lifestyle intervention to treat apathy in older adults

Award Number: R00AG065419

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/15/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2026

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