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Spatial navigation as a domain-specific marker of cognitive decline in Down Syndrome

Award Number: R15HD121055
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/13/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2029

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Spatial navigation as a domain-specific marker of cognitive decline in Down Syndrome - Project Summary Adults with Down syndrome (DS) face a disproportionately high risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), creating an urgent need for earlier detection and timely support. In neurotypical populations, spatial navigation deficits have emerged as sensitive and early markers of cognitive decline (e.g., in mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and AD). However, little is known about how these spatial deficits manifest in aging adults with DS. This study will address that gap by examining whether, what, and how spatial navigation impairments relate to cognitive decline in DS. We will recruit 40 adults with DS (ages 35–50), a critical window in which mild cognitive changes may first appear yet could go undetected. In Aim 1, we will administer well-established navigation tasks (e.g., the Hidden Goal Task) to determine whether and to what extent spatial navigation performance distinguishes DS adults exhibiting early AD-like decline from those experiencing normative aging. We will also identify which types of navigation tasks—focusing on egocentric (body-centered) and allocentric (environment-centered) reference frames and the switching between the two—are most sensitive to cognitive decline. In Aim 2, we will assess whether spatial navigation uniquely predicts cognitive decline beyond executive function (EF) and correlate laboratory-based navigation scores with informant-reported everyday navigation behaviors. This twofold approach will clarify if spatial tasks capture a domain-specific pathway to cognitive decline (beyond EF) and demonstrate their ecological validity in real-life contexts. Early recognition of cognitive decline in DS is crucial for timely intervention and adaptations to daily supports, yet few studies directly target spatial navigation in this population. By clarifying how egocentric, allocentric, and reference-frame-switching deficits manifest, establishing their predictive value beyond EF, and demonstrating their ecological validity, our study will pave the way for earlier, domain-specific detection of subtle cognitive decline in DS. Conducted under the R15 mechanism, this project will engage undergraduates in robust research experiences (e.g., neurocognitive testing, data analysis) within intellectual disabilities research. Ultimately, findings may inform refined screening protocols for DS and enhance our overall understanding of AD-related processes in other high-risk populations.


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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $547,500 )
2026	2026	MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY	1 NORMAL AVE	MONTCLAIR	NJ	07043	ESSEX	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	8/17/2026	NEW	$433,465
2026	2026	MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY	1 NORMAL AVE	MONTCLAIR	NJ	07043	ESSEX	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	001	1	8/28/2026	NEW	$114,035
2026	2026	MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY	1 NORMAL AVE	MONTCLAIR	NJ	07043	ESSEX	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	002	1	9/1/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $547,500

Grand Total All Awards = $547,500

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Spatial navigation as a domain-specific marker of cognitive decline in Down Syndrome

Award Number: R15HD121055

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

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

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/13/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2029

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