| Study Focus |
Principal Investigator |
Funding Agency |
Notes |
|
| Alzheimer's Disease and
Related Dementias |
| Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC) |
|
NIH |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center is a multi-disciplinary
resource that oversees clinical assessment and care, stimulates
dementia research, and trains health professionals in Alzheimer's
disease and other dementias. |
| ADRC: Clinical Core and Outreach Center |
S. DeKosky |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: Training and Information Transfer Core |
J. Saxton |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: Neuroimaging Core |
C. Melpzer |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: Neuropathology Core |
R. Hamilton |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: Genetics Core |
I. Kamboh |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: Component Biostatistics and Data Management |
S. Belle |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC: NIA Genetics Initiative |
S. DeKosky
R. Sweet |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC Project: Therapeutic correlates of AChE PET Imaging
in Demetia |
N. Bohnen |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC Project: Molecular Pharmacology of Psychosis Risk
in AD |
R. Sweet |
NIA |
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC Pilot Project: The role of presenilin complex
assembly and trafficking in AD |
M. Aridor |
|
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| ADRC Pilot Project: PET Detection of Macrophages in
AD |
C. Wiley |
|
Alzheimer Disease Research Center |
| Clinical Epidemiology of Dementia in General Practice |
|
NIH |
Clinical epidemiological approach to examine the prevalence, outcomes, and prognostic factors in Alzheimer's and other dementias in an elderly general practice (internal medicine/family practice) patient population drawn from a stable, biracial, economically depressed community in Southwestern Pennsylvania |
| Continuation Pharmacotherapy for Agitation of Dementia |
B. Pollock |
NIH |
|
| Coordinating Center for Enhancing ADRD Caregiving |
R. Schulz |
NIH |
Refine and test a multi-component psychosocial behavioral
intervention to reduce burden and depression among family caregivers
of persons with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders |
Data Core
" Mind & Body"
|
R. Schulz |
NIH |
|
| Epidemiology of Dementia: A Prospective Community Study |
M. Ganguli |
NIH |
To investigate incidence, risk factors, and outcome
in late-life dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, in a prospective,
community-based study (the MoVIES project) of a low-SES, rural elderly
cohort in the mid-Monongahela Valley of Southwestern Pennsylvania |
Geropsycho-
pharmacology: Enhancing Benefit, Reducing Risk |
B. Pollock |
NIH |
To enhance expertise in population pharmacokinetics using mixed-effects modeling |
| Ginkgo Biloba Prevention Trial in Older Individuals |
S. DeKosky |
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |
2000 participants in a randomized trial of 240 mg of
ginkgo biloba compared to placebo in men and women, median age 80 |
|
| Arthritis (including
Rheumatoid Arthritis) |
| Ig-Reactive T Cells In Rheumatoid Arthritis |
R. Salter |
NIH |
To determine how tetramer reactivity relates to expression
of particular class II HLA proteins, including subtypes of HLA-DR4
shown previously to be associated with RA; to test whether increased
tetramer reactivity found in some patients correlates with the presence
of multiple isotype rheumatoid factors, and with several markers,
which can be used to measure disease severity |
| Myoblast Mediated Gene Transfer to the Joint |
|
|
|
|
| Back Pain |
| Back Pain and Depression |
|
NIH |
ADAPT (Addressing Depression And Pain Together) is a clinical trial for older adults living with chronic low back pain and depression. We are based in Pittsburgh, PA. Our aim is to improve care for people 60 and older who are living with these problems. Learn More |
| RCT of Treatment for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis |
A. Delitto |
NIH |
Comparing surgical versus non-surgical treatment of
lumbar spinal stenosis |
|
| Bioengineering and Balance |
| Postural Control in the Elderly: The Role of Attention |
|
NIH |
The goals of this study are to determine the relationship
between postural control and attentional resource allocation in
young and elderly, to investigate the dynamics of attention and
postural control during balance recovery in young and elderly, and
to investigate the effect of increasing attentional resource allocation
on postural control during balance recovery in the young and elderly. |
| Virtual Reality for Balance Rehabilitation |
M.
Redfern |
NIH |
The overall goal of this project is to develop a novel
rehabilitation tool for the treatment of patients with balance disorders
using virtual reality. |
| Biomechanics of Slips in Older Adults |
M.
Redfern |
NIOSH |
The goal of this study will assess the effects of age,
gender, lower extremity strength and postural stability on the biomechanical
recovery profiles of people during slip events. |
| Biomechanics of Human Reactions to Slip Events |
M.
Redfern |
NIOSH |
The goal of this study will explore age and gender
effects on the biomechanics of recovery from slipping conditions
and examine the effects of warnings on slip-fall potential. |
|
| Cancer |
| Integrating Cancer and Aging at Pitt |
S. Studenski(Co-PI) |
NIH |
The goal is to establish a Cancer and Aging Program
within the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. The core mission
of the Cancer and Aging Program will be to develop and test interventions
to improve health outcomes in older persons with cancer. |
|
| Caregivers |
| Caregiver Intervention for Caregivers for Caregivers
of SCI Patients |
|
NIH |
To test the efficacy of an innovative multi-component
psychosocial /technology intervention aimed at reducing the risk
for adverse health outcomes among family caregivers of older survivors
with spinal cord injury, and to improve the well being of the spinal
cord injured survivor |
| Psychiatric and Physical Health Effects of Caregiving |
|
NIH |
Measure and analyze concerns identified by the review
committee, designed to be carried out as an ancillary study of the
Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) of the elderly |
|
| Chronic Pain and Pain
Management |
Chronic Pain in the 65+: Evaluating Functional Impacts
|
T. Rudy |
NIH |
Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) is a condition that affects
a significant number of older adults, and leads to reduced quality
of life and greater health care costs. To date, there has been
little research investigating the functional impact of CLBP in
this population. This study is designed to investigate the impact
of CLBP in older adults on a variety of biomedical, physical capacities,
and psychosocial domains, and compare these findings with those
of pain free control subjects. |
| Functional Impact of PENS for 65+ Chronic Low Back
Pain |
D. Weiner |
NIH |
The specific aims of this study are to: (a) test the
effectiveness of PENS in reducing pain intensity in community-dwelling
older adults with CLBP, and (b) test the effectiveness of combining
PENS with a general conditioning and aerobic exercise program (GCAE)
to improve the pain-related disability of these patients. |
| Osteopuncture for OA-associated Knee Pain and Disability |
D. Weiner |
NIH |
The specific aims of this study are: (1) to reduce
pain severity and disability in community-dwelling older adults
with OA-associated chronic knee pain using parosteal electroacupuncture
(osteopuncture). (2) to improve the physical performance, psychosocial
function, sleep, and appetite of these individuals. |
|
| Computer Robotics Technologies
|
| Coordination of Heterogeneous Teams (Humans, Agents,
Robots) for Emergency Response |
|
NSF |
Study of human interaction with robot teams for urban
search & rescue |
| Information Fusion for Command and Control: from Data
to Actionable Knowledge |
|
AFOSR |
Study of higher level information fusion and distribution |
| Cooperative Attack Realtime Assessment |
M. Lewis |
OSD DDR&E |
Study of human control of UAV teams |
|
| Depression |
| Treating Family Caregivers To Late-Life Depression
Patients |
|
NIH |
Acquiring knowledge of the pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic
treatment of late-life depression as a platform for additional training
and research activities focused on the assessment and psychosocial
treatment of family caregivers to late-life depression patients |
| Maintenance Therapies in Late-Life Depression-III |
|
NIH |
The goal of the study is to investigate drug treatment
strategies for improving and stabilizing cognitive functioning,
mood and well-being in people age 70 and older with depression. |
| Optimizing Treatment of Depression in Later-Life: Getting
Better, Getting Well |
|
NIH |
The goal of the study is to determine how best to treat
elderly patients who are partial responders (those who do not achieve
a full recovery) to first-line antidepressants – by simply
extending drug treatment at higher doses or by also adding psychotherapy
to the mix. |
| Genetics of Recurrent Early Onset Depression |
|
NIH |
To improve understanding of discourse comprehension
deficits often incurred by adults with right hemisphere brain damage
(RHD) as a result of stroke |
Electroacupuncture for Major Depression |
B.H. Mulsant |
NIMH |
To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of electroacupuncture in adults with major depressive disorder for improving depressive symptoms. |
Severe Depression Collaborative Study |
B.H. Mulsant |
NIMH |
To determine the safety and efficacy of combining an SSRI and an atypical antipsychotic for severe depression with psychosis and compare outcomes in younger vs. older adults. |
Aging Well, Sleeping Efficiently: Intervention Studies
(AgeWise)
|
PI:
Jordan F. Karp, MD
|
NIH |
A study of adults age 60 and older who have both depression and back pain. This study hopes to learn more about how older adults respond to antidepressant treatment for these two different conditions. The study will also test if adding a new intervention (Depression & Pain Rehabilitation) plus antidepressant medication will be more effective in reducing lingering symptoms of depression and back pain then treatment with antidepressant medication alone. |
|
| Exercise |
| Physical Exercise to Prevent Disability - Pilot Study |
A. Newman |
NIA-Subcontract from Wake Forest, University |
The major goal of this project is to gather preliminary
data that will determine the feasibility of conducting a Phase 3
randomized, controlled trial (RCT) that will provide definitive
evidence in the use of physical exercise to prevent physical and
mobility disability in older persons. |
|
| Geriatric Research, Education,
and Clinical Care |
| Career Development Award |
H. Day |
HRSA |
Geriatric Academic Career Award |
| Career Development Award |
S. Studenski |
NIH/NIA |
Training in Aging Research for MD Investigators |
| Clinical Research Training Award |
S. Studenski |
NIH |
The goal of the Pittsburgh Clinical Research Training
Program in Geriatrics and Gerontology is to produce geriatrician
clinician-investigators |
| Center of Excellence in Geriatric Medicine |
N. Resnick |
John A. Hartford Foundation |
The goal is to continue to maintain and enhance a research,
training, and clinical Center of Excellence in Geriatric Medicine |
| Clinical Research Training in Late-Life Mood Disorders |
C. Reynolds,
III |
NIH |
This institutional training grant provides training
in the basic foundations and methodological tools requisite for
successful clinical investigation in geriatric psychiatry for post
doctoral fellows and medical students. |
| Collaborative Medicine in Geriatrics and Internal Medicine |
A. Tulsky |
SGIM |
The Collaboration in Older Adult Care Project |
| Geriatric Education Center of Pennsylvania |
R. Schulz |
HRSA |
|
| Geriatric Education Teaching Award |
N. Resnick |
Jewish Healthcare Foundation |
Funding to support mentorship in Geriatric training
of fellows, residents and junior faculty. |
| GRECC: Cyclooxygenase 2 and Ischemic Meuronal Injury |
S. Graham |
|
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center |
| GRECC: Valsartan Long term Evaluation Trial |
J. Whittle |
|
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center |
| GRECC |
S. Graham |
VA |
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center |
| Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Medicine |
N. Resnick |
Harford Foundation |
This program develops tomorrow's researchers by increasing the number of physicians participating in the academic fellowship program, providing its faculty with development training, and attracting excellent clinical researchers to positions that will enable them to complete the transition from senior fellow to faculty member. |
| Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Psychiatry |
C. Reynolds, III |
Harford Foundation |
This program increases the number and quality of physician leaders in academic geriatric psychiatry by offering career development pathways in one of two areas: physician educator or physician researcher. |
| Pittsburgh NIA Career Leadership Award |
R. Schulz |
NIH |
To integrate and enhance existing programs of aging
research and training and to develop two substantially new research
areas |
| Training Future Generations of Mental Health Researchers |
|
NIH |
Building bridges between basic and clinical research
and building bridges between science and clinical service; develop
further the infrastructure needed to conduct clinical research training
within the frameworks of both translational and public health models |
|
| Heart Disease |
| Raloxifene in Women at risk for Cardiovascular Events |
J. Cauley |
Eli Lilly & Co. |
|
| GRECC: Cyclooxygenase 2 and Ischemic Meuronal Injury |
S. Graham |
|
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center |
| Cardiovascular Health Study |
L. Kuller |
NIH |
|
| Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women |
L. Kuller |
NIH |
To determine risk factors for subclinical cardiovascular
disease and the determinants of progression, as estimated from change
in coronary and aortic calcification measured by electron beam computerized
tomography (EBCT) at 8 and 12 years after menopause, and from change
in carotid plaque index at 5 and 8 years postmenopause, in 350 women |
| Do Hostility and Stress Predict CV Mortality in MRFIT? |
K. Matthews |
NIH |
|
| Sleep Heart Health |
|
NIH |
This study will continue follow-up of the SHHS cohort,
to characterize the natural history of SDB and determine how change
in RDI is related to risk for interim and incident CVD events. We
will also characterize the relationship between DBD and SDB progression
with quality of life, to use PSG data as well as previous collected
risk factor data from parent cohorts to develop a clinically and
epidemiological applicable model of risk and develop an infrastructure
to facilitate data sharing. |
| Arterial Calcification in the Elderly (ACE-CHS) |
A. Newman |
NIH |
This is the continuation of the Epidemiology of Coronary
Calcification in the Elderly study. This study will continue measuring
coronary artery calcium by electron beam tomography (EBT) and a
treadmill exercise test with further follow-up of the 614 men and
women, with a mean age of 80, who are participants in the Pittsburgh
Field Center of the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) |
| Process of Self Care: Comparison of African-Americans
and Whites |
M. Silverman |
NIH |
Patient-centered longitudinal study to describe and
compare the long-term changes in self-care behaviors of older African
Americans and whites residing in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
who have at least one of two chronic illness prevalent in this population:
osteoarthritis and ischemic heart d |
|
| High Blood Pressure, Hypertension |
| GRECC: Valsartan Long term Evaluation Trial |
J. Whittle |
|
Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center |
|
| Incontinence |
| Homebound Elderly: Maintaining Post-Treatment Continence |
|
NIH |
To examine effectiveness of a relapse prevention intervention
based on self-efficacy theory and Marlatt s model of relapse prevention
in sustaining post-treatment continence levels; impact of standard
behavioral therapy and relapse prevention intervention with respect
to adherence, relapse, cost, and cost-effectiveness; direct economic
incentive for home health care agencies to provide both standard
behavioral therapy and relapse prevention intervention for urinary
incontinence; and impact of standard and relapse prevention behavioral
therapy on quality of life and self-efficacy of homebound older
adults |
| Geriatric Incontinence: The Brain-Bladder Connection |
D. Griffiths |
NIH |
The specific aims are to identify in older women the
network of brain regions that are activated in response to infusion
of liquid into the bladder, to examine whether the network in older
women involves the same specific areas as identified in previous
study with younger individuals, to show that brain responses to
infusion are weaker overall among those with poor bladder control,
and to show that poor bladder control is associated with weaker
response to infusion bilaterally in the thalamus/insula area. |
| Enhancing Non-Pharmacologic Therapy for Incontinence |
N. Resnick |
NIH |
Using detailed physiologic testing to identify mediators
of response to behavioral interventions for urge incontinence. This
information will be used to develop more streamlined, less expensive,
and modular approaches to enable behavioral interventions to be
less variable, more effective, and more widely disseminated. |
|
| Medication Errors |
| Medication Error Reporting in Long Term Care |
S. Handler |
AMDA |
|
|
| Mood Disorders
|
| Mental Health Intervention Research Center (MHIRC)
for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders (IRC/LLMD) |
|
NIH |
|
| IRC/LLMD: Administrative, Data Management and Information
Dissemination Core |
|
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| IRC/LLMD: Methodology Core |
M. Dew |
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| IRC/LLMD: Recruitment, Assessment and Follow-Up Core |
|
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| IRC/LLMD: Health and Behavior Core |
|
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| IRC/LLMD: Geriatric Clinical Psychopharmacology Core |
B. Pollock |
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| IRC/LLMD: Functional Brain Imaging Core |
C. Meltzer |
|
MHIRC for the Study of Late-Life Mood Disorders |
| Pharmacotherapy of Late-Life Generalize Anxiety Disorder |
E. Lenze |
NIH |
The goals of this study are to determine SSRI efficacy for Late-life generalized anxiety disorder in the primary care sector and to examine genetic moderators of treatment response. |
|
|
| New Care Delivery Models |
Pilot Study to
Re-engineer Geriatric Care |
|
Jewish Healthcare Foundation |
To determine differences in health care quality and
costs when primary care is delivered by geriatricians vs. non-geriatricians;
to identify the factors associated with these differences; and,
using these data, to begin to formulate new practice models for
both geriatricians and primary care physicians |
|
| Normal Changes with Aging |
| Anticholinergic Drugs, Cognitive Deficits, and Normal
Aging |
R. Nebes |
NIH |
Studies of cognitive aging have rarely controlled for
the effects of such drugs; a substantial portion of the cognitive
decline thought to be a normal part of aging may instead be due
to the anticholinergic effects of medications that older subjects
are taking |
| Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center |
S. Studenski, MD |
NIH |
A concentrated, multidisciplinary effort to understand the causes and consequences of balance disorders to develop innovative treatments needed to address these disorders. |
| Dynamics of Health, Aging, and Body Composition |
A. Newman |
NIH |
|
| Development and Validation of a Clinical Global Impression
of Frailty Scale: Phase II Reliability, Validity and Responsiveness |
S. Studenski, MD |
Eli Lilly & Co. |
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity
and reliability of a clinical global impression scale for change
in frailty in 240 older adults. |
| Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study (Health ABC)-Field
Center |
A. Newman |
NIH/NIA |
This is a contract proposal to recruit and follow 1,500
adults aged 70-79 at one of two field centers to study the relationship
of body composition and comorbidity to subsequent disability |
| Preventing Cognitive Decline: A Prospective Study |
N. Resnick
(Co-PI) |
NIH |
|
|
| Oral Health and Older
Adults |
| Dentists and the Treatment of Homebound and Nursing
Home Patients |
K.
Vergona |
School of Dental Medicine |
Surveys the coursework in geriatrics completed by today’s
practicing dentists and the extent of oral health
care services provided to the elderly that are homebound or live
in nursing homes. |
| Dental Hygenists and the care of Homebound and Nursing
Home Patients |
K.
Vergona |
School of Dental Medicine |
Surveys the coursework in geriatrics completed by today’s
practicing dental hygienists and the extent of
oral health care services provided to the elderly that are homebound
or live in nursing homes |
| Oral Health in Rural and Urban Communities |
K.
Vergona |
School of Dental Medicine |
Compares the oral health of older adults living in
a rural community with their age-matched cohorts residing in an
urban setting. |
| Oral Cancer in Pennsylvania |
K.
Vergona |
School of Dental Medicine |
Analyzes the demographics and epidemiology of oral
cancer to direct future strategies toward reducing incidence and
related mortality in Pennsylvania. |
| Oral Health Care Needs of Alzheimer’s Patients
in NH’s |
|
School of Dental Medicine |
Assesses the oral health care provided to residents
with presumed Alzheimer’s Disease in nursing homes in Southwestern
Pennsylvania. |
| Web-Based Instruction vs. Traditional Instruction |
|
School of Dental Medicine |
Evaluates the effectiveness of instruction for a course
on Gerontology offered in a web-based format versus a traditional
classroom format. |
|
| Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis |
| Early Osteoarthritis in the Knee |
C. Kent Kwoh |
NIH |
University of Pittsburgh Arthritis Institute |
| Psychobiological Pathways: Osteoarthritis Interventions |
|
NIH |
To determine if osteoarthritis patients and their spousal/significant
other caregivers experience greater health benefits from an educational
intervention targeted at both individuals than from an educational
intervention targeted only at the patient |
| FIT Long Term Extension Study |
J. Cauley |
Merck |
|
| Osteoporotic Fractures in Men |
J. Cauley |
NIH |
Determining the extent to which fracture risk in older
men is related to bone mass, bone geometry, lifestyle factors, biochemical
measures, fall propensity, and other variables |
| Study of Osteoporotic Fractures |
J. Cauley |
NIH |
Multi-center longitudinal study in a cohort of 9,704
older women; comprehensive data about risk factors for osteoporosis
and other diseases, along with an archive of serum, buffy coat,
and urine specimens |
| Continuing Outcomes Relevant to Evista |
J. Cauley |
Eli Lilly & Co. |
|
Initial Study (completed): An 18-Month, Double-Blind,
Placebo-Controlled, Phase III Trial with a 12-Month Interim Analysis
of the Effect of Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone (ALX1-11)
on Fracture Incidence in Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Extension Study: An 18-Month Open Label Extension Study (OLES) of
the Safety and Efficacy of Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone,
rhPTH (1-84), ALX1-11, in Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
who Participated in Protocol ALX1-11-93001
|
S. Greenspan |
NPS Allelix Corp. |
The major goals of this multicenter study are to examine
efficacy and safety of parathyroid hormone (1-84) in the treatment
of postmenopausal osteoporosis. |
| A Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Parallel-Group,
Multicenter Study to Evaluate and Compare the Effects of Once Weekly
Alendronate and Risedronate on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal
Women with Osteoporosis (FACT Study) |
S. Greenspan |
Merck & Co., Inc |
The goal of this study is to determine whether once
weekly alendronate causes greater increases in bone mineral density
than risedronate in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. |
| Process of Self Care: Comparison of African-Americans
and Whites |
M. Silverman |
NIH |
Patient-centered longitudinal study to describe and
compare the long-term changes in self-care behaviors of older African
Americans and whites residing in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
who have at least one of two chronic illness prevalent in this population:
osteoarthritis and ischemic heart d |
|
| Pain |
Aging Well, Sleeping Efficiently: Intervention Studies
(AgeWise)
|
PI:
Jordan F. Karp, MD
|
NIH |
A study of adults age 60 and older who have both depression and back pain. This study hopes to learn more about how older adults respond to antidepressant treatment for these two different conditions. The study will also test if adding a new intervention (Depression & Pain Rehabilitation) plus antidepressant medication will be more effective in reducing lingering symptoms of depression and back pain then treatment with antidepressant medication alone. |
|
