Basic and Translational Research on Decision Making in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) | PAR 16 448

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name and identifier of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Basic and Translational Research on Decision Making in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease (R01)" and is identified as PAR-16-448.

Which agency is offering this grant?

This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program.

What grant mechanism does this opportunity use?

The funding mechanism is an NIH R01 research project grant.

What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The central purpose is to improve scientific understanding of how decision making changes with normal aging and how decision making is altered by Alzheimer's disease (AD), including identifying what remains resilient, what declines, and how AD-related impairment may differ from typical aging.

Is this opportunity focused on basic research, translational research, or both?

It supports basic and translational research. The FOA emphasizes foundational theory and measurement while also expecting links to real-world outcomes that can inform assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies over time.

What aspects of decision making does the FOA want researchers to study?

The FOA highlights emotional (affective), cognitive (thinking-related), social, and motivational components that shape decision making in older adulthood, including both intact and impaired decision making and including people with Alzheimer's disease.

What kinds of decision behaviors are specifically mentioned as examples?

Examples include risk evaluation, reward learning, delay discounting, susceptibility to framing effects, and consistency of preferences.

Does the FOA emphasize neuroscience or brain mechanisms?

Yes. A major emphasis is identifying behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying decision making and determining how these mechanisms are differentially affected in normal aging versus Alzheimer's disease.

What underlying cognitive operations does the FOA mention as relevant to decision making?

The FOA mentions memory, attention, executive function, valuation, and emotion regulation as examples of basic operations that may connect to observable decision behavior.

How does the FOA define the translational angle of the research?

The translational expectation is that investigators connect foundational theory and measurement to real-world outcomes, helping move from lab-based paradigms toward insights that can eventually inform assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies.

Are social influences on decision making a priority area?

Yes. The FOA explicitly encourages research examining social influences on decision making in later life.

What social factors does the FOA call out for study?

Examples include interpersonal context, social support, loneliness, social cognition, trust, persuasion, authority cues, and caregiver or family dynamics.

Why does the FOA emphasize social context for older adults' decision making?

It notes that many high-stakes decisions for older adults occur in social settings, such as medical decisions, financial decisions, living arrangements, and consent-related situations, and it highlights the need to understand how social factors interact with cognitive change and disease processes.

Does this opportunity address financial exploitation, mistreatment, or abuse?

Yes. A core priority is research on vulnerability to financial exploitation, mistreatment, and abuse, including why some older adults (with or without cognitive impairment) are more susceptible to scams, coercion, undue influence, or deceptive decision environments.

What decision-making features linked to exploitation risk are mentioned?

The FOA mentions impaired risk perception, reduced ability to detect deception, changes in trust calibration, difficulties learning from negative outcomes, reduced capacity to manage complex information, and motivational shifts that may increase compliance or reduce skepticism.

Does the FOA distinguish between normal aging and Alzheimer's-related decision impairment?

Yes. It is explicitly interested in clarifying what processes decline with typical aging, what remains resilient, and how Alzheimer's disease may produce a different pattern of decision-making impairment than normal aging.

What is the NIH health research category identifier (CFDA) listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.866.

When was the FOA record created?

The FOA record indicates it was created on September 23, 2016.

What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?

The original closing date listed is January 23, 2018.

Are the award ceiling and expected number of awards provided?

No. The provided information states that specific award ceiling and expected award counts are not included in the source text, and applicants are typically expected to consult the full FOA and NIH institute guidance for budget expectations and program priorities at the time of submission.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligibility is broad and includes many public and private organizations, including multiple levels of government, educational institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit entities (including small businesses), as described in the FOA.

Which government entities are eligible applicants?

Eligible government applicants include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; and special district governments.

Are school districts eligible?

Yes. Independent school districts are listed as eligible applicants.

Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?

Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.

Are nonprofits eligible, and does 501(c)(3) status matter?

Yes. The FOA lists nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status as eligible (with exclusions noted in the eligibility language where specified).

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are listed as eligible, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments are also listed.

Are public housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are included in the eligible applicant categories.

Are minority-serving institutions specifically encouraged or included as eligible?

Yes. The FOA calls out categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are listed among "other eligible applicants."

Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. The FOA lists eligible federal agencies among "other eligible applicants."

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included in the "other eligible applicants" categories.

Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are listed as eligible.

Are Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized eligible?

Yes. The FOA specifically includes Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized among eligible applicants.

What types of real-world decisions does the FOA highlight as important?

It highlights high-stakes decisions that often occur in social contexts, including medical decisions, financial decisions, living arrangements, and consent-related situations.

What broader outcomes or impacts does the FOA aim to support?

The FOA is designed to deepen the science of decision making in later life with an eye toward real-world consequences such as autonomy, safety, and protection from exploitation, potentially supporting earlier identification of risk and more effective safeguards.