Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging: The First 1,000 Days By David Loewenstein, Ph.D. ABPP/CN, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Director, CNSA
When we launched CNSA in the summer of 2018, we set forth a number of ambitious goals including: furthering innovative and state-ofthe-art research into brain disorders, aging, and cognitive neuroscience, being leaders in developing treatments and effective interventions for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related disorders, as well as expanding our role as a primary site for the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center of Excellence. A further goal was the development and implemention of methods to best reach the underrepresented minority groups affected by AD. I knew we had the best possible faculty and staff in place to work together to reach these goals; a group of some of the brightest minds in geriatric psychiatry, neuropsychology, neurocognitive disorders, aging, and AD. I am immensely proud to be able to say that one pandemic and 1,000 days later, we have indeed achieved many of our goals, and are continuing to make significant strides toward others. It is extraordinary what our Center has accomplished in this time, a tribute to our extremely cohesive and hardworking team. Our mission was always to become a national and international leader in cognitive neuroscience by developing cutting-edge strategies and new paradigms for studying the aging brain and identifying biomarkers of early disease processes. With a first-class, state-funded Memory Disorders Clinic directed by Elizabeth Crocco, M.D., several large federal R01 grants resulting from collaborative efforts between myself Rosie Curiel Cid, Psy.D., and a stateof-the-art functional skills assessment and cognitive training program developed by renowned psychologist Philip Harvey, Ph.D., we are well on our way to fulfilling our mission. Perhaps our crowning achievement, in 2020 we were awarded a five-year, $15 million grant to collaborate with other universities in Florida on Alzheimer’s disease research. The 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) brings together top Florida researchers to
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focus on better understanding how to diagnose, treat, prevent, and potentially cure Alzheimer’s in diverse populations. One of 31 Centers of Excellence designated by the National Institute on Aging, the 1Florida ADRC is the only one funded in the state of Florida. With momentum from these successes, we recruited a phenomenal new faculty member, Marcela Kitaigorodsky, Psy.D., and an excellent biostatistician, Diane Zheng, Ph.D. Dr. Kitaigorodsky has led efforts to develop novel telehealth platforms to assess older adult participants in our many National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies and Florida Department of Health (FLDOH) projects and has published in this area. These platforms have allowed us to improve access and convenience for patients and will enhance our patients’ experience well beyond the pandemic.
