and Human Services (HHS)
DOMAIN SPECIFIC TASKS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS
RELEASE DATE: April 6, 2004
NOTICE: NOT-NS-04-012
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
(http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is
exploring the market interest and capabilities relating to the development of
valid, reliable and domain specific tasks of Executive Functions for
measurement and adequate intervention of executive dysfunction in
neurological disorders. NINDS is attempting to identify competent sources to
establish and coordinate the research activities leading to new measurement
approaches.
Background
Executive Function (EF) refers to a constellation of cognitive abilities that
include the ability to plan, organize, and sequence tasks and manage multiple
tasks simultaneously. Appropriate EF also includes components of self-
monitoring and self-correcting behaviors. These important behaviors are
compromised in healthy elders and in people with neurological, mental and age
related disorders, leading to disruption of lifestyle and loss of
independence. One obstacle for progressive research in this area of cognition
is a paucity of valid and reliable tasks that specifically tap domains of EF.
While some research has been ongoing with funding from NIH, the National
Science Foundation and the McDonnell Foundation, it has been difficult to
establish standard operational definitions of Executive Functions, resolve
areas of controversies such as the design and validation of comprehensive
neuropsychological tests to assess multiple domains of Executive Function in
both basic and clinical research settings. This solicitation will take
advantage of the state of our knowledge on research issues such as: neural
pathways associated with executive function; appropriate animal models to
study executive function; the nature, extent and rate of change of executive
function in pathological states; the characterization sparing or impairment
- of executive function in neurodegenerative diseases; current tasks for
assessment of executive function and the development of new tasks; factors
that modulate executive function; and feasible behavioral and/or
pharmacological interventions.
The development of domain specific tasks of executive function as specified
in this proposed solicitation will be of considerable value to many of NINDS
current and future research programs in neurological disorders where
dysfunction in cognitive processes are integral components of functional
outcomes and quality of life for affected patients. While there are numerous
neuropsychological test batteries, their use has been maximized in research
settings with little attention paid to adaptability to clinical trials.
However, some aspects of executive function are being incorporated into
many recent or current clinical trials in neurology, usually as secondary
outcome measures. Many neuropsychological assessment scales have been
developed for use in various disease settings; however, some of the existing
scales have questionable validity and there is no consensus on what methods
should be used within or across studies or disease areas. The lack of
consensus about the best tools or approaches creates a situation where based
on the existing literature, it is not possible to compare the relative burden
of various neurological conditions to each other or more importantly, to
compare the relative benefits of one treatment over another on the same
patient-centered outcome. Supporting a research agenda that will create a
battery of domain specific Executive Function tasks would greatly increase
the probability for more precise clinical assessment and integration in a
large range of basic brain research.
Goals of the Proposed Initiative
The overall goal of this initiative would be to obtain a battery of tasks for
EF that tap into its specific components that are comparable in animals and
humans and the development of a battery of EF tasks with the specific
characteristics such as:
o focused on one or more of the following six domains: inhibition (response
suppression); working memory (manipulation and maintenance of information;
temporal organization (time & place); set shifting (mental flexibility); self
monitoring (behavioral awareness, insight); abstraction (rules, categories).
o modifiable (depending on individual protocols or paradigms and individual
differences)
o programmable; replicable (flexible across laboratories)
o usable across species (rodents, monkeys, humans) and across age groups
o adaptable for clinical trials
o utilizes naturalistic situations (virtual reality)
o includes functional outcomes (sensitive to treatment, training, drugs)
Information Requested
Information in the following areas could aid in the design of a possible
future solicitation. We ask that interested organizations help identify
critical criteria that would be germane to any such solicitation. The
information supplied in any response to this request should address, but not
be limited to the following:
o General scientific approach to identifying content and developing measures,
considering the current state-of the-art in qualitative and quantitative
psychometric methods;
o Overall estimation of the number of personnel required and specific
expertise needed, with approximate level of effort required for each;
o Availability of technology;
o Target populations (e.g., source, characteristics, numbers needed for each
phase);
o Human subjects concerns;
o Methods of evaluation of data;
o Database/data management requirements;
o Project timeline.
This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes
only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the
part of the Government. The Government does not intend to award a contract
on the basis of responses nor otherwise pay for the preparation of any
information submitted or the Government’s use of such information.
Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will
respondents be notified of the Government’s evaluation of the information
received. However, should such a requirement materialize, no basis for
claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this
request for information or the Government’s use of such information as either
part of our evaluation process or in developing specifications for any
subsequent requirement. Responses will be held in a confidential manner.
Any proprietary information should be so marked.
All respondents are asked to indicate the type and size of your business
organization, e.g., Large Business, Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small
Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, HUBZone Small
Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Business, 8(a),
Historically Black College or University/Minority Institution (HBCU/MI),
educational institution, profit/non-profit hospital, or other nonprofit
organization.
Responses should be limited to 20 pages, should be identified with NINDS RFI
No. NOT-NS-04-012 and are due by May 3, 2004. Please submit three (3) copies
of your response to:
Helene Braun
Contract Specialist
Contracts Management Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
NIH
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 3287 MSC 9531
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9531.
(for FedEx or courier, use: Rockville, MD 20852)
E-mail responses, sent to [email protected], will also be accepted.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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