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Published on: February 14, 2014
Practicality of a computerized system for cognitive assessment in the elderly
Howard M Fillit1, Ely S Simon, Glen M Doniger
1Institute for the Study of Aging, Inc, New York, NY, USA. hfillit@alzdiscovery.org
Summary
Mindstreams, a computerized cognitive assessment tool, proved easy to use for elderly patients, including those with cognitive impairment. This supports its practicality for in-office dementia detection and care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuropsychology
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Early dementia detection is crucial but hindered by impractical neuropsychological testing in primary care.
- Mindstreams is a validated, reliable computerized system for assessing cognitive function across multiple domains.
- This study investigated the feasibility of Mindstreams for cognitive assessment in elderly populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the usability and feasibility of the Mindstreams computerized cognitive assessment system.
- To determine if elderly patients, including those with cognitive impairment, can easily use Mindstreams.
- To assess the practicality of Mindstreams for in-office cognitive evaluations.
Main Methods:
- Collected usability data from 2,888 initial Mindstreams testing sessions across 11 clinical centers.
- Utilized chi-squared goodness-of-fit tests to analyze patient and supervisor ratings of test ease.
- Conducted separate analyses for non-computer users, patients over 75, and those with lower cognitive performance.
Main Results:
- 83% of all patients found Mindstreams easy to use (P < .001).
- Ease of use was high even for non-computer users (73%), patients over 75 (70%), and poor performers (69%).
- Supervisor ratings indicated minimal patient frustration (76% overall, with similar rates for subgroups).
Conclusions:
- Mindstreams demonstrated ease of use and practicality for in-office cognitive assessment in the elderly, including those with significant cognitive impairment.
- The system's validity and practicality support its integration into clinical algorithms for enhanced cognitive decline detection.
- Mindstreams offers a feasible solution for improving early dementia diagnosis in primary care settings.
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