Wearable Technology for High-Frequency Cognitive and Mood Assessment in Major Depressive Disorder: Longitudinal...

Area of Science:

• Digital health
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Cognitive symptoms are prevalent in major depressive disorder (MDD).
• Real-time digital tools can aid in assessing cognitive function and treatment response in MDD patients.
• Early identification of cognitive deficits can guide treatment and remediation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and validity of a wearable app for high-frequency cognitive and mood assessment in MDD patients.
• To assess the app's performance over a 6-week period, coinciding with the onset of antidepressant efficacy.
• To explore the relationship between high-frequency digital assessments and traditional clinical measures.

Main Methods:

• 30 patients with mild-to-moderate depression used the Cognition Kit app on an Apple Watch for 6 weeks.
• Daily assessments included the n-back task for cognition and mood questionnaires.
• Adherence was defined as daily completion of at least one assessment.
• Validated depression and cognitive tests were administered at weeks 1, 3, and 6.

Main Results:

• Excellent adherence (95-96%) for both cognitive and mood assessments was observed.
• Adherence remained stable and was not affected by depression severity or baseline cognitive function.
• Daily mood scores showed moderate correlations with validated depression questionnaires (r=0.45-0.69).
• Daily cognitive n-back task performance showed moderate correlations with validated cognitive tests (r=0.37-0.50).

Conclusions:

• High-frequency assessment of cognition and mood using wearable devices is feasible and valid in MDD patients.
• The study supports the use of digital tools for extended monitoring in major depressive disorder.
• Wearable technology can provide valuable real-time data for patient treatment and symptom management.