Using Self-Administered Game-Based Cognitive Assessment to Screen for Degenerative Dementia: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Rising global dementia cases necessitate early detection strategies.
• Increased internet use among older adults presents opportunities for digital health tools.
• Current dementia screening methods require accessible, self-administered options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel Game-Based Cognitive Assessment (GBCA) tool.
• To evaluate the GBCA's validity for early screening of cognitive impairment and degenerative dementia.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 67 patients with neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) and 57 healthy controls (HCs).
• Administered the GBCA alongside established cognitive assessments (CDR, CASI, MMSE).
• Analyzed data for concurrent validity, sensitivity, specificity, and user experience.

Main Results:

• The GBCA demonstrated strong concurrent validity, correlating highly with CASI (r²=0.90) and MMSE (r²=0.92).
• Achieved high diagnostic accuracy with a cut-off of 75/76, yielding 85.1% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity.
• User experience was rated as good and acceptable by both NCD and HC groups.

Conclusions:

• The Game-Based Cognitive Assessment (GBCA) is a valid and effective tool for degenerative dementia screening.
• The GBCA offers a user-friendly and acceptable method for early detection of cognitive impairment.
• This digital tool has potential for widespread application in aging populations globally.