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Technology and Dementia Preconference
Sarah E Polk1, Lindsay R Clark2,3,4, Kristin E Basche2
1German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
Alzheimer'S & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer'S Association
|December 23, 2025
Summary
Frequent remote digital cognitive tests effectively detect early Alzheimer's disease (AD) cognitive decline. These unsupervised assessments are more sensitive to subtle changes than traditional methods, aiding in monitoring disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Traditional pen-and-paper neuropsychological assessments lack sensitivity for detecting subtle cognitive changes in early Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- Existing methods are limited in their ability to monitor cognitive performance over short timeframes, hindering early intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of frequent, remote, and unsupervised digital cognitive assessments in capturing short-term cognitive decline in early AD.
- To compare the sensitivity of digital assessments with traditional in-person tests for detecting cognitive changes in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Main Methods:
- Investigated episodic memory trajectories in 202 participants (52-85 years) using self-administered remote digital testing over at least 30 weeks.
- Employed linear mixed modeling to analyze cognitive status (cognitively unimpaired vs. MCI) and its interaction with study duration.
- Stratified MCI participants by amyloid-β (Aβ) burden and examined correlations between remote and in-person assessments.
Main Results:
- Participants with MCI showed deficits in associative memory, memory precision, and familiarity-based memory tasks compared to cognitively unimpaired individuals.
- A short-term decline in familiarity-dependent memory was observed in all MCI patients; specific tasks also detected decline in MCI patients with high Aβ burden.
- Remote assessment changes correlated with long-term in-person assessment changes, while in-person tests were insensitive to short-term cognitive changes in MCI.
Conclusions:
- Frequent remote cognitive testing offers a feasible and sensitive method for capturing subtle, short-term cognitive decline.
- Digital cognitive assessments represent a promising advancement for monitoring cognitive health in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases like AD.
- This approach can potentially improve the early detection and management of cognitive impairment.
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