Technology and Dementia Preconference.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Traditional cognitive tests for dementia assessment are often biased by education, sex, and race.
• The Virtual Kitchen Challenge (VKC) is a novel measure of everyday cognition using a touchscreen interface for familiar tasks.
• The study hypothesized that the VKC's practical nature would reduce demographic biases compared to conventional cognitive scores.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate demographic biases (race, sex, education) in the Virtual Kitchen Challenge (VKC).
• To compare the VKC's performance with conventional cognitive tests (mPACC) and functional assessments (FAQ).
• To determine the VKC's potential as a more equitable cognitive assessment tool.

Main Methods:

• 133 older adults completed the VKC and a battery of cognitive tests (mPACC).
• VKC performance was measured by screen touches, task completion, and interaction with distractors.
• Demographic data including race, sex, and education level were collected.

Main Results:

• The VKC showed no significant differences between racial groups (White vs. Black) or by sex.
• Unlike conventional tests, VKC scores were not significantly correlated with education level.
• VKC performance was associated with higher overall cognitive function (mPACC) and better functional status (FAQ).

Conclusions:

• The Virtual Kitchen Challenge (VKC) demonstrates minimal demographic bias, unlike traditional cognitive tests.
• The VKC shows promise as a more accurate and equitable tool for assessing cognitive decline.
• The VKC is a valuable candidate for clinical staging and as an outcome measure in clinical trials.