Researchers from the DZNE, Otto-von-Guericke universities in Magdeburg and the University of Wisconsin-Madison together with the company Neotiv have developed tests for smartphones that can detect "mild cognitive impairment", which can indicate Alzheimer's disease with high accuracy. The study, published in npj Digital Medicine, is based on data from 199 older adults.
The results highlight the potential of mobile applications for Alzheimer's disease research, clinical trials, and routine medical care.  ;The tested supplement is offered to doctors to support the early detection of memory problems.
Professor Emrach Duzel, senior neuroscientist at DZNE and the University of Magdeburg, as well as an entrepreneur in medical technology, advocates a new approach.  ;He notes that the self-tests will help detect memory problems at an early stage and track the progress of the disease more closely than is currently possible.
In addition to his work in the field of dementia, Duzel is the chief medical officer by Neotiv, which developed a memory testing app. The app uses machine learning and works on smartphones and tablets. It has been scientifically validated and used in Alzheimer's research, and is now also being offered to doctors to support the detection of mild cognitive impairment .
Research participants — women and men over the age of 60 from Germany and the United States who participated in long-term observational studies of Alzheimer's. The results showed that testing on the app is comparable to traditional methods and provides high accuracy in detecting mild cognitive impairment.