Home-based technologies shed light on Alzheimer’s disease, dementia

Tremendous progress has been made in applying technology to the basic biology of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to speakers at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Summit 2015.

The summit was brought together by the National Institute on Aging at NIH and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Jeffrey Kaye

Transformative technologies can make significant changes in clinical research approaches, according to Jeffrey Kaye, MD, professor of neurology and biomedical engineering, director of the Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Center and director of the Oregon Center for Aging and Technology.

“Pervasive computing technologies can radically change the way we conduct clinical research leading to major advances in detecting prodromal change, managing manifest disease and in transforming the effectiveness of clinical trials,” Kaye said during a presentation.

Kaye and his colleagues addressed well-known difficulties detecting the clinical presentation of dementia. They developed a home-based assessment platform consisting of sensors installed in the homes of 265 elderly men and women for an average of 33 months, according to data.

The sensors measured total daily activity, time out of home and walking speed. Patients were also given a computer and administered training on usage, health and function questionnaires and physical examinations. The researchers found the technology feasible for home-based assessment of senior activities, according to the study.

The use of pervasive computing, wireless technologies and big data analytics could bring the current research paradigm into a real-time, continuous, home-based and objective approach, Kaye said.

“If we do this, there’s the availability to make new observations and discoveries,” he added. – by Samantha Costa

Reference:

Kaye J, et al. Innovative Technologies for Disease Monitoring in AD. Presented at: Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit; Feb. 9-10, 2015; Bethesda, MD. http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2014/alzheimers-disease-research-summit-2015. Accessed February 10, 2015.

Kaye JA, et al. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2011;doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbq095.

Disclosure: The researchers report receiving funding for the study from grants from the NIH, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Intel Corporation.