# Digital Cognitive Assessment of Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2024 · $835,868

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Effective drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may well be on the horizon. While the amyloid-tau-
neurodegeneration (A/T/N) signature is recommended for the diagnosis of AD, it is not definitive for clinical
expression. Recent advance in digital technology provides a potentially low-cost and scalable approach to
continuous cognitive assessment. Digital biomarkers will also make relevant, in real time, disease prevention
opportunities by monitoring and reporting changes in modifiable disease risk behaviors. The objective of our
proposal is to develop a digital cognitive health resource based on the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease
Research Center (BU ADRC). The project is built upon the success of our initial precision brain health platform
for continuous cognitive assessment. We will leverage the BU ADRC cohort and its extensive and on-going
collection of longitudinal vascular risk factors, AD PET, CSF and plasma biomarkers, adjudicated dementia
subtype diagnoses and other clinical data, cognitive measures obtained from traditional paper-pencil
neuropsychological tests and neuroanatomic regions of interest extracted from brain MRI scans. We will add to
this annual data collection effort concomitant collection of longitudinal digital cognitive phenotypes via digital
recorder, digital pen, and smartphone applications. Our project includes three specific aims: 1) Collect the
digital cognitive metrics (dCog) and characterize those at high AD risk (A/T/N positive; A/T/N+) compared to
those at low AD risk (A/T/N negative, A/T/N-); 2) Assess the relationship of dCog phenotypes with vascular risk
factors and neuroanatomic measures; and 3) Build machine learning models from dCog phenotypes in
isolation and in combination with vascular risk factors and brain imaging/blood-based biomarkers to predict
cognitive health. The outlined strategy will identify and validate novel digital cognitive biomarkers and provide
new avenues for better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of AD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10987151
- **Project number:** 1R01AG083735-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** Rhoda Au
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $835,868
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2029-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10987151

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10987151, Digital Cognitive Assessment of Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (1R01AG083735-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10987151. Licensed CC0.

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