Early detection of cognitive decline is crucial for identifying individuals at greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and implementing interventions to reduce or prevent progression. The need for scalable screening modalities is expected to increase as effective treatments are developed, requiring the ability to identify patients earlier.  

A growing body of literature shows that digital health tools, such as digital cognitive assessments (DCA), could be poised to meet the growing need for scalable and effective solutions. Potential benefits in utilizing DCAs compared to the traditional paper-and-pencil measures include, reduced administration time and cost, improved assessment accuracy and validity, and ease of use and access.   

The field of DCAs is quickly evolving and the list of available tests is exponentially growing. Despite the use of DCAs in AD research and clinical trials, challenges persist in translating these tools into routine care. For example, variability in the quantity and quality of performance information across DCAs significantly complicates decision-making in choosing the most appropriate test for a given clinical use. Therefore, there is a critical need to establish consensus within the AD community on defining use cases, setting performance standards, and addressing health system barriers to spur widespread adoption of DCAs into routine care.  

The Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi) has extensive experience in convening experts to address challenges in implementing innovative diagnostic technologies for AD. Drawing from the success of the Blood-Based Biomarker (BBM) Workgroup, CEOi plans to use this model as a blueprint to facilitate broader and successful implementation of DCAs in clinical and remote settings.