Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a digital cognitive test for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease that is intended for use in primary care, as a first step in the investigation process for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The work has been published in the journal Nature Medicine. The digital cognitive test, BioCog, is done by the patient individually on a tablet computer. The test measures memory, cognitive processing speed and attention, orientation, delayed recall and recognition. The test measures aspects and variables that could not easily be measured in the past using pen-and-paper tests, such as how long it takes the patient to search among the words or how quickly they tap the screen. Patients whose tests show impaired cognition continue the assessment process with additional blood tests to determine whether Alzheimer’s pathology is the cause of the impairment.
The press release can be found here: https://www.medicine.lu.se/article/new-digital-cognitive-test-diagnosing-alzheimers-disease
The paper can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03965-4
