Remote cognitive tests predict neurodegenerative biomarkers in the Insight 46 cohort

  1. Martina Del Giovane
  2. Valentina Giunchiglia
  3. Ziyuan Cai
  4. Marguerite Leoni
  5. Rebecca Street
  6. Kirsty Lu
  7. Andrew Wong
  8. Maria Popham
  9. Jennifer M. Nicholas
  10. William Trender
  11. Peter J. Hellyer
  12. Thomas D. Parker
  13. Heidi Murray‐Smith
  14. David M. Cash
  15. Josephine Barnes
  16. Carole H. Sudre
  17. Paresh A. Malhotra
  18. Sebastian J. Crutch
  19. Marcus Richards
  20. Adam Hampshire
  21. Jonathan M. Schott
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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease‐related biomarkers detect pathology years before symptoms emerge, when disease‐modifying therapies might be most beneficial. Remote cognitive testing provides a means of assessing early cognitive changes. We explored the relationship between neurodegenerative biomarkers and cognition in cognitively normal individuals.

METHODS

We remotely deployed 13 computerized Cognitron tasks in 255 Insight 46 participants. We generated amyloid load and positivity, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), whole brain and hippocampal volumes at age 73, plus rates of change over 2 years. We examined the relationship between Cognitron, biomarkers, and standard neuropsychological tests.

RESULTS

Slower response time on a delayed recognition task predicted amyloid positivity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79, confidence interval [CI]: 1.15, 2.95), and WMHV (1.23, CI: 1.00, 1.56). Brain and hippocampal atrophy rates correlated with poorer visuospatial performance ( b  = ‐0.42, CI: ‐0.80, ‐0.05) and accuracy on immediate recognition ( b  = ‐0.01, CI: ‐0.012, ‐0.001), respectively. Standard tests correlated with Cognitron composites (rho = 0.50, p  < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

Remote computerized testing correlates with standard supervised assessments and holds potential for studying early cognitive changes associated with neurodegeneration.

Highlights

  • 70% of the Online 46 cohort performed a set of remote online cognitive tasks.

  • Response time and accuracy on a memory task predicted amyloid status and load (SUVR).

  • Accuracy on memory and spatial span tasks correlated with longitudinal atrophy rate.

  • The Cognitron tasks correlated with standard supervised cognitive tests.

  • Online cognitive testing can help identify early AD‐related memory deficits.

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.1002/alz.14572
  2. Version published to 10.1101/2024.09.28.24314472 on medRxiv