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In a groundbreaking study, researchers have shown that smartphone data collected during a simple wayfinding task can identify older adults at risk for dementia. The study, conducted during a scavenger hunt on a university campus, found that individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) paused more frequently to reorient themselves compared to those without SCD, highlighting an early sign of dementia.
The study, published on October 3 in PLOS Digital Health, marks a significant step toward using mobile technology for early detection of cognitive decline.
“Deficits in spatial navigation are one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease,” explained Dr. Nadine Diersch, a guest researcher with the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Tübingen, Germany. “This study provides the first evidence of how a digital footprint for early dementia-related cognitive decline might look in real-world settings during a short and remotely performed wayfinding task.”
Trouble With Orientation
Seventy-two participants, aged between their mid-20s and mid-60s, took part in the study at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany. The group included 23 older adults with SCD who, despite scoring normally on neuropsychological tests, showed early signs of cognitive decline.
Participants were asked to navigate between five campus buildings using a smartphone app developed by the research team. The GPS data tracked their movements, and while all participants had similar knowledge of the campus and experience with smartphones, older adults, particularly those with SCD, paused more frequently at intersections to reorient themselves.
According to Dr. Diersch, a decline in executive function — a key component of spatial navigation — may explain these results. “Intact executive functioning is essential for efficient navigation, such as switching between strategies or planning routes. However, more research is needed to determine the exact role of different cognitive processes in wayfinding data.”
Low-Threshold Screening Tool
The study suggests that smartphone-assisted navigation tasks could be a practical, low-cost screening tool to detect early dementia risks. “With more research, we believe this method could be used to stratify individuals for more detailed cognitive and clinical diagnostics,” Dr. Diersch noted.
A Game Changer in Dementia Care
Commenting on the study, Dr. Shaheen Lakhan, a neurologist and researcher in Miami, Florida, hailed the findings as a “game changer” for dementia care.
“This digital scavenger hunt not only identifies cognitive decline in real-world scenarios but also eliminates the need for costly, complex testing,” Dr. Lakhan said. “Soon, we might be able to track our cognitive health as easily as we track steps or calories.”
He envisions the development of smartphone apps that not only detect cognitive decline but also offer personalized brain exercises to delay or prevent the onset of dementia. “This isn’t just innovation — it’s the future of dementia prevention unfolding on our smartphone screens.”
Research Support
This pioneering work was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) within the Collaborative Research Center “Neural Resources of Cognition” and supported by a DZNE Innovation-2-Application Award.
