Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
Published

Technology-natives and technology-adopters: Age differences in remote cognitive assessment in Alzheimer disease

Authors

Samhita Katteri, Hannah Wilks, Matthew Welhaf, Andrew J Aschenbrenner, Colleen C Frank, Clara Vila-Castelar, Sarah Stout, Martin J Sliwinski, Tammie Ls Benzinger, Ma Florencia Clarens, Carlos Cruchaga, Alisha Daniels, Gregory S Day, Emma Devenney, Brian A Gordon, Edward D Huey, Takeshi Ikeuchi, Takanobu Ishiguro, Laura Ibanez, Mathias Jucker, Celeste Karch, Johannes Levin, Richard Perrin, Alan Renton, Charlene Supnet-Bell, Philip S J Weston, Chengjie Xiong, Jorge Libre-Guerra, Eric M McDade, Randall J Bateman, John C Morris, Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network, Jason Hassenstab
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Abstract

Alzheimers Dement. 2026 Sep;22(9):e71872. doi: 10.1002/alz.71872.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive changes in the asymptomatic stages of Alzheimer disease (AD) are subtle and difficult to detect using conventional cognitive tests. High-frequency smartphone-based testing may improve sensitivity to these changes, but generational differences in technology use could influence performance. We examined generational differences in cognition using remote, high-frequency smartphone assessments.

METHODS: Older adults (N = 444) from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center and young and middle-aged adults (N = 113) from the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) completed an in-clinic cognitive battery and brief smartphone tests up to four times daily for 7 days. We compared adherence, reliability, practice effects, and correlations with in-clinic measures.

RESULTS: Older adults showed higher adherence than younger participants (78% vs 59%). Younger adults achieved higher reliability with fewer sessions and exhibited much smaller practice effects. Smartphone to in-clinic test correlations were strong in both young-to-middle-aged and older adults.

DISCUSSION: Generational differences have important implications for the design and implementation of smartphone-based cognitive studies.

PMID:42781715 | PMC:PMC13602171 | DOI:10.1002/alz.71872