Apple, Eli Lilly, and Evidation Health Reveal Breakthrough in Detecting Alzheimer’s Disease Using Smartphones and Wearables

Today, Apple, Eli Lilly, and Evidation Health jointly announced the initial results of a study on digital assessment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using smart devices. The study demonstrated that the combination of smart devices—including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Apple’s Beddit sleep monitor—with digital applications helps identify and distinguish patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia associated with AD.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a familiar condition to most, representing one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. It is characterized by the deposition of β-amyloid proteins and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, with clinical manifestations including impairments in memory, language, and visuospatial abilities, as well as a progressive decline in cognitive function and activities of daily living. As population aging intensifies, AD will impose an increasingly severe burden on society. To date, substantial efforts have been devoted to AD research; however, there is still no effective treatment available. Early diagnosis and detection of AD are highly beneficial for drug development and the therapeutic management of patients.

This 12-week study evaluated 113 participants aged 60 to 75 years. It assessed whether the combination of Apple devices and a mobile application, tested in real-world settings, could help identify cognitive and behavioral differences between participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and those without MCI. With participants’ consent, the study collected and analyzed up to 16 TB of data from multiple sources, including passive sensor data extracted from smart devices, responses to mood and energy questionnaires, and data from simple assessment activities within a digital assessment app. These simple assessment activities included tapping a circle on the screen as quickly and rhythmically as possible, dragging one shape onto another, and reading and typing tasks.

Studies have shown that symptomatic participants tend to type more slowly and exhibit fewer routine behaviors. Furthermore, they send fewer text messages throughout the day and spend more time using “assistive” applications, such as the Clock app and Siri Suggestions on their phones. These data suggest that Apple devices and digital applications may have the potential to: detect and differentiate among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), those with mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and asymptomatic individuals; monitor cognitive changes in MCI; evaluate the efficacy of treatments and therapies; and accelerate the development of therapeutic approaches integrated with traditional diagnostic tools to improve diagnostic accuracy.

“We know that the insights provided by smart devices and digital applications can improve health outcomes, but we have yet to determine how to leverage these resources for discovery and to accelerate diagnosis,” said Dr. Nikki Marinsek, a data scientist at Evidation. “These trial results lay the foundation for future research, which may help identify patients with neurodegenerative diseases earlier than ever before.”

“Through further research, we may be able to screen high-risk populations using devices commonly used in daily life, or detect AD and MCI at an earlier stage,” added Mr. Christine Lemke, Co-founder and President of Evidation.

References:

[1] Apple, Eli Lilly and Evidation present first results from digital Alzheimer’s study. Retrieved August 8, 2019, from https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/apple-eli-lilly-evidation-present-first-results-from-digital-alzheimer-s-study

[2] Lilly, Evidation Health and Apple Study Shows Personal Digital Devices May Help in the Identification of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia. Retrieved August 8, 2019, fromhttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lilly-evidation-health-and-apple-study-shows-personal-digital-devices-may-help-in-the-identification-of-mild-cognitive-impairment-and-mild-alzheimers-disease-dementia-300898719.html

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