Your iPhone could be used to detect dementia
A new study tested 113 participants over the age of 60 for dementia symptoms. Image: REUTERS/Stephen Lam (UNITED STATES - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS TELECOMS) - TB3E99A1J4PBE
Drugmaker Eli Lilly has said early results from a study suggest that Apple Inc devices, including the iPhone, in combination with digital apps could differentiate people with mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia and those without symptoms.
The study, tested in 113 participants over the age of 60, was conducted by Apple along with Eli Lilly and Evidation Health.
The Apple devices were used along with the Beddit sleep monitoring device and digital apps in the study.
The researchers looked at device usage data and app history of the study participants over 12 weeks.
People with symptoms tended to have slower typing than health volunteers, and received fewer text messages in total.
The participants were also asked to answer two one-question surveys daily as well as perform simple activities every two weeks, such as dragging one shape to the other and tapping a circle as fast as possible on an app.
The study also aimed to differentiate people with mild cognitive impairment, the pre-dementia stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
The early results were presented at a conference in Alaska on Thursday.
Don't miss any update on this topic
Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.
License and Republishing
World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.
Stay up to date:
Global Health
Related topics:
The Agenda Weekly
A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda
You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.
More on Health and Healthcare SystemsSee all
Emma Charlton
November 29, 2024