Smart phones, wearable devices, and sleep aids may just be the most effective tools in helping healthcare professionals detect, monitor, and treat diseases and other health conditions earlier. Evidation Health is already ahead of this curve with one of the largest and most diverse pools of data from more than two million participants through its Achievement app.
In 2012, Evidation Health launched the platform to gather individuals’ data across a number of sources, including simple assessment activities and questionnaires about personal energy and mood, and other “mental tasks” using the app (i.e. dragging one shape onto another, reading and typing exercises, or tapping a circle as fast or as normally as possible).
New evidence is specifically linking the use of some devices, combined with Evidation’s app, as an early indicator of cognitive decline. A recent study conducted by Evidation Health, along with Eli Lilly and Company and Apple Inc., showed that, when used with the app, smart devices—specifically Apple’s iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Beddit sleep monitoring sensor—may help identify individuals with mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
"Over the past few years, we've seen how data and insights derived from wearables and mobile consumer devices have enabled people living with health conditions, along with their clinicians, to better monitor their health," said Nikki Marinsek, Ph.D., first author and data scientist, Evidation Health, in a statement. "We know that insights from smart devices and digital applications can lead to improved health outcomes, but we don't yet know how those resources can be used to identify and accelerate diagnoses. The results of the trial set the groundwork for future research that may be able to help identify people with neurodegenerative conditions earlier than ever before.”
Initial results from the trial study show the potential of using the app with these devices in recognizing cognitive shifts that can detect issues early on, monitor symptoms of individuals diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s or MCI, test the efficiency of treatment, and more.
"With further study, we may be able to screen people at high risk or detect dementia and Alzheimer's earlier with the devices we use in our everyday lives," said Christine Lemke, co-founder and president, Evidation Health, in a statement. "These early findings suggest the potential of novel digital measures that are based on data generated and controlled by individuals."
