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A new smartphone app is now emerging as a potential game changer in the fight against frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a serious neurological condition.
This app, developed a UC San Francisco-led research team, has the potential to alter the way FTD is diagnosed and monitored, leading to earlier interventions and better patient outcomes.
Detecting Dementia Using a Smart App
FTD poses major challenges for both patients and researchers. With symptoms often mistaken for psychiatric disorders and a lack of sensitive diagnostic tools, the disease is frequently diagnosed late, hindering treatment effectiveness. However, this new smartphone app offers hope for earlier detection and more accurate monitoring of FTD.
The app utilizes cognitive tests that can be completed remotely, allowing for greater participation in clinical trials and easing the burden on patients who may struggle to attend in-person assessments. Through these tests, early signs of FTD were detected in individuals genetically predisposed to the disease, even before symptoms emerged.
Dr. Adam Staffaroni, the first author of the study, highlights the potential impact of the app, stating that it may eventually replace many in-person visits to clinical trial sites, streamlining the research process and accelerating the development of new treatments for FTD.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dementia affects approximately 55 million people globally, with more than 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. Every year, there are roughly 10 million new cases.
Frontotemporal dementia is the leading cause of dementia in patients under 60, with up to 30% of cases attributed to genetics. Its symptoms vary but often include personality changes, impaired speech and language, and difficulties with movement and behavior. The challenges in diagnosing FTD early underscore the importance of innovative approaches like the smartphone app.
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(Photo : VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
An elderly man uses a mobile phone while sitting on the Promenades des Anglais beachfront in the French riviera city of Nice on September 1, 2017. – In a largely saturated telecommunications market, there is still a large share of the population that remains under-equipped and offers growth prospects: senior citizens.
The Study
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, involved 360 participants, including those without symptoms, with early signs, and with symptoms of FTD. The app’s tests, which assess executive function and other cognitive abilities, proved to be as sensitive as traditional neuropsychological evaluations conducted in clinics.
Furthermore, the app’s ability to collect rich data, including voice recordings and body movements, has enabled researchers to develop new diagnostic tests and monitor disease progression more effectively.
Researchers are optimistic about the app’s potential to facilitate new trials of promising therapies for FTD, including gene and other innovative treatments. While the app is not yet available to the public, its development marks a significant step forward in the fight against this devastating disease.
This smartphone app represents a promising tool for detecting and monitoring early signs of frontotemporal dementia. With its potential to improve diagnosis, increase participation in clinical trials, and accelerate research efforts, it offers hope for a brighter future for patients and their families affected FTD.
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