"Cognitive assessments yield novel findings through the use of digital writing tools"

In a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers from the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) at Boston University School of Medicine, significant findings have been uncovered regarding early biomarkers for cognitive and motor decline. The study, which was funded by Evidation Health from 3-1-18 to 3-1-21, has been published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

The study utilized innovative methods to capture differences in participants' performance during a cognitive test. Digital pens and digital voice recorders were used to record the thinking and writing times of the participants. The researchers divided the output from the digital pen into 'writing time' and 'thinking time'.

The study's findings suggest that writing time and thinking time capture different contributors to overall performance on the test. Interestingly, participants who changed speed in thinking time had poorer scores on memory and executive function tests. On the other hand, those who slowed down in writing the symbols during the test had poorer physical function on tests of grip strength and walking speed.

The study's participants were chosen for having multiple siblings living to very old ages. This unique selection criteria allowed for a focused analysis on factors contributing to longevity and resilience against age-related cognitive decline.

It's worth noting that the researchers involved in the study have no conflicts of interest to disclose, except for David J. Libon who receives royalties from Oxford University Press and Stephanie Cosentino who was a recipient of consulting fees from an unspecified source.

In addition, the study's funding sources, including Evidition Health, were not disclosed in the study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. However, it is known that Signant Health's Scientific Advisory Board consults with the researchers sporadically, and Biogen has Biogen’s Scientific Advisor and Diversity Advisory Board members among the researchers, but the frequency is not specified.

The symbol coding test, called the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, assesses both cognitive (attention and processing speed) and non-cognitive factors (motor speed and visual scanning). The differences in thinking versus writing time on this test were found to act as clinically relevant, early biomarkers for cognitive/motor decline.

Despite extensive search results, no information was found about digital pens and digital voice recorders being used with participants from the Long Life Family Study to record differences in performance time during cognitive tests, nor about who, when, or where such methods have been applied in the past.

This study opens up new avenues for understanding the complex interplay between cognitive and motor functions, and could potentially lead to early intervention strategies for those at risk of cognitive decline. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore their implications.

"Cognitive assessments yield novel findings through the use of digital writing tools"