Alzheimer’s Disease Research Update:
Brain Health in the Digital Era

Despite the depth and breadth of Alzheimer’s disease research, effective methods for treatment remain elusive.  The emphasis on medical intervention has led to a more recent focus on identifying biomarkers decades before the threshold for clinical diagnosis is met and on developing earlier detection methods.  Digital technologies such as wearable sensors and smart home devices may offer a solution for monitoring and detecting modifiable Alzheimer’s disease-related risk factors and behavioral symptoms well before changes meet the threshold for clinical diagnosis.  These technologies could potentially lead to a more comprehensive focus on “personalized brain health” and reduce the likelihood of disease.

About the Speaker

Rhoda Au is Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Neurology and Epidemiology at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health. She also currently serves as Director of Neuropsychology at the Framingham Heart Study, where she has been involved in research related to cognitive aging and preclinical/clinical dementia since 1990. Most recently, she has integrated digital technology into the cognitive assessment process while preserving the traditional paper-pencil test experience. In addition to her work at Framingham, Dr. Au is also currently involved in the School of Public Health led Aging Well Institute that focuses on building multi-sector ecosystems to enable solutions for chronic disease prevention generally and optimizing brain health specifically and to move the primary focus of health technologies from precision medicine to a broader emphasis on precision health.