scholarly journals Detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment via Digital Biomarkers of Cognitive Performance Found in Klondike Solitaire: A Machine-Learning Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Karsten Gielis ◽  
Marie-Elena Vanden Abeele ◽  
Katrien Verbert ◽  
Jos Tournoy ◽  
Maarten De Vos ◽  
...  

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition that entails a slight yet noticeable decline in cognition that exceeds normal age-related changes. Older adults living with MCI have a higher chance of progressing to dementia, which warrants regular cognitive follow-up at memory clinics. However, due to time and resource constraints, this follow-up is conducted at separate moments in time with large intervals in between. Casual games, embedded into the daily life of older adults, may prove to be a less resource-intensive medium that yields continuous and rich data on a patient’s cognition. Objective: To explore whether digital biomarkers of cognitive performance, found in the casual card game Klondike Solitaire, can be used to train machine-learning models to discern games played by older adults living with MCI from their healthy counterparts. Methods: Digital biomarkers of cognitive performance were captured from 23 healthy older adults and 23 older adults living with MCI, each playing 3 games of Solitaire with 3 different deck shuffles. These 3 deck shuffles were identical for each participant. Using a supervised stratified, 5-fold, cross-validated, machine-learning procedure, 19 different models were trained and optimized for F1 score. Results: The 3 best performing models, an Extra Trees model, a Gradient Boosting model, and a Nu-Support Vector Model, had a cross-validated F1 training score on the validation set of ≥0.792. The F1 score and AUC of the test set were, respectively, >0.811 and >0.877 for each of these models. These results indicate psychometric properties comparative to common cognitive screening tests. Conclusion: The results suggest that commercial card games, not developed to address specific mental processes, may be used for measuring cognition. The digital biomarkers derived from Klondike Solitaire show promise and may prove useful to fill the current blind spot between consultations.

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Mohammad Nahid Hossain ◽  
Mohammad Helal Uddin ◽  
K. Thapa ◽  
Md Abdullah Al Zubaer ◽  
Md Shafiqul Islam ◽  
...  

Cognitive impairment has a significantly negative impact on global healthcare and the community. Holding a person’s cognition and mental retention among older adults is improbable with aging. Early detection of cognitive impairment will decline the most significant impact of extended disease to permanent mental damage. This paper aims to develop a machine learning model to detect and differentiate cognitive impairment categories like severe, moderate, mild, and normal by analyzing neurophysical and physical data. Keystroke and smartwatch have been used to extract individuals’ neurophysical and physical data, respectively. An advanced ensemble learning algorithm named Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) is proposed to classify the cognitive severity level (absence, mild, moderate, and severe) based on the Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) questionnaire scores. The statistical method “Pearson’s correlation” and the wrapper feature selection technique have been used to analyze and select the best features. Then, we have conducted our proposed algorithm GBM on those features. And the result has shown an accuracy of more than 94%. This paper has added a new dimension to the state-of-the-art to predict cognitive impairment by implementing neurophysical data and physical data together.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry L. Hildreth ◽  
Rachael E. Van Pelt ◽  
Kerrie L. Moreau ◽  
Jim Grigsby ◽  
Karin F. Hoth ◽  
...  

Aims: To examine the effects of pioglitazone or endurance exercise training on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and insulin resistance. Methods: Seventy-eight adults (mean age ± SD: 65 ± 7 years) with central obesity and MCI were randomized to 6 months of endurance exercise, pioglitazone or control. Results: Sixty-six participants completed the study. Exercise training did not significantly increase peak oxygen uptake compared to control (p = 0.12). Compared to control, insulin resistance improved in the pioglitazone group (p = 0.002) but not in the exercise group (p = 0.25). There was no measureable effect of pioglitazone or exercise on cognitive performance compared to control. Conclusion: In this pilot study, pioglitazone improved insulin resistance but not cognitive performance in older adults with MCI and insulin resistance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Grueso ◽  
Raquel Viejo-Sobera

Abstract Background An increase in lifespan in our society is a double-edged sword that entails a growing number of patients with neurocognitive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease being the most prevalent. Advances in medical imaging and computational power enable new methods for the early detection of neurocognitive disorders with the goal of preventing or reducing cognitive decline. Computer-aided image analysis and early detection of changes in cognition is a promising approach for patients with mild cognitive impairment, sometimes a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease dementia. Methods We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines of studies where machine learning was applied to neuroimaging data in order to predict whether patients with mild cognitive impairment might develop Alzheimer’s disease dementia or remain stable. After removing duplicates, we screened 452 studies and selected 116 for qualitative analysis. Results Most studies used magnetic resonance image (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) data but also magnetoencephalography. The datasets were mainly extracted from the Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) database with some exceptions. Regarding the algorithms used, the most common was support vector machine with a mean accuracy of 75.4%, but convolutional neural networks achieved a higher mean accuracy of 78.5%. Studies combining MRI and PET achieved overall better classification accuracy than studies that only used one neuroimaging technique. In general, the more complex models such as those based on deep learning, combined with multimodal and multidimensional data (neuroimaging, clinical, cognitive, genetic, and behavioral) achieved the best performance. Conclusions Although the performance of the different methods still has room for improvement, the results are promising and this methodology has a great potential as a support tool for clinicians and healthcare professionals.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Grueso ◽  
Raquel Viejo-Sobera

Abstract Background: Increase in life-span in our society is a double-edged sword that entails a growing number of patients with neurocognitive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease being the most prevalent. Advances in medical imaging and computational power, enable new methods for early detection of neurocognitive disorders with the goal of preventing or reducing cognitive decline. Computer-aided image analysis and early detection of changes in cognition is a promising approach for patients with mild cognitive impairment, sometimes a prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s disease.Methods: We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines of studies where Machine Learning was applied to neuroimaging data in order to predict the progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. After removing duplicates, we screened 159 studies and selected 47 for a qualitative analysis. Results: Most studies used Magnetic Resonance Image and Positron Emission Tomography data but also Magnetoencephalography. The datasets were mainly extracted from the Alzheimer’s disease Neuroimage Initiative (ADNI) database with some exceptions. Regarding the algorithms used, the most common were support vector machines, but more complex models such as Deep Learning, combined with multimodal and multidimensional data (neuroimaging, clinical, cognitive, biological, and behavioral) achieved the best performance. Conclusions: Although performance of the different models still has room for improvement, the results are promising and this methodology has a great potential as a support tool for clinicians and healthcare professionals.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theng Choon Ooi ◽  
Asheila Meramat ◽  
Nor Fadilah Rajab ◽  
Suzana Shahar ◽  
Intan Safinar Ismail ◽  
...  

Intermittent fasting (IF) refers to various dietary regimens that cycle between a period of non-fasting and a period of total fasting. This study aimed to determine the effects of IF on cognitive function among elderly individuals who practice IF who have mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A total of 99 elderly subjects with MCI of Malay ethnicity without any terminal illness were recruited from a larger cohort study, LRGS TUA. The subjects were divided into three groups, comprising those who were regularly practicing IF (r-IF), irregularly practicing IF (i-IF), and non-fasters (n-IF). Upon 36 months of follow-up, more MCI subjects in the r-IF group reverted to successful aging with no cognitive impairment and diseases (24.3%) compared to those in i-IF (14.2%) and n-IF groups (3.7%). The r-IF group’s subjects exhibited significant increment in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduction in body weight, levels of insulin, fasting blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and DNA damage. Moreover, metabolomics analysis showed that IF may modulate cognitive function via various metabolite pathways, including the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, butanoate metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, and glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways. Overall, the MCI-afflicted older adults who practiced IF regularly had better cognitive scores and reverted to better cognitive function at 36 months follow-up.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Piau ◽  
Katherine Wild ◽  
Nora Mattek ◽  
Jeffrey Kaye

BACKGROUND Among areas that have challenged the progress of dementia care has been the assessment of change in symptoms over time. Digital biomarkers are defined as objective, quantifiable, physiological, and behavioral data that are collected and measured by means of digital devices, such as embedded environmental sensors or wearables. Digital biomarkers provide an alternative assessment approach, as they allow objective, ecologically valid, and long-term follow-up with continuous assessment. Despite the promise of a multitude of sensors and devices that can be applied, there are no agreed-upon standards for digital biomarkers, nor are there comprehensive evidence-based results for which digital biomarkers may be demonstrated to be most effective. OBJECTIVE In this review, we seek to answer the following questions: (1) What is the evidence for real-life, home-based use of technologies for early detection and follow-up of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia? And (2) What transformation might clinicians expect in their everyday practices? METHODS A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases for papers published from inception to July 2018. We searched for studies examining the implementation of digital biomarker technologies for mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer disease follow-up and detection in nonclinic, home-based settings. All studies that included the following were examined: community-dwelling older adults (aged 65 years or older); cognitively healthy participants or those presenting with cognitive decline, from subjective cognitive complaints to early Alzheimer disease; a focus on home-based evaluation for noninterventional follow-up; and remote diagnosis of cognitive deterioration. RESULTS An initial sample of 4811 English-language papers were retrieved. After screening and review, 26 studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. These studies ranged from 12 to 279 participants and lasted between 3 days to 3.6 years. Most common reasons for exclusion were as follows: inappropriate setting (eg, hospital setting), intervention (eg, drugs and rehabilitation), or population (eg, psychiatry and Parkinson disease). We summarized these studies into four groups, accounting for overlap and based on the proposed technological solutions, to extract relevant data: (1) data from dedicated embedded or passive sensors, (2) data from dedicated wearable sensors, (3) data from dedicated or purposive technological solutions (eg, games or surveys), and (4) data derived from use of nondedicated technological solutions (eg, computer mouse movements). CONCLUSIONS Few publications dealt with home-based, real-life evaluations. Most technologies were far removed from everyday life experiences and were not mature enough for use under nonoptimal or uncontrolled conditions. Evidence available from embedded passive sensors represents the most relatively mature research area, suggesting that some of these solutions could be proposed to larger populations in the coming decade. The clinical and research communities would benefit from increasing attention to these technologies going forward.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document