Identifying the initial symptoms of dementia has just got a lot easier, thanks to a new hand-held device designed by researchers at the University of Missouri.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is usually the initial warning sign that Alzheimer’s disease or dementia might be looming. Diagnosing it as early as possible is crucial—it provides physicians with an advantage in terms of treatment possibilities, and patients and families with more time to plan.
However, MCI diagnosis is not always easy, particularly in rural communities where a host of specialized care may not be readily available.
This is where this new technology comes in.
Researchers like professors Trent Guess, Jamie Hall, and Praveen Rao have created a low-cost, user-friendly device that can detect subtle changes in movement—signs that could indicate cognitive impairment.
The device includes a depth camera, a force plate, and an interface board, making it portable and easy to use in clinics, senior centers, or even in community health centers.
To test the device, researchers observed older adults—some with MCI, some without—doing a couple of easy tasks: standing, walking, and standing up from a bench. But with a twist—they had to do them all while counting backward by sevens, combining physical exertion with mental exercise.
The reward? Pretty impressive. The device isolated MCI patients with 83% accuracy by measuring tiny fluctuations in balance, gait characteristics, and how quickly they could stand up—something that would be simple to miss during a standard check-up.
Why is this significant? Because mobility and cognitive function are more connected than most of us realize. When the brain starts to slow down, our body movements slow down too—smaller steps, slower gait, or difficulty staying upright when pushed.
And while stopwatches and simple observation can only tell us so much, this new system detects those subtle changes in movement with remarkable accuracy.
That’s important, especially when you consider that Alzheimer’s patients in the U.S. will more than double by 2060. But only 8% of people with MCI will ever receive a diagnosis—so most people miss the window to early intervention and treatment.
Dr. Hall thinks that this device has much to do with making that a reality. It could be used in places where regular screening is not the norm—like assisted living communities, rehab facilities, or community clinics. The concept? Make cognitive testing as routine and easy as taking blood pressure.
And that’s just the beginning. The research team is already exploring other uses—measuring risk of falls, monitoring frailty, even assisting with recovery following knee or hip replacement surgery. One day, it could detect movement changes in Parkinson’s, ALS, or concussions.
What makes this work more meaningful is the fact that so many of the participants in the research personally identified with this cause—some even were afflicted with MCI, some had family members afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Being open to participating speaks volumes about the need for early identification and hope presented through this research.
Through ongoing research into treatments for MCI, tools such as these could make treatment for millions of individuals possible—sooner, instead of later.
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You may find the entire research report published in Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders.
