PROMOTING ADHerENCE to enhANCE THE EARLY DETECTION
AND TREATMENT OF COGNITIVE DECLINE
The APPT Project's primary research team: Front row, from left, Neil Charness, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Successful Longevity; Dawn Carr, Ph.D., Department of Sociology and Director of the Claude Pepper Center; Mia Lustria, Ph.D., School of Information; top row, from left, Zhe He, Ph.D., School of Information; Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D., College of Medicine; Walter Boot, Ph.D., Department of Psychology and Associate Director of the Institute for Successful Longevity; and Shayok Chakraborty, Ph.D., Department of Computer Science.
What — APPT is a research project on cognitive aging funded by the National Institute on Aging.
Who — APPT is composed of an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Florida State University.
Goals — To enhance the early detection and treatment of cognitive decline and dementia.
How — By supporting adherence to programs that allow users to monitor and train their cognition from the comfort of their own home using mobile technology.
Why — To promote and improve cognitive health, well-being, and independent living for older adults.
As the population in the United States and around the world ages, it will be important to understand ways to detect cognitive change as soon as possible so individuals experiencing these changes can be treated and supported. The APPT Project will help develop effective methods through which cognitive changes can be monitored over time in someone's own home, using technology.
Cognitive assessments and cognitive training protocols are research-backed programs that help detect and combat changes in cognition. Mobile versions of these programs allow users to self-administer them from the comfort of their own home with a smartphone or tablet. However, in order for these programs to be effective, a user must engage with the programs regularly and as prescribed.
APPT’s goal is to build a support system that will boost adherence to these assessment and training programs. Using Artificial Intelligence, the support system will create and send personalized smartphone reminders when adherence lapses have been detected.
It will integrate information about the user’s behaviors, previous engagement history, and personal preferences to tailor the reminders to each individual.
By supporting adherence to mobile programs of assessment and training, the APPT project is striving to promote and improve cognitive health, well-being, and independent living for older adults.
The APPT Project is supported by the the National Institute on Aging (NIA R01 AG064529).