martes, 10 de septiembre de 2019

The sorry state of research into tech-powered interventions for Alzheimer’s

The Readout
Damian Garde

The sorry state of research into tech-powered interventions for Alzheimer’s

As failed Alzheimer’s drugs continue to pile up, there’s been increased interest in non-pharmacological approaches to managing the disease, such as tech-powered solutions like computerized cognitive behavioral therapy and smartphone personal assistants. But when the folks at the advocacy group UsAgainstAlzheimer’s took to the scientific literature to examine the strength of the research into these non-drug interventions, they didn’t find much.

In a report published yesterday that examined such technology, along with approaches like diet and exercise, the group turned up few high-quality studies, little rigor in monitoring outcomes, and slow reporting of results.

In related news, a high-profile private clinic in Seattle is planning to promote approaches for Alzheimer’s that aren’t backed by strong evidence, including mindfulness, the ketogenic diet, and brain-boosting video games. The Brain Health & Research Institute opened its doors to patients last week. It’s backed by genomics pioneer Lee Hood, and it plans to collect reams of data on patients, including using sleep and activity trackers, according to a profile from the tech news site GeekWire.

No hay comentarios: