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INTRODUCTION: Finding low‐cost methods to detect early‐stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a research priority for neuroprotective drug development. Presymptomatic Alzheimer's is associated with gait impairment but hand motor tests, which are more accessible, have hardly been investigated. This study evaluated how home‐based Tasmanian (TAS) Test keyboard tapping tests predict episodic memory performance. METHODS: 1169 community participants (65.8 ± 7.4 years old; 73% female) without cognitive symptoms completed online single‐key and alternate‐key tapping tests and episodic memory, working memory, and executive function cognitive tests. RESULTS: All single‐key (R2adj = 8.8%, ΔAIC = 5.2) and alternate‐key (R2adj = 9.1%, ΔAIC = 8.8) motor features predicted episodic memory performance relative to demographic and mood confounders only (R2adj = 8.1%). No tapping features improved estimation of working memory. DISCUSSION: Brief self‐administered online hand movement tests predict asymptomatic episodic memory impairment. This provides a potential low‐cost home‐based method for stratification of enriched cohorts. Highlights: We devised two brief online keyboard tapping tests to assess hand motor function.1169 cognitively asymptomatic adults completed motor‐ and cognitive tests online.Impaired hand motor function predicted reduced episodic memory performance.This brief self‐administered test may aid stratification of community cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Low‐cost simple tests for preclinical Alzheimer's disease are a research priority. We evaluated whether remote unsupervised webcam recordings of finger‐tapping were associated with cognitive performance in older adults. METHODS: A total of 404 cognitively‐asymptomatic participants (64.6 [6.77] years; 70.8% female) completed 10‐second finger‐tapping tests (Tasmanian [TAS] Test) and cognitive tests (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery [CANTAB]) online at home. Regression models including hand movement features were compared with null models (comprising age, sex, and education level); change in Akaike Information Criterion greater than 2 (ΔAIC > 2) denoted statistical difference. RESULTS: Hand movement features improved prediction of episodic memory, executive function, and working memory scores (ΔAIC > 2). Dominant hand features outperformed nondominant hand features for episodic memory (ΔAIC = 2.5), executive function (ΔAIC = 4.8), and working memory (ΔAIC = 2.2). DISCUSSION: This brief webcam test improved prediction of cognitive performance compared to age, sex, and education. Finger‐tapping holds potential as a remote language‐agnostic screening tool to stratify community cohorts at risk for cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Solar geolocation is used to quantify the movements of animals tagged with sensors that record ambient light with respect to time. Global location sensor (GLS) tags are small, light, and present minimal drag or wing loading. They are affordable, and some can record data for several migratory cycles. These benefits mean they can be used in applications for which satellite tags are unsuitable. However, large errors in estimated locations can result if the sensor is obscured, especially around twilight, and sometimes the data obtained is unusable by existing methods of analysis due to this source of noise. This places limitations on the usefulness of solar geolocation in conservation and monitoring efforts. All existing methods of analysis are dependent on twilights being identifiable or faithfully recorded. Instead, the method introduced here depends on the overall pattern of day and night to calculate the likelihoods for a Hidden Markov Model, where the hidden states are geographic locations. We call this a “twilight‐free” method of light‐based geolocation. This method quickly estimates locations from otherwise unusable noisy light data. We use examples to show that the method produces tracks that are comparable in accuracy and precision to other geolocation methods. Furthermore, efficiency and replicability of estimated paths are improved because the user does not have to subjectively identify twilights. Other data sources, such as sea surface temperature and land or sea masks are easily incorporated, further improving location estimates and processing speed. The twilight‐free method offers new opportunities to researchers interested in the movements of animals that routinely have obscured sensors, or to analyse previously unusable noisy light data. It offers a fast, efficient, and replicable method for analysing tag data without the need for time‐consuming pre‐ or post‐processing. By increasing the yield of usable data from GLS tagging studies, researchers can more efficiently quantify where animals are going and when, and monitor changes in habitat. This is of fundamental importance to management and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low-cost simple tests for preclinical Alzheimer's disease are a research priority. We evaluated whether remote unsupervised webcam recordings of finger-tapping were associated with cognitive performance in older adults., Methods: A total of 404 cognitively-asymptomatic participants (64.6 [6.77] years; 70.8% female) completed 10-second finger-tapping tests (Tasmanian [TAS] Test) and cognitive tests (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery [CANTAB]) online at home. Regression models including hand movement features were compared with null models (comprising age, sex, and education level); change in Akaike Information Criterion greater than 2 (ΔAIC > 2) denoted statistical difference., Results: Hand movement features improved prediction of episodic memory, executive function, and working memory scores (ΔAIC > 2). Dominant hand features outperformed nondominant hand features for episodic memory (ΔAIC = 2.5), executive function (ΔAIC = 4.8), and working memory (ΔAIC = 2.2)., Discussion: This brief webcam test improved prediction of cognitive performance compared to age, sex, and education. Finger-tapping holds potential as a remote language-agnostic screening tool to stratify community cohorts at risk for cognitive decline., Competing Interests: Author disclosures are available in the supporting information., (© 2024 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Finding low-cost methods to detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a research priority for neuroprotective drug development. Presymptomatic Alzheimer's is associated with gait impairment but hand motor tests, which are more accessible, have hardly been investigated. This study evaluated how home-based Tasmanian (TAS) Test keyboard tapping tests predict episodic memory performance., Methods: 1169 community participants (65.8 ± 7.4 years old; 73% female) without cognitive symptoms completed online single-key and alternate-key tapping tests and episodic memory, working memory, and executive function cognitive tests., Results: All single-key (R 2 adj  = 8.8%, ΔAIC = 5.2) and alternate-key (R 2 adj  = 9.1%, ΔAIC = 8.8) motor features predicted episodic memory performance relative to demographic and mood confounders only (R 2 adj  = 8.1%). No tapping features improved estimation of working memory., Discussion: Brief self-administered online hand movement tests predict asymptomatic episodic memory impairment. This provides a potential low-cost home-based method for stratification of enriched cohorts., Highlights: We devised two brief online keyboard tapping tests to assess hand motor function. 1169 cognitively asymptomatic adults completed motor- and cognitive tests online. Impaired hand motor function predicted reduced episodic memory performance. This brief self-administered test may aid stratification of community cohorts., (© 2023 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: Declining cognition in later life is associated with loss of independence and quality of life. This decline in cognition may potentially be reduced or reversed through engaging in cognitively stimulating activities. This study examined the potential for university attendance in later life to enhance cognitive function in older adults., Methods: Cognitively unimpaired adults (n = 485, 69% female, median age 60 years) were given the opportunity to undertake free university study. Repeated neurocognitive assessment was performed over 7 years., Results: Participants in the university education group (n = 383) improved z = .02 SD (.01, .03) per year of the study compared to controls ( P  = .001; averaged across a battery of cognitive tests). The largest improvements were observed on tests of language and verbal learning, memory, and episodic memory., Discussion: Later-life university study was associated with improved cognitive trajectories. Later-life education may preserve cognitive function, specifically for functions associated with communication, social interaction, and maintaining independence., Competing Interests: Mathew J. Summers and James C. Vickers were awarded National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant funding to their institutions for the current work. Aidan D. Bindoff, Mathew J. Summers, Edward Hill, Jane Alty, and James C. Vickers were awarded NHMRC grant funding to their institutions outside of the current work. Mathew J. Summers was awarded European Commission Horizon 2020 grant funding to his institution outside of the current work. James C. Vickers was awarded Medical Research Futures Fund, FightMND, and Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation grant funding to his institution outside of the current work. James C. Vickers has also served as an unpaid board member to Glenview Community Services and the Dementia Australia Research Foundation. Jane Alty was paid royalties for medical textbooks, and honoraria, accommodation and speaking fees paid to herself within the last 36 months, unrelated to the current work., (© 2021 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)