Worldwide, over 50 million people live with a disease that causes long-term memory loss. By 2050, this number is projected to almost triple to 130 million. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia leading to long-term memory deficiency, afflicting over 17 million adults over the age of 65. Also, it’s the 5th leading cause of death in the United States, with associated healthcare costs exceeding $277 billion annually. Early diagnosis and treatment of dementia are critical for delaying the progression of the disease; unfortunately, there are few viable tests available. Hence, new technologies are needed to improve the speed and detection of dementia.

Researchers at Rowan University are developing a test for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The test resides on a tablet or smartphone that consists of characters for screening for dementia. The first test contains only letters, the second only symbols, and the third symbols and letters. Each test has a set of target characters/symbols at the top, and patients performing the test are asked to circle characters within the screen’s target set.

Competitive Advantages

• A table/smartphone-based product for tracking and diagnosing dementia that can be performed in the clinic or via telehealth.
• Tests can be repeated, translated into any language, and reimbursable by insurance companies.
• Potential to improve the diagnosis of dementia and provide patients with early treatment to slow disease progression.

Opportunity

• The market for neurological diagnostics was $6.1 billion in 2020
• Cognitive assessment tools yielded revenues of $3.1 billion in 2020 and are anticipated to reach $11.4 billion in the near term.
• The rising adoption of cognitive assessments and the need for at-home testing is driving the growth of these tools.

Rowan University is seeking a partner(s) for further development and potential commercialization of this technology. The inventor is available to collaborate with interested companies.