A video game detects early stages of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers

This type of test was essential because "space navigation is becoming a critical factor in the identification of preclinical Alzheimer's disease," The authors of the study, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said.

The researchers found that gamblers with a high genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease took less effective ways to reach the game's checkpoints. Moreover, movement patterns were identified among the players in the pool. genetic risk that had not yet displayed other memory problems, they said.

By creating a global online network for survey topics, scientists have also been able to draw their conclusions from what one might call the speed of distortion. They noted the equivalent of five hours of lab research for every two minutes of play, they said, as vast amounts of data about each player are available every second of play.

The results offer many possibilities, including helping "developing more personalized measures for future diagnostic and addiction treatment programs," Gillian researcher Coughlan I said.

"The largest study on dementia in history"

The researchers undertook to test the hypothesis of spatial navigation in a new way: They created Sea Hero Quest and hired casual gamers from around the world.

To clarify their scientific goals, developers focused on Apple and Android users in the UK, allowing them to decide whether they allowed researchers to collect data on how they had evolved around the world. virtual game. They ended up with 4.3 million players, setting the stage for what they're calling "the largest study of dementia in history."

The scientists then badyzed data from over 27,000 players aged 50 to 75 – the group most at risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms in a decade – to create a global reference on how most people evolve in the game, according to the study.

Finally, they compared these results with the performance of 60 people in the laboratory: 31 with the gene APOE4 , which increases the risk of Alzheimer's, and 29 without.

The audit found a clear difference in the patterns of displacement of risk group members – who opted for less effective paths – and other actors, researchers said.

Memory tests are still the norm

By focusing on navigation as an early identifier for Alzheimer's disease, the Sea Hero Quest test differs from the memory and cognition tests typically used in clinics, scientists said.

"The current diagnosis of dementia is strongly based on the symptoms of memory, which, as we now know, occur when the disease is well advanced" Michael Hornberger, senior researcher, said in a press release. "New evidence shows that subtle deficits in spatial navigation and awareness can precede the symptoms of memory for many years."

Indeed, loss of consciousness of space and navigational skills are often among the first obvious signs that dementia has adverse consequences on the life of someone, said Hilary Evans, director of 39; Alzheimer's Research UK, who collaborated with researchers.

Evans often ears heartbreaking stories about "people with dementia who get lost and can not find their way home" she said in a statement.

Sea Hero Quest is a partnership between researchers from University College London, the University of East Anglia and Alzheimer's Research UK. It was created by the developer of the application glitchers and financed by Deutsche Telekom.