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Digital cognitive phenotyping enhances risk stratification in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Casey R. Vanderlip, Craig E.L. Stark. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2026-09-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Four cognitive phenotypes emerged. One phenotype (18% of Aβ+ participants) showed the steepest cognitive decline, highest progression on the CDR, greater baseline medial temporal tau, and fastest neocortical tau accumulation over 4.6 years (hazard ratio [HR] for decline ≈ 2.9). Combining this phenotype with elevated plasma p-tau217 identified a subgroup at markedly amplified risk (HR ≈ 4.5). Digital cognitive phenotyping, especially when integrated with plasma biomarkers, identifies actionable risk heterogeneity and enables scalable precision prognostication in preclinical AD.
Key findings
- One phenotype (18% of Aβ+ participants) showed the steepest cognitive decline, highest progression on the CDR, greater baseline medial temporal tau, and fastest neocortical tau accumulation over 4.6 years (hazard ratio [HR] for decline ≈ 2.9).
- Combining this phenotype with elevated plasma p-tau217 identified a subgroup at markedly amplified risk (HR ≈ 4.5).
- Digital cognitive phenotyping, especially when integrated with plasma biomarkers, identifies actionable risk heterogeneity and enables scalable precision prognostication in preclinical AD.
Why it matters
Among amyloid-positive participants, one digital cognitive phenotype (18%) showed the steepest cognitive decline and fastest tau accumulation, and combining it with elevated plasma p-tau217 identified a subgroup at markedly amplified risk. This improves risk prediction in preclinical Alzheimer's disease but does not treat, cure, or prevent it.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Craig E.L. Stark: h-index 62 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of California, Irvine: institution h-index 1,195 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 42741980) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Vanderlip, C. R., & Stark, C. E. (2026). Digital cognitive phenotyping enhances risk stratification in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71834
Vancouver
Vanderlip CR, Stark CE. Digital cognitive phenotyping enhances risk stratification in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2026. doi:10.1002/alz.71834. PMID: 42741980.
BibTeX
@article{vanderlip2026-42741980,
author = {Vanderlip, Casey R. and Stark, Craig E.L.},
title = {{Digital cognitive phenotyping enhances risk stratification in preclinical Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71834},
pmid = {42741980},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71834}
}
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