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Mobile Technology for Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults: A Scoping Review
Koo BM, Vizer LM.. Innovation in aging, 2019-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background and objectives The number of people diagnosed with dementia is rising appreciably as the population ages. In an effort to improve outcomes, many have called for facilitating early detection of cognitive decline. Increased use of mobile technology by older adults provides the opportunity to deliver convenient, cost-effective assessments for earlier detection of cognitive impairment. This article presents a review of the literature on how mobile platforms-smartphones and tablets-are being used for cognitive assessment of older adults along with benefits and opportunities associated with using mobile platforms for cognitive assessment. Research design and methods We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycInfo, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in October 2018. This search returned 7,024 articles. After removing 1,464 duplicates, we screened titles and abstracts then screened full-text for those articles meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Twenty-nine articles met our inclusion criteria and were categorized into 3 groups as follows: (a) mobile versions of existing article or computerized neuropsychological tests; (b) new cognitive tests developed specifically for mobile platforms; and (c) the use of new types of data for cognitive assessment. This scoping review confirms the considerable potential of mobile assessment. Discussion and implications Mobile technologies facilitate repeated and continuous assessment and support unobtrusive collection of auxiliary behavioral markers of cognitive impairment, thus allowing users to view trends and detect acute changes that have traditionally been difficult to identify. Opportunities include using new mobile sensors and wearable devices, improving reliability and validity of mobile assessments, determining appropriate clinical use of mobile assessment information, and incorporating person-centered assessment principles and digital phenotyping.
Key findings
- This article presents a review of the literature on how mobile platforms-smartphones and tablets-are being used for cognitive assessment of older adults along with benefits and opportunities associated with using mobile platforms for cognitive assessment.
- Results Twenty-nine articles met our inclusion criteria and were categorized into 3 groups as follows: (a) mobile versions of existing article or computerized neuropsychological tests; (b) new cognitive tests developed specifically for mobile platforms; and (c) the use of new types of data for cognitive assessment.
Why it matters
This review found 29 studies using smartphones and tablets for cognitive assessment of older adults, covering mobile versions of existing tests, new mobile-specific tests, and new types of data. It confirms potential for mobile assessment but does not show that these tools treat, cure, or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, 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 (Innovation in aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Innovation in Aging: journal h-index 48 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 195 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 21.7 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 80 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Lisa M. Vizer: h-index 12 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: institution h-index 1,674 (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 30619948) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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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
Koo, B. M., & Vizer, L. M. (2019). Mobile Technology for Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults: A Scoping Review. Innovation in aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy038
Vancouver
Koo BM, Vizer LM. Mobile Technology for Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults: A Scoping Review. Innovation in aging. 2019. doi:10.1093/geroni/igy038. PMID: 30619948.
BibTeX
@article{koo2019-30619948,
author = {Koo, B. M. and Vizer, L. M.},
title = {{Mobile Technology for Cognitive Assessment of Older Adults: A Scoping Review}},
journal = {Innovation in aging},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1093/geroni/igy038},
pmid = {30619948},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy038}
}
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