Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Aug 17, 2023
Date Accepted: Jun 8, 2024
Algorithmic Spaced Retrieval Enhances Long-Term Memory in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Case-Control Pilot Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Spaced retrieval improves memory in AD but historically has not been feasible to implement.
Objective:
The present research aimed to determine, in patients with AD, the efficacy and usability of a mobile application that combines spaced retrieval with a machine-learning algorithm to enhance memory retention.
Methods:
Twenty-one young adults, 20 older adults, and 20 patients with AD used the app for four weeks. Then they completed two memory tests one week apart, which tested memory for information they had and had not studied using the app.
Results:
After using the mobile app for one month, every patient with AD demonstrated improvements in memory relative to baseline (p < .001). Most showed large improvements, averaging 32 percentage-points, that were statistically comparable to young and healthy older adults. Further, we found no memory decay after one week for any participant group. Regarding usability, sixteen of the 20 patients self-adhered to the app’s automated practice schedule and half wished they could continue using it.
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate a novel and efficacious application of cutting-edge technology to provide individualized, automated, and feasible memory support in AD. Clinical Trial: N/A
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