Honghuang Lin Among Researchers to Find Regularly Updated Cognitive Data Improves Ability to Predict Alzheimer’s Disease 

Researchers at UMass Chan have developed a prediction model for Alzheimer's disease based on continually monitoring and updating information on cognitive functions. Honghuang Lin, PhD, professor of medicine in the Division of Health Systems Science-Clinical Informatics Section, and co-director of the Program in Digital Medicine, explains that many risk prediction models rely on single-time measurements of risk factors. However, since Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, single-time models may not effectively capture the dynamic changes in risk factors over time. 

“Each year, you visit your doctor, and based on new data, your risk is updated, allowing you to adjust your exercise, diet, or medication accordingly. Our project aims to determine whether incorporating additional cognitive measures can enable continuous updates to an individual’s lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Lin.  

Learn more about the study by reading the full story in UMass Chan News.