Barrow Partners with Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative to Implement AI-Based Dementia Testing in Primary Care Clinics

Barrow Neurological Foundation is honored to announce that it has received a grant from the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative—a pioneering worldwide initiative to cure Alzheimer’s disease and improve brain health—for a pilot study demonstrating the impact of artificial intelligence- (AI) based cognitive assessments in the primary care setting. It will be conducted as part of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Healthcare System Preparedness (DAC-SP) Early Detection Blueprint, designed to help streamline the adoption of best practices in Alzheimer’s care for better patient access. The Foundation has also received philanthropic support from the Global Alzheimer’s Platform for this paradigm-shifting study. 

Today, nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and by 2050, that number is expected to rise to 13 million. Healthcare systems already face significant challenges in meeting the needs of dementia patients, and the predicted surge in cases could be devastating. Although primary care physicians are in an ideal position to identify Alzheimer’s disease early, many feel that they do not have adequate time, training, or resources to diagnose and manage cognitively impaired patients appropriately. 

“Identifying patients in the mild cognitive impairment stage and referring them to an Alzheimer’s specialist on time will give them the best chance of delaying cognitive decline. We are grateful to the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative for their support in helping us make the primary care setting more accessible for dementia patients through AI-based cognitive assessments,” said Anna D. Burke, MD, Principal Investigator for the study and Director of the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute.

The study will implement the Linus digital cognitive test in primary care clinics. The test, which takes about 5–10 minutes, will be administered electronically by medical assistants during the vital signs process. Results are immediately available to primary care physicians, accompanied by a list of recommended follow-up tests. Patients identified with cognitive impairment will then be referred to the Barrow Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program for a specialty assessment and more detailed treatment plan. This early diagnosis and referral method will afford patients better access to recently approved disease-modifying therapies and clinical research opportunities.

“Our Healthcare System Preparedness program seeks to link and scale best practices in early detection as part of our mission to transform healthcare systems,” said Tim MacLeod, Ph.D., director of the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative Healthcare System Preparedness program. “We are eager to learn from and share with our global network the AI-enabled cognitive assessments Barrow will deploy in the primary care setting.”

In addition, patients identified with cognitive impairment will be provided access to the outreach and support services offered by the Barrow Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program. Implementing these services early in the disease process can reduce the frequency of hospital visits for patients and burnout for caregivers.

Barrow Neurological Institute and the Peppertree Family Practice Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, both CommonSpirit Health facilities located in Phoenix, Arizona, will serve as the urban setting for the pilot study. CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, also a CommonSpirit Health facility, will serve as the rural setting. If you would like to support this effort, please contact Barrow Neurological Foundation at 602.406.3041.

About the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative

The Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) is a pioneering worldwide initiative to cure Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, seeking to mirror the success of global efforts against infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and Malaria. DAC is extending global research beyond its current focus on traditional Western European ethnic populations into the highly diversified populations of the Global South, where the vast majority of those with Alzheimer’s live. By introducing lower-cost screening and diagnostic tools as well as new treatment and prevention modalities in primary care and community health settings, DAC is driving the implementation of health system solutions that are appropriate for worldwide application. DAC also promotes the vital importance of brain health throughout the lifespan by addressing cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors, especially in early and mid-life. Absent effective action at scale around the world, by 2050, more than 150 million families and half a billion people will be personally impacted by dementia, creating a social, financial, economic, and global security disaster of historic proportions. DAC was launched in Davos in 2021 by the World Economic Forum and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease. For more information, please visit davosalzheimerscollaborative.org. 

About Barrow Neurological Foundation

Barrow Neurological Foundation raises awareness and funds for patient care, medical education, and research offered at Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Barrow is an internationally recognized leader in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroscience research, treating patients with a wide range of conditions, including brain and spinal tumors, neuromuscular diseases, aneurysms, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, headache disorders, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, concussion, and more.