New Digital Test Boosts Early Alzheimer’s Detection in Primary Care
Lund, Sweden – A new digital cognitive test, combined with blood biomarkers, promises to substantially improve the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease within routine primary care settings, according to research published September 15, 2025, in Nature Medicine. The test, developed by researchers at Lund University in Sweden, aims to streamline the diagnostic process and identify patients who may benefit from emerging Alzheimer’s drug treatments.
“The purpose of the test is to make it easier for doctors in primary care,” explains Linda Karlsson, a civil engineer in technical physics and doctoral student in the Clinical Memorial Research group at Lund University.
The self-administered test is completed on a computer and assesses several key cognitive functions: memory (learning 10 words), cognitive processing speed and attention, orientation (date, year, etc.), delayed recall, and recognition (identifying previously learned words from a list of 30).
Unlike traditional paper-and-pen tests,the digital format captures detailed data such as response times and screen interaction,providing a more nuanced assessment. The weighting of these data points yields a result indicating the likelihood of cognitive impairment,helping physicians determine which patients should proceed with blood biomarker analysis and potential treatment.
The study was funded by the National Institute of Aging, Alzheimer’s Association, the GHR Foundation, the Alzheimer Fund, the Brain Fund, Knut and Alice Wallenberg’s foundation, and others.
Contact:
Pontus Tideman, Psychologist and Doctoral Student, Lund University: +46 725975999, pontus.tideman@med.lu.se
Oskar Hansson, Professor of Neurology and Research Group manager, Lund University: +46 72 226 7745, oskar.hansson@med.lu.se
Anna Hellgren, Press Contact, Medical Faculty at Lund University: 076-831 8923, anna.hellgren@med.lu.se
Publication: “Primary care detection of Alzheimer´s disease using self-administrated digital cognitive test and blood biomarkers,” Nature Medicine, september 15, 2025.DOI: 10.1038/S41591-025-03965-4
Founded in 1666, Lund University is a globally recognized institution with approximately 47,000 students and just over 8,800 employees across its campuses in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö.
