29 Feb CHANCE – Pharaon Second Open Call winner
Project Partners: BrainTrip LTd. (BrainTrip), Science and Research Centre of Koper (ZRS Koper)
Countries: Malta, Slovenia
We propose a transnational collaborative project between Malta and Slovenia, aimed at introducing a brain-based test of cognitive function for older adults: the BrainTrip Dementia Index (BDI) test. We also aim to verify the BDI’s cross-cultural and sociolinguistic validity. The project will add a vital facet of screening and longitudinally monitoring brain health to the Pharaon platform and help in the mission of enhancing the independence, safety, and capabilities of older adults.
In order to demonstrate that long-term monitoring of cognitive function is scalable and feasible to integrate within the Pharaon platform, we will conduct 400 tests assessing cognitive brain health using electrophysiological computational biomarkers on 200 individuals living in Malta and Slovenia. Our CE-marked digital solution is the BrainTrip Dementia Index (BDI), which asseses general cognitive function in older adults by utilising quantitative and objective biomarkers extracted from non-invasive, fast, and user-friendly electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. The main advantage of the BDI, compared to traditional psychological testing, is its high accuracy (94%; spec 95%, sens 75%) and its presumed linguistic independence, since it is a biomarker based test, which should make it invariant to cultural differences. The BDI is also much more affordable and practical compared to standard diagnostic tools for dementia (e.g. PET and MRI scans). Unlike traditional EEG setups, the BDI system is unique in its capacity to perform a completely automated, cloud-based analysis, while maintaining high test specificity and sensitivity.
Not only does our project fill a crucial void in the care of older adults by addressing general brain health, but it also contributes to the effort to make cognitive function assessment more inclusive and culturally independent. By doing so, we hope to create a more equitable and effective approach to enhancing the lives of older adults, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. Throughout the pilot project, we will be seeking valuable input not only from participating older adults but also from healthcare professionals, researchers, caregivers, and representatives from relevant organisations and institutions, including senior care homes. Additionally, we will investigate the potential stress-reducing or inducing implications of BDI testing on older adults. Such a multifaceted approach is designed to address both the improvement of brain health as well as the fostering of emotional well-being among older adults, which is aligned with the core objectives of the Pharaon project.