Computer-based assessment technology is making innovative advances in medicine, opening doors to new screening tests that may well provide earlier detection and diagnosis of such diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. There is hope that this technology might provide in-roads to the early detection of diabetes, a disorder particularly prevalent among black and Native Americans. It may be possible to develop behavior-testing protocols that could be largely self-administered and could be placed in hospitals, clinics, as well as disseminated through specialized medical agencies such as military hospitals, Veteran's Administration facilities, and the health services for Native Americans.
 

Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders - Developing ANAM PD, a Computer-based Cognitive Testing Battery to Evaluate Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease Patients: 2004 - present In addition to demonstrating motor difficulties, Parkinson's disease patients often develop mild to severe degradation in their memory ability, mental processing skills, and attention to multiple tasks that impacts their performance of day-to-day activities. These cognitive changes are often difficult to objectively assess. There are substantial benefits to providing a mental assessment tool that measures these cognitive processes, especially at PD onset when these changes initially arise.

C-SHOP is working in collaboration with investigators at IND to develop a battery of ANAMŽ tests that assesses various domains of mental function in Parkinson's patients. IND is administering this ANAM PD test in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy individuals of comparable age, gender, and educational background without family history of dementia and Parkinson's disease to determine differences in performance on these various mental tasks.

C-SHOP is providing ongoing assistance in the development of ANAM PD as well as data management and analysis support.