Brain-Computer Interfaces Empower Cognitive Interventions; Digital Therapies Help Seniors Maintain "Brain Health"
The "Technical Standards for the Prevention and Intervention of Cognitive Impairment in the Elderly," released by the National Health Commission on March 18, stipulate that primary healthcare institutions and integrated medical and elderly care facilities should conduct regular cognitive assessments for the elderly, with a recommended frequency of once every 12 months. Based on the assessment results, preventive measures-such as health education, physical activity guidance, dietary guidance, and cognitive-enhancing activities-should be implemented for older adults with normal cognitive function. For those exhibiting subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment, interventions such as hearing loss intervention, vision loss intervention, chronic disease management, and cognitive training should be provided.
Today, digital therapeutics are moving from the laboratory to hospitals, providing an innovative avenue for policy implementation. On March 29, the Northwest Regional Launch Conference for the "Health Promotion Hand-in-Hand-Public Education and Training on the Prevention and Treatment of Dementia in the Elderly" initiative, launched by the China Health Promotion Foundation, was successfully held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. It was revealed at the conference that the initiative across the five provinces (regions) of Northwest China will incorporate digital therapeutics to build a new system for the prevention and treatment of dementia in the elderly using brain-computer interface technology. This aims to shift the focus from reactive diagnosis and treatment to proactive prevention, thereby advancing the frontiers of prevention and treatment.
According to statistics, there are more than 53 million people aged 60 and older in China with cognitive impairment, of whom 38.77 million have mild cognitive impairment. Given this vast patient population, how can digital therapeutics make a difference? According to Qu Qiumin, Vice President of the Cognitive Impairment Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society, Vice Chair of the Alzheimer's Disease Branch of the China Association of Geriatric Health Care, Director Qu Qiumin of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, explains that in terms of digital therapy interventions, memory training devices utilizing brain-computer interface (BCI) technology allow users to control game progression through thought, thereby activating the prefrontal cortex. This approach enhances multidimensional cognitive abilities-including memory, attention, and computational skills-while slowing the progression of neuronal damage, offering a new non-pharmacological intervention pathway for neurodegenerative diseases.
Cognitive impairment refers to a comprehensive set of symptoms resulting from abnormalities in the brain's ability to process information, leading to deficits in memory, thinking, language, judgment, or executive function. Depending on severity and scope of impact, cognitive impairment can be classified into mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Mild cognitive impairment is considered a pre-dementia stage and carries a high risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease. Without intervention, approximately 10% to 15% of patients with mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's disease annually, and this pathological process is irreversible. Early detection and early intervention are crucial for slowing the progression of cognitive impairment and improving the physical and mental health of the elderly population.
However, there are currently no effective pharmacological treatments for mild cognitive impairment, so non-pharmacological interventions have gradually become a hot topic in the field. Li Xiangdong, Head of R&D at Huisiamp Medical, explained that the human brain's neurons possess plasticity, and targeted training can activate and strengthen neural connections in specific brain regions. The core principle of memory impairment training devices is to enhance neural plasticity through targeted, repetitive cognitive training.
Compared to traditional treatment methods, the gamified design of the memory impairment training device makes tedious exercises engaging, addressing the issues of monotony and exam-like pressure associated with traditional paper-and-pencil exercises. This helps patients stick with their treatment and improves treatment adherence. At the same time, the approach of "playing games with the power of thought" is not only novel and highly targeted but also reduces feelings of stigma, making it more readily accepted by patients than traditional treatments. Clinical trial results from the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University and Hebei Provincial People's Hospital show that the ADTS Memory Impairment Training Device achieved an overall clinical efficacy rate of 92.78%. Currently, this product has been adopted by nearly 100 hospitals across China.
The clinical application of gamified cognitive training based on brain-computer interface technology marks a significant step forward for digital therapeutics in the field of cognitive impairment intervention. It is reported that the China Health Promotion Foundation will integrate policy implementation, knowledge dissemination, skill enhancement, and digital empowerment through dementia prevention and education campaigns and public welfare training activities. This initiative aims to shift the focus of prevention and treatment to earlier stages and help more elderly people avoid dementia.