Alzheimer DiseaseTASTestNCT05194787
TAS Test: Online Motor-cognitive Tests for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease
An observational study of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia, run by University of Tasmania at 1 site in Australia.
Trial summary
Global dementia prevalence is rising. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause, has devastating effects on people's quality of life. AD has a preclinical (pre-AD) period of 10-20 years when brain pathology silently progresses before any cognitive symptoms appear. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Age-related Cognitive Decline
- What is being tested?
- Cognitive test scores, clinical diagnosis and blood biomarkers
- How many people
- 3,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteAustralia
- Study dates
- 5 Mar 2021to Dec 2030
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 50 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Currently focused on adults aged > 50 years in established cohort studies in Australia: ie participants from Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project, Healthy Brain and Ageing project or ISLAND Project.
Inclusion Criteria: > 50years old
Exclusion Criteria: established diagnosis of dementia
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Australia1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Tasmania
Hobart, Tasmania, 7001
A/Prof Alty, MD FRACP, +61 (0)3 36226 4273, Jane.Alty@utas.edu.au
Prof Vickers, PhD DSc, +61 3 6226 4808, James.Vickers@utas.edu.au
About this study
Official title: TAS Test: Determining the Feasibility and Validity of Online Motor-cognitive Testing for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease
Global dementia prevalence is rising. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause, has devastating effects on people's quality of life. AD has a preclinical (pre-AD) period of 10-20 years when brain pathology silently progresses before any cognitive symptoms appear. Current tests for pre-AD are invasive, costly and unsuitable for screening at population level. Similar to screening for pre-diabetes and carcinoma in situ, it is important to detect AD at the preclinical stage in order to offer early interventions before the pathology progresses to the irrerversible degenerative stage. In the study, research will develop a new scalable test (TAS Test) by combining two innovative ideas: hand-movement tests to detect pre-AD >10 years before cognitive symptoms begin; and computer vision so people can "self-test" online using home computers. This unique approach builds on recent discoveries that hand-movement patterns change in pre-AD. The research team will use exquisitely precise computer vision methods to automatically analyse movement data from thousands of participants, and combine this with machine learning of overall motor-cognitive performance. The project team has access to 3 well-phenotyped cohorts, >10,000 existing participants and a cutting-edge assay for a blood AD biomarker, ptau181. The research team will develop a TAS Test algorithm to classify hand-movement and cognitive test data for pre-AD risk (p-taua181 levels) and determine TAS Test's precision to prospectively predict 5-year risks of cognitive decline and AD.
Read the detailed description
Sub-study 1: Cross-sectional study design: From two established cohorts with pre-existing datasets of up to 10 years of longitudinal cognitive, genetic and demographic data, the team will recruit 500 participants over 50 years old who are confirmed to have normal cognition. At baseline and months 3 and 6, the participants will be invited to complete TAS Test online at home, or in the research centre if preferred. The participants will also have a baseline blood test for ptau181 levels (and APOE4 if required). The research team will integrate movement data to develop a multivariable model that discriminates between pre-AD (positive p-tau181) and normal cognitive ageing (negative p-tau181).
Sub-study 2: Prospective 5-year cohort study design: The researchers will invite 10,000 adults from an established long-term (ISLAND Project) cohort to complete online tests at home: (i) TAS Test every 6 months, and (ii) Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) cognitive tests every 24 months. The prospective 'high risk' predictions of TAS Test at baseline will be validated against CANTAB scores, and also clinically (face to face gold standard consensus diagnosis of AD vs MCI vs normal) in a subsample of 300.
- Conditions
- Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Age-related Cognitive Decline
- Being tested
- Cognitive test scores, clinical diagnosis and blood biomarkers
- Keywords
- pre-clinical, early detection, online tests, Artificial intelligence
- Medical subject headings
- Alzheimer Disease, Dementia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cognitive test scores, clinical diagnosis and blood biomarkersDiagnostic test
Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment or normal ageing.
Cognitive test score on CANTAB Blood biomarker (p-tau 181) level
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Develop and validate the optimal TAS Test protocol to detect pre-AD (p-tau 181 positivity)
Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves will be plotted against the positive p-tau181 cut-off to assess the sensitivity/specificity of TAS Test models to identify the pre-AD stage.
Measured: 3 years
Prospectively validate TAS Test to predict risks of cognitive decline
Assess the sensitivity and specificity of TAS Test to predict cognitive trajectories (CANTAB scores) "stable" and "declining" using ROC curve analysis.
Measured: 5 years
Prospectively validate TAS Test to predict risks of AD diagnosis
Multinomial logistic regression will estimate the (covariate adjusted) log-odds of being in each diagnostic category (AD, MCI and normal) at 5 years as predicted by baseline TAS Test results.
Measured: 5 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jan 2022
- Study start5 Mar 2021
- Primary completionDec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Alzheimer DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 3,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Tasmania
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia, University of Sydney, University of Leeds
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jane Alty, University of Tasmania
- Investigators
- Prof Vickers, PhD DSc, Study director, University of TasmaniaA/Prof Bai, PhD MSc, Principal investigator, University of Tasmania
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05194787
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- H0021660
- Acronym
- TASTest
- Status last verified
- Oct 2023
- First submitted
- 29 Dec 2021
- Last updated
- 30 Oct 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Alty J, Bai Q, Li R, Lawler K, St George RJ, Hill E, Bindoff A, Garg S, Wang X, Huang G, Zhang K, Rudd KD, Bartlett L, Goldberg LR, Collins JM, Hinder MR, Naismith SL, Hogg DC, King AE, Vickers JC. The TAS Test project: a prospective longitudinal validation of new online motor-cognitive tests to detect preclinical Alzheimer's disease and estimate 5-year risks of cognitive decline and dementia. BMC Neurol. 2022 Jul 18;22(1):266. doi: 10.1186/s12883-022-02772-5.
PubMed 35850660
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Oct 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- TAS Test: Determining the Feasibility and Validity of Online Motor-cognitive Testing for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05194787
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TASTest / H0021660
- Conditions
- Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Age-related Cognitive Decline
- Keywords
- pre-clinical, early detection, online tests, Artificial intelligence
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 3,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of TasmaniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia, University of Sydney, University of Leeds
- Study start
- 5 Mar 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Global dementia prevalence is rising. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause, has devastating effects on people's quality of life. AD has a preclinical (pre-AD) period of 10-20 years when brain pathology silently progresses before any cognitive symptoms appear. Current tests for pre-AD are invasive, costly and unsuitable for screening at population level. Similar to screening for pre-diabetes and carcinoma in situ, it is important to detect AD at the preclinical stage in order to offer early interventions before the pathology progresses to the irrerversible degenerative stage. In the study, research will develop a new scalable test (TAS Test) by combining two innovative ideas: hand-movement tests to detect pre-AD >10 years before cognitive symptoms begin; and computer vision so people can "self-test" online using home computers. This unique approach builds on recent discoveries that hand-movement patterns change in pre-AD. The research team will use exquisitely precise computer vision methods to automatically analyse movement data from thousands of participants, and combine this with machine learning of overall motor-cognitive performance. The project team has access to 3 well-phenotyped cohorts, >10,000 existing participants and a cutting-edge assay for a blood AD biomarker, ptau181. The research team will develop a TAS Test algorithm to classify hand-movement and cognitive test data for pre-AD risk (p-taua181 levels) and determine TAS Test's precision to prospectively predict 5-year risks of cognitive decline and AD.
Detailed description
Sub-study 1: Cross-sectional study design: From two established cohorts with pre-existing datasets of up to 10 years of longitudinal cognitive, genetic and demographic data, the team will recruit 500 participants over 50 years old who are confirmed to have normal cognition. At baseline and months 3 and 6, the participants will be invited to complete TAS Test online at home, or in the research centre if preferred. The participants will also have a baseline blood test for ptau181 levels (and APOE4 if required). The research team will integrate movement data to develop a multivariable model that discriminates between pre-AD (positive p-tau181) and normal cognitive ageing (negative p-tau181).
Sub-study 2: Prospective 5-year cohort study design: The researchers will invite 10,000 adults from an established long-term (ISLAND Project) cohort to complete online tests at home: (i) TAS Test every 6 months, and (ii) Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) cognitive tests every 24 months. The prospective 'high risk' predictions of TAS Test at baseline will be validated against CANTAB scores, and also clinically (face to face gold standard consensus diagnosis of AD vs MCI vs normal) in a subsample of 300.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Currently focused on adults aged > 50 years in established cohort studies in Australia: ie participants from Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project, Healthy Brain and Ageing project or ISLAND Project.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive test scores, clinical diagnosis and blood biomarkersClinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment or normal ageing. Cognitive test score on CANTAB Blood biomarker (p-tau 181) level | Diagnostic test | – |
Primary outcome
Develop and validate the optimal TAS Test protocol to detect pre-AD (p-tau 181 positivity)
Time frame: 3 years
Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves will be plotted against the positive p-tau181 cut-off to assess the sensitivity/specificity of TAS Test models to identify the pre-AD stage.
Prospectively validate TAS Test to predict risks of cognitive decline
Time frame: 5 years
Assess the sensitivity and specificity of TAS Test to predict cognitive trajectories (CANTAB scores) "stable" and "declining" using ROC curve analysis.
Prospectively validate TAS Test to predict risks of AD diagnosis
Time frame: 5 years
Multinomial logistic regression will estimate the (covariate adjusted) log-odds of being in each diagnostic category (AD, MCI and normal) at 5 years as predicted by baseline TAS Test results.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Oct 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 35850660Alty J, Bai Q, Li R, Lawler K, St George RJ, Hill E, Bindoff A, Garg S, Wang X, Huang G, Zhang K, Rudd KD, Bartlett L, Goldberg LR, Collins JM, Hinder MR, Naismith SL, Hogg DC, King AE, Vickers JC. The TAS Test project: a prospective longitudinal validation of new online motor-cognitive tests to detect preclinical Alzheimer's disease and estimate 5-year risks of cognitive decline and dementia. BMC Neurol. 2022 Jul 18;22(1):266. doi: 10.1186/s12883-022-02772-5.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Prof Vickers, PhD DSc study director
University of Tasmania
A/Prof Bai, PhD MSc principal investigator
University of Tasmania
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Alzheimer Disease and Dementia, run by University of Tasmania at 1 site in Australia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Oct 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Australia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact A/Prof Alty, MD FRACP (+61 (0)3 36226 4273, Jane.Alty@utas.edu.au), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Develop and validate the optimal TAS Test protocol to detect pre-AD (p-tau 181 positivity) (time frame: 3 years). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05194787, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Oct 2023.