Neurotrack: Digital Cognitive Tests for Early Alzheimer's Detection

Neurotrack's Mission & Personal Motivation

• 💡 Elli Kaplan's background includes government, finance, and the UN, but her move into healthcare was driven by a personal experience with her grandparents' Alzheimer's disease.
• 🧠 She found the process of getting an accurate and efficient diagnosis for Alzheimer's incredibly challenging, highlighting a "wasteland" in the field.
• 🎯 Neurotrack was founded to address this gap, helping primary care providers better screen for, diagnose, and manage patients with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.

Digital Cognitive Testing Technology

• 🔬 Neurotrack utilizes digital cognitive tests developed by neurologists and neuroscientists, validated in large, peer-reviewed studies.
• ✅ These tests are administered on an iPad during annual wellness visits, starting with a three-minute screening test for patients over 65.
• ⏱️ The digital approach is accurate and efficient, measuring different cognitive domains like executive function, processing speed, and memory, unlike biased pen-and-paper tests.
• 👏 Patients report the tests feel "like a game" and reduce stress, while providers appreciate the self-administered format.

Overcoming Stigma and Early Detection

• ⚠️ A significant challenge is the fear and stigma associated with Alzheimer's diagnosis, often driven by the historical lack of effective treatments.
• 🌱 The landscape is changing with newly approved drugs and the recognition that lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise, social engagement) can significantly impact outcomes.
• 🩺 While the healthcare system (CMS) mandates screening at age 65, earlier testing is medically necessary if a provider deems it so, especially with family history or concerns.
• 🤝 Neurotrack partners with companies like Midi Health to address conditions like menopause-related brain fog, reassuring patients it's not always early-onset Alzheimer's.

Future of Digital Cognitive Health

• 🚀 The field is at an exciting inflection point, with growing support from providers, health systems, CMS, and payers.
• 📈 There's been an expansion of reimbursement codes for Alzheimer's diagnosis, signaling increased prioritization.
• 🌐 The GUIDE program establishes best-in-class care pathways for Alzheimer's management, offering additional reimbursement and completing the full journey of care.
• 🎯 The biggest leadership challenge for scaling health tech is overcoming the stigma and fear among doctors to discuss dementia diagnoses, despite recent successes in treatment and screening.

Personal Brain Health Habits

• 💡 A common myth is that there's nothing you can do for brain health; however, actions can improve it.
• 💪 Elli Kaplan personally adopts Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), a Mediterranean diet, and supplements to protect her cognitive health.