The myth of digital biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease: how to make them a reality
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: With an estimated 41.1B digital devices, the term "digital biomarkers" has been increasingly bandied about in the research literature. There is, however, a significant disconnect between the presumption of digital biomarkers and the reality of digital biomarkers. RECENT FINDINGS: The research literature embraces the concept of digital biomarkers without concomitant evidence for validation of digital measures as biomarkers. Unlike imaging or blood-based biomarkers, there is a woeful lack of research dedicated to validating digital measures as biomarkers. This gap also presents an opportunity. Regulatory agencies worldwide have long-standing protocols used by pharmaceutical and biotech companies to stand up quality management systems (QMS) that track research from inception to regulatory approved submissions. The recent United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Alzheimer's disease (AD) plasma biomarkers is another example where successful QMS implementation provided the processes and transparency necessary to obtain approval. Regulatory guidelines for digital technology validation are more circumspect on validation pathways of AD digital biomarkers, but FDA provides a framework for building a QMS that could potentially do so. SUMMARY: Building an open source QMS for AD digital biomarker validation will be a critical breakthrough for harnessing the potential of digital technologies for detection, monitoring and treatment of AD and related disorders.
Source: Current Opinion in Psychiatry
Authors: Rhoda Au, Katherine A. Gifford, Ioannis Ch. Paschalidis, Paul Wighton, Max Levin, Farhad Imam, Niranjan Bose, Abhi Pratap
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7160308378