Remote versus in‐person cognitive testing: the impact of visit modality on longitudinal cognitive outcomes in older adults
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic accelerated adoption of remote cognitive assessments in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research, yet comparability across visit modalities remains unclear. This study evaluated whether visit modality influenced cognitive performance. Methods We analyzed 27,144 visits from 13,219 participants across 37 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (March 2020 to December 2024), including in‐person, telephone, and video visits, among adults aged ≥65 years. Linear mixed‐effects models examined associations between visit modality and cognitive performance. Results Remote assessments comprised 20.8% of visits and were associated with slightly higher Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores than in‐person visits for both telephone and video modalities ( p < 2.0E‐16; Cohen's d = 0.21 to 0.26). Domain analyses showed modestly higher memory and attention performance during remote visits, with minimal differences in executive function or language. Discussion Remote cognitive assessments showed largely comparable performance to in‐person testing, supporting their validity and potential to improve accessibility and inclusiveness in AD research.
DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70530
Institutions: Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, Rush University Medical Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indiana University School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Harvard University
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,540
Funder: National Institutes of Health
OpenAlex ID: W7225143569