Over 64% of older adults without neurocognitive disorders report forgetting the names of objects when speaking. These difficulties are commonly dismissed as typical aspects of the normal aging process. However, recent findings suggest that when these subjective word-finding challenges reach a certain level, they can serve as an indicator of Alzheimer’s disease. Regrettably, current word-finding clinical tests to evaluate these difficulties might have numerous limitations and not be effective to identify impairments in this population.

The study focuses on three key questions: 1) Do the existing word-finding tests effectively reflect the experiences of older adults and have the ability to predict Alzheimer’s disease? 2) Can we improve word-finding tests by leveraging recent technological advancements and make a new, validated test accessible to clinicians and researchers in Canada? 3) Is the new word-finding test a more effective tool for detecting Alzheimer’s disease in older adults?

We will use large existing datasets to show that current word-finding tests do not effectively capture the challenges faced by older adults and are not good at predicting Alzheimer’s disease. To address this, we will create a tablet-based test that is personalized for each participant and collects more precise measurements. This new test will begiven to a large group of individuals, and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers will be collected to its value in clinical settings.

The outcomes of this project have direct applications in current clinical practice. To start with, it will offer a new clinical tool that’s freely accessible to clinicians and researchers for evaluating word-finding difficulties. Additionally, this research will improve the early identification of cognitive issues in older individuals, especially those related to word-finding. This is crucial because starting treatments and interventions in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease can lead to better results.

Through this project, older adults expressing word-finding concerns will receive the medical attention they deserve. We recognize that these challenges can be distressing for older adults, and we aspire to help these individuals feel heard and well-cared for. Our results will emphasize that these difficulties should not be dismissed or assumed to be a normal part of aging. Instead, they should be assessed using a novel gold-standard method that is adapted for them.