This project, funded by the National Institute on Aging, aims to empower PCPs to diagnose dementia more effectively by using a comprehensive diagnostic toolkit developed by the California Alzheimer’s Disease Centers (CADCs). The Assessment of Cognitive Complaints Toolkit for Alzheimer's Disease (ACCT-AD) provides primary care providers with the tools necessary to recognize normal cognition, diagnose Alzheimer's disease, and identify other cognitive problems requiring specialty referral. The study is being conducted as a collaboration between several primary care practices in Southern and Northern California, and three CADCs: UCSF in San Francisco, UCSF-Fresno, and USC-Rancho Los Amigos in Los Angeles. The main goals of the study are to verify that PCP diagnoses facilitated by this toolkit are accurate and to identify potential barriers that might prevent broader use of this toolkit and opportunities to overcome these obstacles.
Implementation Plan
Over the course of five years, this project will introduce the diagnostic model in the partnering primary care practices, with a goal of training at least 30 PCPs to assess approximately 750 patients with complaints about memory or thinking using the toolkit. After evaluation by the PCPs, patients will participate in a second evaluation by a dementia expert at one of the CADCs. The PCP diagnosis will be compared with the expert diagnosis, and blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease will also be assessed to provide additional information about the likely cause of the patient’s concerns.
Successful implementation will establish a practical model for earlier and more precise diagnosis of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease and other NDDs. This approach will improve access to timely treatment for patients, particularly those in underserved communities.
Training Materials
Educational Materials for Patients Undergoing Cognitive and Behavioral Assessment
The three videos below discuss the medical assessment in basic language, including Video 3, which focuses on biomarkers for AD, in particular, the phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) test that was recently approved by the FDA and is being used for this study. We recommend that Videos 1 and 2 be shown to the patient and their study partner prior to the assessment in primary care. The third video should ideally be shown to the patient and their study partner after the expert assessment.
