University of Virginia
The goal of this observational study is to learn whether at-home blood biomarker testing for Alzheimer's disease risk is feasible and acceptable in older adults with cognitive concerns. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can older adults with subjective cognitive concerns or possible mild cognitive impairment successfully complete a fully remote workflow that includes at-home capillary blood collection, overnight shipping, central laboratory analysis of phosphorylated tau-217 (p-tau217), and remote disclosure of results by a neurologist? * Is this remote at-home p-tau217 testing workflow acceptable to participants? Participants are adults aged 65 and older who participated in the SHUTi MIND parent study (NCT05565833) and report subjective cognitive concerns or screen positive for possible mild cognitive impairment. Participants will collect a small capillary blood sample at home, return the sample to a central laboratory by overnight shipping for p-tau217 analysis, receive their result during a remote visit with a board-certified neurologist, and complete online surveys at baseline, after results disclosure, and 6 months post-disclosure.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias are among the most urgent public health challenges, with more than six million Americans currently affected. Early detection is critical to improving outcomes, yet diagnosis is often delayed until symptoms interfere with daily functioning and specialty evaluation is obtained. Blood-based biomarkers, particularly phosphorylated tau-217 (p-tau217), represent a transformative advancement, offering accurate, scalable, and minimally invasive alternatives to cerebrospinal fluid assays and PET imaging. However, their feasibility in remote, population-bas…
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 65 years or older * Active participant in the SHUTi MIND parent study (UVA IRB-HSR #220077) * US resident * Able to read and speak English * Regular access (at least twice weekly) to and willingness to use a computer and the Internet, including email * Endorsement of subjective cognitive concerns or possible mild cognitive impairment, based on TICS screening * Completed the 24-month post-assessment for the SHUTi MIND study, or at least 90 days since the post-24-month assessment was due Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive impairment that would preclude informed…