Digital health technologies in frontotemporal dementia: A scoping review.

Abstract

Objective: Digital health technologies are increasingly used to assess cognition and behavior in neurodegenerative diseases. While such tools have shown promise in Alzheimer's disease, including the preclinical stages, their use in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains underexplored. This scoping review provides an overview of the current literature on digital health technologies in FTD.

Methods: We conducted a literature search according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and included 62 studies investigating digital health technologies in individuals with FTD.

Results: The identified technologies included eye tracking paradigms, smartphone- and tablet-based cognitive assessments, and passive monitoring approaches such as wearable sensors and mobile applications. Most studies reported that these technologies could distinguish individuals with FTD from healthy controls or other dementia syndromes. However, many studies were experimental or feasibility-focused, and systematic evaluation of psychometric properties remains limited.

Conclusion: In order to move the field forward, we argue that an in-depth investigation of the relationships between digital health technologies, classical pen-and-paper assessments of cognitive and behavioral functioning, and other biomarkers is necessary to establish clinical validity. Other important aspects to address in future research include the use of diverse cohorts and studying longitudinal effects. In our view, these next steps are crucial to advance digital health technologies toward implementation in clinical practice and clinical trials for FTD.