Generales

By Sergio Alejandro Ruiz Saldarriaga, Journalist at UdeA Communications Office 

The fight against Alzheimer’s remains urgent, and the UdeA is meeting the challenge. Researchers are developing a video game to help detect the disease early. Called “Navigapp,” the application may offer important insights to improve the care of people living with this neurodegenerative condition in Colombia. 

This content comes from Alma Mater newspaper. » View PDF editions

The game works best in horizontal mode on a tablet, offering a more interactive experience through touch controls. Photo: Courtesy of the Antioquia Neuroscience Group. 

At a health center in a remote Colombian town, a notification flashes on the triage screen. It isn’t a routine reminder or a patient call—it’s a warning from the Navigapp app: “Potential early cognitive decline detected. Recommend screening.” 

Dr. Quintero, a neurologist, receives a notification and accesses the profile of Felipe, a 32-year-old farmer. She examines his test results—reaction times, task performance, and spatial orientation—and decides to schedule a priority appointment, ensuring the diagnosis extends beyond the game. 

The scenario above offers a glimpse into the future of early Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This could become a reality through Navegapp, a video game developed by researchers at the Universidad de Antioquia for preventive screening of neurodegenerative disease, with support from ICT. While still in the validation phase, this digital tool has the potential to offer crucial insights for treatment. 

The Universidad de Antioquia has made key advances in improving Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment. Notably, researchers identified the E280A Alzheimer’s genetic variant, also known as the “Paisa mutation,” which occurs in a family group in Antioquia with a high rate of early-onset Alzheimer’s. 

The “Paisa mutation,” a genetic variant affecting nearly 6,000 people in Antioquia, defines the world’s largest known group with hereditary Alzheimer’s. Their contribution has been key to breakthroughs led by the Antioquia Neurosciences Group at the Universidad de Antioquia. 

“Cognitive decline can begin as early as age 44, affecting adults in the prime of their lives,” said Diana Gómez Londoño, psychologist and co-investigator of the SEREAL project (Remote Cognitive Evaluation and Monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease from Preclinical Stages). “As Dr. Francisco Lopera described, it’s like waste accumulating in the brain, disrupting cognitive functions such as memory.” 

The research began in 2023. It is part of a project funded by the Colombian Ministry of Science and Technology. The Antioquia Neuroscience Group (GNA) leads the project with colleagues at the National School of Public Health. 

With no national plans for dementia prevention, early detection, and management, the SEREAL project is developing a rapid preventive screening strategy.  The project aims to create a tool that identifies patterns associated with the disease, enabling healthcare professionals and decision-makers to offer more accurate diagnoses and treatment options. 

In 2021, over 55 million people were living with dementia, according to WHO reports. By 2030, that number could rise to 78 million, and by 2050, to 139 million.  

The application presents an alternative approach based on the concept of a “serious video game,” which, as defined in specialized literature, uses games for serious purposes. Through targeted tasks and challenges, users can assess spatial memory, cognition, response speed, and other skills, moving away from traditional in-person, standardized tests typically administered by medical professionals. 

This challenge prompted Juan Pablo Sánchez Escudero to explore it in his doctoral research in Epidemiology. “We had to ensure the application was valid, reliable, and psychometrically sound—that it accurately measured established parameters and could indicate whether someone might develop Alzheimer’s disease,” said Sánchez, who is also a trained psychologist. 

Researchers included healthy young adults to establish a baseline for comparing behaviors and outcomes based on their interactions with the game. It included individuals in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s, those from families with and without the Paisa mutation, and people with cognitive symptoms. Researchers included healthy young adults to establish a baseline for comparing behaviors and outcomes during gameplay. 

A purposeful video game that transforms traditional screening 

Professionals from various fields contributed to the app’s development, with a focus on continuously enhancing gameplay and user experience. The study included tests on participants with mild cognitive impairment and healthy individuals. Photo: courtesy of the SEREAL project. 

The video game features three levels and two questionnaires. Healthy users typically complete it in about 20 minutes, while those with cognitive symptoms may take up to 40 minutes due to the increased task complexity and required concentration. 

The application combines clinical and neuropsychological insights with user-friendly design and engaging gameplay to maintain user interest and reduce the likelihood of abandonment. 

The game presents levels randomly to reduce bias and prevent cognitive fatigue. “Each level is based on tasks that medical literature links to the early or preclinical signs of Alzheimer’s,” said Sánchez Escudero, the app’s creator. 

The first level uses the “Corsi test,” a classic neuropsychological task that assesses visuospatial memory. Here, participants chase moles on the screen to cover all their burrows. The second level evaluates the mental rotation of two-dimensional figures, a task that, when combined with eye movement data, has been linked to Alzheimer’s. Participants must rotate geometric figures by 90° and 180°. 

The third level, one of the most praised in development, introduces the “hidden target” task. Initially used with mice 30 years ago, the human versions required large spaces. To overcome this, developers created a two-dimensional interface where participants locate a hedgehog by following markers that appear as they progress through the task. 

A mission that is about to be completed 

The “Epineuro” study found that dementia affects 13.1 people per 1,000 inhabitants in Colombia. 

Navegapp is not yet available to the public as it is still undergoing academic evaluation and validation. However, it has the potential to offer insights into Alzheimer’s care and prevention. While no cure exists, early diagnosis could slow the disease’s progression. The university is currently registering the software with the National Copyright Office. 

“It’s an important first step that offers multiple contributions, influencing decision-makers on preventive health strategies. It also highlights Alzheimer’s as a growing disease, one that we cannot yet halt with a vaccine. Ultimately, it presents a valuable opportunity to provide early diagnosis to the most vulnerable populations,” said Gómez Londoño. 

The professor explained that advancing these strategies could help address modifiable risk factors of the disease. By combining early detection with recommendations for healthy lifestyle habits, we could better manage debilitating symptoms like dementia. 

While still in the experimental phase, they view their work as a potential future for early diagnosis. “We have made enough progress, and the goal is no longer just an illusion. Before Navegapp, it seemed impossible to imagine a serious game applied to public health on a large scale or a video game serving as a cognitive assessment tool,” said its creator. 

The Sereal project is funded by Minciencias under call 918 of 2022, contract 588 of 2022, project code 111591891726.