Investigators:
Ipsit Vahia, McLean Hospital
Rachel Sava, McLean Hospital
MassAITC Cohort: Year 1 (AD/ADRD)
Project Accomplishments: The ADAPT pilot study explored the use of wearable sensor technology to support psychopharmacological care in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Over the course of the project, researchers recruited 20 participants from outpatient, inpatient, and residential care settings and equipped them with Garmin wearable devices to collect three weeks of continuous data on metrics such as heart rate, stress, sleep, and activity levels. A custom clinician-facing dashboard was also developed to help interpret this data and support clinical decision-making. The study demonstrated that wearable devices can provide valuable insights into patients’ daily health patterns, potentially enabling earlier and more informed treatment decisions.
However, the project also uncovered numerous logistical and technical challenges, including issues with device management, data synchronization, privacy compliance, and integration with clinical workflows. Despite these hurdles, the team successfully completed data collection and gained critical insights into how wearable technology can be incorporated into dementia care. They plan to publish two manuscripts—one detailing the data findings and another outlining the practical lessons learned—to guide future research in this area. The team also aims to secure further funding to enhance the dashboard, expand data streams, and refine tools for broader clinical use.
Initial Proposal Abstract: Appropriate and personalized pharmacologic management of behavioral and psychologic symptoms in dementia (BPSD) is among the most complex clinical challenges in dementia care. Use of antipsychotics and mood stabilizers is common but accompanied by risk, including high likelihood of adverse effects that can lead to hospitalization or institutionalization. Information to support decision-making in these scenarios is typically obtained from self-report/caregiver report. This information is often limited and may not offer the accuracy or precision necessary to guide individualized medication management.
Dr. Ipsit Vahia and his team at McLean Hospital will pilot an AI-guided approach using Garmin wearable sensors that can generate real-time objective data from patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and other related dementias (ADRD) being treated for BPSD in McLean’s Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Program (GPOP). Sleep patterns, daily physical activity and sedentary time will be longitudinally acquired remotely at baseline and for 2 weeks following an antipsychotic or mood stabilizer medication change. Clinicians will also receive this wearable feedback to inform their clinical decision-making. In this pilot study, we aim to determine the feasibility and clinical validity of monitoring patients via wearable data compared to caretaker data, as well as assess the final impact on clinical decision-making. Our goal is to ultimately to develop this system for integration into standardized clinical workflow. The McLean team will work closely with UMass Amherst based on their prior extensive expertise in processing wearable data.