AI's New Frontier: How Digital Clues Are Revolutionizing Dementia Detection

BOSTON, MA – January 16, 2026 – The fight against Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia is entering a new era, moving from resigned awareness to proactive intervention. With the number of Americans living with dementia projected to double to nearly 14 million by 2060, the healthcare industry is confronting a crisis of capacity and cost. In this high-stakes environment, Boston-based Linus Health is emerging as a pivotal force, leveraging artificial intelligence to decipher subtle clues in human behavior that may signal the earliest stages of cognitive decline.

The company’s momentum was recently underscored by its recognition in Modern Healthcare's 2025 'Best in Business Awards' in the Artificial Intelligence category, a nod to its growing influence. This award caps a year of significant expansion for the firm, which has seen its platform adopted across health systems, life science companies, and insurance payers, all signaling a broader industry shift toward the tools necessary for early action.

“Brain health is one of the most urgent issues in healthcare and life sciences,” said David Bates, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Linus Health. “Across the industry, there is growing recognition that waiting for symptoms to become obvious is no longer acceptable.”

The AI-Powered Detective

At the heart of Linus Health's approach are sophisticated digital biomarkers—objective, quantifiable data points derived from everyday actions like speaking or drawing. The company’s flagship assessment, the Digital Clock and Recall (DCR™), is a prime example. This three-minute test, administered on a tablet, is a scientifically validated evolution of the traditional pen-and-paper clock drawing test, a staple of neurological exams for decades.

Where a human eye might only see a poorly drawn clock, Linus Health's AI analyzes the entire process of its creation. It measures hesitation, drawing speed, stroke placement, and other minute details invisible to clinicians. This methodology, rooted in the neuropsychological framework known as the Boston Process Approach, allows the AI to detect subtle cognitive impairments far earlier than conventional screening methods. This concept of “AI multiplexing” generates multiple clinically relevant insights from a single, brief task.

Further strengthening its multimodal platform, the company acquired Aural Analytics in 2024, integrating its advanced speech analysis technology. This capability, recognized by Gartner and designated an FDA Breakthrough Device for ALS, deconstructs speech patterns to identify clinical abnormalities. The AI analyzes linguistic variables, vocal cues, pitch, pauses, and word choices, turning the spoken word into a rich source of data on brain health. Together, these digital tools offer a scalable, non-invasive, and objective way to screen for cognitive change, a stark contrast to the expensive, invasive, and often inaccessible PET scans or lumbar punctures.

From Lab to Clinic: A Year of Validation and Growth

Linus Health's technology is not just theoretical; it is backed by an extensive and growing body of evidence. With over 160 peer-reviewed studies and conference presentations, the company has heavily invested in validating the accuracy and clinical relevance of its digital assessments. Two landmark papers published in late 2025 demonstrated that its AI-enabled tools could not only detect subtle cognitive changes but also help estimate the likelihood of amyloid positivity—a key pathological marker for Alzheimer's—prompting the need for more definitive biomarker testing.

This scientific rigor has translated into tangible market adoption. A key 2025 collaboration with the healthcare platform League is set to make online cognitive screening accessible to millions of Americans through their private health insurance portals. This integration embeds Linus Health’s assessments directly into member platforms, creating a seamless pathway from early identification to personalized care.

To further extend its reach, the company launched 'Anywhere for Health Systems™' in March 2025. This FDA-listed remote assessment platform allows patients to complete clinically validated tests from the comfort of their homes. By empowering primary care providers to assign these assessments, the platform tackles the staggering statistic that up to 92% of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) cases go undetected, helping to streamline referrals and enable more timely intervention.

A Tipping Point for Brain Health

The momentum behind companies like Linus Health is not happening in a vacuum. It coincides with a critical tipping point in the broader fight against dementia. The recent FDA approvals of disease-modifying therapies like lecanemab and donanemab, which can slow the progression of early-stage Alzheimer's, have fundamentally changed the landscape. The effectiveness of these drugs hinges on early diagnosis, transforming it from a passive exercise in prognosis to an urgent clinical necessity.

Parallel advancements in diagnostics are also fueling this shift. The FDA's approval of the first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer's in May 2025, which measures the pTau217 protein, represents a monumental step toward accessible and scalable biological testing. In this new ecosystem, digital screening tools like those from Linus Health play a crucial role as a frontline filter. They can efficiently and cost-effectively identify individuals in large populations who may be at risk, triaging them for more definitive and expensive biomarker tests.

This aligns perfectly with public sentiment. A 2025 Alzheimer's Association report revealed that nearly 80% of Americans over 45 want to know their Alzheimer's status before symptoms become disruptive, underscoring a powerful public demand for the very solutions now coming to market.

Strategic Moves for a New Era

To meet this rising demand, Linus Health spent 2025 evolving its internal structure. The company reorganized into focused business units to accelerate innovation and support targeted expansion across its core markets: health systems, life sciences, and payers. This strategic alignment includes new leadership roles designed to drive growth and integration.

Curt Thornton, formerly Chief Commercial Officer, has taken on an expanded role as President, Connected Care, tasked with building an ecosystem that supports patients throughout their journey, from early identification onward. Meanwhile, Chief Customer Officer Leah Ray now also serves as President, U.S. Healthcare, focusing on scaling the company's footprint within the nation's health systems.

“Our goal is to scale impact responsibly as the brain health landscape changes,” said John Showalter, MD, Chief Operating Officer. “By organizing around focused business units, we are better positioned to support clinicians, expand research partnerships, and deliver solutions that address the real constraints health systems face today. This shift positions us to execute with greater clarity and speed, ensuring our teams are aligned to meet rising demand across healthcare delivery, connected care, and life sciences as brain health becomes a clinical priority.”