In this episode of PanaCME Perspectives: Clinical conversations in Alzheimer’s disease, Professor Dennis Chan joins Dr John Harrison to discuss how we should be measuring cognition in both research and clinical settings. They explore the limits of traditional tests, why navigation and spatial memory may be among the earliest and most meaningful indicators of cognitive impairment, and how poorly designed outcome measures can undermine even the best drugs. Professor Chan argues for ecologically valid, neuroscience-informed assessments, and explains why better test design is critical for both clinical trials and clinical practice.

Guest: Professor Dennis Chan

Professor Denis Chan is a Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, and a consultant neurologist at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. In 2014, Professor Chan and his team pioneered the use of virtual reality and other emerging technologies to improve the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. At present, he is one of the leads in the Early Detection of Neurodegenerative Disease (EDoN) initiative.

Host: Dr John Harrison

Dr John Harrison is a chartered psychologist at Metis Cognition, where he advises drug developers and institutions on cognitive testing in therapeutic development programmes. He is an Associate Professor at the Alzheimer’s Center Amsterdam, where he validates new cognitive testing paradigms for use with individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease.

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