Neuroimaging and Cognitive Testing in Healthy Aging Adults using a Portable Low-Field MRI Scanner and Web-Based Assessment

Consumer wearables and health monitors, internet-based health and cognitive assessments, and at-home biosample (e.g., saliva and capillary blood) collection kits are increasingly used by public health researchers to recruit and follow large study populations without requiring intensive in-person study visits. In addition to reducing participant time and travel burden, remote and virtual data collection allows individuals who live long distances from a hospital or university research center, have limited time or mobility, or who lack access to transportation to participate. Unfortunately, studies that include magnetic resonance neuroimaging can be particularly burdensome given the infrastructure requirements of 1.5, 3, and 7 Tesla scanners. As a result, they often omit socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged individuals. Portable lower magnetic field strength systems offer the potential to perform neuroimaging at a participant’s home and convenience. In this work, we present the first report of associations between brain morphometry and cognitive performance assessed using a portable low-field MRI “scan van” and an established online assessment (MindCrowd) of paired-associate learning (PAL). In a sample of 67 individuals between 18-93 years of age who were imaged at their home or convenient nearby location, we show expected trends in brain volumes with age and detail associations between learning and memory-related brain region volumes and PAL performance. Results demonstrate the ability to collect reliable neuroimaging and cognitive data outside of traditional imaging research settings with important implications for engaging traditionally underrepresented communities in neuroimaging research. HIGHLIGHTS 1. First demonstration of portable neuroimaging with web-based neurocognitive assessments for routine remote assessment of brain changes associated with aging and age-related cognitive changes. 2. Replication of general brain changes with age and associations with associative learning at low-field strength (64mT) as previously reported at higher routine 1.5T and 3T field strengths. 3. Results demonstrate the ability to collect reliable remote neuroimaging and cognitive test data with important implications for engaging traditionally underrepresented communities in neuroimaging research. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement 1.National Institute on Drug Abuse (SCD R34DA050284) 2.MindCrowd receives support from the Mueller Family Charitable Trust, the Flinn Foundation, the State of Arizona DHS in support of the Arizona Alzheimers Consortium, and the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging (U19AG065169) ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: WCG IRB and the Rhode Island Hospital Institutional Review Board.gave ethical approval for this work. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes All deidentified data is avaialble upon request.