Digital technologies for diagnosis and care in neurodegenerative diseases: the international project DISCeRN launches with the IUSS–Maugeri Milano laboratory

Has recenty launched the project DISCeRN – Digital markers of Social Cognition for diagnosis & prognosis in Neurodegeneration – officially launches as one of seven international projects selected under the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disorders Research (JPND) 2025 call. The project spans 36 months with a total budget exceeding €1.8 million.

DISCeRN brings together an international consortium of leading universities and clinical centres across Europe and Canada, with the goal of developing novel digital markers of social cognition to improve diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring in major neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Frontotemporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

For Italy, the project was won by Prof. Chiara Cerami, Head of the Brain eHealth in Aging (BeA) Lab, a joint translational research infrastructure between Scuola IUSS and ICS Maugeri IRCCS Milano Camaldoli. Prof. Cerami coordinates research and technological development activities for an innovative teleneuropsychology platform and the drafting of international guidelines on the assessment of social cognition in neurodegenerative patients.

Social cognition disorders — encompassing difficulties in recognising emotions, understanding others' intentions and regulating interpersonal interactions — are among the leading causes of loss of independence, social isolation and increased caregiver burden in patients with neurodegenerative disease. Despite their significant clinical and relational impact, these aspects remain largely overlooked in clinical practice. DISCeRN aims to bridge this gap by developing innovative, digitalised models of care and personalised medicine.

DISCeRN promotes the transfer of knowledge from research to clinical practice and society at large. Beyond its scientific outputs, the project will produce training materials, operational recommendations for healthcare professionals and digital solutions designed for concrete impact on care pathways, with expected benefits for the quality of life of people living with neurodegenerative conditions and their caregivers.