From Lab to Life: Emerging Technologies for Ecological Cognitive Assessment and Intervention in Aging

Cognitive assessment involves evaluating key mental processes like memory, attention, and problem-solving. Cognitive intervention uses targeted strategies to maintain or improve these functions, particularly in aging populations. Cognitive assessment and intervention in aging face fundamental challenges: traditional neuropsychological tests often show limited correlation with older adults' real-world functioning, and conventional rehabilitation approaches frequently rely on obsolete tools that are perceived as boring, poorly motivating, and insufficiently stimulating. This ecological validity gap represents a critical limitation in accurately evaluating cognitive abilities, predicting functional outcomes in daily life, and engaging patients in effective rehabilitation programs. Emerging technologies—including mixed reality, artificial intelligence, and mobile applications —offer unprecedented opportunities to revolutionize cognitive assessment and training in aging populations. By leveraging immersive environments and AI-driven approaches, we can bridge the gap between clinical evaluation and real-world functioning, ultimately improving early detection and therapeutic outcomes. Importantly, integrating neural measures and linking behavioral performance with neurophysiological data (e.g., EEG, fMRI, eye tracking or neurostimulation outcomes) can further strengthen the ecological validity of these approaches and anchor findings within a neurocognitive framework. There is a crucial need to examine to what extent these technological and cognitive strategies synergize with, or are predictive of, neural system function in real-world settings.This Research Topic aims to showcase innovative technological approaches that enhance ecological validity in cognitive assessment and intervention for aging clinical practice. To gather further insights on how emerging technologies may play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between controlled laboratory settings and the complexity of real-world cognitive demand, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Technology-enhanced assessment tools simulating real-life scenarios• AI approaches, including automated behavioral pattern recognition for early detection, predictive algorithms using digital biomarkers extracted from technological interactions, and computational models identifying subtle cognitive changes in preclinical stages.• Studies on innovative intervention approaches: dual-task training platforms combining cognitive and motor exercises, adaptive rehabilitation systems adjusting difficulty based on performance, AI-driven personalized interventions, gamified cognitive training, and home-based digital solutions maintaining ecological validity while ensuring accessibility for older adults with mild cognitive impairment or subjective memory complaints.• User-centered design methodologies, validation studies of novel digital instruments, and technology acceptance among older adults. Methodological contributions examining psychometric properties of technology-based assessments, comparative studies between traditional and digital ecological approaches, and research on skill transfer from virtual training to real-world contexts are particularly welcome.• Manuscripts that utilize, correlate, or validate cognitive and technological approaches with neural measures, or explicitly address the neurocognitive underpinnings of intervention and assessment strategies, are of particular interest.We encourage a wide range of submissions, including original research, methods papers, brief research reports, data reports, systematic reviews, mini reviews and perspectives. Topic editors: Francesca Bruni, Marco Cavallo, Jorge Oliveira Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78585/from-lab-to-life-emerging-technologies-for-ecological-cognitive-assessment-and-intervention-in-aging