Geospatial Applications in Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Beyond: A Systematic Review

With the increasing prevalence and social impacts of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), innovative approaches to our understanding of its etiology, progression, and potential interventions are critical. Geospatial applications are a promising tool in addressing the complex spatial and temporal dynamics of AD. A substantial knowledge gap remains, however, regarding the comprehensive utilization and impact of geospatial applications in AD research. We comprehensively consider the current status of geospatial-information application in AD based on 159 research articles on geospatial applications published between 1991 and 2022 from the Web of Science and PubMed databases. Four main research themes are identified: geographic environmental factors, geographic disparities, activity behaviors, and care services. Geospatial information has been extensively applied using techniques such as spatial clustering and hotspot analysis. We investigate the influence of location and spatial factors on AD risk, the activity behavior of patients with AD using location data and spatial analysis, and medical-resource proximity via geospatial modeling and predictive analysis. Additionally, we identify three knowledge gaps: geographic environment measurement, spatiotemporal contrastive analysis of disease prevalence, and multidisciplinary integration. The review underscores the value of geospatial information in AD-related research and public health, offering researchers insights into prospective directions and collaborative opportunities with geographers.