Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the main cause of dementia, has a devastating impact on the quality of life of patients and their families. Early detection is crucial for therapeutic interventions, and a recent study from Boston University demonstrated the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in this context.
Researchers have developed an AI model capable of predicting the progress from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD over a period of six years, using speech analysis as its main tool.The model, trained with data from the Framingham Heart Study, achieved an accuracy of 78.5% in identifying individuals who would develop AD. The analysis was not based on acoustic aspects of speech, but rather on the content of the interviews, demonstrating AI’s ability to extract relevant information from complex data.
This innovative approach represents a significant advance in the early diagnosis of AD, with the potential to expand access to remote patient screening and monitoring. AI emerges as a promising tool in healthcare, paving the way for the development of more effective, accessible and including methods to combat AD.
Reference :
Paschalidis, I., et al. (2024). Prediction of Alzheimer’s disease progression within 6 years using speech: A novel approach leveraging language models. Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
