Mobile Observation Of Depression (MOOD)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mobile Observation Of Depression (MOOD): a response to COVID-19
IRAS ID
286715
Contact name
Charles Nduka
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Depression is debilitating disorder characterised by persistent low mood and, although there is no cure, identifying early warning signs and use of appropriate symptom management can help. However, existing clinical tools for monitoring depression are inadequate - unstructured face-to-face interviews with clinicians are time and resource-intensive and questionnaire-based assessments are subjective, rely on individuals accurately recording their lived experience, and fail to track critical details about illness trajectory. Given these limiting factors there is a need for better ways to monitor depressive symptoms and trajectories in mental health care.
New wearable technologies have the potential to meet current unmet patient needs by providing a symptom management and measurement tool that: (i) does not rely on self-assessment, (ii) can provide immediate feedback about both current illness state and trajectory and (iii) is scalable. In order to provide a better way to monitor depressive symptoms, we have developed OcosenseTM glasses - a wearable device that contains sensors. These sensors measure facial muscle and body movements that research suggests predict depression symptom severity and can provide valuable information for early diagnosis, treatment and to allow better self-management of depression.
The aim of this project is to further develop the Ocosense glasses and to embed within this tool a feedback mechanism of these outputs to users – people living with depression and health professionals - to enable them to monitor, and ultimately manage, their emotional experiences. To achieve this aim, we will conduct an observational longitudinal study to investigate how facial muscle reactions change during the course of a normal day in participants with and without depression.
This project has been made all the more relevant in the COVID-19 pandemic, when more than two million NHS operations and appointments were cancelled between March and June 2020 and number of people with MH conditions is expected to increase.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0065
Date of REC Opinion
9 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion