Using digital voice analyis to detect MCI/Dementia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of a three one-minute tests of verbal fluency, using artificial intelligence, in detecting mild cognitive impairment and early dementia.
IRAS ID
312213
Contact name
Simon Vann Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Primary aim: To assess the accuracy of a battery of three one-minute tests of verbal fluency delivered on a digital device (e.g. smartphone, laptop) compared to both the standard pen-and-paper test used in memory clinic (ACE III) and clinical diagnosis. The test involves three tasks lasting a maximum of 1-minute each: 1. Name as many animals as possible in one minute; 2. Image description – describe a complex image; 3. Open question – answer an open question. The first of these is already included in the paper-and-pen test so the only difference to the routine clinical pathway is that this part of the test will be recorded on a digital device and the second and third tasks will follow immediately, representing the only (minimal) deviation from normal clinical practice.
Performance on these tasks will subsequently be analysed by artificial intelligence to identify potentially pathological elements of voice and language which have been shown to accurately correlate with cognitive problems. This software has shown a high degree of diagnostic accuracy (90%) in clinical settings in Spanish speaking populations. This will be the first study in an English-speaking clinical population.
REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/0963
Date of REC Opinion
3 Aug 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion