CognoSpeak: an AI tool to facilitate early diagnosis of dementia

Early and accurate detection of cognitive difficulties and dementia remains a significant challenge in healthcare. Traditional methods often rely on subjective assessments and late-stage diagnosis, delaying critical interventions and support for patients.

Key Aims:

CognoSpeak is a computerised doctor that asks the patient questions regarding their health, similar to those currently used by clinicians in memory clinics. The answers are analysed by a computer program to look for changes in speech patterns due to memory problems and/or mood. Recognizing concerns about the usability, acceptability, and potential bias of AI, especially for non-native English speakers, the team has partnered with Somali, Chinese, and South Asian communities in Sheffield and Bradford to test CognoSpeak with those who speak English as an additional language.

Early and accurate detection of cognitive difficulties and dementia remains a significant challenge in healthcare. Traditional methods often rely on subjective assessments and late-stage diagnosis, delaying critical interventions and support for patients.

Key Aims:

CognoSpeak is a computerised doctor that asks the patient questions regarding their health, similar to those currently used by clinicians in memory clinics. The answers are analysed by a computer program to look for changes in speech patterns due to memory problems and/or mood. Recognizing concerns about the usability, acceptability, and potential bias of AI, especially for non-native English speakers, the team has partnered with Somali, Chinese, and South Asian communities in Sheffield and Bradford to test CognoSpeak with those who speak English as an additional language.

Impact:

We have recruited and supported Research Champions from each of these communities through training around Good Clinical Practice, research methods and undertaking workshops. Due to this, each site has achieved their recruitment target of 50 participants whilst also investigating further areas around the taboo and health beliefs around dementia, research, technology and AI.

The analysis of different speech patterns by CognoSpeak provides valuable data for early detection and monitoring of cognitive issues and dementia. This innovative approach supports timely medical treatments, better patient support and informed clinical decisions, demonstrating the potential for this to be a universally applicable diagnostic tool. 

Working with the Somalian community at Israac, a film has been co-developed showing how the project has progressed and the process of relationship building between HealthTech researchers and the community.

Project team and funding:

The project is being led the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Therapy Box, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Devices for Dignity (D4D), the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Long Term Conditions. D4D has had a key role in facilitating PPIE activities, patient recruitment and developing strong relationships with ethnic community groups. Israac, ShipShape and the Sheffield Chinese Community have been essential to the success of the project. The CognoSpeak project is funded under the NIHR Invention for Innovation funding programme and has also been delivered through the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

For more information, please visit the University of Sheffield website below:

AI tool could speed up dementia diagnosis | News | The University of Sheffield

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