A new artificial intelligence test can detect the early signs of dementia, Japanese researchers revealed, and could help medical professionals diagnose and provide clinical treatment for their patients.
Currently, the most common tool for picking up dementia-related diseases is medical imaging, but this method can only make a diagnosis once the dementia has progressed, the Digital Journal reported on Monday.
Other testing relies on neuropsychological questions to make a diagnosis, but patients are eventually able to anticipate the questioning, lowering the detection of dementia.
The group of researchers from Osaka University and Nara Institute of Science and Technology have demonstrated it is possible to by-pass this process with artificial intelligence to detect dementia through a series of questions via an interactive on-screen avatar.
The tests make it possible to detect the diseases much earlier through machine-learning that uses the characteristics such as sound to distinguish those who are developing dementia.
The interactive tests are based upon a model of features of speech, language, and faces from recorded dialogues with elderly participants, researchers said.
In studies, the system was able to distinguish individuals with dementia at a rate of 90 percent in six questions.
The senior author of the study, Takashi Kudo, said when the artificial intelligence tests are further developed, “it will become possible to know whether or not an elderly individual is in the early stages of dementia through conversation with computer avatars at home on a daily basis.”
This will encourage them to seek medical help, leading to early diagnosis, he added.
Early diagnosis of dementia plays a vital role in patient care and treatment, the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin noted.
In some cases, symptoms may be reversible or at the very least could be slowed down or halted, with treatment being more effective if started early in the disease’s process.
About 6.08 million Americans already have either clinical Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment, and the risk is growing with new research suggesting that 46 million Americans could be in the early stages of the brain disease.
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