A pilot screening for cognitive impairment through voice technology (WAY2AGE)

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Speech Technology

Background:

• Voice analysis is emerging as a tool in healthcare.
• Language and speech patterns can indicate cognitive decline.
• Existing screening tools for cognitive impairment often rely on speech measures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the WAY2AGE voice bot as a screening tool for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
• To assess the correlation between the WAY2AGE bot and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.
• To determine the tool's ability to differentiate between no cognitive impairment (NCI) and MCI.

Main Methods:

• The WAY2AGE voice bot was utilized to collect voice data.
• Voice data was analyzed in relation to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.
• The study compared performance in differentiating between no cognitive impairment (NCI) and MCI groups.

Main Results:

• A strong correlation was observed between WAY2AGE bot scores and MMSE scores.
• The WAY2AGE bot demonstrated a good Area Under the Curve (AUC) for discriminating between NCI and MCI.
• The voice tool, unlike the MMSE, showed sensitivity to age, indicating potential limitations.

Conclusions:

• The WAY2AGE voice bot shows potential as a screening tool for MCI.
• Age-related variations in voice may affect the tool's accuracy.
• Further research is needed to refine voice analysis for cognitive screening, considering developmental changes.