Affiliation: Center for Spoken Language & Understanding, OHSU Automatic Assessment of Severity of Dementia from Everyday Conversation
Funding Period: 2011 - 2012
Funding Source: Roybal Pilot
View related topics
Screening for cognitive deterioration is exremely important for managing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in general. Ideally, cognitive decline would be detected in its early stages, where it is most effectively managed. However, with a burgeoning aged population, the implementation of thorough screening procedures face serious logistical problems. This study aims to address this concern by studying the utility of using automated language assessment as a tool for measuring cognitive function.
It is well known that langauge abilities provide insight into cognitive ability. However, it has only been in the last few years that technology has matured to the point where automated analysis of speech can be undertaken. In this proposal we have two primary goals:
1. To fully automate the extraction of spoken language markers known to be indicative of cognitive decline, using speech recorded during clinical examinations.
2. To migrate spoken language analyses away from the clinical setting, allowing analysis to be conduced on spoken language taken from naturalistic environments.
Combined, these two goals pave the way toward efficient in-home assessments which could be used to augment current diagnostic techniques.