Speech and language tools to detect Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia in Spanish and English speakers
An automated machine learning approach to language changes in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia across Latino and English-speaking populations
Using short natural speech recordings, researchers will look for sound and language patterns that can help detect Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia in Spanish-speaking Latinos and English-speaking adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11404657 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to produce natural speech (conversation, storytelling, or similar tasks) while being recorded so acoustic and word-level features can be extracted. Those digital features will be analyzed with automated speech and language methods and machine learning to find patterns that distinguish Alzheimer's disease from frontotemporal dementia and from healthy aging. The project includes large groups of Spanish speakers from five Latin American countries and English speakers in the US and will account for factors like bilingualism, sex, and brain profile. Researchers will also compare speech markers with standard clinical measures to test how well speech-based signals match established evaluations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Spanish-speaking Latinos and English-speaking adults with diagnosed or suspected Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia, as well as healthy control volunteers willing to provide speech samples.
Not a fit: People without cognitive concerns or those with neurological conditions not related to Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia may not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable low-cost, scalable speech-based screening and monitoring tools that make earlier and more accessible detection of AD and FTD possible for Spanish- and English-speaking patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous automated speech and language studies have shown promising signals for detecting dementia but have typically been small and focused on English, so this multilingual, large-scale effort builds on encouraging but not yet definitive evidence.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gorno Tempini, Maria Luisa — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Gorno Tempini, Maria Luisa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.