Using AI to help find Alzheimer's disease and memory problems early
SCH: Fair and Interpretable Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease and MCI using LLMs
This project uses advanced computer programs to find early signs of Alzheimer's disease and memory issues by listening to how people speak.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144574 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project aims to create smart computer programs, called large language models (LLMs), that can spot early signs of Alzheimer's disease and related memory problems from recorded speech. We know that changes in how people speak can be an early indicator of these conditions. The goal is to develop these AI tools to be fair and easy to understand, making sure they work well for everyone. By analyzing speech patterns, this work hopes to offer a new way to identify these conditions sooner.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have or are at risk for Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, particularly those whose speech patterns might show early signs of these conditions, could be relevant to this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose condition is not related to Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, or those who do not provide speech samples, would not directly benefit from this specific detection method.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier detection of Alzheimer's disease and related memory problems, allowing for timely support and potential interventions.
How similar studies have performed: While natural language processing has shown promise in capturing informative markers from speech, the use of fair and interpretable large language models for early AD detection is a novel approach being tested here.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parde, Natalie — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Parde, Natalie
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.