Using voice analysis to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease

Digital Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease

NIH-funded research Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-10851935

This study is looking for early signs of Alzheimer's disease by listening to how people talk, and it's for older adults who want to help improve ways to catch memory issues early without any complicated tests.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUt Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Dallas, United States)
Project IDNIH-10851935 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on identifying early signs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by analyzing subtle changes in connected speech. By employing advanced machine learning and natural language processing techniques, the study aims to develop digital biomarkers that can detect pre-dementia stages without the need for invasive or expensive testing methods. Participants will provide audio recordings of their speech, which will be analyzed alongside cognitive assessments and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers over a three-year period. This innovative approach seeks to improve early diagnosis and monitoring of cognitive decline in older adults.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals aged 50 and older who have normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment.

Not a fit: Patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to non-invasive methods for early detection of Alzheimer's disease, allowing for timely interventions.

How similar studies have performed: Other research has shown promise in using speech analysis for cognitive assessment, indicating potential success for this novel approach.

Where this research is happening

Dallas, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Alzheimer disease dementiaAlzheimer syndrome
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.