Automated language analysis to help diagnose neurodegenerative diseases
Official title: Analisi Automatizzata Del Linguaggio Nelle Malattie Neurodegenerative: Applicazione di Modelli di Intelligenza Artificiale
Run by Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA · NCT07906769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multilingual AI-powered language test is being tried to see if speech and language patterns can help differentiate Alzheimer’s, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson’s from healthy aging.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 40 Years to 90 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bari) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 20, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2028 |
| Study ends | October 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 3, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07906769 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 40–85 who are Italian speakers and have a diagnosed or suspected neurodegenerative condition (AD, PPA, bvFTD, DLB, or PD)
✕Probably not a fit
Patients without neurodegenerative disease or those with conditions that affect speech beyond the target diseases may not benefit from this approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This multicenter study will collect remote speech samples from participants with Alzheimer’s disease, primary progressive aphasia, behavioral variant FTD, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Parkinson’s disease, plus healthy controls. Researchers will develop and validate an AI pipeline that analyzes acoustic, prosodic, and linguistic features to generate individualized language profiles. The goal is to identify objective biomarkers that support early and differential diagnosis and to create explainable outputs for clinical use. The study emphasizes a non-invasive, scalable approach that may streamline diagnostic workflows in the Italian population. It is prospective and multicenter, with standardized remote assessments and machine-learning classification.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, more accurate diagnoses based on language features, enabling earlier and more personalized care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in related disorders has shown that speech features can help differentiate neurodegenerative conditions, though integration into routine care with robust explainability is still emerging.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Participants with neurodegenerative diseases Inclusion criteria * Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), or Parkinson's disease (PD). * Age 40-85 years. * Italian native speaker. * Able to provide informed consent. Exclusion criteria * Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score below 15. * Other neurological or psychiatric diagnoses, including cerebrovascular disease documented by MRI or CT. * Severe, uncorrected hearing or visual impairment. * Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score above 1. Healthy controls Inclusion criteria * Italian native speaker. * Matched to the patient groups for age, sex, and education level. Exclusion criteria * History of systemic, neurological, or psychiatric disease. * Substance abuse. * Family history of neurodegenerative disease. * MMSE score below 27/30.
Where it's running
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Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS Bari
Bari, Italy Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Petronilla Battista, PhD — Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS Bari
- Study coordinator: Petronilla Battista, PhD
- Email: petronilla.battista@icsmaugeri.it
- Phone: +390807814331
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.