A remote speech-based AI system to screen for early Alzheimer's disease via smartphones.

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) systems leveraging speech and language changes could support timely detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Methods: The AMYPRED study (NCT04828122) recruited 133 subjects with an established amyloid beta (Aβ) biomarker (66 Aβ+, 67 Aβ-) and clinical status (71 cognitively unimpaired [CU], 62 mild cognitive impairment [MCI] or mild AD). Daily story recall tasks were administered via smartphones and analyzed with an AI system to predict MCI/mild AD and Aβ positivity.
Results: Eighty-six percent of participants (115/133) completed remote assessments. The AI system predicted MCI/mild AD (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.85, ±0.07) but not Aβ (AUC = 0.62 ±0.11) in the full sample, and predicted Aβ in clinical subsamples (MCI/mild AD: AUC = 0.78 ±0.14; CU: AUC = 0.74 ±0.13) on short story variants (immediate recall). Long stories and delayed retellings delivered broadly similar results.
Discussion: Speech-based testing offers simple and accessible screening for early-stage AD.
Competing Interests: Emil Fristed, Jack Weston, Marton Meszaros, Caroline Skirrow, Raphael Lenain, and Udeepa Meepegama are employees of Novoic Ltd. Emil Fristed, Jack Weston, Marton Meszaros, and Raphael Lenain are shareholders and Marton Meszaros, Udeepa Meepegama, and Caroline Skirrow are option holders in the company. Emil Fristed and Jack Weston are directors on the board of Novoic. Stefano Cappa has received speaker's fees from Roche and Biogen. Dag Aarsland has received research support and/or honoraria from Astra‐Zeneca, Lundbeck, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Evonik, Roche Diagnostics, and GE Health, and served as paid consultant for H. Lundbeck, Eisai, Heptares, Mentis Cura, Eli Lilly, Cognetivity, Enterin, Acadia, and Biogen. Author disclosures are available in the supporting information.
(© 2022 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)