The Hidden Clue That Might Be Able To Predict Your Risk Of Alzheimer's

Knowing your likelihood of developing a medical condition may help you take steps to mitigate your further risks or at least better prepare for your potential future. However, identifying the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease has been somewhat limited, making it harder for patients and providers to verify indicators of the disease. (Watch for these potential early signs of Alzheimer's if you think you might be at risk.)

Yet hope may be on the horizon. According to Boston University experts, they may be able to assess whether or not a patient is apt to receive an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis by their speech patterns — and they're tapping heavily into cutting-edge technology in the process. Per a 2024 study published in Alzheimer's and Dementia, an AI-trained software product can reliably determine if a person with mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's within six years based on the person's speaking patterns. The product's accuracy level clocked in at 78.5%.

The study, which builds upon 2022 research published in Alzheimer's and Dementia, illustrates that using AI in this predictive capacity could produce potential benefits for medical practitioners and patients alike. "The tool can help doctors quickly pick people for treatment with new drugs or to participate in research studies, thus saving time and money while reaching more patients who might not have access to costly and complicated tests," explained corresponding author Dr. Vijaya B. Kolachalama (via Boston University). He added that improving the patient's quality of life would be a worthwhile side effect of using an AI-based speech recognition product.

Alzheimer's disease stands as the most diagnosed of the different types of dementia, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than six million individuals in the United States have the disease; life expectancy after receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis hovers around a decade. Although some therapies can prolong the earlier and middle stages of Alzheimer's, the disease has no cure (via the U.S. National Institutes of Health).