Detecting schizophrenia with AI: A new study

It's surprising to know how many new things you can do with the help of the modern AI services.

Specialists have created new tools that use AI language models to understand subtle changes in the way individuals with schizophrenia speak.

They hope this technology can help doctors and scientists better diagnose and assess psychiatric conditions.

How it was created

Currently, diagnosing mental health conditions relies heavily on conversations with patients, with limited use of tests like blood tests or brain scans.

This approach lacks precision and a deeper understanding of mental illness causes and treatment progress.

In their research, 26 participants with schizophrenia and 26 without the condition were asked to complete tasks involving naming as many words as they could related to certain categories.

The specialists used an AI language model to analyze the words generated.

They found that the responses from those without schizophrenia were more predictable by the AI model, especially in those with more severe symptoms.

This suggests that people with schizophrenia may have differences in how their brains store information.

The researchers also used brain scans to measure activity in parts of the brain related to learning and memory.

Why it might be helpful

This combination of language analysis and brain scanning could provide new insights into mental health.

The researchers plan to use this technology in a larger group of patients in various speech settings to see if it can be used in clinical practice.
 

• Related news:
• research
• schizophrenia
• detection
• 28 October 2023

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