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Observational Study
. 2024 Mar 28;14(3):e082388.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082388.

Longitudinal observational cohort study: Speech for Intelligent cognition change tracking and DEtection of Alzheimer's Disease (SIDE-AD)

Stina Saunders  1 , Fasih Haider  2 , Craig W Ritchie  3   4 , Graciela Muniz Terrera  5   6 , Saturnino Luz  7
Affiliations
Observational Study

Longitudinal observational cohort study: Speech for Intelligent cognition change tracking and DEtection of Alzheimer's Disease (SIDE-AD)

Stina Saunders et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Introduction: There is emerging evidence that speech may be a potential indicator and manifestation of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Therefore, the University of Edinburgh and Sony Research have partnered to create the Speech for Intelligent cognition change tracking and DEtection of Alzheimer's Disease (SIDE-AD) study, which aims to develop digital speech-based biomarkers for use in neurodegenerative disease.

Methods and analysis: SIDE-AD is an observational longitudinal study, collecting samples of spontaneous speech. Participants are recruited from existing cohort studies as well as from the National Health Service (NHS)memory clinics in Scotland. Using an online platform, participants record a voice sample talking about their brain health and rate their mood, anxiety and apathy. The speech biomarkers will be analysed longitudinally, and we will use machine learning and natural language processing technology to automate the assessment of the respondents' speech patterns.

Ethics and dissemination: The SIDE-AD study has been approved by the NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC reference: 23/WM/0153, protocol number AC23046, IRAS Project ID 323311) and received NHS management approvals from Lothian, Fife and Forth Valley NHS boards. Our main ethical considerations pertain to the remote administration of the study, such as taking remote consent. To address this, we implemented a consent process, whereby the first step of the consent is done entirely remotely but a member of the research team contacts the participant over the phone to consent participants to the optional, most sensitive, elements of the study. Results will be presented at conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals and communicated to study participants.

Keywords: Clinical Trial; NEUROLOGY; PUBLIC HEALTH.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Speech for Intelligent cognition change tracking and DEtection of AD (SIDE-AD) study flow.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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