Researchers have developed an automated computer tool that analyzes speech patterns to estimate biological age and identify potential signs of cognitive decline.
Key facts
- •The study analyzed nearly 3,000 Spanish-speaking adults across Latin America.
- •Machine learning was used to assess speech features like vocabulary, pitch, and semantic precision.
- •Participants with older speech scores showed worse performance on memory, focus, and problem-solving tasks.
- •The tool is designed to be low-cost and capable of remote use on standard devices.
- •Researchers noted the speech clock is not yet a diagnostic tool for dementia.
A new study has introduced an automated computer tool known as a "speech clock" that estimates a person's biological age based on their voice. By analyzing audio recordings, researchers can calculate a "speech age gap" that compares an individual's speech patterns to their chronological age. The tool aims to provide a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to traditional medical assessments for measuring ageing and brain health.
Methodology and Analysis
The study analyzed audio recordings from nearly 3,000 Spanish-speaking adults in Latin America. Participants performed tasks such as narrating an animated film, retelling stories, and naming items in specific categories. Researchers used machine learning to evaluate hundreds of speech features, including pitch, vocabulary, speech rate, pauses, and emotional content.
Links to Brain Health and Dementia
The speech clock successfully distinguished healthy individuals from those with dementia. Participants with speech scores older than their chronological age showed evidence of accelerated biological ageing, including greater loss of brain structure on MRI scans and altered brain activity. Additionally, older speech scores correlated with higher levels of p-Tau217, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease, and poorer performance on memory and problem-solving tests.
Limitations and Future Potential
While the speech clock offers a potential alternative to expensive tools like MRI scans or blood tests, researchers emphasized that it is not currently a diagnostic test for dementia. The tool cannot yet determine if an older-appearing speech profile predicts the future development of cognitive decline.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Euronews Health.
