Hundreds of millions Eight people around the world suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, which are still underdiagnosed or underutilized for optimal intervention. Detecting too late. Startup Accessible seeks to change that, based on the premise that early signs of certain conditions can be seen or heard in a person’s voice.
“Accexible works at the intersection of neuroscience, linguistics, and mathematics,” the company’s CEO, Carla Zaldua Aguirre, told WIRED Health in March of this year. Accessible by computer, app, or phone, Accexible’s products assess the linguistic content and delivery of someone’s speech and identify changes that may indicate underlying problems. Aguirre promises her 90% accuracy, with results in just minutes. The idea is that general practitioners can use the app as a screening test, and neurologists can use it to monitor their patients’ progress.
Already used by 10,000 patients and 40 practitioners in five markets, Accexible is piloting in Spain, Colombia and the UK, according to the company. If a patient complains of memory problems, doctors can use this technology to perform screening tests and, if necessary, refer them to a memory clinic for further attention.
“Alzheimer’s disease has a preclinical stage where there are no symptoms, but there are biological biomarkers,” says Aguirre. The company is investigating whether the model can predict levels of beta-amyloid, a protein that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. , to facilitate access to treatment.
