Introduction
Artificial Intelligence and all its applications are taking center stage in the technology that is shaping our future. This is evident in all aspects of modern life, and it is also becoming a reality in the advancements of modern medicine. Personalized, easy, and reliable solutions can be provided to the patients straight from their phones. New ideas, platforms and gadgets are reshaping the way medicine is practiced, thus making us wonder what the extent of this digital revolution is.
As modern approaches like AI enter sensitive fields such as cognitive and mental health, healthcare providers (HCPs) are sometimes hesitant to adopt them. While this caution is understandable, given the vulnerable nature of their patients, it can ultimately hold them back from utilizing solutions that could significantly improve patient care. In the following sections, we will explore the reasons behind this reluctance and demonstrate why embracing AI technologies is in the best interest of hospitals, clinics, and their patients.
The Dual Challenge: Cognitive and Mental Health in Modern Healthcare
Brain health as an aspect of overall wellness has been taking its rightful place on the medical community’s focus. This is a development for the better, as we come to realize the importance of taking care of our cognitive and mental health.
As the global population ages, age-related diseases are becoming an increasingly significant concern. Cognitive decline coming mostly from dementia has been recognized as a major issue among aging populations, as 1 in 9 adults aged 65 and above suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). And, given this is an upward trend, the question of whether PCPs have the right tools to screen for cognitive health issues becomes more relevant.
On the other hand, mental health issues such as anxiety, PTSD, and especially depression have been steadily on the rise. According to a study published in Science Direct, one in three women and one in five men in the United States have an episode of major depression by the time they are 65. There are also now studies strongly claiming that the prominence of social media in most of our everyday lives can increase feelings of anxiety and depression. As this relatively new way of life doesn’t seem to be going away, our daily habits are likely to keep this course, and so these factors that strongly affect our mental health will have to be tackled.
In light of this, the question of whether our communities have the necessary tools to tackle brain health issues is becoming increasingly urgent. Despite growing awareness, hospitals and HCPs continue to rely on traditional methods that often fall short in addressing these modern challenges. In-person consultations can mean excluding people who have mobility problems, or people who live far away from an HCP. The heavy cost of constant visits can also be a factor of exclusion, as not all can support steady treatments. In terms of cognitive health, this can mean that conditions like dementia are not diagnosed early enough, and so treatment can become exponentially more costly and less effective.
The Role of AI in Enhancing Cognitive Health Care
Cognitive health care is one of the many health sectors that can greatly benefit from the introduction of AI tools. And, as in other health sectors, AI has been introduced to benefit the early and more accurate detection of cognitive conditions, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia. A testament to this is LANGaware’s test for cognitive health, which utilizes digital voice and speech biomarkers and machine learning to detect the probability of cognitive decline. This makes for a faster, less invasive, and more objective approach compared to traditional pen and paper tests.
Beyond screening for cognitive conditions, an equally important application of AI is monitoring for the development of the various conditions. As monitoring is more difficult to achieve with constant visits to specialized doctors, remote tools can give solutions that do not require more than a phone or tablet. There are a number of applications that can assist patients and caregivers to monitor and track memory and daily functions, through tasks that utilize cognitive functions. LANGaware’s speech-based assessment can also function as a monitoring system.
AI tools can additionally be used for the cognitive rehabilitation of people recovering from strokes, or fighting with neurodegenerative diseases. A very promising new tool called Constant Therapy describes itself as at-home speech therapy when recovering from stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or living with aphasia, dementia, and other neurological conditions. Constant Therapy utilizes their AI research, called NeuroPerformance Engine, to administer adaptable, personalized exercises to their users.
AI’s Impact on Mental Health Care
Artificial Intelligence can now be applied in creating customized treatment plans for patients, based on their profiles, mental, medical, and otherwise, with the purpose of having the most effective outcomes. Factors like the patient’s background, strengths, challenges and goals are taken into account. At the same time, patients are given the opportunity to receive a treatment with a holistic approach, one that takes into account co-occuring conditions and fosters empowerment and autonomy.
Another novel application of AI in mental health would seem to be the most obvious. This is the use of chatbots as first contacts for people to get consultation and therapy. Specialized AI chatbots can now act as therapy agents at a very satisfactory level, and their abilities are only going to get better. This comes with the caveat that nothing can substitute human contact of course, as it is a therapeutic means in itself.
Most importantly, AI applications facilitate methods of detection of health issues that can be better tailored to contemporary standards. Without lacking in accuracy, AI screening tools can be more discrete, as they are self-administered. They can also be more objective, as the test-givers’ beliefs and biases do not come into play, like in the case of the popular PHQ-9. LANGaware’s own screening tool for depression is a very good example of such applications.
Overcoming Barriers to Adoption in Cognitive and Mental Health
AI and its innovations can only be beneficial to HCPs, as many traditional methods are being revolutionized, and new ones are being developed and presented. Their adoption, however advantageous, can be less than straightforward by institutions that have a vast and established modus operandi.
One of the main concerns is that of the ethical use of personal information. As AI and its methods is data hungry, securing an ethical and safe frame to maintain and use patients’ data is crucial. Especially for businesses that want to cross the Atlantic and treat patients in the EU, the newly voted AI act sets strict regulations to abide by. Fortunately, healthtech innovation companies do take these concerns into consideration, and they themselves address privacy concerns before these are passed on to the HCPs, since they operate within the same regulatory framework.
Another significant challenge is integrating with the existing methods already in place. AI tools need to complement and enhance the work of clinicians, rather than present the false image that they are being substituted. For this reason, clinicians are given proper training on their new tools and adequate time, to understand the potential of these new methods, and to implement them in their practice. This also addresses the reluctance of some clinicians to adopt AI solutions, as they may initially fear they are being undermined or substituted, when in truth they are given new tools to operate more efficiently.
Additionally, the complexity of AI tools can be difficult for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to fully understand, potentially raising concerns about their accuracy and reliability. For this reason, it is crucial for healthtech companies to incorporate peer-reviewed research into their portfolios, demonstrating the objectivity and rigor of their methodologies.
Reshaping healthcare future
From personalized treatments to advanced screening tools, AI is transforming the way medicine is practiced, offering innovative solutions to longstanding challenges. Major issues such as dementia, anxiety, and depression, which are increasingly prevalent in today’s world, are now more manageable thanks to AI’s ability to scale solutions effectively. For healthcare leaders, the question is no longer whether to invest in artificial intelligence, but which tools are best suited to their needs. By integrating AI thoughtfully, healthcare providers can enhance both patient outcomes and professional efficiency, addressing critical problems without introducing new ones.
From detecting and monitoring cognitive and health issues, to providing first response chatbots, to creating personalized mental exercises and therapies, AI can open a world of new possibilities for brain health patients. All these new applications are here to enhance the experience of both doctor and patient, and to promote health equity to an extent that could not be possible before.
