A quick, speech-based AI tool offers a new way to screen for a key indicator of the neurodegenerative disease.
A quick, speech-based AI tool offers a new way to screen for a key indicator of the neurodegenerative disease.
Computer scientists at the University of Rochester have developed an AI-powered, speech-based screening tool that can help people assess whether they are showing signs of Parkinson’s disease, the fastest growing neurological disability in the world. A study published in the journal npj Parkinson’s Disease introduces a web-based screening test that asks users to recite two pangrams—short sentences using all 26 letters of the alphabet. Within seconds, the AI analyzes the voice recordings for subtle patterns linked to Parkinson’s, with nearly 86 percent accuracy.
Parkinson’s disease is typically diagnosed by movement disorder specialists—neurologists with specific training to evaluate complex motor symptoms—using a combination of family history, neurological examinations, and brain imaging. While the study’s authors emphasize that their AI-based tool is not a substitute for a clinical diagnosis, they see it as a fast, low-barrier, and accessible way to flag people, especially in remote areas, who might be living with the condition and encourage them to seek more thorough clinical evaluations.
Read more: University of Rochester
