Advances on automatic speech analysis for early detection of Alzheimer disease: A non-linear multi-task approach
Abstract
Objective: Nowadays proper detection of cognitive impairment has become a challenge for the scientific community. Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, has a high prevalence that is increasing at a fast pace towards epidemic level. In the not-so-distant future this fact could have a dramatic social and economic impact. In this scenario, an early and accurate diagnosis of AD could help to decrease its effects on patients, relatives and society. Over the last decades there have been useful advances not only in classic assessment techniques, but also in novel non-invasive screening methodologies. Methods: Among these methods, automatic analysis of speech -one of the first damaged skills in AD patients- is a natural and useful low cost tool for diagnosis. Results: In this paper a non-linear multi-task approach based on automatic speech analysis is presented. Three tasks with different language complexity levels are analyzed, and promising results that encourage a deeper assessment are obtained. Automatic classification was carried out by using classic Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Deep Learning by means of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) (biologically- inspired variants of MLPs) over the tasks with classic linear features, perceptual features, Castiglioni fractal dimension and Multiscale Permutation Entropy. Conclusion: Finally, the most relevant features are selected by means of the non-parametric Mann- Whitney U-test.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
CNN has been widely applied in various medical imaging, laboratory reports, pathology reports, etc., and has achieved remarkable success in the field of AI-based diagnosis.
“Recently, the CNN has been widely applied in various medical imaging, laboratory reports, pathology reports, etc., and has achieved remarkable success in the field of AI-based diagnosis [51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58].”
From A Comprehensive Review on Synergy of Multi-Modal Data and AI Technologies in Medical Diagnosis (2024) · cites this paper as [55]
Lopez et al. achieved accuracy 0.89 on a private dataset using linear and nonlinear speech features.
“| Lopez et al. [55] | Linear features include spectral domain features and time domain features, such as harmonicity, spectrum centroid, formants, etc. Nonlinear characteristics include fractal dimension, permutation entropy, multi-scale permutation entropy, etc. | speech | private dataset | Accuracy: 0.89 |”
From A Comprehensive Review on Synergy of Multi-Modal Data and AI Technologies in Medical Diagnosis (2024) · cites this paper as [55]
Cites
Still being checked.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Machine learning-based approach: global trends, research directions, and regulatory standpoints
Pugliese, R., Regondi, S., & Marini, R. (2021) · Data Science and Management · doi:10.1016/j.dsm.2021.12.002 · Cited by 394 · see citing works
Toth, L., Hoffmann, I., Gosztolya, G., Vincze, V., Szatloczki, G., Banreti, Z., Pakaski, M., & Kalman, J. (2018) · Current Alzheimer Research · doi:10.2174/1567205014666171121114930 · Cited by 290 · see citing works
A Comprehensive Review on Synergy of Multi-Modal Data and AI Technologies in Medical Diagnosis
Xu, X., Li, J., Zhu, Z., Zhao, L., Wang, H., Song, C., Chen, Y., Zhao, Q., Yang, J., & Pei, Y. (2024) · Bioengineering · doi:10.3390/bioengineering11030219 · Cited by 242 · see citing works
Martínez‐Nicolás, I., Llorente, T. E., Martínez‐Sánchez, F., & Meilán, J. J. G. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.620251 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
A systematic literature review of automatic Alzheimer’s disease detection from speech and language
Petti, U., Baker, S., & Korhonen, A. (2020) · Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association · doi:10.1093/jamia/ocaa174 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
Speech Technology for Healthcare: Opportunities, Challenges, and State of the Art
Latif, S., Qadir, J., Qayyum, A., Usama, M., & Younis, M. S. (2020) · IEEE Reviews in Biomedical Engineering · doi:10.1109/rbme.2020.3006860 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
Using multi-layer perceptron with Laplacian edge detector for bladder cancer diagnosis
Lorencin, I., Anđelić, N., Španjol, J., & Car, Z. (2019) · Artificial Intelligence in Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.artmed.2019.101746 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Audio based depression detection using Convolutional Autoencoder
Sardari, S., Nakisa, B., Rastgoo, M. N., & Eklund, P. (2021) · Expert Systems with Applications · doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2021.116076 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Automatic Detection of Depression in Speech Using Ensemble Convolutional Neural Networks
Vázquez-Romero, A., & Gallardo-Antolín, A. (2020) · Entropy · doi:10.3390/e22060688 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Alzheimer's disease and automatic speech analysis: A review
Pulido, M. L. B., Hernández, J. B. A., Ballester, M. Á. F., González, C. M. T., Mekyska, J., & Smékal, Z. (2020) · Expert Systems with Applications · doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2020.113213 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Self-citationComputerized analysis of speech and voice for Parkinson's disease: A systematic review
Ngo, Q. C., Motin, M. A., Pah, N. D., Drotár, P., Kempster, P. A., & Kumar, D. (2022) · Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine · doi:10.1016/j.cmpb.2022.107133 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Deep learning-based speech analysis for Alzheimer’s disease detection: a literature review
Yang, Q., Li, X., Ding, X., Xu, F., & Ling, Z.-H. (2022) · Alzheimer s Research & Therapy · doi:10.1186/s13195-022-01131-3 · Cited by 106 · see citing works
Potential New Approaches for Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Turner, R. S., Stubbs, T., Davies, D. A., & Albensi, B. C. (2020) · Frontiers in Neurology · doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00496 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
Speech- and language-based classification of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review
Vigo, I., Coelho, L., & Reis, S. (2022) · Bioengineering · doi:10.3390/bioengineering9010027 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Fully Automatic Speech-Based Analysis of the Semantic Verbal Fluency Task
König, A., Linz, N., Tröger, J., Wolters, M., Alexandersson, J., & Robert, P. (2018) · Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders · doi:10.1159/000487852 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Ting, H.-W., Chung, S., Chen, C.-F., Chiu, H.-Y., & Hsieh, Y. (2020) · BMC Health Services Research · doi:10.1186/s12913-020-05166-w · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Quantile graphs for EEG-based diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Pineda, A. M., Ramos, F. M., Betting, L. E., & Campanharo, A. S. L. O. (2020) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231169 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Machine Learning Approach to Dysphonia Detection
Dankovičová, Z., Sovák, D., Drotár, P., & Vokorokos, L. (2018) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app8101927 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Meilán, J. J. G., Martínez‐Sánchez, F., Martínez‐Nicolás, I., Llorente, T. E., & Carro, J. (2020) · Behavioural Neurology · doi:10.1155/2020/4683573 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Speech and language processing with deep learning for dementia diagnosis: A systematic review
Shi, M., Cheung, G., & Shahamiri, S. R. (2023) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115538 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
On the analysis of speech and disfluencies for automatic detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment
de Ipiña, K. L., de Lizarduy, U. M., Calvo, P. M., Beitia, B., García-Melero, J., Fernández, E., Ecay‐Torres, M., Faúndez-Zanuy, M., & Sanz, P. (2018) · Neural Computing and Applications · doi:10.1007/s00521-018-3494-1 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Self-citationA New Methodology Based on EMD and Nonlinear Measurements for Sudden Cardiac Death Detection
Vargas-Lopez, O., Amézquita-Sánchez, J. P., De-Santiago-Perez, J. J., Rivera‐Guillen, J. R., Valtierra‐Rodriguez, M., Toledano‐Ayala, M., & Perez-Ramirez, C. A. (2019) · Sensors · doi:10.3390/s20010009 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Kamra, V., Kumar, P., & Mohammadian, M. (2022) · Intelligent Systems with Applications · doi:10.1016/j.iswa.2023.200208 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Advances in Multimodal Behavioral Analytics for Early Dementia Diagnosis: A Review
Guruge, C. J. P., Oviatt, S. L., Haghighi, P. D., & Pritchard, E. (2021) · INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIMODAL INTERACTION · doi:10.1145/3462244.3479933 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Automated assessment of speech production and prediction of MCI in older adults
Sanborn, V. E., Ostrand, R., Ciesla, J. A., & Gunstad, J. (2020) · Applied Neuropsychology Adult · doi:10.1080/23279095.2020.1864733 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
A 5-min Cognitive Task With Deep Learning Accurately Detects Early Alzheimer's Disease
Almubark, I., Chang, L., Shattuck, K. F., Nguyen, T., Turner, R. S., & Jiang, X. (2020) · Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnagi.2020.603179 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Glottal flow characteristics in vowels produced by speakers with heart failure
Reddy, M. K., Pohjalainen, H., Helkkula, P., Kaitue, K., Minkkinen, M., Tolppanen, H., Nieminen, T., & Alku, P. (2022) · Speech Communication · doi:10.1016/j.specom.2021.12.001 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Parsapoor, M., Alam, M. R., & Mihailidis, A. (2023) · BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making · doi:10.1186/s12911-023-02122-6 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Deep Learning of Speech Data for Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Elderly
Ahn, K., Cho, M., Kim, S., Lee, K. E., Song, Y., Yoo, S., Jeon, S. Y., Kim, J. L., Yoon, D. H., & Kong, H. (2023) · Bioengineering · doi:10.3390/bioengineering10091093 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Al-Hammadi, M., Fleyeh, H. A., Åberg, A. C., Halvorsen, K., & Thomas, I. (2024) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-231459 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Kaczmarek‐Majer, K., Dominiak, M., Antosik-Wójcińska, A. Z., Hryniewicz, O., Kamińska, O., Opara, K. R., Owsiński, J. W., Radziszewska, W., Sochacka, M., & Święcicki, Ł. (2024) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/acps.13735 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Gagliardi, G. (2023) · International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders · doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12870 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
A novel speech analysis algorithm to detect cognitive impairment in a Spanish population
Kaser, A. N., Lacritz, L. H., Winiarski, H. R., Gabirondo, P., Schaffert, J., Coca, A. J., Jiménez-Raboso, J., Rojo, T., Zaldua, C., Honorato, I., et al. (2024) · Frontiers in Neurology · doi:10.3389/fneur.2024.1342907 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Ethical considerations in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease using speech and AI
Petti, U., Nyrup, R., Skopek, J. M., & Korhonen, A. (2023) · 2023 ACM Conference on Fairness Accountability and Transparency · doi:10.1145/3593013.3594063 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
A Hybrid Deep Ensemble for Speech Disfluency Classification
Pravin, S. C., & Palanivelan, M. (2021) · Circuits Systems and Signal Processing · doi:10.1007/s00034-021-01657-1 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
AI‐based assessments of speech and language impairments in dementia
Parsapoor, M. (2023) · Alzheimer s & Dementia · doi:10.1002/alz.13395 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Asgari, M., Gale, R. C., Wild, K. V., Dodge, H. H., & Kaye, J. A. (2020) · Current Alzheimer Research · doi:10.2174/1567205017666201008110854 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Two-dimensional variational mode decomposition for seismic record denoising
Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Jia, R., & Lu, X. (2022) · Journal of Geophysics and Engineering · doi:10.1093/jge/gxac032 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Wang, R.-M., Chen, K., Guo, C., Chen, Y., Li, C., Matsumura, Y., Ishimaru, M., Pelt, A. J. V., & Chen, F. (2023) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-230373 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Speech as a Biomarker for Disease Detection
Botelho, C., Abad, A., Schultz, T., & Trancoso, I. M. (2024) · IEEE Access · doi:10.1109/access.2024.3506433 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Speech technology in healthcare
Deepa, P., & Khilar, R. (2022) · Measurement Sensors · doi:10.1016/j.measen.2022.100565 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Predicting Dementia Risk Using Paralinguistic and Memory Test Features with Machine Learning Models
You, Y., Ahmed, B., Barr, P., Ballard, K. J., & Valenzuela, M. (2019) · IEEE Healthcare Innovations and Point of Care Technologies Conference (HI-POCT) · doi:10.1109/hi-poct45284.2019.8962887 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Collection of the digital data from the neurological examination
Vitturi, B. K., Nerdal, P. T., & Maetzler, W. (2025) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-025-01659-2 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
The Generalizability of Longitudinal Changes in Speech Before Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
Petti, U., Baker, S., Korhonen, A., & Robin, J. (2023) · Journal of Alzheimer s Disease · doi:10.3233/jad-220847 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Xu, Y., Guo, J., Yang, N., Zhu, C., Zheng, T., Zhao, W., Liu, J., & Song, J. H. (2024) · Frontiers in Oncology · doi:10.3389/fonc.2024.1353446 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Chen, Y., Ma, S., Yang, X., Liu, D., & Yang, J. (2023) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci13010155 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Pre-training and ensembling based Alzheimer’s disease detection
Xu, F., Zheng, Q., Shi, J., Yan, K., & Wang, M. (2023) · Technology and Health Care · doi:10.3233/thc-230571 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease Through Speech Features and Machine Learning Classifiers
Gulapalli, A. S., & Mittal, V. K. (2022) · Lecture notes in networks and systems · doi:10.1007/978-981-16-6309-3_59 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Analysis of Speech Features in Alzheimer’s Disease with Machine Learning: A Case-Control Study
Noto, S., Sekiyama, Y., Nagata, R., Yamamoto, G., & Tamura, T. (2024) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare12212194 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Petti, U., Baker, S., Korhonen, A., & Robin, J. (2023) · Digital Biomarkers · doi:10.1159/000533423 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Carmi, L., Abbas, A., Schultebraucks, K., & Galatzer‐Levy, I. R. (2021) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-822201-0.00002-2 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Alonso-Hernández, J. B., Barragán-Pulido, M. L., Gil-Bordón, J. M., Ferrer, M. A., & Travieso, C. M. (2021) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app11073228 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Zozuk, N. C., Munková, D., Kelebercová, L., & Munk, M. (2025) · Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring · doi:10.1002/dad2.70122 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Emotional Speech Markers of Psychiatric Disturbance in Huntington’s Disease
Chenain, L., Fabre, A., Titeux, H., Morgado, G., Youssov, K., Clavel, C., & Bachoud‐Lévi, A. (2025) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2026.12064 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Sriskandaraja, K., Ahmed, B., & Valenzuela, M. (2020) · Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) · doi:10.1109/embc44109.2020.9176157 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Fandiño, J. C. R., & Salazar, A. M. (2021) · Revista Ciencias de la Salud · doi:10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/revsalud/a.9877 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Mizuguchi, D., Yamamoto, T., Omiya, Y., Endô, K., Tano, K., Oya, M., & Takano, S. (2023) · Journal of Aging Research and Lifestyle · doi:10.14283/jarlife.2023.12 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
A Novel Speech-Aware Framework (SACENet) for Non-Invasive Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease
Hemavathi, U., & Durai, S. (2025) · International Conference on Soft Computing for Security Applications (ICSCSA) · doi:10.1109/icscsa66339.2025.11170938 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Knowledge-Based Model for Detecting Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Text Complexity Measures
Munková, D., Munk, M., Zozuk, N. C., & Místecký, M. (2025) · Communications in computer and information science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-83207-9_26 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Mizuguchi, D., Yamamoto, T., Omiya, Y., Endo, K., Tano, K., Oya, M., & Takano, S. (2023) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2906887/v1 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Lahrichi, S., Rhanoui, M., Mikram, M., & Asri, B. E. (2021) · International Conference on Data Science, Technology and Applications (DATA) · doi:10.5220/0010600003220328
Survey of Identification of Alzheimer’s Disease Using MRI, Speech and MMSE
Bhanusree, Y., Bulusu, D., Chinni, D., Narahari, A., Simhadri, S. S., & Bommareddy, V. (2022) · Lecture notes in networks and systems · doi:10.1007/978-981-19-4990-6_23
Literature Review of Deep Learning for Physiological signal AnalysisPreprint
Ortiz, N., Beleño, R. D. H., Pérez, M. A., & Suárez, P. A. N. (2023) · doi:10.22541/au.170121283.33310565/v1
Artificial intelligence: Relevance and applications in dementia
Raghavan, S., Gebre, R. K., & Vemuri, P. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-26466-5.00005-2
Digital Tools and Artificial Intelligence in Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Yadav, S. D., Goel, S., Tyagi, A., & Bansal, K. (2026) · BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS eBooks · doi:10.2174/9798898814953126010008
- Authors
- Lopez-de-Ipina, K., Martinez-de-Lizarduy, U., Calvo, P. M., Mekyska, J., Beitia, B., Barroso, N., Estanga, A., Tainta, M., & Ecay-Torres, M.
- Affiliations
- Department of Systems Engineering and Automation, Faculty of Engineering-Gipuzkoa, Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain
- Department of Electronic Technology, Faculty of Engineering-Gipuzkoa, Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia, Spain
- University of the Basque Country (ES)
- Department of Telecommunications, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
- Fundacion CITA Alzheimer (ES)
- Department of Neurology, CITA-Alzheimer Foundation, Donostia, Spain
- Venue
- Current Alzheimer Research
- Publisher
- Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
- Published
- 2018-01-03
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 139-148
- ISSN
- 1567-2050 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2768138179
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Alzheimer Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Voice and Speech Disorders
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Speech Recognition and Synthesis
- Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease, early detection, automated speech analysis, cognitive screening, fractal dimension, multiscale permutation entropy, convolutional neural networks, multilayer perceptron, dementia diagnosis
- MeSH terms
- Deep Learning, Adult, Aged, Alzheimer Disease, Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Pattern Recognition, Automated, Speech, Speech Production Measurement, Cohort Studies, Nonlinear Dynamics, Early Diagnosis, Speech Recognition Software, Cognitive Dysfunction
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review