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The course of psychotic disorders typically involves relapses. Early warning signs vary between individuals and are difficult to detect in clinical practice, especially in outpatient settings. Speech provides a quantitative clinical marker for detecting such early warning signs. The EU Horizon project TRUSTING (A TRUSTworthy speech-based AI monitoring system for the prediction of relapse in individuals with schizophrenia) aims to develop and evaluate a speech-based monitoring system for predicting imminent psychotic relapses. The study will examine the potential for prospective relapse prediction, and feasibility and usability of the monitoring system.
In this multicentre observational study, n=240 remitted and at-risk-of-relapse adults with psychotic disorders and a comparison group with n=120 healthy participants (matched by age and sex) will be examined at six sites and in six different languages (German, French, Dutch, English, Czech and Turkish). The follow-up period is 6 months. The TRUSTING smartphone app will be used to collect weekly voice recordings through speech tasks; information on medication adherence, substance use, mood, anxiety and sleep quality; and motor data from a tapping task. Primary endpoints encompass model performance for relapse prediction, user adherence, transcription quality, usability of recordings and overall system usability. The primary analysis of user adherence, transcription quality, usability of recordings and overall system usability will be an unadjusted description of the respective proportions using 95% Wilson confidence intervals. Regarding relapse prediction, the predictive value of the risk estimates for relapse occurrence will be assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Exploratory analysis will be performed on potential speech-based markers associated with relapse risk.
This study has been approved by swissethics (Business Administration System for Ethics Committees number: 2025–01177). Findings from this project will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications and presentations at relevant scientific conferences, as well as at public events related to mental health.
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07397975.
by Nadeen Al Awamry, Laura Seidelin, Alyssa Marino, Ethan Evans, Elizabeth Karam, Vishwa Kumar, Kristin E. Musselman, Anita Kaiser, José Zariffa
PurposeSpinal cord injury (SCI) impacts physical, emotional, and social well-being, contributing to decreased quality of life and increased healthcare burden. Surface electromyography (sEMG), a non-invasive tool for measuring muscle activity, has demonstrated potential as a biomarker for recovery in SCI research, yet remains underutilized in clinical practice. Understanding how physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) perceive the use of sEMG is necessary for integrating sEMG into post-SCI treatment and advancing personalized rehabilitation.
Materials and methodsA cross-sectional, qualitative descriptive design was employed. Ten participants (9 PTs and 1 OT) were recruited through convenience sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed inductively using a thematic analysis approach.
ResultsTwo major themes were identified: 1) Perceived value of the use of electrophysiology and sEMG data in clinical practice. Participants valued sEMG as an adjunct assessment tool for providing objective feedback after incomplete SCI and setting goals during treatment. 2) Barriers and facilitators to implementing sEMG. Key barriers highlighted include the lack of training and standardized protocols. Continued training, resources, and educational support were key facilitators.
ConclusionPTs and OTs perceive sEMG as a valuable tool in SCI rehabilitation, but desire education and standardized protocols to support its clinical integration.
FreshRSS 