Alzheimer’s disease, which affects over 50 million people globally, poses significant challenges not only for those diagnosed but also for their families and caregivers. With no known cure and the disease’s gradual progression complicating early diagnosis, researchers are exploring innovative detection methods.
A team from École de Technologie Supérieure and Dartmouth University is investigating the potential of earpiece microphones to identify early signs of Alzheimer’s. Miriam Boutros will present their findings on November 19 at 4:15 p.m. ET during the virtual 187th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which runs from November 18 to 22, 2024.
Alzheimer’s patients often experience a decline in motor control alongside cognitive impairment. One of the earliest indicators of this decline is found in involuntary eye movements known as saccades. These rapid eye twitches tend to be slower, less accurate, or delayed in individuals with Alzheimer’s compared to their healthy counterparts.
“Eye movements are fascinating because they are among the fastest and most precise movements in the human body, relying heavily on both motor skills and cognitive functioning,” said Arian Shamei, a researcher involved in the study.
Traditionally, detecting and analyzing saccades requires specialized eye-tracking equipment, which is not widely accessible. To overcome this limitation, Boutros and her colleagues are exploring the use of a more common and less intrusive technology: earpiece microphones. This research is spearheaded by Rachel Bouserhal at the Research in Hearing Health and Assistive Devices (RHAD) Laboratory at École de Technologie Supérieure, alongside Chris Niemczak at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.
“We are using a device called a hearable,” Boutros explained. “It is an earpiece equipped with in-ear microphones that capture physiological signals from the body. Our aim is to develop health-monitoring algorithms for hearables that enable continuous, long-term monitoring and early disease detection.”
The researchers have found that eye movements, including saccades, create vibrations in the eardrum that can be detected by sensitive microphones within the ear. They are currently conducting experiments with volunteers, employing both hearables and traditional eye-tracking devices to identify signals associated with saccades, differentiating between healthy signals and those indicative of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s.
The ultimate goal of this research is to develop noninvasive devices capable of continuous monitoring for Alzheimer’s and potentially other neurological diseases.
“While our current project focuses on the long-term monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease, we hope to expand our capabilities to differentiate between various neurological conditions based on symptoms tracked through in-ear signals,” Shamei added.
This innovative approach could pave the way for earlier diagnosis and improved management of Alzheimer’s disease, enhancing the quality of life for millions affected by this challenging condition.
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