New Delhi: Artificial intelligence (AI) could be a useful tool in mental health treatment, according to a new study. The study, which was the first to test an AI voice-based virtual coach for behavioral therapy, found changes in the brain activity of patients with improved depression and anxiety symptoms after using Lumen – an AI voice assistant that provided psychotherapy support. Gave a shape
The results, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, offer encouraging evidence that virtual therapy could play a role in filling gaps in mental health care, where waiting lists and disparities in access are often barriers that hinder patients, especially those from vulnerable communities. Must go far to get. Treatment. ,ALSO READ: Smartphones are bad for kids, says ex-Xiaomi chief,
Dr. Olusola A. Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). “We have had an incredible explosion of need, especially in the wake of COVID, with rising rates of anxiety and depression and a lack of adequate physicians,” Ajilor said. , ,ALSO READ: BoAt co-founder Aman Gupta makes his Cannes Film Festival debut, shares pictures,
“This type of technology can serve as a bridge. It is not meant to be a replacement for conventional medicine, but it can be an important first stop before someone seeks treatment,” Azilor said.
Researchers recruited more than 60 patients for a clinical study exploring the effects of the application on symptoms of mild to moderate depression and anxiety, and activity in brain regions previously thought to benefit from problem-solving therapy. was shown to be associated with
Two-thirds of the patients used Lumen on a study-provided iPad for eight problem-solving therapy sessions, with the rest receiving no intervention as a “waiting list” control.
After the intervention, study participants who used the Lumen app showed lower scores for depression, anxiety, and psychological distress than the control group.
The Lumen group also showed improvements in problem-solving skills that were related to increased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region associated with cognitive control. Promising results were also found for women and underrepresented populations.
“It’s about changing the way people think about problems and how to address them, and not become emotionally overwhelmed,” said Dr. Jun Ma, professor of medicine at UIC.
“It is a practical and patient-driven behavioral therapy that is well established, making it suitable for delivery using voice-based technology,” Ma said.