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Research In Dementia Mapping

RESIDE

Spotting dementia earlier in the deaf community using an automated screening tool

Award Number
RPGF180237
Status / Stage
Completed
Dates
1 October 2018 -
1 April 2020
Duration (calculated)
01 years 06 months
Funder(s)
Dunhill Medical Trust
Funding Amount
£65,173.00
Funder/Grant study page
Dunhill Medical Trust
Contracted Centre
University of Westminster
Contracted Centre Webpage
Principal Investigator
Dr Anastassia Angelopoulou
PI Contact
A.Angelopoulou@westminster.ac.uk
WHO Catergories
Tools and methodologies for interventions
Disease Type
Mild Dementia
CPEC Review Info
Reference ID346
ResearcherReside Team
Published12/06/2023

Data

Award NumberRPGF180237
Status / StageCompleted
Start Date20181001
End Date20200401
Duration (calculated) 01 years 06 months
Funder/Grant study pageDunhill Medical Trust
Contracted CentreUniversity of Westminster
Contracted Centre Webpage
Funding Amount£65,173.00

Abstract

Within the older British Sign Language community, dementia can show itself as changes in the way someone signs – but these subtle changes are hard to spot by those who don’t use sign language. Dr Anastasia Angelopoulou and her team have developed an automated machine learning tool that can spot these changes. The tool will help identify the early stages of dementia among older users of sign language – ensuring they get the right support quicker.

Aims

To understand how signing changes when someone has dementia, we analysed videos of BSL users from UCL’s Deafness, Cognition and Language (DCAL) research data archives. We also filmed interviews with 40 older signers – including healthy older people and those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. A psychologist from UCL – who is a deaf, native signer – helped to carry out the interviews by going to deaf clubs, retirement communities and care homes. While we were filming, there was widespread interest in the project from the deaf community, with many asking us to come back to share our results.