Digital App for Speech & Health Monitoring

NCT06450418 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: AC24003
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 150
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Many people living with neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, motor neuron disease (MND), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson's disease (PD), suffer from speech problems. Using common digital technologies such as smartphone apps, the investigators can record and analyse speech in detail to provide new information for people living with these conditions, researchers, and healthcare professionals. This study will investigate the use of these digital speech recordings to help diagnose and monitor these conditions. To take part, participants will have either a diagnosis of dementia, motor neuron disease, Parkinson's disease or Multiple Sclerosis, OR they will have no diagnosis of a neurological condition. Researchers will compare people with a diagnosis of a Neurological condition to those without.

Conditions

Dementia; Motor Neuron Disease; Multiple Sclerosis; Parkinson Disease

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Primary outcome measures

  Area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for each of the 4 binary classifiers distinguishing between a disease-positive group and a healthy control group.

  24 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Secondary outcome measure

  24 months

• Secondary outcome measure

  24 months

Study Arms (5)

Carers/Realtives/ Healthy - No Diagnosis of a Neurodegenerative Disorder

Motor Neuron Disease

Multiple Sclerosis

Dementia

Parkinson's Disease

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 16 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants with Neurodegenerative Disorders and their relatives or carers without a diagnosis of a Neurodegenerative disorder.

You may qualify if:

• A person with a diagnosis of Motor Neuron Disease, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, or Parkinson's Disease.
• A relative or carer of the above who does not report to have a neurological condition.
• A healthy volunteer who does not report to have a neurological condition.

You may not qualify if:

• Age \<16 years
• Significant and uncorrected visual or hearing impairment (precluding use of the App).
• Lack capacity to consent to project due to cognitive impairment (precluding understanding of the study and use of the App).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Edinburgh: lead
• NHS Lothian: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

NHS Lothian

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Tam J, Weaver C, Ihenacho A, Newton J, Virgo B, Barrett S, Neale J, Perry D, Smith A, Chandran S, Watts O, Pal S; DASH Consortium. Digital App for Speech and Health Monitoring Study (DASH): protocol for a prospective longitudinal case-control observational study for developing speech datasets in neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. BMJ Open. 2025 Dec 5;15(12):e100222. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100222.

  PMID: 41360452 DERIVED

Biospecimen

Retention: SAMPLES WITHOUT DNA

Participants can additionally and optionally consent for blood samples to be obtained during the study. These samples will be collected and stored with the intention of exploring emerging blood-based biomarkers.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dementia; Motor Neuron Disease; Multiple Sclerosis; Parkinson Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Demyelinating Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies

Study Officials

• Suvankar Pal, Prof

  University of Edinburgh

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Christine R Weaver, MSc

CONTACT

01314659512; cweaver@ed.ac.uk

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2024
• First Posted: June 10, 2024
• Study Start: July 12, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: September 18, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)