Artificial intelligence has never failed to open new doors of opportunity and scope. It inevitably adds a streak of innovation to every field it is applied to, boosting their efficiency and sharpness. And now, the field of mental health and psychiatry is up for an innovative twist, thanks to the prowess of artificial intelligence to transform. The immense possibilities of telehealth were enhanced with the pandemic pushing medical appointments to online platforms. With the help of smart technologies, it might also include brain monitoring.
Montfort
A new platform particularly focused on the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders was introduced last week by Montfort. Montfort is a medical startup based in Israel and its field of specialization covers neurological and psychiatric disorders. Montfort conducts brain monitoring by using a brilliant blend of artificial intelligence and smartphone technology. This in addition to the FDA-cleared digital neurologist’s tests they conduct on patients with diseases like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and other mental conditions.
The foundation of this platform is a scientific method that goes by the name Brain Profiler. Brain Profiler facilitates the examination of mental disorders as disturbances in the brain, which can be diagnosed clinically. The idea behind this new field is to connect classical psychiatry and computational neuroscience.
According to Abraham Peled, (Chair of the psychiatric department, Shaar Menashe Psychiatric Hospital)
“Psychiatry as a medical field is facing a major diagnostic challenge: today’s psychiatric diagnosis is based on a descriptive approach, relying solely on the patient’s description of their symptoms and the clinicians’ observation of that patient.”
Peled and Montfort entered into a partnership to create the app.
The main point of distinction between other medical fields and psychiatry is that the former makes clinical decision based on symptoms and pathology while psychiatry is largely dependant on subjective data which creates limitations when it comes to treatment. The new platform will essentially fill these blank spots enabling optimal treatment of patients.
EncephaLog Solution, which was earlier developed by Montfort is what the new platform is based on. At present, it is used globally in collaboration with a large number of hospitals, medical corporations, research institutions etc.
EncephaLog uses smartphone sensors to monitor cognitive and psychiatric functions. By making the patients respond to on-screen commands, the app facilitates the measurement of motoric reactions and cognitive functions, thereby helping to test feelings and emotions.
The app facilitates the generation of digital markers by using AI and machine learning to gather data. Professionals can then review and analyse this on an online portal.
The brand new platform builts on the former and incorporates a wider range of indicators which enhances the database and analytics necessary for boosting accuracy.
The information thus collected can then be used to make predictions concerning brain connectivity disturbances by using them on AI models.
This particular platform is an innovative step towards a new direction, which can act as a catalyst for a better change.
