Unobtrusive Monitoring of Affective Symptoms and Cognition using Keyboard Dynamics

NIH RePORTER · NIH · R01 · $621,763 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY Cognitive dysfunction in the context of mood disorders has been associated with poorer treatment response and is a key risk factor for recurrence after remission. Thus, accurate, objective assessment of cognitive function in patients with mood disorders is of paramount clinical utility. The proposed study will use a novel smartphone technology (“BiAffect”) that uses typing dynamics and motor kinematics to unobtrusively, securely, and passively monitor cognitive function in a transdiagnostic sample of participants with mood disorders (unipolar depression, bipolar disorder type I/II, dysthymia). The core technology of BiAffect is a custom-built smartphone virtual keyboard that replaces the native default keyboard, allowing the collection of real-time data of real and potential clinical relevance while individuals interact with their device as usual within their natural environment. BiAffect will be used in the sample to predict 1) altered brain network properties associated with cognitive dysfunction in mood disorders and 2) prospective changes in clinical mood symptoms in a transdiagnostic sample of participants with mood disorders.

Key facts

NIH application ID
9912649
Project number
1R01MH120168-01A1
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
Principal Investigator
Olusola A. Ajilore
Activity code
R01
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2020
Award amount
$621,763
Award type
1
Project period
2020-03-01 → 2024-12-31