An electronic instrument can be used to detect it

How to properly follow up patients psychiatric disturbances Between two meetings? Researchers at Texas A&M University have found a solution: a platform capable of detecting warning signs of a Bout of anxiety. They present their discovery in Journal of Psychological Practice.

Necessary follow-up between consultations

Unlike physical conditions that can be treated with a small number of appointments, people can be affected Mental illness You need long-term follow-up. “Mental health can change very quickly, and among these changes, many remain invisible to health professionals.In the words of Dr. Farzan Sasangohar, one of the authors of this study. They cite the example of a patient suffering fromAnxietyIf he experiences a stressful event, he may feel very restless or nervous, which requires immediate medical attention.

Algorithms capable of detecting anomalies

The tool developed by the scientific team aims to provide doctors with notes about the health status of patients, and alert them in the event of a sudden deterioration in their condition. Mental health. The program is able to detect patients’ hyperexcitability, which is a primary sign of a mental disorder such as anxiety attacks. To do this, it recognizes the signs in the voice and face, and collects health data such as Heart rate Or the number of steps taken, recorded on smartphones or Connected hours. “The data from these various sources is then used to train the algorithms to recognize situations corresponding to the normal level of arousal. Researchers say. Once trained, algorithms constantly monitor the data to determine if the individual is in a high level of arousal.“

Secret tool

“Our technology gives them constant access to patient data and condition, D. Farzan Sasangohar And I think this can have a vital effect as it allows them to contact them when they need it.He adds that this gives patients the opportunity to regain control of management Mental health. In addition, the secrecy of this technology was an important component of the researchers. “We took common tools, like smartphones, and then we designed sophisticated apps that run on those devices to keep mental health management low-level.“At the moment, the tool is in the prototype stage, and the research team is working to improve the life of the batteries smart phone Because the program consumes a great deal of energy.