Vivek Mishra works as an Assistant Editor with Eastern Eye and has over 13 years of experience in journalism. His areas of interest include politics, international affairs, current events, and sports. With a background in newsroom operations and editorial planning, he has reported and edited stories on major national and global developments.
A new AI-based model has been developed to predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease by analysing an individual's speech, according to the developers.
The model, trained on audio recordings of patients with mild cognitive impairment, achieved 78.5 per cent accuracy in forecasting whether patients would remain stable or progress to dementia within six years, the researchers reported.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting daily activities by impairing memory and thinking.
Researchers at Boston University, US, used recordings of initial interviews of 166 patients aged 63-97. They trained the model using machine learning to identify patterns in speech, demographics, diagnosis, and the progression of their condition.
The model analyses the content of interviews, such as spoken words and sentence structure, rather than speech features like enunciation or speed, according to the study published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia.
"We combine the information we extract from the audio recordings with some very basic demographics - age, gender, and so on - and we get the final score," said Ioannis C Paschalidis, a professor of engineering and the study's corresponding author.
"You can think of the score as the likelihood, the probability, that someone will remain stable or transition to dementia. It had significant predictive ability," said Paschalidis.
The researchers noted that the model performed well despite challenges like low-quality recordings and background noise.
They emphasised that early prediction is crucial since current diagnostic tests often identify Alzheimer's disease only after significant cognitive decline, such as memory loss and changes in personality.
The team aims to make their model accessible through an app, potentially increasing the number of people screened in remote areas.
Chef Asma Khan calls for an end to macho kitchens and celebrates older women in professional cooking.
Advocates unionising hospitality and improving working conditions across the industry.
Explains founding the Second Daughters Foundation to support girls’ education in India.
Discusses the political role of food in promoting labour rights and dignity.
Redefining kitchens and leadership
In the latest episode of Shami’s Speakeasy, chef and campaigner Asma Khan joined host Shami Chakrabarti to discuss justice, feminism, race and the politics of food. Chakrabarti described Khan as “not so much a celebrity chef as a revolutionary chef.”
Khan highlighted her all-women team at Darjeeling Express, many of whom are grandmothers, calling it “a powerhouse.” Rejecting the macho culture of celebrity kitchens, she said the average age of women cooking in her kitchen is 50, demonstrating that older women are central to professional cooking.
Unionising hospitality and work-life challenges
Khan spoke candidly about labour conditions in hospitality and the impossibility of perfect work-life balance for shift workers and entrepreneurs. She called for restaurant workers to unionise, reflecting on exploitation during COVID and ongoing staffing pressures: “Without collective action, we can never get anywhere.”
She also shared her approach to parenting and entrepreneurship: “There is no word called ‘balance’ for some of us. The only way out is to forgive yourself and keep going.”
Second Daughters and food as a force for change
As a second daughter, Khan founded the Second Daughters Foundation, supporting girls’ education in India through school meals and practical assistance for those most likely to be kept at home.
Khan also described food as a political tool, using it to “shake the world gently” while emphasising labour, dignity and respect alongside ingredients.
Episode details
Shami’s Speakeasy: Asma Khan is available on all major podcast platforms from 15 October 2025. Additional resources and artwork inspired by the discussion will be shared in the Speakeasy Zine on the show’s website and to subscribers.
Asma Khan is the founder of Darjeeling Express, London, and an advocate for dignity in hospitality and women’s rights. Shami Chakrabarti is a human rights lawyer, legislator, and broadcaster who hosts Shami’s Speakeasy as a forum for honest conversations on values, ethics and social change.
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