Diagnostic Instrument for Mild Aphasia App (DIMA-App): a first step towards digital language assessment in neurological patients

Project summary

Mild aphasia (language disorder) after neurological diseases (e.g. stroke, brain tumor, dementia) negatively affects daily life, as mental health issues can emerge and ability to work is seriously impaired. In the Netherlands, the estimated incidence of people with mild aphasia is 4.000 p/y  which continue to increase due to an aging population and improved disease treatments. This patient group is relatively “invisible” in healthcare due to absent adequate diagnostic tools.

Three main goals will be addressed: 1) To develop a functional DIMA-App based on a traditional “pen-and-paper” version. 2) To standardize DIMA-app in healthy participants and patients and compare to traditional “pen-and-paper” DIMA. 3) To validate DIMA-App and explore the degree of clinical supervision needed when using DIMA-app.

The project will significantly contribute to technological innovation in the field of cognitive assessments (e.g. automatic speech recording and scoring), the consortium will become leading in a new research field “mild aphasia” and stimulate Dutch economics (potential new commercial market). Furthermore, based on more adequate diagnostics, better suitable language therapy programs can be designed to stimulate patients’ aphasia recovery and return to being productive members of society. The project has large societal impact; thousands of patients p/y will obtain adequate diagnosis, reducing mental health issues, promoting and reintegration to socio-professional life.