Khaberni - In a notable development in the field of mental health, recent research suggests that smartphones and wearable devices might be capable of detecting early signs of depression before it becomes clearly apparent. According to a report on “Medical Xpress,” analyzing data such as sleep, movement, and mood can provide early indicators of psychological changes.
The research indicates that depression affects about one in every 20 people globally, and its symptoms include persistent sadness, sleep disorders, and a loss of interest in daily activities.
The study was based on a review of 52 researches that used data from phones and smartwatches, analyzing daily behavioral patterns and linking them to mood changes.
Daily patterns reveal mental state
The results showed that certain indicators are clearly associated with depression, such as spending more time at home, reduced movement, decreased physical activity, in addition to disrupted sleep patterns.
It was also found that integrating behavioral data with physiological indicators, such as heart rate, enhances the accuracy of predicting mental condition.
The study highlighted that models built on data from each individual separately were more accurate than general models, because they take into account differences in daily habits among people. This means that minor changes in an individual's behavior could be an important indicator, even if they appear normal when compared to others.
The researchers believe that these technologies could allow early intervention by alerting the user or connecting them to mental support services before symptoms worsen. They could also aid in developing health apps capable of continuously monitoring mental state without direct intervention.
Despite these results, these tools are still in research phases and face challenges related to privacy, data accuracy, and user diversity. Furthermore, these indicators reflect a correlation with psychological state, but they do not constitute a medical diagnosis in themselves.
