Deep Learning Identifies Depression in Speech Patterns

"Talk therapy" is often used by psychotherapists to help patients overcome depression or anxiety through conversation. A research team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is using deep learning to uncover what might be called "talk diagnosis" -- detecting signs of depression by analyzing a patient's speech. The research could lead to effective, and inexpensive, diagnosis of serious mental health issues. An estimated one in 15 adults in the U.S. reports having a bout of major depression in any given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The condition can lead to serious disruptions in a person's life, yet our understanding of it remains limited.