Overcoming Alzheimer’s Disease Stigma by Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Technologies

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) imposes a considerable burden on those diagnosed. Faced with a neurodegenerative decline for which there is no effective cure or prevention method, sufferers of the disease are subject to judgement, both self-imposed and otherwise, that can have a great deal of effect on their lives. The burden of this stigma is more than just psychological, as reluctance to face an AD diagnosis can lead people to avoid early diagnosis, treatment, and research opportunities that may be beneficial to them, and that may help progress towards fighting AD and its progression. In this review, we discuss how recent advents in information technology may be employed to help fight this stigma. Using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, specifically natural language processing (NLP), to classify the sentiment and tone of texts, such as those of online posts on various social media sites, has proven to be an effective tool for assessing the opinions of the general public on certain topics. These tools can be used to analyze the public stigma surrounding AD. Additionally, there is much concern among individuals that an AD diagnosis, or evidence of pre-clinical AD such as a biomarker or imaging test results, may wind up unintentionally disclosed to an entity that may discriminate against them. The lackluster security record of many medical institutions justifies this fear to an extent. Adopting more secure and decentralized methods of data transfer and storage, and giving patients enhanced ability to control their own data, such as a blockchain-based method, may help to alleviate some of these fears.

Applications of Blockchain in the Medical Field: Narrative Review

“…As shown in Table 5 , AI can play a more sophisticated role in patient care through diagnostics, treatment, prevention, and predictive modeling [ 95 , 98 , 99 ]. For instance, in the cardiovascular arena, convolutional neural networks were recently trained using electrocardiograms (ECGs) from one specific wearable monitor in patients and provided cardiologist-level diagnostic accuracy for arrhythmias.…”

“…An example is the smartphone app KardiaBand from AliveCor [ 94 ] based on machine learning for the identification of atrial fibrillation episodes from ECG data. Pilozzi et al [ 95 ] used natural language processing and blockchain-based storage systems to alleviate Alzheimer disease stigma and fears among patients. To diagnose early cancer from CT images, Kumar et al [ 98 ] proposed a novel multimodel method combining deep learning and blockchain technology, which showed a perfect effect in practice.…”

“…This decentralized technology ensures the patients’ privacy and protects their rights and interests. The progress of electronic information technology has brought about the development of interdisciplinary tools with a benefit to the medical industry [ 1 , 3 , 64 , 95 , 97 - 99 , 101 - 103 ]. Undeniably, blockchain is booming under the influence of disruptive technologies.…”

A Review of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Blockchain Technology Applications in Medicine and Global Health

“…A chatbot/AI companion would help Alzheimer's sufferers live independently while reducing social isolation and loneliness, both of which aggravate self-stigma. Because information security is a major concern for the general public, and especially for those who have sensitive health information that they'd prefer to keep private, enhanced information security, such as that provided by decentralized databases like a blockchain-based service, could be extremely useful in combating the stigma associated with AD [39] (Table 3).…”

Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: New Hope for Dealing with Aging in China

“…Finally, AI, specifically natural language processing (NLP), may be employed to help fight AD stigma. For details, please refer to the review by Pilozzi et al [44].…”