Lyfas, A Smartphone-Based Subclinical Depression Tracker

Abstract

Background: Subclinical traces of depression are difficult to diagnose; although, it influences other mental faculties. Lyfas is a smartphone-based ubiquitous and non-invasive biomedical application that captures Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and its associated Cardiovascular biomarkers (CVb), which might help detect such traces as mind and body are intertwined through autonomic modulation. Aim: Using Lyfas, an attempt has been made to (i) screen Subclinical depression states in adults by assessing the CVb scores, and (ii) analyze the psychophysiological effects of Subclinical depression on other mental faculties for establishing a correlation. Methods: The paper presents a retrospective observational study of 86 adults, comprised of 52 males and 36 females who took the Lyfas test. Lyfas findings are validated by an established questionnaire-based instrument under the supervision of a senior psychiatrist. Results: The study found that 77% of the subjects (84% females and 72% males) showed traces of Subclinical depression, further validated by a senior psychiatrist through a series of consultations. ‘Insomnia’ (males 36% and females 71%) and ‘Negative thoughts’ (males 36% and females 46%) were the two correlated high-rank effects of the Subclinical depression in the sample. Conclusion: The paper proposes that Lyfas can detect the traces of Subclinical depression in adults by capturing and interpreting CVb scores that surrogate for the Cardiac Autonomic Modulation (CAM) and provide the snapshot of the mind-body state of homeostasis.