Abstract
Objectives: Multiple machine learning-based visual and auditory digital markers have demonstrated associations between major depressive disorder (MDD) status and severity. The current study examines if such measurements can quantify response to antidepressant treatment (ADT) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin–norepinephrine uptake inhibitors (SNRIs).Methods: Visual and auditory markers were acquired through an automated smartphone task that measures facial, vocal, and head movement characteristics across 4 weeks of treatment (with time points at baseline, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks) on ADT (n = 18). MDD diagnosis was confirmed using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), and the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was collected concordantly to assess changes in MDD severity.Results: Patient responses to ADT demonstrated clinically and statistically significant changes in the MADRS [F(2, 34) = 51.62, p < 0.0001]. Additionally, patients demonstrated significant increases in multiple digital markers including facial expressivity, head movement, and amount of speech. Finally, patients demonstrated significantly decreased frequency of fear and anger facial expressions.Conclusion: Digital markers associated with MDD demonstrate validity as measures of treatment response.
Highlights
Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are heterogeneous in both their clinical presentation and their response to antidepressant treatment (ADT) [1, 2]
There was no primary endpoint that was being analyzed as part of this study; rather, the ability of a set of digital markers was being analyzed individually, with the collective comparisons indicating the usefulness of digital measurement tools in general
All facial activity measures across all emotions along with the overall expressivity score demonstrated significant positive change from baseline to week 4 in response to all image prompts. This result indicates that ADT produces a main effect on facial activity overall, which is not bound to one particular facial musculature group or type of external stimulus (Figure 2)
Summary
Multiple machine learning-based visual and auditory digital markers have demonstrated associations between major depressive disorder (MDD) status and severity. The current study examines if such measurements can quantify response to antidepressant treatment (ADT) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin–norepinephrine uptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
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