What do patients think of CognoMND™?
People living with Motor Neuron Disease and their carers share their thoughts on CognoMND™. Hear their experiences and why research must listen to real lives.
In this short film, we hear directly from people living with Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and those who care for them. They share what it feels like to navigate changes that are not only physical but also affect thinking, behaviour, and relationships.
For some, these changes are gradual and difficult to recognise. For others, they create new challenges in everyday life, from decision-making to communication at home. This conversation highlights the importance of listening to lived experiences and shows why research must connect to real lives.
About CognoMND™
CognoMND™ is an innovative digital screening tool developed at the University of Sheffield, in partnership with the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Long-Term Conditions (Devices for Dignity), and University of Edinburgh. It appears as a virtual agent on a laptop and asks carefully designed questions. Using artificial intelligence, the system analyses patterns in a person’s speech to look for subtle signs of thinking change.
Credits
- Senior Investigator: Dr Daniel Blackburn (Senior Clinical Lecturer at Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN))
- Senior Investigator: Professor Christopher McDermott (Professor of Translational Neurology at Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN)
- Dr Leslie Ing (Clinical Research Fellowship at Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN))
- Dr Emily Mayberry (Senior Clinical Psychologist Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN))
- Dr Alys Wyn Griffiths (Senior Research Fellow at Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN))
- Dr Esther Hobson (Senior Lecturer in Neurology at Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN))
- Professor Heidi Christensen (Head of School of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield)
- Dr Bahman Mirheidari (Research Fellow at at the University of Sheffield)
- Professor Sharon Abrahams (Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Edinburgh)
- Lise Sproson (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Lead at Devices for Dignity)
- Dr Clare Bartlett (Theme Manager at Devices for Dignity)
- Filmmaker: Will Armson
Thank you to the CognoMND participants, lived experience advisory group, researchers/co-researchers and collaborators as well as funding from the self-funded medical research organisation, LifeArc.
