Detection of a sign of cognitive decline focusing on change in topic similarity over conversations

A computer system for supporting detection of a sign of cognitive decline, by executing program instructions, the computer system comprising:

• a memory tangibly storing the program instructions;
• a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
• obtain a reference set of conversational data recorded for an individual and one or more sets of conversational data recorded for the individual on different days from the reference set;
• evaluating at least a temporal separation between conversations corresponding to the reference set and each of the one or more sets of the conversational data to determine a value of the temporal separation;
• determine topic similarity between the reference set and each of the one or more sets of the conversational data;
• generate a feature for the individual based, at least in part, on relationship between the value and the topic similarity;
• and
• sending a message corresponding to a diagnosis by the feature computed for the individual.

A computer program product for supporting detection of a sign of cognitive decline, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

• obtaining a reference set of conversational data recorded for an individual and one or more sets of conversational data recorded for the individual on different days from the reference set;
• evaluating at least a temporal separation between conversations corresponding to the reference set and each of the one or more sets of the conversational data to determine a value of the temporal separation;
• determining topic similarity between the reference set and each of the one or more sets of the conversational data;
• generating a feature for the individual based, at least in part, on relationship between the value and the topic similarity;
• and
• sending a message corresponding to a diagnosis by the feature computed for the individual.