Using Artificial Intelligence-Based Technologies for the Early Detection of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: People with dementia commonly display behavioral and psychological symptoms, which have multiple negative consequences. Artificial intelligence-based technologies (AITs) have the potential to support earlier detection of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The recent surge of interest in this topic underscores the need to comprehensively examine the existing evidence.

Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify and summarize the types and uses of AITs currently used for the early detection of BPSD among people diagnosed with the disease. We also examined which health care professionals were involved, nursing involvement and experience, the care settings in which these technologies are used, and the characteristics of the BPSD that were assessed.

Methods: Our scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute manual for scoping reviews. Searches were conducted in March 2025 in the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE ALL Ovid, Embase, APA PsycINFO Ovid, CINAHL EBSCO, Web of Science Core Collection, the Cochrane Library Wiley, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses A&I. Additional searches were performed using citation tracking strategies and by consulting the Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library. Eligible studies included primary research involving people with dementia and examining the use of AITs for the detection of BPSD in real-world care settings.

Results: After screening 3670 articles for eligibility, the review includes 12 studies. The studies retained were conducted between 2012 and 2025 in 5 countries and encompassed a range of care settings. The AITs used were predominantly based on classic machine learning approaches and used information from environmental sensors, wearable devices, and data recording systems. These studies primarily assessed behavioral and physiological parameters and focused specifically on symptoms, such as agitation and aggression. None of the retained studies explored nurses' roles or their specific skills in using these technologies.

Conclusions: The use of AITs for managing BPSD represents an emerging field of research offering novel opportunities to enhance their detection in various health care contexts. We recommended that nurses be actively engaged in developing and assessing these technologies. Future research should prioritize investigations into how effective AITs are across diverse populations, whether they can have a long-term impact on managing BPSD, and whether they can improve the quality of life of patients and caregivers.