AI Likely To Personalize Treatment For Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Penn State University

Study in US: Research by Penn State University scientists suggests that the use of AI can help in personalizing the treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) patients.

The Penn State University researchers have used machine learning to analyze over 80 baseline factors of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) ranging from health, lifestyle, psychological and sociodemographic and found that the machine learning models offer good sensitivity accuracy and specificity in predicting who will and who won't recover from the generalized anxiety disorder.

Candice Basterfield, lead study author and doctoral candidate at Penn State commented, “Prior research has shown a very high relapse rate in GAD, and there’s also limited accuracy in clinician judgment in predicting long-term outcomes. This research suggests that machine learning models show good accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in predicting who will and won’t recover from GAD. These predictors of recovery could be really important for helping to create evidence-based, personalized treatments for long-term recovery.”

Clinicians Can Use AI For Personalize GAD Treatment

Through this study, scientists found that clinicians can use AI to identify the variables and personalizing the treatment for these patients.

Michelle Newman, senior author and professor of psychology at Penn State said, "Nearly 50% to 60% of people with GAD have comorbid depression. Machine learning not only looks at the individual predictors but helps us understand both the weight of those predictors — how important they are to recovery or nonrecovery — and the way those predictors interact with one another, which is beyond anything a human might be able to predict."

“This work helps us begin to understand more ways in which treatment could be personalized for specific individuals,” Newman said.

Penn State Ranked 2024-25 Top Producer Of Fulbright US Students, Scholars

Penn State University is among the top producers of the Fulbright US students and scholars for the 2024-25 academic year. During this AY, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs granted twelve Penn State faculty and ten students the Fulbright award.

Tracy Langkilde, interim executive vice president and provost said, “Our faculty of all backgrounds and fields of study leave an indelible mark on their host countries through their teaching and research experiences, gaining knowledge and global perspectives that they in turn bring back to Penn State to enrich our community and the educational experiences of our students. Penn State’s consistently high number of Fulbright Scholar awards year after year is a testament to the outstanding quality of our faculty and the support they receive."

Langkilde continued, “In addition, our Fulbright students took their talents and passions to nine different countries this year to build international networks and collaborate across diverse communities. Whether they are conducting research or teaching English, the cross-cultural exchange benefits both Penn State and the host communities.”

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