Facial Recognition Software Aids Schizophrenia Sufferers

(February 16, 2006) - The high-tech computer software designed to help customs officers scan the faces of travelers is now being used to help patients with schizophrenia.

The software can teach patients to understand facial expressions, something they often have difficulty with.

For most people a smile is just a smile, but to people with schizophrenia, who have trouble interpreting facial expressions, a smile can be anything but reassuring.

Researcher Dr Tamara Russell from Neuroscience Institute of Shizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD) says sufferers often misinterpret the facial expression of emotion, which can lead to difficulties in interpersonal situations

To overcome that, researchers at the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science turned to face recognition software.

Researchers show patients a series of faces then measure where their eyes are focusing.

They are then taught to seek out the eyes, nose and mouth.

"The preliminary data suggests it is possible to retrain people to be better at recognizing facial expressions of emotion," Dr Russell said.

Waseem Khan was diagnosed with schizophrenia five years ago.

"When you start communicating with people you have difficulty recognizing peoples facial expressions and what they tell you," he said.

He has been doing the retraining program for a few weeks, with good results.

"Yesterday I went to the post office and tried to recognize facial expressions and it really helped me," he said.

"If we can improve their capacity to recognize facial emotions, we can improve their capacity to interact and function more effectively in social environments," Professor Vaughan Carr, a NISAD researcher, said.

So far the software is only used in research.

More clinical trials are needed before it can be widely applied.

Source: ABC Australia

Last updated: 3/06

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