While causes remain poorly understood, depression and bipolar disorder share as a common feature a disabling alteration in their victim's moods. Recently, time series analysis of data quantifying mood change in these widely occurring affective disorders (ADs) has established the existence of complex, irregular patterns of variation of individual mood over time. These data may be key to the mathematical bases of AD symptom evolution and thus to establishing improved methods of diagnosis and forecasting.

In a current study we are constructing a novel database of mood assessments, gathered by portable cellular handsets from control (N=20) and rapidly cycling bipolar (N=20) subjects as they go about their daily lives in the Toronto area. Our procedures and software may provide health care educators with exciting new hands-on resources for enabling trainee exposure to eHealth technology and methods, and to case-study documentation of eHealth delivery.

Our method uses a novel software tool for polling the subject's mood state and transmitting it via cellular telephone to a central database twice each day. The Palm OS-based mood rating software, supporting subject self-evaluation on 17 rating scales is written and implemented on Bell Mobility Kyocera handsets. Following each user session, the symptom rating data is automatically encrypted and uploaded to the project database via cellular telephone channels. Subject training is supported by both the user interface design enabled on the Kyocera handsets and by the use of a personal computer-based simulator that replicates the data collection protocol and the look of the user interface.

Our presentation will describe the design and architecture of the mood assessment software and outline its potential role as an eHealth case study. We will also discuss the potential value of this technology for educating medical trainees about the subjective experience of mood in mood disorders. Supported by the Bell University Laboratories program in the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:

Our presentation will describe the design and architecture of mood assessment software implemented on a handheld computer platform, and outline its potential role as an eHealth case study. We will also discuss the potential value of this technology for educating medical trainees about the subjective experience of mood in mood disorders.

Charles J. Lumsden
MSB, 7th floor
1 King's College Circle
Toronto, ON
M5S 1A8
Phone: 416-978-7178
Fax: 416-978-3701
Email: charles.lumsden@utoronto.ca

CO-AUTHORS:
Nicholas Woolridge
David Kreindler
Anthony Levitt
BMC
1 King's College Circle
Toronto, ON
M5S 1A8
Phone: 416-978-3910
Fax: 416-978-6891
Email: n.woolridge@utoronto.ca
david.kreindler@utoronto.ca
anthony.levitt@swchsc.on.ca