Artificial neural networks in psychiatry. Overview and applications

Gerardo García-Maldonado, Dr. Alberto Romo Caballero School of Medicine, Universidad Autonónoma de Tamaulipas, Tampico, Tamps., Mexico
Iván López-Arevalo, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad Victoria. Tamps., Mexico
José C. Morín-García, Center for Research and Advanced Studies, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad Victoria. Tamps., Mexico

Since its early days, artificial intelligence (AI) has found fertile ground for application in the medical domain, perhaps due to the way events are modeled and approached, and the openness of healthcare professionals. The key has always been to provide practical solutions to problems of interest; over time, trending algorithms and tools have been applied. This article provides an overview of how the evolution of AI, some historic details, differences between “machine learning” and “deep learning”, the concept of artificial neural networks, and their application in medicine, specifically in psychiatry. Today, the medical domain is once again at the forefront due to the new challenges being addressed with deep learning tools. Its use has disrupted several sub-fields, including psychiatry.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence. Neural networks. Psychiatry. Deep learning. Medicine.