Sep 24, 2021

New research detects early signs of Alzheimer’s with almost 100% accuracy

Senior man sitting in park

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is often an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease, and though it usually has no clear symptoms early on, it can sometimes be identified with brain scans – known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) – even before symptoms appear.

However, identifying MCI with FMRI is both time consuming and expensive.

Now researchers have used deep learning technology – a type of artificial intelligence – that could potentially speed up the process, and they are able to detect MCI with better than 99% accuracy.

The research involved using a deep learning model to classify thousands of images of the brains of 138 subjects with various stages of MCI. The model was able to identify MCI accurately in more than 99% of cases.

Alzheimer’s is a debilitating, progressive disease that has no cure.

Approximately 24 million people currently have Alzheimer’s disease, and that number is expected to double every 20 years.

It’s widely accepted that early diagnosis means the patient is more likely to benefit from treatment.

The aim is for the algorithm to be developed into software that could analyse data from vulnerable groups, such as the over 65s, those with a history of brain injury or those with high blood pressure.

The software could be used to pick up anomalies that could enable earlier diagnoses of Alzheimer’s.

The researchers say the algorithm should not be relied upon alone for a diagnosis, but it can provide useful information quickly and affordably, meaning the patient can have a diagnosis and treatment more quickly.

“Of course, we don’t dare to suggest that a medical professional should ever rely on any algorithm 100%”, said Maskeliūnas.

“Think of a machine as a robot capable of doing the most tedious task of sorting the data and searching for features. 

“In this scenario, after the computer algorithm selects potentially affected cases, the specialist can look into them more closely, and at the end, everybody benefits as the diagnosis and the treatment reaches the patient much faster.”

While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s, this research is another promising step on the road to better treatments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Nurse Jailed for Stealing More Than $20,000 from Elderly Resident

The elderly are some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Because of cognitive decline, mobility issues and overall frailness, they become easy targets for people to take advantage of. And when an older person is in care, it would be expected that they would be safe with the staff caring for them. In... Read More

The Power of Cultural Specific Care

Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world. With a current population of almost 25 million people hailing from all across the globe, it should come as no shock that one out of every four people who live in this country were actually born overseas. The majority of those who arrive on... Read More

WWII nurse Liz Astley, 98, will wear her medals proudly this Remembrance Day

  Liz Astley, 98, served as a nurse during World War II. She has shared her story with HelloCare. “I was nursing in the Pacific 2nd 6th AGH – Australia General Hospital. Coincidentally my Father was injured at Gallipoli in the first world war and he ended up convalescing in the AGH.  “We spent some... Read More
Advertisement