{"id":5345,"date":"2024-07-13T15:25:27","date_gmt":"2024-07-13T15:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailywashingtoninsider.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/13\/new-ai-tool-could-be-game-changer-in-battle-against-alzheimers\/"},"modified":"2024-07-13T15:25:27","modified_gmt":"2024-07-13T15:25:27","slug":"new-ai-tool-could-be-game-changer-in-battle-against-alzheimers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailywashingtoninsider.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/13\/new-ai-tool-could-be-game-changer-in-battle-against-alzheimers\/","title":{"rendered":"New AI tool could be game-changer in battle against Alzheimer\u2019s"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A new AI tool can predict whether people with mild memory and mental agility problems are likely to go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease in future – without the need for invasive or costly diagnostic tests.<\/p>\n

The tool would allow those at risk to modify their lifestyles or start new drug treatments at an early stage when they are most effective.<\/p>\n

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It would also prevent inappropriate treatment of people with cognitive problems likely to be caused by other conditions, such as anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n

Scientists at the University of Cambridge used the artificially intelligent algorithm to analyse cognitive tests and MRI brain scans from 1,500 patients in the UK, USA and Singapore.<\/p>\n

It was able to distinguish people with mild mental agility problems that would remain stable from those who would progress to Alzheimer’s disease over the following three years.<\/p>\n

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The tool’s prediction was more than 80% accurate, three times better than existing clinical methods for identifying patients likely to develop the disease, according to the study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine.<\/p>\n

Professor Zoe Kourtzi, the study’s senior author, said the AI tool<\/strong> could also predict whether a patient’s symptoms would deteriorate slowly or more rapidly.<\/p>\n

“This has the potential to significantly improve patient wellbeing, showing us which people need closest care, while removing the anxiety for those patients we predict will remain stable,” she said.<\/p>\n

Being able to accurately identify patients likely to develop Alzheimer’s by using only routine clinical data and MRI brain scans would be game-changing for the NHS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Currently an accurate diagnosis requires either an expensive PET brain scanner or a sample of spinal fluid taken by specially trained staff. The NHS is short of both.<\/p>\n

The lack of resources could hamper access to new drugs that can slow the progression of symptoms – but only if patients are diagnosed in the early stages of the disease.<\/p>\n

Dr Ben Underwood, honorary consultant psychiatrist at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, said he frequently sees people with memory problems.<\/p>\n

“In clinic I see how uncertainty about whether these might be the first signs of dementia can cause a lot of worry for people and their families, as well as being frustrating for doctors who would much prefer to give definitive answers,” he said.<\/p>\n

“The fact that we might be able to reduce this uncertainty with information we already have is exciting and is likely to become even more important as new treatments emerge.”<\/p>\n

Alison Gilderdale first started repeating herself and struggling with her memory a decade ago. But it took six years for the symptoms to become clear enough for doctors to diagnose Alzheimer’s.<\/p>\n

An earlier diagnosis would have helped her recognise what was happening to her.<\/p>\n

“I thought I was ok and it was everyone else saying ‘she’s not right’,” she said.<\/p>\n

“Now I get lots of help. Things like getting dressed were difficult.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

This post appeared first on sky.com<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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