New method uses artificial intelligence to decipher Alzheimer’s brain

In a study published in the scientific journal Nature CommunicationResearchers from the Mayo Clinic organization New method using artificial intelligence to map disease symptoms Alzheimer’s. The new model was developed using machine learning on multiple brain images of patients.

The innovation examines the entire function of the brain to explain the relationship between brain anatomy and mental processing, rather than analyzing specific regions. Thus, it is possible to map the behavior of the brain and make a more assertive diagnosis and in some cases discover different diseases.

“This new model could improve our understanding of how the brain functions and deteriorates during aging and Alzheimer’s disease, providing new ways to monitor, prevent and treat mental disorders,” said the Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of the study. David T. Jones in a statement released by the agency.

Science against dementia

Until then, many studies point to Alzheimer’s as a protein processing problem that results in symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulty communicating. However, the relationship between clinical symptoms, brain injury patterns, and brain anatomy is not conclusive, so mapping the brain can be crucial to understanding it in its entirety.

The method was developed using brain glucose measurements in fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans, showing how glucose fuels parts of the brain. Thus, it is possible to visualize that different neurodegenerative diseases have different glucose patterns.

The study ran tests on 423 participants with cognitive impairment and was able to identify patterns linked to Alzheimer’s in 410 people. The researchers also found that 51% of dementia patients’ brain glucose use variations can be explained by 10 models.

“This new computational model with further validation and support has the potential to guide scientific efforts to focus on the dynamics of the biology of complex systems in the study of the mind and dementia, rather than focusing primarily on misfolded proteins,” he said. Jones.