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NEW artificial intelligence (AI) system could diagnose dementia in just one day, experts have found.
Currently, it takes several tests to diagnose dementia and scientists have claimed that the new technology could help improve the quality of life of patients.
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Dementia is one of the leading causes of death in the UK with around 850,000 Britons currently living with the disease.
Dementia is a disease that refers to a group of disorders that affect the way the brain works – and there are many different types and causes.
Today, experts at the University of Cambridge have come up with an analysis that could also predict whether the condition will remain stable and how quickly a patient may need to be treated.
Preclinical trials will be performed at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and other centers across the country and will test whether the technology will work in a clinical setting.
About 500 people are expected to participate and the results will then be sent to their doctors, who, if necessary, can then advise on treatment.
Professor Zoe Kourtzi, University of Cambridge, explained that if doctors intervene early in dementia, then treatments can start faster and slow the progression of the disease.
She explained that symptoms are likely to appear later in life or “not at all”.
Professor Kourtzi’s test works by comparing brain scans of those who fear they may have dementia, with thousands of people who have already been diagnosed with the condition.
What is dementia?
Dementia is a disease that refers to a group of disorders that affect the functioning of the brain – and there are many types and causes.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, affecting between 50 and 75 percent of those diagnosed.
It tends to be associated with the elderly, but there are over 42,000 people under 65 with dementia in the UK.
There is no cure for any type of dementia, but delaying the onset by five years would halve the number of deaths from the disease, according to Alzheimer’s UK.
To pick it up early, it’s important to know what to look out for.
Here are the 8 warning signs:
- Short term memory
- Mood swings
- Loss of interest
- Lack of concentration
- Rash decisions
- Losing the sense of direction
- To be confused
- Familiar tasks become difficult
The algorithm is then able to identify patterns in the analyzes.
The AI system is so detailed that it is even able to see signs that expert neurologists might miss.
It then matches the information to patient outcomes in a database.
Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer’s Research UK said: ‘Artificial intelligence systems like this are currently being applied to many aspects of healthcare, drawing on knowledge from huge data sets to help physicians to make more informed decisions about diagnosis, treatment and care.
“To diagnose dementia today, doctors must rely on the interpretation of brain scans and cognitive tests, often over a period of time.
“Machine learning models such as those developed by Professor Kourtzi could give physicians greater confidence in the interpretation of scans, leading to a more accurate diagnosis for patients.”
The study’s lead consultant neurologist, Dr Tim Rittman, told the BBC that the AI system is a “fantastic development.”
He said: “These sets of diseases are really devastating to people.
“So when I pass this information on to a patient, anything I can do to be more confident about the diagnosis, to give them more information about the likely progression of the disease to help them plan their life is a good thing to be able to do. “
Recently, experts revealed how the color of your diet could help protect you against Alzheimer’s disease.
A study in the United States also found that the way a person drives can be key to detecting dementia.
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