Researchers from the Alan Turing Institute have developed a method that uses artificial intelligence to scan for dementia. The test works after a single brain scan and can spot dementia years before symptoms appear, and the scans show no sign of injury.
Dementia affects over 850,000 people in the U.K alone. About 1 in 6 people above 80 and 1 in 14 people above 65 have dementia.
This technique is a considerable improvement as dementia typically requires numerous tests to diagnose, which presents a barrier as sometimes it becomes too late to offer any substantial treatment. Early treatment of dementia can also delay the onset of the disease. The test could also predict if the condition will remain stable for years, slowly or quickly deteriorate.
The new method analyzes brain scans from people at risk of dementia and compares them with people who already have dementia to find patterns in the disease.
The test is currently in pre-clinical trials. The trial they will conduct at Addenbrooke’s Hospital will include 500 people researchers suspect have dementia or are at risk of the disease. Researchers will investigate if the new diagnostic tool can work in a clinical setting. The results from the 5000 patients will go to their doctors, who could discuss treatment with their patients if necessary.
According to Zoe Kourtzi, a professor at the Alan Turing Institute of experimental psychology and cognitive computation neuroscience at Cambridge University, early intervention will allow doctors to prescribe treatment that slows disease progression and avoids further damage.
The consultant neurologist at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Timothy Rittman, adds that the system is a significant development as this disease has devastating effects on patients. Providing them with a confident diagnosis and the progression of the disease can help them plan their lives and adapt better to the situation.
The Dementia UK, a dementia charity, recommends that people visit a doctor if they suspect dementia. They offer a list of symptoms that will guide a person towards knowing they have the illness. For example, one symptom of dementia is memory loss. Many people with dementia frequently forget things. Others are disorientation, inability to carry out routine tasks, communication issues, lack of spatial awareness, changes in abstract thinking, and personality changes.