Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC), in the United States, have created a new artificial intelligence (AI) model capable of calculating the age of people’s brains. The innovation can contribute to the early diagnosis of cognitive decline in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
In an article published last Tuesday (2/1) in the magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)scientists explain that brain aging occurs in different ways in each individual and is considered a reliable biomarker for the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
“People age at different rates, as do the types of tissues in the body. We know this colloquially when we say, ‘So-and-so is 40, but he looks 30.’ The same idea applies to the brain. The organ of a 40-year-old can look as ‘young’ as a 30-year-old, or it can look as ‘old’ as a 60-year-old,” said one of the study’s authors, Professor Andrei Irimia, in a statement published by USC.
Artificial intelligence
The researchers analyzed magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brains of 4,681 people diagnosed as “cognitively normal”. In some of them, cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease was observed years later. With this data, they created an artificial intelligence model called a “neural network” to predict the age of participants.
The network was trained to produce detailed anatomical brain maps that identify aging patterns by detecting subtle markers of brain anatomy that correlate with cognitive decline. Without technology, it would be very difficult to see the differences in the brain.
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia are neurodegenerative diseases that mainly affect the elderly population. The conditions are progressive and, over time, the patient becomes more dependent on the care of others.Getty Images
*** Seniors and computerIt is common that, in the initial stage, the symptoms are confused with the natural aging process. However, family members and close people should be aware of the signs Getty Images
*** doctorsIt is also important to seek help from doctors, as the earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of controlling the case and delaying the progression of the disease, as well as increasing the quality of life of patients.Disclosure
***elderly-g73b917f75_640Parkinson’s causes the death of neurons that produce dopamine and play an important role in the locomotor system. Men are the most affectedPixabay
***man-g7d8f2f940_640The patient’s family should be aware of the first signs of slowness, muscle stiffness and frequent tremors, which are more characteristic of this condition.Pixabay
***woman-gd073167b3_640Alzheimer’s, in turn, affects the female population more. It causes the degeneration and death of neurons, which results in progressive alteration of brain functions.Pixabay
***question-gd12ddc75a_640The most recurrent consequences are the impairment of memory, behavior, thinking and learning capacity.Pixabay
***patient-ge7e79da2d_640Dementia is progressive and the initial symptoms are well known: memory loss and confusion are the most common. The condition affects up to 25% of people over 85 in BrazilPixabay
***hands-gda2519f21_640Speech problems and difficulty making decisions are also among the signs. However, there are other subtle signs that can alert to the development of some types of degenerative diseases. Pixabay
***eye-g91c3cc572_640Vision problems: A study done in the UK by UK Biobank shows that people with age-related macular degeneration are 25% more likely to have dementiaPixabay
***elderly-agencia-brazilHearing loss: may be linked to cellular changes in the brain. But vision and hearing loss can lead to social isolation, which has been known for years as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.Brazil Agency
***elderly-couple-g5e4cbfe5e_640Mood swings: People with early dementia stop finding jokes funny or don’t understand situations they used to find amusing, and may have trouble understanding sarcasm Pixabay
***281948-see-x-important-care-with-the-elderly-oral-health-768×512Gum problems: Research shows that oral health is linked to mental health issues and may also be linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and alcoholism — all of which are also risk factors for dementiareproduction
***man-g2ef0736cd_640Social isolation: the symptom may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. A lack of patience with friends and family and a preference for being alone could be signs of brain chemical problems or a lack of vitamins.Pixabay
***ball-g8627c1d0f_640Other signs that may indicate neurodegenerative diseases are: lack of interest in usual activities, difficulty performing day-to-day tasks, repeating conversations or tasks, disorientation in known places and difficulty memorizingPixabay
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From there, the scientists were able to compare the perceived (biological) brain ages with the actual (chronological) ages of each participant. The greater the difference between the two, the worse were the participants’ cognitive scores, which indicates risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
The researchers estimate that the model can predict chronological ages with a margin of error of 2.3 years, about one year less than what other existing standards achieve.
“The sooner we can identify people at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the sooner doctors can intervene with treatment options, monitoring and disease management,” says Irimia.
Aging between the sexes
The study showed that men and women age differently in certain areas. For them, aging is faster in the motor cortex, the area responsible for motor function, which could explain the higher prevalence of Parkinson’s diagnoses. For them, aging may be slower in the right hemisphere.
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