United States: Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered portable technology detects early brain deterioration signs, which indicate future risks for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, according to research findings, as reported by HealthDay.
The assessment checks motor function aspects by observing subjects when they stand stationary and when they walk while getting up from a bench.
How It Works: Tracking Subtle Motor Function Changes
The AI model processed recorded test data, which achieved an 83% accuracy rate in identifying subjects who received mild cognitive impairment diagnosis.
“The areas of the brain involved in cognitive impairment overlap with areas of the brain involved in motor function, so when one is diminished, the other is impacted as well,” senior researcher Trent Guess, an associate professor at the University of Missouri, said in a news release.
“These can be very subtle differences in motor function related to balance and walking that our new device is able to detect but would go unnoticed through observation,” he added.
The diagnostic criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment include cognitive symptoms beyond typical aging deficits before dementia onset.
Medical experts noted that MCI signals the potential development of Alzheimer’s and dementia during their investigations.
Why Early Detection Matters
“Alzheimer’s disease is a significant problem here in the U.S. We know that if we can identify people early, we can provide early intervention to halt or slow the progression of the disease,” lead researcher Jamie Hall, an associate teaching professor at the University of Missouri, said in a news release. “Only about 8% of people in the U.S. who are believed to have MCI receive a clinical diagnosis.”
Research investigators employed a force board alongside camera technology to monitor the movements of senior individuals.
The Study: AI Outperforms Traditional Observation
Researchers asked 19 seniors with mild cognitive impairment to perform standing walking and standing up tasks during which they needed to count backward in intervals of seven.
Analyzing results revealed that AI correctly identified most individuals with MCI, while researchers obtained the data through a study of 28 normal seniors who completed similar tasks.
“Our portable system can detect if a person walks slower or doesn’t take as big of a step because they are thinking very hard,” Hall said. “Some people have more sway and are less balanced or are slower to stand up when they are sitting. Our technology can measure these subtle differences in a way that you could not with a stopwatch.”
According to Hall, the team’s long-term objective is to create a system that can be used to test for brain degeneration in a variety of locations, such as clinics, senior centers, community centers, assisted living facilities, and health departments, as reported by HealthDay.
A Future of Widespread Brain Health Screening
“This portable system has many other applications, too, including looking at those with concussions, sports rehabilitation, ALS and Parkinson’s disease, knee replacements and hip replacements,” Guess said. “Moving is an important part of who we are. It’s rewarding to see that this portable system can be beneficial in a lot of different ways.”