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A new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm can accurately predict cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease within a five-year period.

Created by scientists in Canada, the聽algorithm learns signatures from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), genetics and clinical data.

Dr聽Mallar Chakravarty, a computational neuroscientist at the , and his colleagues from the and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health designed a聽specific algorithm that can help predict whether an individual鈥檚 cognitive faculties are likely to deteriorate towards Alzheimer鈥檚 within five years.

鈥淎t the moment, there are limited ways to treat Alzheimer鈥檚 and the best evidence we have is for prevention. Our AI methodology could have significant implications as a 鈥榙octor鈥檚 assistant鈥� that would help stream people onto the right pathway for treatment. For example, one could even initiate lifestyle changes that may delay the beginning stages of Alzheimer鈥檚 or even prevent it altogether,鈥� said Dr Chakravarty, an Assistant Professor in 鈥檚 Department of Psychiatry.

The findings聽used data from the . The researchers trained their algorithms using data from more than 800 people ranging from normal healthy seniors to those experiencing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer鈥檚 disease patients. They replicated their results within the study on an independently collected sample from the .

Can the predictions be improved with more data?

鈥淲e are currently working on testing the accuracy of predictions using new data. It will help us to refine predictions and determine if we can predict even farther into the future,鈥� said Dr Chakravarty. With more data, the scientists would be able to better identify those in the population at greatest risk for cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer鈥檚.

Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia and the total number is projected to reach 82 million in 2030 and 152 in 2050, according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, the most common form of dementia, may contribute to 60鈥�70% of cases. Presently, there is no truly effective treatment for this disease.

The article 鈥樷�� was published in .

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/ralwel