A new method based on MRI images has been developed to predict dementia with over 80% accuracy up to nine years before diagnosis. This method, developed by a team at Queen Mary University of London, was published in Nature Mental Health. The predictive test is based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to detect changes in the brain’s “default mode network” (DMN), the first neural network affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers used MRI images from over 1,100 volunteers in the UK Biobank to estimate the connectivity between ten brain regions that make up the default mode network. They assigned each patient a probability value of dementia based on the level of connectivity observed. The model accurately predicted the onset of dementia up to nine years before an official diagnosis, with over 80% accuracy. The model was also able to predict with a margin of error of two years how long it would take before a diagnosis for those who had developed dementia. These findings highlight the importance of early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, recent European recommendations on the diagnosis of cognitive disorders and Alzheimer’s aim to streamline the diagnostic process, reduce unnecessary tests by 70%, and potentially incorporate Alzheimer’s markers in blood tests.
Demenza, un nuovo metodo la individua nove anni prima
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