AI tool using eye scans may predict dementia risk, researchers say

AI tool using eye scans may predict dementia risk, researchers say

SCOTLAND – Researchers from the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University have collected nearly one million eye scans to develop an AI-based tool capable of predicting a person’s risk of developing dementia.

The data, gathered from routine eye scans conducted by optometrists across Scotland, will be analyzed as part of the NeurEYE project, utilizing AI and machine learning techniques to study anonymized patient data, including demographics, treatment history, and pre-existing conditions.

The eye can tell us far more than we thought possible,” said Baljean Dhillon, co-lead of NeurEYE.

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The blood vessels and neural pathways of the retina and brain are intimately related. But, unlike the brain, we can see the retina with the simple, inexpensive equipment found in every high street in the UK and beyond.”

The NeurEYE project is the second initiative funded by NEURii, a collaboration involving Eisai, Gates Ventures, the University of Edinburgh, LifeArc, and Health Data Research UK.

The first project, SCAN-DAN, uses AI to analyze brain images to predict dementia risk.

NEURii is part of the HDR UK Brain Health partnership, a program dedicated to advancing research into neurodegenerative diseases through the ethical use of large-scale data.

Other projects within the program, such as the Dementia Trials Accelerator (DTA), aim to expand opportunities for patients at risk of dementia to participate in clinical trials.

Collaborations like the Motor Neurone Disease Research Catalyst and the Alzheimer’s Disease Data Initiative also focus on using data science to fight neurodegenerative diseases globally.

If successful, the NeurEYE tool could become a valuable predictive and diagnostic resource for optometrists, aiding in the identification of dementia risk and potentially streamlining referrals to neurologists.

It could also play a key role in monitoring neurodegeneration and accelerating drug discovery by identifying ideal candidates for clinical trials and tracking treatment responses.

Additionally, identifying at-risk individuals could enable them to make lifestyle adjustments, such as changes in diet and physical activity, to help delay or prevent dementia.

Recent advances in AI promise to revolutionize medical image interpretation and disease prediction,” said Miguel Bernabeu, NeurEYE co-lead.

However, in order to develop algorithms that are equitable and unbiased, we need to train them on datasets that are representative of the whole population at risk.

This dataset, along with decades of research into ethical AI at the University of Edinburgh, can bring a step change in early detection of dementia for all.”

Early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases could also have significant financial benefits.

Harnessing the potential of digital innovations in this way could ultimately save the NHS more than £37m a year,” said Dave Powell, a NEURii collaborator.

The UK is well positioned to develop novel tests using health data, which is why we are collaborating to advance promising digital health projects that could improve millions of lives.”