University of Rochester's AI-Based Method Breaks New Ground for Alzheimer's Research

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 14 June 2023, 03:06 pm

The University of Rochester has advanced significantly in measuring fluid flow around the brain's blood arteries using artificial intelligence (AI). This ground-breaking method in AI velocimetry measurement has significant therapeutic implications for conditions like Alzheimer's.

A multidisciplinary team of mechanical engineers, neuroscientists, and computer scientists created the innovative AI-based approach to calculate brain fluid flow precisely. The researchers got high-resolution insights into the brain's system by integrating 2D data with physics-based neural networks, Neuroscience News reported.

The scientists created a three-dimensional model of fluid flow in the perivascular regions surrounding the brain, in contrast to earlier two-dimensional investigations. The complexity of the human brain is better understood because of this development.

Beyond Alzheimer's research, this AI-based method has broad applications. The development of therapies for additional illnesses, including small vessel disease, strokes, and traumatic brain injuries linked to fluid flow changes, may benefit from a better understanding of fluid flow dynamics around the brain.

A Breakthrough in Addressing Alzheimer's Disease

The study's principal researcher, Associate Professor Douglas Kelley of the University of Rochester, highlights its importance by noting that the study "combined some measurements from inside the animal models" with a "novel AI technique" that allowed researchers to "effectively measure things that nobody's ever been able to measure before," according to Medical Xpress.

Combining AI with fluid flow measurements provides a fresh angle for understanding the processes that control brain fluid flow. The inter-disciplinary endeavor serves as a reminder of how crucial cross-disciplinary cooperation is to increasing scientific knowledge.

The result of the research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, opens up new avenues for investigation and even therapeutic developments for Alzheimer's.

This AI-based method offers promise for better diagnosis and tailored treatments for the millions of individuals who suffer from Alzheimer's disease in the United States and throughout the globe.

Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative brain ailment that affects everyday functioning, cognitive abilities, and memory. It ranks as the seventh highest cause of mortality in the US and is the most frequent cause of dementia among older persons, according to the National Institute on Aging.