New Techniques for Early Diagnosis of Dementia and Alzheimer's
Robbie Singh MS, MBA
Clinical Research Management | Venture Capital | Scientific Operations | Eagle Scout
In May 2018, Cognetivity Neurosciences Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada was awarded the "prestigious AXA Health Tech & You Challenge in the 'Innovations in the Early Diagnosis of Dementia' category." Cognetivity has developed an artificial intelligence based Integrative Cognitive Assessment test that aims to discover the smallest changes in cognitive ability. The AI component of the test gathers information to "learn" and improve its ability to diagnose.
Cognetivity's test involves a 5-minute cognitive assessment test of large areas of the brain. Potentially a groundbreaking tool in screening for dementia, the ICA may also old promise to remotely monitor progression of Alzheimer's and gauge the effectiveness of treatment. For more about Cognetivity Neuroscience Ltd. see: https://www.cognetivity.com
Another breakthrough in the are of early diagnosis of dementia and Alzheimer's comes from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. They are seeing the Frailty - a clinically recognized syndrome that is "a state of increased vulnerability that results from age-associated decline in a person’s ability to function and also associated with cognitive decline and dementia." In other words, assessment of cognitive abilities as it relates to the Frailty Index may produce better diagnostic outcomes and earlier detection of dementia.
Out of this research and through the "use of neuropsychological tests to identify the probability of developing dementia and to help provide appropriate long-term care to the elderly" came the development of a new diagnostic tool - the Neurocognitive Frailty Index (NFI). The Neurocognitive Frailty Index proved highly accurate (greater than 90%) of predicting dementia.
Of the top 10 causes of death, dementia and Alzheimer's rank as the only one without a treatment or cure, and currently there is no way to arrest progression of this disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association, "the early detection of dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease, is a critical unmet need in healthcare with a potential savings to healthcare of early and accurate dementia diagnosis could be as high as $7.9 trillion in the USA alone."
For further reference see:
https://ccna-ccnv.ca/news/mental-health-an-important-missing-link-to-understanding-frailty-and-dementia/
#dementia #Alzheimer's #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #NeurocognitiveFrailtyIndex #Frailty #CognetivityNeurosciences #AXAAward #EarlyDiagnosis #Diagnostics
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6 年Thinking back to one of my courses in bioethics, I recall the class having some quite spirited discussions about whether detecting/predicting a condition was something they wanted to do.? The consensus of the group? was that their answers depended greatly on whether the condition detected had a actionable treatment available or not.?