Canadian researchers have shown that a combination of genetics and brain MRIs may be used to predict the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The Simon Fraser University’s Functional and Anatomical Imaging and Shape Analysis Lab (FAISAL) study was published in the IOS Press journal.
During their research, the team identified distinct properties of brain MRIs and genetics that impact the prediction of Dementia of Alzheimer’s Type, or DAT, for patients at various stages of the disease.
Then they developed a biomarker that can help predict future conversion to DAT.
“Our findings reveal that while genetic features have lower predictive power than MRI features, combining both modalities can improve the performance in predicting the future conversion to DAT.”
That’s according to study lead author Ghazal Mirabnahrazam, a research assistant currently completing a master’s degree in engineering science at SFU.
‘Extremely useful’
Dementia is the name for a set of symptoms that includes memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.
It develops when the brain is damaged by diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease – a physical disease that affects the brain. It is named after Alois Alzheimer, the doctor who first described it.
In the study, dementia scores based on genetic data were shown to better predict future DAT progression in currently normal patients who will develop DAT at a later time.
While MRI data, which reflects anatomical changes in the brain, was shown to better predict future DAT in those with mild cognitive impairment.
“In a clinical setting, clinicians can use our model to predict a quantitative score indicating the similarity between a subject’s observed patterns based on MRI and genetic data at the time of clinical visit and DAT patterns,” said senior author Mirza Faisal Beg, a professor in SFU’s School of Engineering Science.
“This is extremely useful, specifically at the MCI (mild cognitively impaired) stage in identifying those who will progress to DAT in the future.”
More promising outcome
“Being able to accurately estimate the chance of future conversion to DAT using only baseline information is extremely valuable,” Beg continued.
“Because it provides practitioners with deep insight and enough time to plan appropriate care for each patient based on their probability of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
“Furthermore, it can provide potentially critical information for drug trials and the development of preventative measures.
“This information can aid in the selection of the appropriate cohort of patients for clinical trials, which can lead to a more promising outcome.”