If you’re like Khloe Kardashian, who recently turned 40, you may have considered testing your biological age to see if you feel younger than your actual age. But while these tests can tell you a lot about your body’s aging, they often overlook the aging of your brain. Researchers have now developed a new method to determine how quickly your brain is aging, which could help in predicting and preventing dementia. Learn more here.
Unlike your chronological age, which is based on the number of years since you were born, your biological age is determined by how well your body functions and how your cells age. This new method uses MRI scans and artificial intelligence to estimate the biological age of your brain, providing valuable insights for brain health tracking in research labs and clinics.
Traditional methods of measuring biological age, such as DNA methylation, do not work well for the brain due to the blood-brain barrier, which prevents blood cells from crossing into the brain. The new non-invasive method developed at the University of Southern California combines MRI scans and AI to accurately assess brain aging.
Using AI to analyze MRI brain scans, researchers can now predict how quickly the brain is aging and identify areas of the brain that are aging faster. This new model, known as a 3D Convolutional Neural Network, has shown promising results in predicting cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease risk based on brain aging rates.
Researchers believe that this innovative approach can revolutionize the field of brain health and provide valuable insights into the impact of genetics, environment, and lifestyle on brain aging. By accurately estimating the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, this method could potentially lead to the development of new prevention strategies and treatments.
Overall, this new method offers a powerful tool for tracking brain aging and predicting cognitive decline, bringing us closer to a future where personalized brain health assessments can help prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases.
For more information, visit Professor Andrei Ilimia’s profile here.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
