AI model uses retinal scans to predict Alzheimer's disease

A form of artificial intelligence designed to interpret a combination of retinal images was able to successfully identify a group of patients who were known to have Alzheimer's disease, suggesting the approach could one day be used as a predictive tool, according to an interdisciplinary study from Duke University. The novel computer software looks at retinal structure and blood vessels on images of the inside of the eye that have been correlated with cognitive changes. The findings, appearing last week in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, provide proof-of-concept that machine learning analysis of certain types of retinal images has the potential to offer a non-invasive way to detect Alzheimer's disease in symptomatic individuals. "Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease often relies on symptoms and cognitive testing," said senior author Sharon Fekrat, M.D., retina specialist at the Duke Eye Center. "Additional tests to confirm the diagnosis are invasive, expensive, and carry some risk. Having a more accessible method to identify Alzheimer's could help patients in many ways, including improving diagnostic precision, allowing entry into clinical trials earlier in the disease course, and planning for necessary lifestyle adjustments."