Machine learning identifies likelihood of developing dementia

Machine learning algorithms have been trained to predict the likelihood of a person developing dementia with 92 per cent accuracy, a study has concluded. Using data from over 15,300 patients in the US, research from Exeter University found that machine learning can accurately tell who will go on to develop dementia within two years of attending a memory clinic. The technique identifies hidden patterns in the data and learning who is most at risk. The study, published in JAMA Network Open and funded by funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, also suggested that the algorithm could help reduce the number of people who may have been falsely diagnosed with dementia. The researchers analysed data from people who attended a network of 30 National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center memory clinics in the US.