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4 clusters · 12 sources · 35 days · First seen · Last updated

Seoul National University cognitive health research

Overview

Researchers at Seoul National University have developed new methods to identify cognitive decline and dementia risk through non-invasive assessments.

One study focused on road safety by identifying a ‘silent risk group’ of elderly drivers. By analyzing cognitive performance on a ‘symbol connection test’ alongside education levels, researchers found they could identify high-risk drivers who may not realize their own declining abilities. The study noted these metrics are intended for precise ability assessments rather than restricting driving rights.

Advancements in retinal imaging have further expanded these diagnostic capabilities. A research team led by Seoul National University Hospital developed an artificial intelligence model, published in ‘npj Digital Medicine’, that screens for current dementia and predicts future risk using retinal fundus photographs. Utilizing the ‘RETFound-MAE’ foundation model and ‘explainable AI’ technology, the system uses heatmaps to visualize retinal areas, such as the optic disc, that influence its decisions. This model demonstrated an AUROC of 0.750 for current dementia screening and a C-index of 0.812 for predicting future risk.

Additionally, researchers developed a method to assess biological aging through the ‘Retinal Age Gap’ (RAG). This AI-driven technology estimates a person’s biological age from retinal images and compares it to their chronological age, achieving an average error margin of 2.5 to 2.7 years. The study identified correlations between a higher retinal age gap and factors such as diabetes, smoking, macular degeneration, and cataracts.

Furthering this research, an AI system trained on approximately 30,000 retina scans has been shown to predict chronological age with high precision. Experts suggest that because the retina’s vascular structure is linked to the brain and cardiovascular system, this technology could be integrated into routine eye examinations to serve as a practical indicator for the early diagnosis of cardiovascular risks and systemic internal diseases before clinical symptoms appear.

Entities

Seoul National University Hospital · Ximed · Han Ji-won · npj Digital Medicine · Kim Ki-woong

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Seoul National University researchers develop AI retina scan to detect biological aging

    Seoul National University researchers developed an AI retina scan that predicts biological age and detects systemic health risks like diabetes and cardiovascular issues.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Seoul National University researchers develop AI retinal aging assessment

    Seoul National University researchers developed an AI-driven method using retinal images to estimate biological age, identifying links between retinal age gaps and conditions like diabetes and smoking.

  3. [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Seoul National University Hospital develops AI to predict dementia via retinal photos

    Researchers at Seoul National University Hospital developed an AI model that predicts dementia risk using retinal photographs, offering a low-cost tool for early screening and clinical intervention.

  4. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Seoul National University researchers identify high-risk elderly drivers

    Researchers have identified a way to detect high-risk elderly drivers through cognitive tests, specifically targeting a 'silent risk group' who report no prior accidents but show declining cognitive processing.

Sources

autotribune.co.kr · avrupagazete.co.uk · bosa.co.kr · healthmedia.co.kr · hin.company · joongboo.com · konhaber.com · kormedi.com · sondakika.com · sportschosun.com · yenisafak.com · zdnet.co.kr

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history