Awardee Organization(s): Boston University
Principal Investigator(s): Vijaya Kolachalama, PhD
Official Project Title: AI-based tool for mixed dementias
AITC Partner: PennAITech
Website(s): https://vkola-lab.github.io
Diagnosing dementia can be challenging because many different types often occur together, making it difficult to identify what is truly causing a person’s symptoms. For example, someone with both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia may not respond well to treatments designed just for Alzheimer’s. Misdiagnosis can lead to ineffective or even harmful treatments, especially in older adults with complex medical histories. That’s why it’s so important to have tools that can accurately identify all the underlying causes of dementia. Our research team has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can analyze a wide range of information, from brain scans and cognitive tests to medical history, to help determine what type or types of dementia a person may have. We tested this model on data from over 50,000 people and showed that it can reliably distinguish between different dementia types, even when multiple conditions are present. In some cases, neurologists using our AI tool improved their diagnostic accuracy significantly. Our next step is to build and test this AI tool in real-world healthcare settings. With support from the a2 Pilot Award, we will partner with two hospitals to test the tool on a diverse group of patients. The goal is to create a reliable, user-friendly platform that helps doctors make better decisions about diagnosing and treating dementia, ultimately improving patient care.
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