AI tool that can accurately predict key signs of Alzheimer’s disease such as the presence of sticky proteins called amyloid beta and tau—using common and less expensive tests like brain scans, memory checks and health records. We used data from multiple international research cohorts, allowing us to predict the presence of these sticky proteins, and even checking specific brain areas, explains corresponding author Vijaya B. Kolachalama, PhD, FAHA, associate professor of medicine and computer science at Boston University.

While popular new blood tests can somewhat detect signs of Alzheimer’s, they can’t reveal exactly where in the brain the issues are occurring—unlike our AI tool, which provides important location-specific detail. Kolachalama and his team gathered information from seven different cohorts, totaling 12,185 participants, including their age, health history, memory test scores, genetic information and brain scans. They trained an AI model on this data to learn patterns that match the presence of sticky proteins seen in expensive scans and even designed the model to work if some of the information was missing.

They then tested it on a separate group of people not used in training and found that the AI correctly predicted who had high amyloid or tau levels. Kolachalama believes this tool could make checking for Alzheimer’s disease easier and less costly for everyone. The tool can help doctors quickly pick people for treatment with new drugs or to participate in research studies, thus saving time and money while reaching more patients who might not have access to costly and complicated tests. For the public, this means faster diagnoses, fewer unnecessary exams and hope for treatments that slow the disease, improving daily life for those affected and their loved ones, he adds.

Source: https://www.bumc.bu.edu/camed/news-events/articles/2025/new-ai-tool-to-predict-markers-of-alzheimers-disease