Could AI help detect a condition disproportionately impacting Black people?
Artificial intelligence is currently being developed to detect dementia and Alzheimer's disease, which Black people are twice as likely to develop.
Artificial intelligence can be a controversial subject, especially in Hollywood or among artists. Many who contend with AI express concern about its potential for harm instead of good, like eventually being able to detect brain health.
In June, the National Institute on Aging reported that one day, researchers working alongside AI computer programs may be able to predict who is at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, from medical records. According to an NIA-funded study, this would be possible by training certain self-educating programs — also known as machine learning algorithms — to spot risks in electronic health records. The results could ultimately be used to identify the underlying source of a person’s risk.
This isn’t the only way the technology could be used. The Washington Post reports that a device resembling a headband is in development to scan brain activity, much like an ECG does for heart waves or a blood pressure cuff.
“We want to find ways to detect dementia as early as possible,” Jennie Larkin, deputy director of the Division of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging told the outlet. “AI is primarily helpful in understanding and managing big data too large or complex for traditional analyses. Its potential is to be an incredible assistant in helping us understand rich medical data and identify possibilities we never could unassisted.”
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Though the technology is still at least a decade off from being fully ready, it has the potential to impact health outcomes for many people.
According to the Mayo Clinic, dementia is a broad term used to describe a variety of symptoms that impact memory, thinking, and social abilities. While not one disease in particular, dementia is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
The condition impacts roughly 6.9 million Americans over the age of 65 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects this figure to double by 2060. Black seniors also develop the condition at disproportionate rates. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 23.1% of Black people in their 70s and older have the disease and are twice as likely as white Americans to develop the condition. The reasons behind the disproportionate rates are hard to pinpoint, however systemic barriers to adequate health, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status may be factors.
Considering that there is still no known cure for both dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and very few ways beyond medication to minimize it once it begins, some experts caution against the promise of this new and developing technology.
“Overall, AI in this case, is a good thing. But it carries a big ‘but,’” Arthur Caplan, professor of bioethics at NYU Langone Health, said when speaking to the Washington Post.
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