Huntington's Disease: Scientists Develop New Methods to Detect HD Progression Using AI
Scientists in the UK have created innovative analysis tools and non-invasive testing methods to assess the impact of proposed treatments or lifestyle modifications on individuals with Huntington's disease and to understand the disease's course.
New Delhi, June 10: Scientists in the UK have created innovative analysis tools and non-invasive testing methods to assess the impact of proposed treatments or lifestyle modifications on individuals with Huntington's disease and to understand the disease's course.
Huntington's is a genetic disease in which the brain's neurons eventually degenerate and die. The illness progresses to dementia, causing a person's mobility, memory, and cognitive abilities to deteriorate gradually. Currently, there is no cure for Huntington's disease.
The researcher at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom demonstrated that Huntington's disease has a broad impact on tiny blood vessels in addition to its effects on brain nerve cells. Study Reveals How Huntington's Disease Affects Different Neurons.
Additionally, the alterations were noticed prior to the onset of illness symptoms, indicating the possibility for this study to forecast brain function and assess the advantages of alterations in lifestyle or medical interventions.
Professor Aneta Stefanovska of Lancaster University said that they hope this innovative approach can be beneficial to “monitor the disease progression and evaluate the effect of potential treatments or lifestyle changes” in people with Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases. “New treatments of Huntington's disease targeting the vasculature and brain metabolism", she further added.
In their study, published in the journal Brain Communications, the team investigated how Huntington's illness affected the coordination of neuronal activity and brain oxygenation. They combined cutting-edge analysis equipment with noninvasive measurement techniques, placing infrared light-emitting probes on research participants' heads.
Using infrared light, the researchers could measure the brain's blood oxygenation. Additionally, the scientists used mathematical techniques to study the various rhythms associated with the functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system using electrodes, which monitor electrical activity from neurons.
These rhythms included respiration and heart rates, which are connected to the movement of oxygen and nutrients, and slower rhythms, which are connected to the regulation of blood flow locally.
The group clarified that quicker rhythms indicate brain activation. The manner in which these rhythms are coordinated determines how well the brain functions.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 12, 2024 11:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).