One brain scan shows the rate of aging
Imagine: You’re still full of energy, living a normal life, and suddenly, one MRI scan of your brain can tell you how actively your body is aging. Scientists from Duke University, Harvard and New Zealand have developed an algorithm that can determine the biological rate of aging. This is not a fantasy, but a real tool that can predict the risk of dementia and chronic diseases long before the first symptoms.
Dozens of analyses or long-term observations are not needed. The new tool is a model trained to read age—related changes directly from an MRI scan. Moreover, it’s not just about age, but about the rate of aging: how quickly a person’s cognitive abilities decrease, the risk of diseases increases and the body weakens.
The analysis of the images showed: Those whose brains age faster are more likely to experience memory impairment, decreased attention, and even the development of dementia. Moreover, they have a faster decrease in the volume of the hippocampus, an area responsible for learning and memory.
When researchers first saw how accurately the tool predicted the development of dementia, they were shocked. People with “rapid brain aging” were twice as likely to develop dementia after a few years. They had impaired thinking earlier and were more likely to develop chronic illnesses, from strokes to lung and heart problems.
The tool already works with databases from the USA, Great Britain, Canada and Latin America. It shows results equally well among people of different ages, backgrounds, and affluence. This means that the method is universal and reflects the real processes occurring with the brain.
The world is rapidly aging. By 2050, every fourth person on the planet will be over 65 years old. And with age, the risk of dementia and age-related diseases increases. At the same time, Alzheimer’s drugs still do not save: they only slightly alleviate the symptoms.
The new model allows us to look into the future. If we know that the brain is aging too fast, we can start prevention in advance, change our lifestyle and delay the disease. After all, the brain, unlike machines, is not so easy to fix when irreversible changes have already begun.
So far, this method is a scientific tool. But the authors hope that in the future it will enter into practice: it will help doctors identify risks and monitor the effectiveness of treatment, and scientists will understand why some age faster than others.
Published
July, 2025
Duration of reading
3-4 minutes
Category
New technologies
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