Yang Chih-chieh Albert, Head of the School of Medicine in the College of Medicine at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan, developed a mathematical model years ago. Initially used to identify the authenticity of works like Shakespeare’s plays and the text of Dream of the Red Chamber, it has recently been successfully applied to measuring the brain structure of Alzheimer’s patients. This development aids in understanding structural differences between the brains of Alzheimer’s patients and healthy individuals, thereby accelerating Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The related paper was successfully published in the international journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.
Yang explains that as the global population ages, Alzheimer’s cases are increasing. While MRI scans can reveal brain morphology, they lack the resolution needed for analyzing the finer distribution of neurons. Using this mathematical model to understand brain structure variations provides a new approach for neurological diseases.
Currently, Alzheimer’s can only be diagnosed through symptoms, and Amyloid PET scans are the only clinical method for early detection. Yang points out that if there were a method to measure brain structure, it would provide a novel way to diagnose Alzheimer’s.
Yang developed this mathematical model years ago to detect correlations between sequences. It was previously applied to analyze time sequences in heartbeats, nucleic acid sequences in genes, and even the similarity of literary works. Using this model, Yang previously resolved the mystery of forged Shakespeare works and discovered that the last 40 chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber might not have been written by Cao Xueqin.
This mathematical model has now achieved further success by transforming MRI images from mere visuals into quantifiable data on brain structure. It enables scientists to capture structural differences between Alzheimer’s brains and healthy brains, which manifest significantly in areas such as the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and olfactory cortex.
Yang compares this to comparing the structural differences of houses: “Once the structure is known, differences between houses can be compared.” Alzheimer’s brains exhibit a disordered structure compared to healthy brains, likely reflecting amyloid protein deposits that lead to irregular arrangements of neural tissue.
Yang notes that this method allows scientists to observe whether brain structures are abnormal or irregularly organized. In addition to Alzheimer’s, it can be applied to investigate other neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and Parkinson’s disease. Currently, these conditions rely on functional scales clinically, but having brain structure data could enable earlier detection and treatment.
Reporter Lin Hsiao-yun, Liberty Times Net, Taipei
Translated by Haydn Chen of NYCU
